I organized my department holiday luncheon here this year. I had tried their food on a couple different occasions, and since it is top notch, I figured it'd be a nice setting for a work event. My group consisted of about 40 people so we were given the private room on the second floor. The service was impeccable and the food was as good as I remembered. Thanks La Famiglia, for making this event a success
(3)
Deborah H.
Very old fashioned Italian. It had nice service and good wine list. Food was ok , not great but dessert was wonderful-poached pears in some type of sharp sweet wine sauce w Italian cream sauce like a sabayon style.
(3)
Suzanne S.
I came to La Famiglia for the first time this past restaurant week I was seated right away even though the other half of my party was very late. I really appreciated this, because I have been at many an empty restaurant where they wouldn't seat me until my whole party was there. My table ordered the eggplant melenzane (AMAZING), Gnocchi in gorgonzola (okay), NY strip (outstanding), veal (I didn't try it, but they all liked it), and the salmon (moist, with the perfect amount of lemon). The service was excellent, but the desserts and mixed drinks needed improvement. They have an awesome wine cellar in the basement, which was really cool to see as well. I would definitely return to this restaurant.
(4)
Frank C.
The broad range of reviews for this restaurant is a surprise; it is a bastion of a style of luxurious dining rarely found and wonderful to partake, but one that takes a little engagement from the diner to enjoy. Entering La Famiglia, you are greeted at the small, four-six seat bar, well stocked with fine spirits, and naturally skewed to Italian essential aperitifs and amari. Two glass cabinets of sparkling wineglasses at the far side of the bar/foyer flank the entrance to dining room beyond, all paneled in wood in the grandest style. As my partner and I both arrived with somewhat unsettled constitutions due to an unfortunate lunch at another establishment, we started with a pair of Negronis, knowing the bitter Campari would soon set us to rights and prepare us for the meal to follow. We were seated next to the carved marble fireplace that housed the collection of after dinner grappa and digestif -- it's quite a collection of 50 or more -- to which we very much looked forward. The diningroom borders on opulent, the waitstaff all in waistcoats and ties and thoroughly educated as to the menu and specials (note: to those reviewers who think that the staff is "all Italian" or "not at all Italian" WTF? The staff is clearly not Italian, but why does that matter when they all know the dishes and the cuisine and do their job well? They could be Australian for all I care.) My partner started with the chilled tomato soup; I, the zucchini-wrapped grilled shrimp. My partner found the soup very wholesome and peaceful, though it might have been better a week or two later when tomatoes are a tad riper. My shrimp were wonderful; their sweetness enhanced with the rich butter sauce. On this occasion (and partly due to the unfortunate lunch discussed above) we opted to go with just pasta for our mains -- but what pasta it was. I had the special crab and lobster stuffed angolotti in a red bell pepper creme sauce. The pasta was perfectly delicate and soft, the filling rendolent of sweet, sweet crustacean, balanced wonderfully by the slight zip of the pepper creme. My date's gnocchi were the softest rendition I have ever had, their texture that of a perfectly cooked baked potato, and accented by a gorgonzola creme that let only a restrained amount of bleu cheese funk through so that the sauce's earthiness matched that of the potato pasta. Our wine (merely by the glass -- though their by-the-bottle list resembles a telephone book, backed by the extensive cellars downstairs) was excellent -- mine the Sangiovese and my partner's a Montepulciano. Around us, we saw diners enjoying tableside preparation and carving of whole branzino baked in a salt crust, the presentation of desserts off of the dessert cart, tables being seated and leaving, patrons (at least half, anyway) who actually were dressed for the occasion of dinner -- which is such a rare thing these days, but one that La Famiglia's stateliness merits. We needed a break before dessert and, bucking tradition, took some grappa early -- both of us choosing barrel-aged versions of this venerable spirit. If you've never had it grappa is a wonderful experience, with one of the richest noses of any spirit. Barrel-aged versions start out with the sweetness and vanilla of oak, and fade to a gentle, fruity but austere whisky. For dessert, the lemon tirimisu seemed the most perfect hoice after the richness of out pasta, and indeed it was. The cake seemed soaked in lemon curd and coated in a lemon creme -- amazingly light despite an unfathomable caloric content, I'm sure. Espresso to follow came with little hazelnut maccaroons with nutella filling --an amusing twist on the common biscotti. La Famiglia: Stately, not stuffy, excellent Italian cuisine. It's a grand experience you should treat yourselves to over and over again.
(5)
Mel C.
I'm not Italian, but I did spend a summer in Italy staying with real Italians and traveling throughout the country and tasting the wonderful cuisine it has to offer. Thus, I feel completely comfortable by saying this place was confusingly atrocious and am actually appalled people have rated this higher than a star (which is the lowest Yelp allows you to issue). First of all, the decor is nice albeit a tad cheesy with up and downstairs seating. We opted to sit upstairs thinking it would be quieter, but there was actually a rambunctious party up there that might have gotten quite drunk to help themselves eat the food without feigning disgust. Now, the reviews that state this is authentically Italian, maybe it has changed? I didn't see one Italian person there from the hostess to any of our servers. Let me caveat, and note that the actual service from the hostess, servers, water person man, were all very polite and nice. I had no problem with them as people but perhaps the refinement of fine dining was lost on a place that garners three or four dollar signs on food review sites. There were several people attending to all the tables... making it confusing as one would come over and ask to take our order even though we had just ordered from another. At one point, one of the servers just sort of walked aimlessly from table to table with sizzling entrees and as each one shook their heads... he just moved down the row until he found the right diners. We were running the half-marathon in Philly the next day and opted out of alcohol. We started off with some mille di verdure that had promising words like mozzarella layered with mushrooms and drizzled with pesto sauce. We had wanted some pasta and ordered a full primi of tortelleoni (filled with squash & ricotta). And finally we chose the veal chop (sauce unknown to me but hey it was a veal chop at a "top" restaurant. What could go wrong?) The layered vegetable thing was the strangest amalgamation of ingredients that together tasted like buttery pesto sauce. I could see the mushroom & mozzarella, but when I bit in it was like pesto sauce and grease was just sliding around in my mouth. I actually hadn't eaten much this day in anticipation , so I set the banquet style appy to the side and anxiously awaited my rumored plumply cheese filled tortelleoni. When it arrived, I realized I had actually not gone to La Famiglia Ristorante but was really in a Chinese take out place with 5 dumplings rolling around a butter sauce. Confused again, I took a closer look at the tortelleoni, and I really believe they took dumpling wrappers and then shadily rolled in some crumbly mixture that fell apart and rolled into the sauce to be some sort of Loch Ness Monster goop lumpily lost in the butter. Yum. Oh wait, GAG. My date/bf pleasantly offered his veal chop for a bite... but took a few tries b/c he couldn't fine a piece that wasn't really blubberous. As in the lamb might have been dieting solely on Big Macs and ding dongs b/c it was the fattiest piece of veal I have seen ever. The only positive I can say about this experience, is that it didn't interfere with our half-marathon in the morning. Not sure how they get away for actually charging people here, but I just know that I'll thoroughly read the bad reviews on Yelp before I try another "upscale" restaurant. I wish it had been Restaurant Week (but it was a Saturday) so I could partially blame the debacle this place is...
(1)
Kim C.
Came here on a friend's raving recommendations with very high expectations. For all the hype, I was a little disappointed. The restaurant was pretentious and stuffy. The food, too salty. The redeeming qualities were the mushroom and pasta dish, which was perfect, and the dessert cart. The wine list was HUGE, but unfortunately my boyfriend and I both got sick from the wine, which tasted fine at the time. We spent the evening at home nursing our nausea--definitely not what we bargained for. For the price, I'll take Ristorante Panorama or an Italian BYOB, please.
(2)
Theresa Marie S.
I went here during the holidays time of 2006. The food was the BEST I had ever tasted outside of my own Italian home. The wine list is HUGE and that is because us Italian's love their wine!! It is actually quite amazing that they have taken the time to go and create such a list. Bring your credit card because it is $$$$. I had the ravi's with a delicious cream sauce and it was...I *think* $18? I tried the salmon that my father had and it was so beyond tasty! Yum!
(5)
Robert M.
"Rocky Balboa" was one of my favorite movies of 2006. (I love the original, which won the '76 Oscar for Best Picture, and I admire Stallone's knack for maintaining the character's likeability through six films. Think about it: Michael Corleone lost his intensity in the third Godfather, and George Lucas crashed and burned with the Star Wars prequels.) My point? Well, I'm in Philly on business, so to honor the Italian Stallion (who wound up opening a restaurant called "Adrian's"), I didn't object when I heard we'd be dining at La Famiglia. A taste of Italy, Philly-style. First-class? Yo. An elegant (yet relaxing and comfortable) setting, attentive service, and an incredibly expansive wine list (including the Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon we all enjoyed). I was tempted by the Charcoal Grilled Filet Mignon (in a red wine sauce), but wound up ordering (and loving) the Pappardelle with Porcini Mushroom. The entire experience was a first-round knockout!
(5)
Axl R.
My tuna tartar was razor thin and very well done. It was quite delicious. I asked for changes to be made to my meal, and although the waiter was initially hesitant the meal came out exactly as I wanted it. It was all complimented by the perfect glass of wine selected by the hostess. I am very, very picky about alcohol because I do not like the taste at all, but want some of the smoothness of a meal with wine. Her selection was the perfect balance for me. I would recommend eating at this restaurant but not if you have anything to do for the day. My biggest negative on this place is that the waiters are super slow as was the bill!
(4)
Chris L.
So I went here during restaurant week. It's supposedly one of the classy places to goto, and once I was inside, I could see why. Very nice, elegant interior. You really feel like you're royalty when you step inside. They had a candle lit at the table so it would feel romantic if you're with that special someone. Their bread was pretty good for an italian place... had great flavored olive oil as well. I had some pasta appetizer, roast beef, and a dessert sampler for dessert. I wasn't too impressed with their appetizer and entree... it was "ok", but it's probably due to the fact that it's restaurant week and it's probably one of their "cheaper" entrees (the place is normally rated $$$$, so I guess they have more expensive entrees that are better). Anyway, the dessert was really good though. Very small and light, but still tasty. Anyway, I give it 4 stars.
(4)
Maritza M.
Not the best high-end Italian food I've ever had, but then again I went during restaurant week. My polenta & mushroom appetizer was really not that great at all. And the green peppercorn bistc was lacking green peppercorn! The wine list was way too exaggerated! Do they really need a HUUUUGGGE book for their wine list?! How cocky are these people?! My friend had to STAND UP to go through the wine book because it was sooooo big. Basically, I was disappointed with my food. I expected better. But I'd go again when it's not restaurant week and try their real menu. If I go again and it's not good, this place gets 2 stars. It'll go up to 4 stars if it's amazing the second time around.
(3)
Hywel J.
This is the best Italian place in Philly. The service is old-school (many of the waiters look to be 900 years old!), but the food is superb and it has a relaxed kind of formality. The wine list is the size of a medieval bible and contains a similar number of revelations.
(5)
Rueben C.
So yea I heard all this hype about this joint. The self proclaimed "best italian food in Phila". I go there during restaurant week, and to get to the point, if you haven't got it from looking at the number of stars, this place is fast food caliber itaian cuisine. I was with a party of six and we order everything presented on the fixed menu (restaurant week) and none of the plates from the courses were decent. I can think of three BYOB that quickly come to mind that make this place an imposter of italian food. Honestly, even the despicable artwork on the walls is anything but horrible replicas of Italian artwork from Uffizi. I mean the plates they serve you on have the name of the restaurant on them....how corny is that? Chef Ramsey 's designers desparately need to revamp this place. If it wasn't restaurant week, which makes me think the restaurant gives the chef the week off, I'd give this place 1 star for it's location. Try la viola, modo mio or l'angolo!!!!!
(4)
Brynn D.
very expensive old-school italian food served up in a very, very formal setting... a little too formal for the likes of me. service is wonderful as one would expect when paying major bucks for dinner. it actually wasn't snooty service, either - just friendly, pretty much genuine. i've been twice and that's where they excel. food would be pleasing to the masses, so a fine place to take finnicky parents or for a business dinner.
(3)
Laurel M.
Now, I know restaurant week dinners are to be taken with a grain of salt...but really this was not good. Definitely the worst restaurant week experience I've ever had. I certainly didn't expect whatever their usual quality is (which I assumed was quite high, Ive always heard pretty amazing things about this place) but what I received was simply edible at best. We had crab cakes over arugula, gnocchi, seafood risotto & veal. The crab cakes were simply OK, the salad they came with waaay too saturated w/ balsamic vinaigrette, the gnocchi had an excellent texture & consistency but the sauce with it very bland. As for the entrees, the risotto was absolutely nothing to write home about but was far better than my entree of veal. It was listed as veal medallions in a mushroom sauce, but seriously it came as like cutlets of salisbury steak & tasted about as good. I had mashed potatoes on the side which tasted really weird (almost...moldy) & on top of that were cool, my steamed broccoli seemed like it came from a frozen bag. I was only able to eat a few bites of my entree & let me server know about my displeasure. He offered me a different entree, but I wasn't interested. My appetite was simply gone. I didn't ask for my meal to be discounted in any way, but when I received my bill I noticed that I wasn't charged for any of my wine...I don't know if that was intentional but whatever I took it, haha. Dessert was pretty good (chocolate cake, cheesecake & poached pear). Service was really slow...& I know they were busy so I wasn't too put off by it, but still...it was *very* slow. I have no interest in trying La Famiglia for their regular menu. I would give my experience there only two stars, but since I was there during restaurant week & didn't have their usual menu, I'm upping it to three (just in case).
(3)
Kit-N-Debbie W.
Been told by numerous friends this is a must go restaurant. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. The ambience itself is beautiful, the noise level made it difficult to have a conversation at dinner. Food was adequate but nothing to make us return. The menu and specials were disappointing.
(3)
Nancy E.
Perfection in food and service. Housemade pastas were delicious (had the evening special of fettuccini in a creamy asparagus sauce with seared scallop and also tortellini with squash and butter sauce). Branzino prepared tableside was a treat for the eyes and the taste buds...expertly fileted with choice of sauces (we chose tomatoes and capers in a light lemon olive oil). Food and drink temperatures were spot on - hot entrees and crusty bread, ice cold sparkling water and Sauvignon blanc. We were given complimentary bruschetta and biscotti. Service was attentive, yet leisurely. We wish we had discovered La Famiglia earlier in our Philly residency!
(5)
Mark L.
An old school traditional Italian restaurant that's been around philly forever. Rather pricey for frequent visits but food was perfect. Decadent dessert cart. I'd personally recommend their whole fish which they lovingly and expertly disassemble in front of you to eat.
(4)
Jae R.
I went there for early evening dinner. Pricey, but the food is excellent. I love the decor upstairs.
(4)
Robert M.
"Rocky Balboa" was one of my favorite movies of 2006. (I love the original, which won the '76 Oscar for Best Picture, and I admire Stallone's knack for maintaining the character's likeability through six films. Think about it: Michael Corleone lost his intensity in the third Godfather, and George Lucas crashed and burned with the Star Wars prequels.) My point? Well, I'm in Philly on business, so to honor the Italian Stallion (who wound up opening a restaurant called "Adrian's"), I didn't object when I heard we'd be dining at La Famiglia. A taste of Italy, Philly-style. First-class? Yo. An elegant (yet relaxing and comfortable) setting, attentive service, and an incredibly expansive wine list (including the Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon we all enjoyed). I was tempted by the Charcoal Grilled Filet Mignon (in a red wine sauce), but wound up ordering (and loving) the Pappardelle with Porcini Mushroom. The entire experience was a first-round knockout!
(5)
Axl R.
My tuna tartar was razor thin and very well done. It was quite delicious. I asked for changes to be made to my meal, and although the waiter was initially hesitant the meal came out exactly as I wanted it. It was all complimented by the perfect glass of wine selected by the hostess. I am very, very picky about alcohol because I do not like the taste at all, but want some of the smoothness of a meal with wine. Her selection was the perfect balance for me. I would recommend eating at this restaurant but not if you have anything to do for the day. My biggest negative on this place is that the waiters are super slow as was the bill!
(4)
Caroline H.
For restaurant week this year we decided to try out La Famiglia in hopes that it lived up to its expectations as a very good, high end Italian restaurant. I know many people say restaurant week is not a great time to see how a restaurant really is but I have yet to get a sub-par meal during it. We walked into the bar/hostess station/coat check/waiting area barely able to fit through the door because of the extremely small area filled with waiting diners. We were seated at a nice table upstairs and were immediately asked if we wanted anything from the bar. We had all decided prior that we were not going to get alcoholic drinks because we we were all trying to keep the cost down. Well the waiter did not seem pleased that we didn't order anything other then Iced tea and soda because he actually made a face at us once we were all done placing our drink orders. In fact another gentleman came over and asked us again, if we wanted anything from the bar. Our orders were taken and within minutes our appetizers arrived. Some of us had the gnocchi and some had the crab cakes. My gnocchi was good, a nice portion and cooked perfectly altough it seemed like it needed a little bit of salt/and or season. I had a taste of the crab cake and that was actually really good but very small. We finished and our main entrees arrived also very quickly. Between all of us we managed to only get the Veal and the Chicken. The veal was certainly one of the most unappealing looking dishes I may have ever ordered at a restaurant. No garnish, just 2 rolls of meat covered in brown sauce, soggy broccoli drowned in butter and a small slap of mashed potatoes. My second veal roll was very pink inside and the filling in both seemed to be bread stuffing I never found any mushrooms or tasted fontina. The chicken that the others in my group had was served with the same soggy drowned broccoli and mashed potatoes. It looked like a boiled chicken breast covered in cheese--I was told it tasted like any old chicken you would make at home. I was not impressed at all with the entrees. Finally dessert came. A fruit tart, small cheesecake and a cream puff. The fruit tart was really, really good the cheesecake was ok and the cream puff had a grainy texture to it and really wasn't too tasty. Overall the food was just OK and the service was nothing near what it should have been considering we had about 5 different people taking care of us. I don't think I'll be returning here...way too stuffy and overrated for my taste.
(2)
Kim C.
Came here on a friend's raving recommendations with very high expectations. For all the hype, I was a little disappointed. The restaurant was pretentious and stuffy. The food, too salty. The redeeming qualities were the mushroom and pasta dish, which was perfect, and the dessert cart. The wine list was HUGE, but unfortunately my boyfriend and I both got sick from the wine, which tasted fine at the time. We spent the evening at home nursing our nausea--definitely not what we bargained for. For the price, I'll take Ristorante Panorama or an Italian BYOB, please.
(2)
Theresa Marie S.
I went here during the holidays time of 2006. The food was the BEST I had ever tasted outside of my own Italian home. The wine list is HUGE and that is because us Italian's love their wine!! It is actually quite amazing that they have taken the time to go and create such a list. Bring your credit card because it is $$$$. I had the ravi's with a delicious cream sauce and it was...I *think* $18? I tried the salmon that my father had and it was so beyond tasty! Yum!
(5)
Charles R.
Yes, I know its an old school restaurant and people even dress, but I like it anyway. Once in a while its nice to go out to a place where people look like they are out to dinner and not going bowling. The food is on a par with most of the better Italians in the city and the service is very good. Since it's Italian I could go thru the pastas and veal dishes , but they are pretty much the same choices you get at most top eateries. One of very best dessert carts in the city, second only to La Bec Fin. Valet parking, all major credit cards and dinner for 4 with 2 bottles of wine was just over $300. Yes, it's on the top end range in this city, but if you are celebrating and b'day or anniversary this is a wonderful place to go. Oh yes, you can hear each other speak across the table because it's quiet.
(4)
Paul S.
We had a marvelous time Saturday evening at La Famiglia. As recounted in many reviews, the service is warm and attentive and this alone distinguishes the restaurant from most others. The dining room is formal without being fussy or theatrical. We started with perfectly made cocktails while we reviewed the menu and the extensive wine label list. The waiter offered some additional specials and we chose several of those including two appetizers, a fantastically smooth and delicious artichoke soup (highest recommendation) and calamari on tomatoes and white beans, which were tender and flavorful. We enjoyed our entree choices, the filleted at your table Bronzino with the white mustard sauce and the veal medallions with cheese and tomatoes. Both prepared with great care and flavor. To complement our meals we chose an excellent bottle of Puglian red wine (Patriglione 1999), which paired nicely with the fish and meat. You would be very pleased with this wine choice. Luckily, we had room for dessert. The Italian Napoleon was very fine, not too sweet and with lots of crunchy almonds. My friend also enjoyed the meringue that sat on top of cake with a raspberry filling. We ended with good coffee and good conversation and the lively chatter of a dining room filled with contented and happy diners. We felt special on a special night. Highly recommended for those looking for the same. Perhaps we'll see you there on our next visit!
(5)
Cara N.
I went for Restaurant Week, and everything was just ok. One problem that I had, that I have with just about every restaurant/bar/lounge around here is that they are just too small! Row houses are NOT meant to serve as restaurants/bars/lounges, they are meant for people to LIVE in them! And unless your last name is Gosselin (I just finished watching "Jon & Kate Plus 8"), you should NOT have a house full of people like that on a regular night...sorry I'm getting off topic. Anyway, I digress - being that I'm from New Jersey, I take my Italian food pretty seriously (yes, black people can take Italian food seriously too), and this place just didn't cut it. It didn't help that this man and his "goomah" came in and started getting all touchy-feely at the table. I don't even remember what I had, which means the chances of me returning are slim to none.
(2)
Chris L.
So I went here during restaurant week. It's supposedly one of the classy places to goto, and once I was inside, I could see why. Very nice, elegant interior. You really feel like you're royalty when you step inside. They had a candle lit at the table so it would feel romantic if you're with that special someone. Their bread was pretty good for an italian place... had great flavored olive oil as well. I had some pasta appetizer, roast beef, and a dessert sampler for dessert. I wasn't too impressed with their appetizer and entree... it was "ok", but it's probably due to the fact that it's restaurant week and it's probably one of their "cheaper" entrees (the place is normally rated $$$$, so I guess they have more expensive entrees that are better). Anyway, the dessert was really good though. Very small and light, but still tasty. Anyway, I give it 4 stars.
(4)
Maritza M.
Not the best high-end Italian food I've ever had, but then again I went during restaurant week. My polenta & mushroom appetizer was really not that great at all. And the green peppercorn bistc was lacking green peppercorn! The wine list was way too exaggerated! Do they really need a HUUUUGGGE book for their wine list?! How cocky are these people?! My friend had to STAND UP to go through the wine book because it was sooooo big. Basically, I was disappointed with my food. I expected better. But I'd go again when it's not restaurant week and try their real menu. If I go again and it's not good, this place gets 2 stars. It'll go up to 4 stars if it's amazing the second time around.
(3)
Hywel J.
This is the best Italian place in Philly. The service is old-school (many of the waiters look to be 900 years old!), but the food is superb and it has a relaxed kind of formality. The wine list is the size of a medieval bible and contains a similar number of revelations.
(5)
Laurel M.
Now, I know restaurant week dinners are to be taken with a grain of salt...but really this was not good. Definitely the worst restaurant week experience I've ever had. I certainly didn't expect whatever their usual quality is (which I assumed was quite high, Ive always heard pretty amazing things about this place) but what I received was simply edible at best. We had crab cakes over arugula, gnocchi, seafood risotto & veal. The crab cakes were simply OK, the salad they came with waaay too saturated w/ balsamic vinaigrette, the gnocchi had an excellent texture & consistency but the sauce with it very bland. As for the entrees, the risotto was absolutely nothing to write home about but was far better than my entree of veal. It was listed as veal medallions in a mushroom sauce, but seriously it came as like cutlets of salisbury steak & tasted about as good. I had mashed potatoes on the side which tasted really weird (almost...moldy) & on top of that were cool, my steamed broccoli seemed like it came from a frozen bag. I was only able to eat a few bites of my entree & let me server know about my displeasure. He offered me a different entree, but I wasn't interested. My appetite was simply gone. I didn't ask for my meal to be discounted in any way, but when I received my bill I noticed that I wasn't charged for any of my wine...I don't know if that was intentional but whatever I took it, haha. Dessert was pretty good (chocolate cake, cheesecake & poached pear). Service was really slow...& I know they were busy so I wasn't too put off by it, but still...it was *very* slow. I have no interest in trying La Famiglia for their regular menu. I would give my experience there only two stars, but since I was there during restaurant week & didn't have their usual menu, I'm upping it to three (just in case).
(3)
Rueben C.
So yea I heard all this hype about this joint. The self proclaimed "best italian food in Phila". I go there during restaurant week, and to get to the point, if you haven't got it from looking at the number of stars, this place is fast food caliber itaian cuisine. I was with a party of six and we order everything presented on the fixed menu (restaurant week) and none of the plates from the courses were decent. I can think of three BYOB that quickly come to mind that make this place an imposter of italian food. Honestly, even the despicable artwork on the walls is anything but horrible replicas of Italian artwork from Uffizi. I mean the plates they serve you on have the name of the restaurant on them....how corny is that? Chef Ramsey 's designers desparately need to revamp this place. If it wasn't restaurant week, which makes me think the restaurant gives the chef the week off, I'd give this place 1 star for it's location. Try la viola, modo mio or l'angolo!!!!!
(4)
Brynn D.
very expensive old-school italian food served up in a very, very formal setting... a little too formal for the likes of me. service is wonderful as one would expect when paying major bucks for dinner. it actually wasn't snooty service, either - just friendly, pretty much genuine. i've been twice and that's where they excel. food would be pleasing to the masses, so a fine place to take finnicky parents or for a business dinner.
(3)
Michael S.
I came here for restaurant week with my family. Since it was restaurant week, they had a special $35 per person menu, which is a VERY good deal for this place. I got the lasagna for an appetizer and the veal for my main course. My whole family agrees it was the best lasagna we've ever had. The rest of the meal was decent. The place is beautifully decorated, and upstairs, the ceiling is painted just like many places in Italy. There is also a robust wine list. I will definitely add this to my list of Philly's finer dining establishments!
(4)
Eleanor M.
Me and my Husband went here for Valintine Date night. As soon as we walked in we were very impressed by the Italian Decor and the Beautiful Hostes. She was warm and welcomeing and seated us right away even though we had no reservation. The waiter was also very friendly and Lite our candles. My Husband Orderd Fish It was coverd in sea salt and placed on a cart and the server did a Table side deboneing of the fish. He then coverd it in a Butter and lemon sauce with cappers and chopped tamatos. My Husband was very pleased. I had There home maid pasta in a vodka sauce and it was the best pasta I have ever had. We fell in love with this place Because its is so beautiful decorated, they treat you like family, the food is all home made,fresh and taste's like nothing I've tryed before. They even have a service button on the table and of corse me being a kid I had to test it out. so every time I would press it they would come running to the table. I did not need to press it because they know how to treat a costomer. We found out that they are open for lunch and there prices are half off if you come in befor 2:00 pm. They have a full bar and if you ask they will give you a tour of there wine sellar, it looks like somthing from the movie Good Fella's They have so many bottles of wine. The desert cart is mouth watering. Please treat your self to a 5 star dinning experiance You will not, Can not be dissapointed.THIS PLACE IS AMAZEING. The best Italian food in all of Philly and there prices are reasonable.
(5)
D S.
I will forever LOVE this restaurant. My husband and I got married here and it was awesome. My guests still say it was by far the best food they have ever had at a wedding. We went here on our first anniversary and it was just as amazing. The food melts in your mouth, it tastes fresh, and the staff are just so attentive and professional. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Did I mention how beautiful La Famiglia is, from the bar, the wine cellar, the upstairs banquet, and the intimacy of the dining area? Great place. I noticed someone said something about how people dress and how La Famiglia doesn't enforce a dress code. I love that about La Famiglia. Whether you are wearing jeans or a tie, they treat everyone with the utmost respect.
(5)
Patrizia C.
I organized my department holiday luncheon here this year. I had tried their food on a couple different occasions, and since it is top notch, I figured it'd be a nice setting for a work event. My group consisted of about 40 people so we were given the private room on the second floor. The service was impeccable and the food was as good as I remembered. Thanks La Famiglia, for making this event a success
(3)
Michael B.
It's the best traditional Italian food classy restaurant in Philly. They have a wine cellar that resembles a vault. And a grappa bar that resembles nothing else I've ever seen since. The service and food are some the most impressive I've ever experienced. They don't make mistakes. Dining here was excellent. Parking on Front Street is a pain. Expect to walk quite a ways. Let your date know this before!
(5)
Ed K.
Excellent dinner with our daughter for a celebration! Apps Calamari was great as well as pasta special. Dinner Outstanding presentation and taste for the branzino Veal is great too! Medallions and chops Wonderful service! Cream puffs were highlighted dessert. Would highly recommend! Second to me there recently and will go back
(5)
Beth K.
We celebrated a birthday here and the food was outstanding.
(5)
Deborah H.
Very old fashioned Italian. It had nice service and good wine list. Food was ok , not great but dessert was wonderful-poached pears in some type of sharp sweet wine sauce w Italian cream sauce like a sabayon style.
(3)
Suzanne S.
I came to La Famiglia for the first time this past restaurant week I was seated right away even though the other half of my party was very late. I really appreciated this, because I have been at many an empty restaurant where they wouldn't seat me until my whole party was there. My table ordered the eggplant melenzane (AMAZING), Gnocchi in gorgonzola (okay), NY strip (outstanding), veal (I didn't try it, but they all liked it), and the salmon (moist, with the perfect amount of lemon). The service was excellent, but the desserts and mixed drinks needed improvement. They have an awesome wine cellar in the basement, which was really cool to see as well. I would definitely return to this restaurant.
(4)
John R.
La Famiglia Ristorante: Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant 8 S Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 922-2803 lafamiglia.com I lifted the title of this review from the official Google search for this restaurant, and the top of the results lists the La Famiglia website as Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant. A bit pompous on their part, proclaiming themselves the best, but after eating here I have to agree. Opened in 1976, La Famiglia has been serving the Philadelphia community for almost 30 years. Given that according to the Small Business Administration, "About half of all new establishments survive five years or more and about one-third survive 10 years or more." it says something about the experience provided by dining at La Famiglia that has withstood the test of time. Upon entering the restaurant, the establishment at once has an aristocratic, old money feel. This restaurant is not for the faint of heart, or wallet. It is also a two to three hour affair. The waitstaff doesn't even bring the menu out until 15 minutes into the meal as you are given various amuse bouches and an extensive wine list for leisure reading. The first course (complimentary) is a standard bruschetta. Excellent. Sliced tomatoes, crisp and crunchy with buttered toast perfectly browned that all melts together in your mouth. A+ One of the nice things about this restaurant is if you really like the amuse bouche you can order another round of it at no charge, which was a nice touch. I have to take a second and comment on the china. Sterling silver cutlery and ornately decorated china make the meal so much more pleasurable. It gives a warm, family dinner style to the meal, I assume in keeping pace with the restaurant's name. Gnocchi Gorgonzola -- $16.95 Homemade gnocchi with Gorgonzola cheese, cream and crushed almonds. This was a fantastic creamy dish with a little accent by the addition of the crushed almonds. I cleaned my plate in less than 5 minutes. Delicious. For your information: Gnocchi are various thick, soft doughs that may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, flour and egg, flour, egg, and cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients. Usually served as a first course in place of soup. Insalata con Arancia e Finocchio -- $9.95 Mixed greens with fennel in a lemon extra virgin olive oil dressing, garnished with fresh orange slices. Also delicious, very citrusy though. Vitello al Pistacchio -- $26.95 Pistachio crusted veal medallions served with cranberry in a light madeira sauce. This was amazing. I practically licked the plate. Madeira Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding Madeira wine to a basic demi-glace (rich and deeply flavorful sauce made by half basic brown sauce and half brown stock reduction). The Madeira sauce is an excellent accompaniment for roasts and steaks. Special: Veal wrapped with Italian eggplant. Finished with a touch of eggplant cream sauce. Eggplant and veal certainly is an interesting mixture. It was not bad by any means but certainly not a combination I would make myself. The veal was tender and sauce was adequate and creamy. Nothing too crazy here. For dessert: Creme caramel, vanilla flavored flan. Interestingly enough, this is a dessert of Spanish origin so I was surprised to find it on the Italian restaurant dessert menu. It was very good and the caramel sauce was fantastic. Presentation was a bit on the plain side, but it certainly made up for it in taste. Of note: A fully stocked bar adjacent to the main dining area. Bottles of fine spirits adorn the mantles. Gorgeous overhead lights History of the Restaurant (Per La Famiglia Website) The Sena family tradition of culinary excellence dates back to early 1947 when Carlo "Papa" Sena began to cook in postwar Naples. The family carried this experience across the Atlantic and opened La Famiglia in 1976.
(5)
Mike Z.
We had a dinner reservation for NYE for the 4 of us. Id like to start with saying that I really liked the service. The owner is very involved on the dining room floor, and walks around table to table to make sure everyone has what they need. For appetizer I had some grilled octopus and salad which was really good. For entree I had lobster out of the shell and it was delicious. My friends ordered lamb chops which they said were very flavorful and they got devoured. The coolest part about the restaurant is their wine selection of hundreds of different bottles from all over the world. The entire downstairs is made up of a wine cellar and as you walk to the bathroom you see all the different varieties on both sides of the hallway. I look forward to checking this place out on a regular evening. Great experience!
(5)
K B.
Unbelievably SUCKY. So slow, service horrible. Not sure how this place survives. Wait staff from a different planet.
Beware of Restaurant Week menu!!! Dined here with my sister during restaurant week and was very disappointed. My first course was a bolognese which was decent. Second course was chicken breast, spinach, fontina cheese with a white wine butter sauce. It was terrible! Her first course was a mediocre gnocchi and her second course was a steak that easily looked like a TV dinner salisbury steak. Terrible! Sampling of desserts were all very underwhelming.
(1)
Jean M.
Great meal! We are from out of town and dined here during restaurant week. What a pleasant surprise- wonderful menu choices, food quality and everything was truly delicious. The sampling dessert was an added bonus. La famiglia is spacious, romantic and has an amazing wine cellar. Highly recommended!
(5)
Sabrina S.
I came back here again in February..everything is not as good as I had in memory.. Especially the tiramisu..It seems like just a regular cake, and I cant taste Rum at all.. Kind of disappointed.. I think you could go for the fabulous restaurant decorations only.
(3)
William C.
Terrible Terrible Terrible. For a supposedly higher end restaurant, I was ashamed to bring my clients to dinner here. It centered around the wine. We spent over 2k on a dinner with clients from out of town. We had about 4 bottles of wine. One of which was $350 from my favorite vineyard. Corky didn't even come close to the description as it was an '83. I told our "waiter" four times in different ways that the wine had turned yet he thinks it would be a good idea to still serve it to the five of us. None of us drank it. How many times and in different ways do I have to say the wine has turned before looking bad in front of clients?? They served it, we left it on the table, and then...THEY CHARGED ME FOR IT! I've asked them five times to respond and refund my partner and my money but they haven't. Terrible Terrible Terrible. If you come for the wine, go elsewhere because you'll pay top dollar for vinegar.
(1)
Anthony B.
I took my girlfriend here for our One year anniversary and I couldn't have been happier with my choice. The staff attended to all our needs but were not intrusive. You could tell they really knew what they were doing. The food was amazing, full of flavor and presented wonderfully. The only thing I did not like was that the sides that came with the meal were incredibly tiny. With as good as the food was, I wound up hungry only a couple hours later. Even though it wasn't a serving size I was used to I am planning on going back. There were way too many positives to not experience this restaurant again.
(4)
Andrea M.
One of the nicest restaurants in town, the staff is very friendly and attentive. The pasta dishes are always fresh and very good, especially the bolognese. We have had the salt baked branzino and it is one of the best fish dishes I have ever had.
(4)
Nicole M.
All I can say is AMAZING! Atmosphere was perfect, food was amazing - need I say more?
(5)
Serena D.
This is a fantastic place for a date night. Looks upscale and quiet environment for a good conversation. I had Carpaccio for appetizer. Very special and flavorful. And it's good to share. For the entree, I had chilean sea bass. Very tender and delicious besides there is not really any flavor for the inner. The dessert cart looks soooo good and we ended up getting the banana cheesecake with chocolate chips. Definitely recommend this desert! :) Overall, the food is awesome, the service is great besides it's a bit overpriced. But definitely worth it especially you want to take your girl out for a special night! :)
(4)
Margo v.
A perfect lunch. We were there for Restaurant Week. The menu offered a large and varied selection for first and second courses. . For desert we received three delightful tastes. Service was excellent. A quiet relaxing atmosphere. This is an under appreciated gem.
(5)
Lauren C.
BEWARE OF RESTAURANT WEEK MENU I can't speak for this place during normal operation, but please omit it from your options for restaurant week. It was truly a disappointing way to spend $100. In fact, I'm so salty about it that I'm actually bothering to write a review. In short, here were the problems: *I suspect a majority of the food served was frozen, specifically the meat entrees and the italian dessert sampler (the only dessert option). I'm convinced I could go to BJ's and find the identical dessert platter in the freezer section. *Deceptive language on the RW menu: For example: "Veal medallions" came out as veal scaloppini...basically no meat and overwelmed with sesame seeds. Sesame seeds were the only flavor on the plate. *No wine, beer or cocktail menus available to diners. Boyfriend's cocktail was charged per ingredient. For example: A Captain and Diet was ordered. It appeared on the bill as Captin Morgan: $9, Diet Coke: $2.50. Totalling $11.50 for a Captain and Diet served in a rocks glass. no no no. BOTTOM LINE AND LESSON LEARNED: Be weary of going to high end establishments for Restaurant Week. The dishonest places aren't going to put quality on your plate for $35. It's a poor representation of their restaurant, but maybe they believe that only novices come in for RW to eat for cheap. For these types of restaurants it should be seen as positive marketing to spread the word and establish a customer base. As a result, I will never go back and I would never recommend it to friends. I can't imagine this would be any restaurant's goal.
(1)
Wanda M.
We were here a few nights ago with friends for dinner after a hiatus of maybe a decade. I remember that La Famiglia was my all time favorite Italian restaurant in Philly. It still is, but it is not the La Familigla of the past. The service was very, very good and professional. You could have a conversation during dinner (what a concept!) because of the noise abating and absorbing aspects of the dining room. No deafening roar so typical of today's restaurants. My argument was with the ho hum nature of the entrees. The veal chop was competently prepared, but not spectacular. The salad was fresh, but bland. The special pasta was well prepared but had no complexity. I remember years ago coming here and having the best Dover sole in my life. Perhaps we've over fished the seas and those days are long gone. But gummy calamari is no substitute. It's a good restaurant and I will be back, but it is not the great La Famiglia that I remember.
(4)
Brian P.
I just returned from a trip to Philadelphia, and La Famiglia was by far the best restaurant I went to. First of all, the service was outstanding. I'm really perplexed at some of the other reviews ? It seems that most of the negative reviews are related to "restaurant week", which probably means these folks never go to nice places normally. Perhaps La Famiglia should discontinue their participation ? Anyway, the wine list is amazing, one of the most comprehensive I've seen. We had a full menu: starters, entree, and desert, and a bottle of wine. I felt the value for the meal was very good. It's a beautiful dining room, and they certainly don't rush you out. A+ for me. If we go back to Phil, we will definitely visit again.
(5)
Olivia K.
I want to preface this review by saying that I went during restaurant week. With that said, I've had amazing meals at some very high end restaurants during previous restaurant weeks and to say that I was extremely let down at La Famiglia is an understatement. We were greeted warmly by the hostess who seated our party of 6. Within minutes, the waiter came back with restaurant week menus that were tattered and stained. While we were deciding on food, he brought out a basket of bread that was incredibly stale. I only ate a couple of pieces because I was starving. Ok, not off to a good start so far. I ended up ordering the sea scallop salad, anticipating 2-3 large sea scallops on a bed of lettuce and veggies. When it came to the table, I was disappointed. Instead of finding large, meaty sea scallops, I was given mixed greens with tiny sea scallop turds. They tasted like they were either frozen or straight out of can. Actually, I could barely taste them because they were so miniscule. There was nothing else on the salad, which bored my taste buds. Bleh. Since I'm lactose intolerant, most of the pasta dishes were out of the question for the main course, so I ordered a medium rare steak and veggies. You can't screw that up, right? Not only was I unimpressed with my first course, but I was also disappointed with the service. My table waited over 30 minutes to get our second course! When my meal finally came out, I really had to contain my disappointment as to appear polite in front of our dinner guests. Not only was my steak and the sauce covering it mediocre, it was definitely cooked over medium rare and had very little seasoning. The steak was served with a small portion of mashed potatoes and veggies, which were definitely frozen, microwaved, and dumped on a plate. Seriously? Hoping the restaurant could redeem themselves with dessert, I waited in anticipation. We were all served 3 small cakes (chocolate, ricotta cheese, and some orange cake) that were again very mediocre. If this is supposed to be fine dining, then Olive Garden is leaps and bounds ahead of this restaurant. Get it together La Famiglia. I will definitely never be back. Thank god the entire meal only cost $35 because I have no idea how people fork over hundreds of dollars to dine here.
(1)
Emma T.
La Famiglia is the quintessential old school traditional Italian restaurant. The waiters and bus boys are very professional, friendly, and polite. The decor just adds to the traditional feel. The food is great. I had a penne dish that was in a rose tomato sauce, which was delicious. My friend had the ravioli, which was tasty, but be warned that the pasta is very thick - more like dumplings than ravioli. The best thing we tasted was the artichoke soup. Beware that it is very pricey, the wine list especially. I believe the cheapest bottle was $45 and there is maybe one of those. There are a few $55 bottles, but the vast majority are over $100. They don't list the glass prices. It is an extensive list, though...you are given a literal tome of wine to choose from. The wine cellar downstairs is cool (literally). There's a neat private room down there that you can reserve for a big group.
(4)
Colleen M.
First, let me start by saying, I'm an Irish American and although I do know how to make my own pasta and sauce I do not consider myself an Italian food expert. I know enough to know that Olive Garden is nothing like real Italian food and that no one does it better than my best friend's Grandma (thanks to her for the pasta and gravy recipes). Outside of that, I enjoy most Italian places. This place... not so much. I heard that this is one of the nicest Italian Restaurants in the city but I just wasn't blown away by any of it. My gnocchi was mediocre; overcooked and the sauce tasted like it was out of a jar. My wine was very expensive but also not very good. The service was okay but the waiter seemed to be more interested in getting us out the door than ensuring we were enjoying our meals - it was a Wednesday night and we were the only people in the restaurant so I am not sure what all the rush was about. Over priced for the quality of the food and the service. You won't be catching me here again.
(2)
W. Kirk L.
My wife and I had dinner at La Famiglia tonight and it was fantastic. An extremely attentive wait staff and delicious food made for a great evening. The bread and crispy cheesy bread sticks made for a good start to the meal. For an appetizer, I had the soup special, a creamy artichoke and onion soup. My wife had raviolis with shrimp and arugula in a mushroom sauce, I had Penne alla Famiglia. Both were superb. Dessert topped off the evening. The dessert cart look so good, we ended up have TWO desserts each(hey we don't indulge often, but when we do, look out). My wife had a creme puff with chocolate sauce and banana/puff pastry/chocolate concoction. I had a cherry topped rum cake and a chocolate chestnut cake. We finished the night with some Lemoncello, a delicious liqueur. Safe to say we will be back the next time we visit Philadelphia.
(5)
Tracy S.
Skip this place...the food is just not that good or worth the prices. When you walk in the door you are greeted with a musty mildew type of odor. The place seemed dingy and outdated to me. Seems like they are trying to keep the decor classic, which I truly respect but it is need of some updates and a little TLC. The bathroom is in the basement/wine cellar, which smelled real moldy too. I understand its a wine cellar but it smelled like they must get water down there; theres a room in the wine cellar/basement for private parties which looked like it could be cool but it needs updates too and I would never pay to eat in there with a party because of the mildewy odor. All I can say is the food was just ok and overly salted in my opinion. Not many pasta selections on the menu either. Nothing spectacular and not at all what we expected unfortunately. The servers were very nice, efficient and friendly but there was nothing special about our heavily salted meal. Drinks are also way overpriced. Go to Dante & Luigi's instead on 10th & Catherine...that place is stellar!
(2)
Patrick A.
I have been going to this restaurant for many years. The last two years I started to see it slipping a bit, when waiters had been established with the restaurant for many years started to disappear. I went to the restaurant this pass saturday to celebrate my dads 65th B Day. Two words would describe the event TRAIN WRECK!! It started bad with the fact that our reservation was for 8:30 and we did not sit till 9:15. The bar tender was clueless behind the bar and instead of asking the entire group what they wanted to drink, she made each drink one at a time and had to ask many times what the person was drinking. When we finally sat down to our table my mother over heard the waiter tell his team to push us back because they were behind. We had to continue to ask for menus and when we placed our orders it took (not exaggerating) 1hour for our appetizers to come out. The main dishes came out and the problems continued to keep coming! My sister ordered a pasta dish which was the easiest dish to make came out 5-7 min after all the other dishes. One of my favorite dishes of this restaurant which I have had many times is a veal chop bone in, with a black truffle sauce on top. I specifically said the name of the dish and pointed to it on the menu. My wife as well as others new the dish that was given to me was not what I ordered. When my mom informed the waiter it was the wrong dish, he got his back up against the wall and got nasty. I have never sent a dish back nor taking frustration out on a waiter being the fact I tended bar for many years. The waiter approached me with a cocky voice and opened the menu and said " sir this is what you ordered"! Big mistake on his part was I was the one the entire night keep the table calm and saying lets make the best of this. Now he is going to tell me what I ordered and give me attitude.... I don't think so.... and thats when for the first time in my life I let the waiter really have it! Service 101 tells you even if I ordered the wrong dish ( which I did not) he should have said sir I am sorry let me bring you out another right away. A few closing points on why this place is not worth the money in the least bit. 1st We ordered 3 bottles of Super Tuscan Wine. Super Tuscan needs to breathe and we should have been asked would we like the wine all opened. ( Never happened ) 2nd This place has a beautiful wine cellar and its suppose extremely knowledgable for wine and its presenting of the wine. Again the wine should have been asked to recommended to be all opened to it could breathe, and second the sommelier never visited the table. 3rd. When ordering salad in a restaurant like this the salad plate and fork should be chilled....neither were. 4th The staff did not work the table at all.... my martini glass was finished before I ordered and it was left on the table until my entree was taking away. I also had 2 water glasses in front of me. This place at one time was on top of its game and one who knows the little things that seperate excellence from average will clearly see this and will know plenty other spots for the same prices but much more exquisite service. No brainer for me I will never return to this mediocre place again!!!...
(1)
Veda P.
Went with some friends the other night for the first time. It reminded me of some of the places I've been to in Rome. Old world, very beautiful. Excellent service. The food was good, not great. Loved my app of shrimp and artichokes, but my veal was over coked. They do sell wine by the glass. Some noted that they do not.
(4)
Ona H.
This is a lovely restaurant with an elegant dining room, impeccable service, and fabulous food. So why the three star rating? Their lack of a dress/behavior code. I have been there several times and each time we have noticed people arriving in jeans, including cut off off jean shorts, t-shirts and rumpled kakhai pants. Many groups of people there have been loud and boisterous. These two factors are so out of keeping with the elegance of the restaurant, I am surprised the management does not inform people making reservations that there is a dress code, jackets and ties for men and no jeans or shorts. The management could also discreetly ask loud customers to keep their voices down.
(3)
Rich P.
I thought the service and food was outstanding. It was expensive but worth it.
(5)
David A.
Excellent pasta and even better fish. Well presented and fantastic. An oldie but very good. Incredible wine list. Not cheap but worth a visit!
(5)
Kit-N-Debbie W.
Been told by numerous friends this is a must go restaurant. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. The ambience itself is beautiful, the noise level made it difficult to have a conversation at dinner. Food was adequate but nothing to make us return. The menu and specials were disappointing.
(3)
Jessica P R.
Full disclosure: we dined at La Famiglia during restaurant week. During the first half of our meal, my husband and I kept commenting that the service at La Famiglia is some of the best we've ever had (despite the usual crappy service you get during RW). The appetizers were the best part of the meal. The gnocchi was probably the best I've had. The meals were good. The risotto here was much better than the risotto at Fork, but still paled in comparison to the risotto at Christopher's in Wayne. Dessert was pretty good too. Nice selection of three italian desserts all on one plate. I think we waited half an hour for our check at the end of the meal. I totally understand the art of not rushing people out. But we sat there, credit card out on the table for thirty minutes. Oh well, still an excellent meal.
(4)
carol b.
After hearing about this place for some time I've got to say it didn't live up to the billing. Actually, billing was the problem. The place just isn't a good value. Four of us at there the other night. What was really good: ambience and service. I liked that they don't rush you into ordering. It's hard to find a place that lets you sit and enjoy your drink for a while -- not just 3 minutes -- before they hand you menus. The servers were very professional. Our water glasses never got empty. What was not good: $70 per person was just too much, especially when one of us had lasagna and another the appetizer serving of tortellini. We had glasses of wine but no desserts. If the food were the best Italian food I've had in the area that would be one thing, but it was just good. My husband's Chilean sea bass was far from the best I've tasted. The best item was his artichoke soup, which was rich and flavorful, perfectly set off by crispy croutons, and just flat out sensational. After the meal we agreed it was fine, but we wouldn't go back.
(3)
W. Kirk L.
My wife and I had dinner at La Famiglia tonight and it was fantastic. An extremely attentive wait staff and delicious food made for a great evening. The bread and crispy cheesy bread sticks made for a good start to the meal. For an appetizer, I had the soup special, a creamy artichoke and onion soup. My wife had raviolis with shrimp and arugula in a mushroom sauce, I had Penne alla Famiglia. Both were superb. Dessert topped off the evening. The dessert cart look so good, we ended up have TWO desserts each(hey we don't indulge often, but when we do, look out). My wife had a creme puff with chocolate sauce and banana/puff pastry/chocolate concoction. I had a cherry topped rum cake and a chocolate chestnut cake. We finished the night with some Lemoncello, a delicious liqueur. Safe to say we will be back the next time we visit Philadelphia.
(5)
Frank C.
The broad range of reviews for this restaurant is a surprise; it is a bastion of a style of luxurious dining rarely found and wonderful to partake, but one that takes a little engagement from the diner to enjoy. Entering La Famiglia, you are greeted at the small, four-six seat bar, well stocked with fine spirits, and naturally skewed to Italian essential aperitifs and amari. Two glass cabinets of sparkling wineglasses at the far side of the bar/foyer flank the entrance to dining room beyond, all paneled in wood in the grandest style. As my partner and I both arrived with somewhat unsettled constitutions due to an unfortunate lunch at another establishment, we started with a pair of Negronis, knowing the bitter Campari would soon set us to rights and prepare us for the meal to follow. We were seated next to the carved marble fireplace that housed the collection of after dinner grappa and digestif -- it's quite a collection of 50 or more -- to which we very much looked forward. The diningroom borders on opulent, the waitstaff all in waistcoats and ties and thoroughly educated as to the menu and specials (note: to those reviewers who think that the staff is "all Italian" or "not at all Italian" WTF? The staff is clearly not Italian, but why does that matter when they all know the dishes and the cuisine and do their job well? They could be Australian for all I care.) My partner started with the chilled tomato soup; I, the zucchini-wrapped grilled shrimp. My partner found the soup very wholesome and peaceful, though it might have been better a week or two later when tomatoes are a tad riper. My shrimp were wonderful; their sweetness enhanced with the rich butter sauce. On this occasion (and partly due to the unfortunate lunch discussed above) we opted to go with just pasta for our mains -- but what pasta it was. I had the special crab and lobster stuffed angolotti in a red bell pepper creme sauce. The pasta was perfectly delicate and soft, the filling rendolent of sweet, sweet crustacean, balanced wonderfully by the slight zip of the pepper creme. My date's gnocchi were the softest rendition I have ever had, their texture that of a perfectly cooked baked potato, and accented by a gorgonzola creme that let only a restrained amount of bleu cheese funk through so that the sauce's earthiness matched that of the potato pasta. Our wine (merely by the glass -- though their by-the-bottle list resembles a telephone book, backed by the extensive cellars downstairs) was excellent -- mine the Sangiovese and my partner's a Montepulciano. Around us, we saw diners enjoying tableside preparation and carving of whole branzino baked in a salt crust, the presentation of desserts off of the dessert cart, tables being seated and leaving, patrons (at least half, anyway) who actually were dressed for the occasion of dinner -- which is such a rare thing these days, but one that La Famiglia's stateliness merits. We needed a break before dessert and, bucking tradition, took some grappa early -- both of us choosing barrel-aged versions of this venerable spirit. If you've never had it grappa is a wonderful experience, with one of the richest noses of any spirit. Barrel-aged versions start out with the sweetness and vanilla of oak, and fade to a gentle, fruity but austere whisky. For dessert, the lemon tirimisu seemed the most perfect hoice after the richness of out pasta, and indeed it was. The cake seemed soaked in lemon curd and coated in a lemon creme -- amazingly light despite an unfathomable caloric content, I'm sure. Espresso to follow came with little hazelnut maccaroons with nutella filling --an amusing twist on the common biscotti. La Famiglia: Stately, not stuffy, excellent Italian cuisine. It's a grand experience you should treat yourselves to over and over again.
(5)
Olivia K.
I want to preface this review by saying that I went during restaurant week. With that said, I've had amazing meals at some very high end restaurants during previous restaurant weeks and to say that I was extremely let down at La Famiglia is an understatement. We were greeted warmly by the hostess who seated our party of 6. Within minutes, the waiter came back with restaurant week menus that were tattered and stained. While we were deciding on food, he brought out a basket of bread that was incredibly stale. I only ate a couple of pieces because I was starving. Ok, not off to a good start so far. I ended up ordering the sea scallop salad, anticipating 2-3 large sea scallops on a bed of lettuce and veggies. When it came to the table, I was disappointed. Instead of finding large, meaty sea scallops, I was given mixed greens with tiny sea scallop turds. They tasted like they were either frozen or straight out of can. Actually, I could barely taste them because they were so miniscule. There was nothing else on the salad, which bored my taste buds. Bleh. Since I'm lactose intolerant, most of the pasta dishes were out of the question for the main course, so I ordered a medium rare steak and veggies. You can't screw that up, right? Not only was I unimpressed with my first course, but I was also disappointed with the service. My table waited over 30 minutes to get our second course! When my meal finally came out, I really had to contain my disappointment as to appear polite in front of our dinner guests. Not only was my steak and the sauce covering it mediocre, it was definitely cooked over medium rare and had very little seasoning. The steak was served with a small portion of mashed potatoes and veggies, which were definitely frozen, microwaved, and dumped on a plate. Seriously? Hoping the restaurant could redeem themselves with dessert, I waited in anticipation. We were all served 3 small cakes (chocolate, ricotta cheese, and some orange cake) that were again very mediocre. If this is supposed to be fine dining, then Olive Garden is leaps and bounds ahead of this restaurant. Get it together La Famiglia. I will definitely never be back. Thank god the entire meal only cost $35 because I have no idea how people fork over hundreds of dollars to dine here.
(1)
Emma T.
La Famiglia is the quintessential old school traditional Italian restaurant. The waiters and bus boys are very professional, friendly, and polite. The decor just adds to the traditional feel. The food is great. I had a penne dish that was in a rose tomato sauce, which was delicious. My friend had the ravioli, which was tasty, but be warned that the pasta is very thick - more like dumplings than ravioli. The best thing we tasted was the artichoke soup. Beware that it is very pricey, the wine list especially. I believe the cheapest bottle was $45 and there is maybe one of those. There are a few $55 bottles, but the vast majority are over $100. They don't list the glass prices. It is an extensive list, though...you are given a literal tome of wine to choose from. The wine cellar downstairs is cool (literally). There's a neat private room down there that you can reserve for a big group.
(4)
Wanda M.
We were here a few nights ago with friends for dinner after a hiatus of maybe a decade. I remember that La Famiglia was my all time favorite Italian restaurant in Philly. It still is, but it is not the La Familigla of the past. The service was very, very good and professional. You could have a conversation during dinner (what a concept!) because of the noise abating and absorbing aspects of the dining room. No deafening roar so typical of today's restaurants. My argument was with the ho hum nature of the entrees. The veal chop was competently prepared, but not spectacular. The salad was fresh, but bland. The special pasta was well prepared but had no complexity. I remember years ago coming here and having the best Dover sole in my life. Perhaps we've over fished the seas and those days are long gone. But gummy calamari is no substitute. It's a good restaurant and I will be back, but it is not the great La Famiglia that I remember.
There has not been one thing that I have not ordered that has not been fantastic! Great owners and food to go along with it!
(4)
Tom D.
Bad. I am an Italian American and actually was offended by this restaurant. Let me start by telling you about the wine. I was so excited because they had a wine that I often drink with my cousin at his home in Umbria (the grape is grown near his home). So they waiter goes in the front and comes back after about 10 minutes with a glass of red wine. I tasted it and it was too sweet to be a sangantini. So I asked him to see the botlle (which he should have brought out before) and he showed me a sealed bottle of 2005 sangantini... So I do not believe him. Then he recommends a "beautiful capeletti," which sounded good. But when it came out it was ravioli. Capeletti are cousins with tortellini. When he asked how the meal was, I said that my ravioli was good. He actually defended and said capaletti... Are you kidding me! For an "upscale" Italian, please! Oh, and by the way, I thought maybe Latin background, but since they were playing italuan I figured I would speak a little Italian to him to see. Answered my questions Totally wrong. Don't try to fake people! I have never been so offended by an italian restaurant that is not run by italians (which i guess wouldn't be so bad if the other things were not an issue). This place is a scam... Stay away!!
(1)
Anannya T.
Some of the best and most innovative Italian I've ever had.
(4)
Brent M.
Old World service. Excellent.
(4)
Nicole L.
My friend and I took our girlfriend here for her birthday. We have been trying a different Italian restaurant as ofter as we can. I must say, I was very impressed with the food and service. Everything was delicious & with each bite I felt like I was in heaven. The service was impeccable. Since we had a birthday lady with us, the desert was free but well worth paying for. I entered feeling welcomed and left feeling satisfied.
(5)
Aaron H.
My first time in Philly, and being from Chicago and NYC wanting to have a nice dinner with my girlfriend, I couldn't have been more satisfied with my experience at Famiglia. The food: 4 stars, the wine: a million stars, the service: 5 stars for sure and the ambiance: a cozy and romantic 5 stars no problem, the location is awesome, tons of cool spots for window shopping and drinks right there in the area. Will return next time I'm in Philly for sure.
(5)
Tom S.
My fiancee and I had an absolutely wonderful dinner here. Can't wait to go again!
(5)
Ona H.
This is a lovely restaurant with an elegant dining room, impeccable service, and fabulous food. So why the three star rating? Their lack of a dress/behavior code. I have been there several times and each time we have noticed people arriving in jeans, including cut off off jean shorts, t-shirts and rumpled kakhai pants. Many groups of people there have been loud and boisterous. These two factors are so out of keeping with the elegance of the restaurant, I am surprised the management does not inform people making reservations that there is a dress code, jackets and ties for men and no jeans or shorts. The management could also discreetly ask loud customers to keep their voices down.
(3)
Rich P.
I thought the service and food was outstanding. It was expensive but worth it.
(5)
David A.
Excellent pasta and even better fish. Well presented and fantastic. An oldie but very good. Incredible wine list. Not cheap but worth a visit!
(5)
Caroline H.
For restaurant week this year we decided to try out La Famiglia in hopes that it lived up to its expectations as a very good, high end Italian restaurant. I know many people say restaurant week is not a great time to see how a restaurant really is but I have yet to get a sub-par meal during it. We walked into the bar/hostess station/coat check/waiting area barely able to fit through the door because of the extremely small area filled with waiting diners. We were seated at a nice table upstairs and were immediately asked if we wanted anything from the bar. We had all decided prior that we were not going to get alcoholic drinks because we we were all trying to keep the cost down. Well the waiter did not seem pleased that we didn't order anything other then Iced tea and soda because he actually made a face at us once we were all done placing our drink orders. In fact another gentleman came over and asked us again, if we wanted anything from the bar. Our orders were taken and within minutes our appetizers arrived. Some of us had the gnocchi and some had the crab cakes. My gnocchi was good, a nice portion and cooked perfectly altough it seemed like it needed a little bit of salt/and or season. I had a taste of the crab cake and that was actually really good but very small. We finished and our main entrees arrived also very quickly. Between all of us we managed to only get the Veal and the Chicken. The veal was certainly one of the most unappealing looking dishes I may have ever ordered at a restaurant. No garnish, just 2 rolls of meat covered in brown sauce, soggy broccoli drowned in butter and a small slap of mashed potatoes. My second veal roll was very pink inside and the filling in both seemed to be bread stuffing I never found any mushrooms or tasted fontina. The chicken that the others in my group had was served with the same soggy drowned broccoli and mashed potatoes. It looked like a boiled chicken breast covered in cheese--I was told it tasted like any old chicken you would make at home. I was not impressed at all with the entrees. Finally dessert came. A fruit tart, small cheesecake and a cream puff. The fruit tart was really, really good the cheesecake was ok and the cream puff had a grainy texture to it and really wasn't too tasty. Overall the food was just OK and the service was nothing near what it should have been considering we had about 5 different people taking care of us. I don't think I'll be returning here...way too stuffy and overrated for my taste.
(2)
Charles R.
Yes, I know its an old school restaurant and people even dress, but I like it anyway. Once in a while its nice to go out to a place where people look like they are out to dinner and not going bowling. The food is on a par with most of the better Italians in the city and the service is very good. Since it's Italian I could go thru the pastas and veal dishes , but they are pretty much the same choices you get at most top eateries. One of very best dessert carts in the city, second only to La Bec Fin. Valet parking, all major credit cards and dinner for 4 with 2 bottles of wine was just over $300. Yes, it's on the top end range in this city, but if you are celebrating and b'day or anniversary this is a wonderful place to go. Oh yes, you can hear each other speak across the table because it's quiet.
(4)
Paul S.
We had a marvelous time Saturday evening at La Famiglia. As recounted in many reviews, the service is warm and attentive and this alone distinguishes the restaurant from most others. The dining room is formal without being fussy or theatrical. We started with perfectly made cocktails while we reviewed the menu and the extensive wine label list. The waiter offered some additional specials and we chose several of those including two appetizers, a fantastically smooth and delicious artichoke soup (highest recommendation) and calamari on tomatoes and white beans, which were tender and flavorful. We enjoyed our entree choices, the filleted at your table Bronzino with the white mustard sauce and the veal medallions with cheese and tomatoes. Both prepared with great care and flavor. To complement our meals we chose an excellent bottle of Puglian red wine (Patriglione 1999), which paired nicely with the fish and meat. You would be very pleased with this wine choice. Luckily, we had room for dessert. The Italian Napoleon was very fine, not too sweet and with lots of crunchy almonds. My friend also enjoyed the meringue that sat on top of cake with a raspberry filling. We ended with good coffee and good conversation and the lively chatter of a dining room filled with contented and happy diners. We felt special on a special night. Highly recommended for those looking for the same. Perhaps we'll see you there on our next visit!
(5)
Cara N.
I went for Restaurant Week, and everything was just ok. One problem that I had, that I have with just about every restaurant/bar/lounge around here is that they are just too small! Row houses are NOT meant to serve as restaurants/bars/lounges, they are meant for people to LIVE in them! And unless your last name is Gosselin (I just finished watching "Jon & Kate Plus 8"), you should NOT have a house full of people like that on a regular night...sorry I'm getting off topic. Anyway, I digress - being that I'm from New Jersey, I take my Italian food pretty seriously (yes, black people can take Italian food seriously too), and this place just didn't cut it. It didn't help that this man and his "goomah" came in and started getting all touchy-feely at the table. I don't even remember what I had, which means the chances of me returning are slim to none.
(2)
Nancy E.
Perfection in food and service. Housemade pastas were delicious (had the evening special of fettuccini in a creamy asparagus sauce with seared scallop and also tortellini with squash and butter sauce). Branzino prepared tableside was a treat for the eyes and the taste buds...expertly fileted with choice of sauces (we chose tomatoes and capers in a light lemon olive oil). Food and drink temperatures were spot on - hot entrees and crusty bread, ice cold sparkling water and Sauvignon blanc. We were given complimentary bruschetta and biscotti. Service was attentive, yet leisurely. We wish we had discovered La Famiglia earlier in our Philly residency!
(5)
Mark L.
An old school traditional Italian restaurant that's been around philly forever. Rather pricey for frequent visits but food was perfect. Decadent dessert cart. I'd personally recommend their whole fish which they lovingly and expertly disassemble in front of you to eat.
(4)
Jae R.
I went there for early evening dinner. Pricey, but the food is excellent. I love the decor upstairs.
(4)
Ben P.
This is my kind of place. First, it's an Italian restaurant where every single staff member talks with a heavy Italian accent. That's a good sign. Second, their wine list comes in a 4-inch, 3-ring binder. That's a good sign. Third, they give guided tours of their wine cellar. If only the law recognized human-restaurant marriages..... At the end of a hectic, busy, but fun and productive trip, I found myself in the company of 4 good friends, sitting down to dinner on OPM. We had...well, we had everything. Salads to start, then 2 pasta dishes for the table, then steaks, fish, you name it. The opening bottle of grenache gave way to a main-course bottle of Barolo that I'm glad the sommalier talked me into. An after-dinner port settled everything very nicely. The service was polite and prompt and helpful. The food was excellent. The wine was properly served and well-attended to. You probably shouldn't show up in a hoodie and Vans, but then this is a nice restaurant, not your rec room, so that shouldn't be a surprise. My 20% of this 2.5-hour meal came to $120 with tip. And we drank $200 in wine alone. So I wouldn't call this place expensive. Just excellent.
(5)
Nancy O.
I had lunch here yesterday. Glad I didn't read Mel's Yelp review before I went! A friend suggested we try La Famiglia after looking at their lunch menu, which turned out to be pretty damn reasonable for downtown. The other diners were..the sort that probably go to bed at dusk, but to me that says they have been coming here often and like it. The bread was warm and plentiful, the service was attentive, and the pasta bolognese and the minestrone were very good. Hey, it's not NY's Little Italy, but I personally think if you like Spasso or any of the other eateries on Market Street, you should try La Famiglia first for lunch. Even better, go with a bf or gf for a late lunch with wine- fresh flowers, low lights, badda bing, badda boom. A cheaper Valentine's Day than a dozen overpriced roses!
(3)
James S.
Such an amazing meal. While it was pricey, it was definitely worth it for a special occasion. The wine "bible" is unlike anything I've ever seen. I thought it was a joke. But the servers are very helpful and attentive. We had a grilled octopus appetizer along with a penne pasta dish. Both very flavorful and well presented. For my entree, I had a salmon with a light mushroom cream sauce and capers, along with spinach. Hubby decided on the filet. I don't eat red meat but it definitely looked delicious. We both did the dessert cart. I chose a banana cake which was light and airy drizzled in a chocolate sauce. Hubby chose a chocolate walnut tort, which was surprisingly not dense. Just right. Ended with complimentary glasses of limoncello. All in all an especially amazing dinner. Don't come here in a rush. We spent nearly 3 hours enjoying the ambiance and the food. The wine helped. A good Italian bottle that didn't kill the budget. Can't wait to try this place again.
(5)
Tom D.
Bad. I am an Italian American and actually was offended by this restaurant. Let me start by telling you about the wine. I was so excited because they had a wine that I often drink with my cousin at his home in Umbria (the grape is grown near his home). So they waiter goes in the front and comes back after about 10 minutes with a glass of red wine. I tasted it and it was too sweet to be a sangantini. So I asked him to see the botlle (which he should have brought out before) and he showed me a sealed bottle of 2005 sangantini... So I do not believe him. Then he recommends a "beautiful capeletti," which sounded good. But when it came out it was ravioli. Capeletti are cousins with tortellini. When he asked how the meal was, I said that my ravioli was good. He actually defended and said capaletti... Are you kidding me! For an "upscale" Italian, please! Oh, and by the way, I thought maybe Latin background, but since they were playing italuan I figured I would speak a little Italian to him to see. Answered my questions Totally wrong. Don't try to fake people! I have never been so offended by an italian restaurant that is not run by italians (which i guess wouldn't be so bad if the other things were not an issue). This place is a scam... Stay away!!
(1)
Anannya T.
Some of the best and most innovative Italian I've ever had.
(4)
Brent M.
Old World service. Excellent.
(4)
Nicole L.
My friend and I took our girlfriend here for her birthday. We have been trying a different Italian restaurant as ofter as we can. I must say, I was very impressed with the food and service. Everything was delicious & with each bite I felt like I was in heaven. The service was impeccable. Since we had a birthday lady with us, the desert was free but well worth paying for. I entered feeling welcomed and left feeling satisfied.
(5)
Jessica P R.
Full disclosure: we dined at La Famiglia during restaurant week. During the first half of our meal, my husband and I kept commenting that the service at La Famiglia is some of the best we've ever had (despite the usual crappy service you get during RW). The appetizers were the best part of the meal. The gnocchi was probably the best I've had. The meals were good. The risotto here was much better than the risotto at Fork, but still paled in comparison to the risotto at Christopher's in Wayne. Dessert was pretty good too. Nice selection of three italian desserts all on one plate. I think we waited half an hour for our check at the end of the meal. I totally understand the art of not rushing people out. But we sat there, credit card out on the table for thirty minutes. Oh well, still an excellent meal.
(4)
carol b.
After hearing about this place for some time I've got to say it didn't live up to the billing. Actually, billing was the problem. The place just isn't a good value. Four of us at there the other night. What was really good: ambience and service. I liked that they don't rush you into ordering. It's hard to find a place that lets you sit and enjoy your drink for a while -- not just 3 minutes -- before they hand you menus. The servers were very professional. Our water glasses never got empty. What was not good: $70 per person was just too much, especially when one of us had lasagna and another the appetizer serving of tortellini. We had glasses of wine but no desserts. If the food were the best Italian food I've had in the area that would be one thing, but it was just good. My husband's Chilean sea bass was far from the best I've tasted. The best item was his artichoke soup, which was rich and flavorful, perfectly set off by crispy croutons, and just flat out sensational. After the meal we agreed it was fine, but we wouldn't go back.
(3)
Aaron H.
My first time in Philly, and being from Chicago and NYC wanting to have a nice dinner with my girlfriend, I couldn't have been more satisfied with my experience at Famiglia. The food: 4 stars, the wine: a million stars, the service: 5 stars for sure and the ambiance: a cozy and romantic 5 stars no problem, the location is awesome, tons of cool spots for window shopping and drinks right there in the area. Will return next time I'm in Philly for sure.
(5)
Tom S.
My fiancee and I had an absolutely wonderful dinner here. Can't wait to go again!
(5)
Tracy S.
Skip this place...the food is just not that good or worth the prices. When you walk in the door you are greeted with a musty mildew type of odor. The place seemed dingy and outdated to me. Seems like they are trying to keep the decor classic, which I truly respect but it is need of some updates and a little TLC. The bathroom is in the basement/wine cellar, which smelled real moldy too. I understand its a wine cellar but it smelled like they must get water down there; theres a room in the wine cellar/basement for private parties which looked like it could be cool but it needs updates too and I would never pay to eat in there with a party because of the mildewy odor. All I can say is the food was just ok and overly salted in my opinion. Not many pasta selections on the menu either. Nothing spectacular and not at all what we expected unfortunately. The servers were very nice, efficient and friendly but there was nothing special about our heavily salted meal. Drinks are also way overpriced. Go to Dante & Luigi's instead on 10th & Catherine...that place is stellar!
(2)
Patrick A.
I have been going to this restaurant for many years. The last two years I started to see it slipping a bit, when waiters had been established with the restaurant for many years started to disappear. I went to the restaurant this pass saturday to celebrate my dads 65th B Day. Two words would describe the event TRAIN WRECK!! It started bad with the fact that our reservation was for 8:30 and we did not sit till 9:15. The bar tender was clueless behind the bar and instead of asking the entire group what they wanted to drink, she made each drink one at a time and had to ask many times what the person was drinking. When we finally sat down to our table my mother over heard the waiter tell his team to push us back because they were behind. We had to continue to ask for menus and when we placed our orders it took (not exaggerating) 1hour for our appetizers to come out. The main dishes came out and the problems continued to keep coming! My sister ordered a pasta dish which was the easiest dish to make came out 5-7 min after all the other dishes. One of my favorite dishes of this restaurant which I have had many times is a veal chop bone in, with a black truffle sauce on top. I specifically said the name of the dish and pointed to it on the menu. My wife as well as others new the dish that was given to me was not what I ordered. When my mom informed the waiter it was the wrong dish, he got his back up against the wall and got nasty. I have never sent a dish back nor taking frustration out on a waiter being the fact I tended bar for many years. The waiter approached me with a cocky voice and opened the menu and said " sir this is what you ordered"! Big mistake on his part was I was the one the entire night keep the table calm and saying lets make the best of this. Now he is going to tell me what I ordered and give me attitude.... I don't think so.... and thats when for the first time in my life I let the waiter really have it! Service 101 tells you even if I ordered the wrong dish ( which I did not) he should have said sir I am sorry let me bring you out another right away. A few closing points on why this place is not worth the money in the least bit. 1st We ordered 3 bottles of Super Tuscan Wine. Super Tuscan needs to breathe and we should have been asked would we like the wine all opened. ( Never happened ) 2nd This place has a beautiful wine cellar and its suppose extremely knowledgable for wine and its presenting of the wine. Again the wine should have been asked to recommended to be all opened to it could breathe, and second the sommelier never visited the table. 3rd. When ordering salad in a restaurant like this the salad plate and fork should be chilled....neither were. 4th The staff did not work the table at all.... my martini glass was finished before I ordered and it was left on the table until my entree was taking away. I also had 2 water glasses in front of me. This place at one time was on top of its game and one who knows the little things that seperate excellence from average will clearly see this and will know plenty other spots for the same prices but much more exquisite service. No brainer for me I will never return to this mediocre place again!!!...
There has not been one thing that I have not ordered that has not been fantastic! Great owners and food to go along with it!
(4)
Veda P.
Went with some friends the other night for the first time. It reminded me of some of the places I've been to in Rome. Old world, very beautiful. Excellent service. The food was good, not great. Loved my app of shrimp and artichokes, but my veal was over coked. They do sell wine by the glass. Some noted that they do not.
(4)
Mel C.
I'm not Italian, but I did spend a summer in Italy staying with real Italians and traveling throughout the country and tasting the wonderful cuisine it has to offer. Thus, I feel completely comfortable by saying this place was confusingly atrocious and am actually appalled people have rated this higher than a star (which is the lowest Yelp allows you to issue). First of all, the decor is nice albeit a tad cheesy with up and downstairs seating. We opted to sit upstairs thinking it would be quieter, but there was actually a rambunctious party up there that might have gotten quite drunk to help themselves eat the food without feigning disgust. Now, the reviews that state this is authentically Italian, maybe it has changed? I didn't see one Italian person there from the hostess to any of our servers. Let me caveat, and note that the actual service from the hostess, servers, water person man, were all very polite and nice. I had no problem with them as people but perhaps the refinement of fine dining was lost on a place that garners three or four dollar signs on food review sites. There were several people attending to all the tables... making it confusing as one would come over and ask to take our order even though we had just ordered from another. At one point, one of the servers just sort of walked aimlessly from table to table with sizzling entrees and as each one shook their heads... he just moved down the row until he found the right diners. We were running the half-marathon in Philly the next day and opted out of alcohol. We started off with some mille di verdure that had promising words like mozzarella layered with mushrooms and drizzled with pesto sauce. We had wanted some pasta and ordered a full primi of tortelleoni (filled with squash & ricotta). And finally we chose the veal chop (sauce unknown to me but hey it was a veal chop at a "top" restaurant. What could go wrong?) The layered vegetable thing was the strangest amalgamation of ingredients that together tasted like buttery pesto sauce. I could see the mushroom & mozzarella, but when I bit in it was like pesto sauce and grease was just sliding around in my mouth. I actually hadn't eaten much this day in anticipation , so I set the banquet style appy to the side and anxiously awaited my rumored plumply cheese filled tortelleoni. When it arrived, I realized I had actually not gone to La Famiglia Ristorante but was really in a Chinese take out place with 5 dumplings rolling around a butter sauce. Confused again, I took a closer look at the tortelleoni, and I really believe they took dumpling wrappers and then shadily rolled in some crumbly mixture that fell apart and rolled into the sauce to be some sort of Loch Ness Monster goop lumpily lost in the butter. Yum. Oh wait, GAG. My date/bf pleasantly offered his veal chop for a bite... but took a few tries b/c he couldn't fine a piece that wasn't really blubberous. As in the lamb might have been dieting solely on Big Macs and ding dongs b/c it was the fattiest piece of veal I have seen ever. The only positive I can say about this experience, is that it didn't interfere with our half-marathon in the morning. Not sure how they get away for actually charging people here, but I just know that I'll thoroughly read the bad reviews on Yelp before I try another "upscale" restaurant. I wish it had been Restaurant Week (but it was a Saturday) so I could partially blame the debacle this place is...
(1)
Eleanor M.
Me and my Husband went here for Valintine Date night. As soon as we walked in we were very impressed by the Italian Decor and the Beautiful Hostes. She was warm and welcomeing and seated us right away even though we had no reservation. The waiter was also very friendly and Lite our candles. My Husband Orderd Fish It was coverd in sea salt and placed on a cart and the server did a Table side deboneing of the fish. He then coverd it in a Butter and lemon sauce with cappers and chopped tamatos. My Husband was very pleased. I had There home maid pasta in a vodka sauce and it was the best pasta I have ever had. We fell in love with this place Because its is so beautiful decorated, they treat you like family, the food is all home made,fresh and taste's like nothing I've tryed before. They even have a service button on the table and of corse me being a kid I had to test it out. so every time I would press it they would come running to the table. I did not need to press it because they know how to treat a costomer. We found out that they are open for lunch and there prices are half off if you come in befor 2:00 pm. They have a full bar and if you ask they will give you a tour of there wine sellar, it looks like somthing from the movie Good Fella's They have so many bottles of wine. The desert cart is mouth watering. Please treat your self to a 5 star dinning experiance You will not, Can not be dissapointed.THIS PLACE IS AMAZEING. The best Italian food in all of Philly and there prices are reasonable.
(5)
D S.
I will forever LOVE this restaurant. My husband and I got married here and it was awesome. My guests still say it was by far the best food they have ever had at a wedding. We went here on our first anniversary and it was just as amazing. The food melts in your mouth, it tastes fresh, and the staff are just so attentive and professional. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Did I mention how beautiful La Famiglia is, from the bar, the wine cellar, the upstairs banquet, and the intimacy of the dining area? Great place. I noticed someone said something about how people dress and how La Famiglia doesn't enforce a dress code. I love that about La Famiglia. Whether you are wearing jeans or a tie, they treat everyone with the utmost respect.
(5)
Nancy O.
I had lunch here yesterday. Glad I didn't read Mel's Yelp review before I went! A friend suggested we try La Famiglia after looking at their lunch menu, which turned out to be pretty damn reasonable for downtown. The other diners were..the sort that probably go to bed at dusk, but to me that says they have been coming here often and like it. The bread was warm and plentiful, the service was attentive, and the pasta bolognese and the minestrone were very good. Hey, it's not NY's Little Italy, but I personally think if you like Spasso or any of the other eateries on Market Street, you should try La Famiglia first for lunch. Even better, go with a bf or gf for a late lunch with wine- fresh flowers, low lights, badda bing, badda boom. A cheaper Valentine's Day than a dozen overpriced roses!
(3)
James S.
Such an amazing meal. While it was pricey, it was definitely worth it for a special occasion. The wine "bible" is unlike anything I've ever seen. I thought it was a joke. But the servers are very helpful and attentive. We had a grilled octopus appetizer along with a penne pasta dish. Both very flavorful and well presented. For my entree, I had a salmon with a light mushroom cream sauce and capers, along with spinach. Hubby decided on the filet. I don't eat red meat but it definitely looked delicious. We both did the dessert cart. I chose a banana cake which was light and airy drizzled in a chocolate sauce. Hubby chose a chocolate walnut tort, which was surprisingly not dense. Just right. Ended with complimentary glasses of limoncello. All in all an especially amazing dinner. Don't come here in a rush. We spent nearly 3 hours enjoying the ambiance and the food. The wine helped. A good Italian bottle that didn't kill the budget. Can't wait to try this place again.
(5)
Ben P.
This is my kind of place. First, it's an Italian restaurant where every single staff member talks with a heavy Italian accent. That's a good sign. Second, their wine list comes in a 4-inch, 3-ring binder. That's a good sign. Third, they give guided tours of their wine cellar. If only the law recognized human-restaurant marriages..... At the end of a hectic, busy, but fun and productive trip, I found myself in the company of 4 good friends, sitting down to dinner on OPM. We had...well, we had everything. Salads to start, then 2 pasta dishes for the table, then steaks, fish, you name it. The opening bottle of grenache gave way to a main-course bottle of Barolo that I'm glad the sommalier talked me into. An after-dinner port settled everything very nicely. The service was polite and prompt and helpful. The food was excellent. The wine was properly served and well-attended to. You probably shouldn't show up in a hoodie and Vans, but then this is a nice restaurant, not your rec room, so that shouldn't be a surprise. My 20% of this 2.5-hour meal came to $120 with tip. And we drank $200 in wine alone. So I wouldn't call this place expensive. Just excellent.
(5)
John R.
La Famiglia Ristorante: Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant 8 S Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 922-2803 lafamiglia.com I lifted the title of this review from the official Google search for this restaurant, and the top of the results lists the La Famiglia website as Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant. A bit pompous on their part, proclaiming themselves the best, but after eating here I have to agree. Opened in 1976, La Famiglia has been serving the Philadelphia community for almost 30 years. Given that according to the Small Business Administration, "About half of all new establishments survive five years or more and about one-third survive 10 years or more." it says something about the experience provided by dining at La Famiglia that has withstood the test of time. Upon entering the restaurant, the establishment at once has an aristocratic, old money feel. This restaurant is not for the faint of heart, or wallet. It is also a two to three hour affair. The waitstaff doesn't even bring the menu out until 15 minutes into the meal as you are given various amuse bouches and an extensive wine list for leisure reading. The first course (complimentary) is a standard bruschetta. Excellent. Sliced tomatoes, crisp and crunchy with buttered toast perfectly browned that all melts together in your mouth. A+ One of the nice things about this restaurant is if you really like the amuse bouche you can order another round of it at no charge, which was a nice touch. I have to take a second and comment on the china. Sterling silver cutlery and ornately decorated china make the meal so much more pleasurable. It gives a warm, family dinner style to the meal, I assume in keeping pace with the restaurant's name. Gnocchi Gorgonzola -- $16.95 Homemade gnocchi with Gorgonzola cheese, cream and crushed almonds. This was a fantastic creamy dish with a little accent by the addition of the crushed almonds. I cleaned my plate in less than 5 minutes. Delicious. For your information: Gnocchi are various thick, soft doughs that may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, flour and egg, flour, egg, and cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients. Usually served as a first course in place of soup. Insalata con Arancia e Finocchio -- $9.95 Mixed greens with fennel in a lemon extra virgin olive oil dressing, garnished with fresh orange slices. Also delicious, very citrusy though. Vitello al Pistacchio -- $26.95 Pistachio crusted veal medallions served with cranberry in a light madeira sauce. This was amazing. I practically licked the plate. Madeira Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding Madeira wine to a basic demi-glace (rich and deeply flavorful sauce made by half basic brown sauce and half brown stock reduction). The Madeira sauce is an excellent accompaniment for roasts and steaks. Special: Veal wrapped with Italian eggplant. Finished with a touch of eggplant cream sauce. Eggplant and veal certainly is an interesting mixture. It was not bad by any means but certainly not a combination I would make myself. The veal was tender and sauce was adequate and creamy. Nothing too crazy here. For dessert: Creme caramel, vanilla flavored flan. Interestingly enough, this is a dessert of Spanish origin so I was surprised to find it on the Italian restaurant dessert menu. It was very good and the caramel sauce was fantastic. Presentation was a bit on the plain side, but it certainly made up for it in taste. Of note: A fully stocked bar adjacent to the main dining area. Bottles of fine spirits adorn the mantles. Gorgeous overhead lights History of the Restaurant (Per La Famiglia Website) The Sena family tradition of culinary excellence dates back to early 1947 when Carlo "Papa" Sena began to cook in postwar Naples. The family carried this experience across the Atlantic and opened La Famiglia in 1976.
(5)
Anthony B.
I took my girlfriend here for our One year anniversary and I couldn't have been happier with my choice. The staff attended to all our needs but were not intrusive. You could tell they really knew what they were doing. The food was amazing, full of flavor and presented wonderfully. The only thing I did not like was that the sides that came with the meal were incredibly tiny. With as good as the food was, I wound up hungry only a couple hours later. Even though it wasn't a serving size I was used to I am planning on going back. There were way too many positives to not experience this restaurant again.
(4)
Andrea M.
One of the nicest restaurants in town, the staff is very friendly and attentive. The pasta dishes are always fresh and very good, especially the bolognese. We have had the salt baked branzino and it is one of the best fish dishes I have ever had.
(4)
Nicole M.
All I can say is AMAZING! Atmosphere was perfect, food was amazing - need I say more?
(5)
Serena D.
This is a fantastic place for a date night. Looks upscale and quiet environment for a good conversation. I had Carpaccio for appetizer. Very special and flavorful. And it's good to share. For the entree, I had chilean sea bass. Very tender and delicious besides there is not really any flavor for the inner. The dessert cart looks soooo good and we ended up getting the banana cheesecake with chocolate chips. Definitely recommend this desert! :) Overall, the food is awesome, the service is great besides it's a bit overpriced. But definitely worth it especially you want to take your girl out for a special night! :)
(4)
Margo v.
A perfect lunch. We were there for Restaurant Week. The menu offered a large and varied selection for first and second courses. . For desert we received three delightful tastes. Service was excellent. A quiet relaxing atmosphere. This is an under appreciated gem.
(5)
Brian P.
I just returned from a trip to Philadelphia, and La Famiglia was by far the best restaurant I went to. First of all, the service was outstanding. I'm really perplexed at some of the other reviews ? It seems that most of the negative reviews are related to "restaurant week", which probably means these folks never go to nice places normally. Perhaps La Famiglia should discontinue their participation ? Anyway, the wine list is amazing, one of the most comprehensive I've seen. We had a full menu: starters, entree, and desert, and a bottle of wine. I felt the value for the meal was very good. It's a beautiful dining room, and they certainly don't rush you out. A+ for me. If we go back to Phil, we will definitely visit again.
(5)
Colleen M.
First, let me start by saying, I'm an Irish American and although I do know how to make my own pasta and sauce I do not consider myself an Italian food expert. I know enough to know that Olive Garden is nothing like real Italian food and that no one does it better than my best friend's Grandma (thanks to her for the pasta and gravy recipes). Outside of that, I enjoy most Italian places. This place... not so much. I heard that this is one of the nicest Italian Restaurants in the city but I just wasn't blown away by any of it. My gnocchi was mediocre; overcooked and the sauce tasted like it was out of a jar. My wine was very expensive but also not very good. The service was okay but the waiter seemed to be more interested in getting us out the door than ensuring we were enjoying our meals - it was a Wednesday night and we were the only people in the restaurant so I am not sure what all the rush was about. Over priced for the quality of the food and the service. You won't be catching me here again.
(2)
Jean M.
Great meal! We are from out of town and dined here during restaurant week. What a pleasant surprise- wonderful menu choices, food quality and everything was truly delicious. The sampling dessert was an added bonus. La famiglia is spacious, romantic and has an amazing wine cellar. Highly recommended!
(5)
Sabrina S.
I came back here again in February..everything is not as good as I had in memory.. Especially the tiramisu..It seems like just a regular cake, and I cant taste Rum at all.. Kind of disappointed.. I think you could go for the fabulous restaurant decorations only.
(3)
Lauren C.
BEWARE OF RESTAURANT WEEK MENU I can't speak for this place during normal operation, but please omit it from your options for restaurant week. It was truly a disappointing way to spend $100. In fact, I'm so salty about it that I'm actually bothering to write a review. In short, here were the problems: *I suspect a majority of the food served was frozen, specifically the meat entrees and the italian dessert sampler (the only dessert option). I'm convinced I could go to BJ's and find the identical dessert platter in the freezer section. *Deceptive language on the RW menu: For example: "Veal medallions" came out as veal scaloppini...basically no meat and overwelmed with sesame seeds. Sesame seeds were the only flavor on the plate. *No wine, beer or cocktail menus available to diners. Boyfriend's cocktail was charged per ingredient. For example: A Captain and Diet was ordered. It appeared on the bill as Captin Morgan: $9, Diet Coke: $2.50. Totalling $11.50 for a Captain and Diet served in a rocks glass. no no no. BOTTOM LINE AND LESSON LEARNED: Be weary of going to high end establishments for Restaurant Week. The dishonest places aren't going to put quality on your plate for $35. It's a poor representation of their restaurant, but maybe they believe that only novices come in for RW to eat for cheap. For these types of restaurants it should be seen as positive marketing to spread the word and establish a customer base. As a result, I will never go back and I would never recommend it to friends. I can't imagine this would be any restaurant's goal.
(1)
Kate C.
Beware of Restaurant Week menu!!! Dined here with my sister during restaurant week and was very disappointed. My first course was a bolognese which was decent. Second course was chicken breast, spinach, fontina cheese with a white wine butter sauce. It was terrible! Her first course was a mediocre gnocchi and her second course was a steak that easily looked like a TV dinner salisbury steak. Terrible! Sampling of desserts were all very underwhelming.
(1)
Beth K.
We celebrated a birthday here and the food was outstanding.
(5)
Suzanne S.
I came to La Famiglia for the first time this past restaurant week I was seated right away even though the other half of my party was very late. I really appreciated this, because I have been at many an empty restaurant where they wouldn't seat me until my whole party was there. My table ordered the eggplant melenzane (AMAZING), Gnocchi in gorgonzola (okay), NY strip (outstanding), veal (I didn't try it, but they all liked it), and the salmon (moist, with the perfect amount of lemon). The service was excellent, but the desserts and mixed drinks needed improvement. They have an awesome wine cellar in the basement, which was really cool to see as well. I would definitely return to this restaurant.
(4)
Michael B.
It's the best traditional Italian food classy restaurant in Philly. They have a wine cellar that resembles a vault. And a grappa bar that resembles nothing else I've ever seen since. The service and food are some the most impressive I've ever experienced. They don't make mistakes. Dining here was excellent. Parking on Front Street is a pain. Expect to walk quite a ways. Let your date know this before!
(5)
Ed K.
Excellent dinner with our daughter for a celebration! Apps Calamari was great as well as pasta special. Dinner Outstanding presentation and taste for the branzino Veal is great too! Medallions and chops Wonderful service! Cream puffs were highlighted dessert. Would highly recommend! Second to me there recently and will go back
(5)
Mike Z.
We had a dinner reservation for NYE for the 4 of us. Id like to start with saying that I really liked the service. The owner is very involved on the dining room floor, and walks around table to table to make sure everyone has what they need. For appetizer I had some grilled octopus and salad which was really good. For entree I had lobster out of the shell and it was delicious. My friends ordered lamb chops which they said were very flavorful and they got devoured. The coolest part about the restaurant is their wine selection of hundreds of different bottles from all over the world. The entire downstairs is made up of a wine cellar and as you walk to the bathroom you see all the different varieties on both sides of the hallway. I look forward to checking this place out on a regular evening. Great experience!
(5)
K B.
Unbelievably SUCKY. So slow, service horrible. Not sure how this place survives. Wait staff from a different planet.
Terrible Terrible Terrible. For a supposedly higher end restaurant, I was ashamed to bring my clients to dinner here. It centered around the wine. We spent over 2k on a dinner with clients from out of town. We had about 4 bottles of wine. One of which was $350 from my favorite vineyard. Corky didn't even come close to the description as it was an '83. I told our "waiter" four times in different ways that the wine had turned yet he thinks it would be a good idea to still serve it to the five of us. None of us drank it. How many times and in different ways do I have to say the wine has turned before looking bad in front of clients?? They served it, we left it on the table, and then...THEY CHARGED ME FOR IT! I've asked them five times to respond and refund my partner and my money but they haven't. Terrible Terrible Terrible. If you come for the wine, go elsewhere because you'll pay top dollar for vinegar.
(1)
Ed K.
Excellent dinner with our daughter for a celebration! Apps Calamari was great as well as pasta special. Dinner Outstanding presentation and taste for the branzino Veal is great too! Medallions and chops Wonderful service! Cream puffs were highlighted dessert. Would highly recommend! Second to me there recently and will go back
(5)
John R.
La Famiglia Ristorante: Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant 8 S Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 922-2803 lafamiglia.com I lifted the title of this review from the official Google search for this restaurant, and the top of the results lists the La Famiglia website as Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant. A bit pompous on their part, proclaiming themselves the best, but after eating here I have to agree. Opened in 1976, La Famiglia has been serving the Philadelphia community for almost 30 years. Given that according to the Small Business Administration, "About half of all new establishments survive five years or more and about one-third survive 10 years or more." it says something about the experience provided by dining at La Famiglia that has withstood the test of time. Upon entering the restaurant, the establishment at once has an aristocratic, old money feel. This restaurant is not for the faint of heart, or wallet. It is also a two to three hour affair. The waitstaff doesn't even bring the menu out until 15 minutes into the meal as you are given various amuse bouches and an extensive wine list for leisure reading. The first course (complimentary) is a standard bruschetta. Excellent. Sliced tomatoes, crisp and crunchy with buttered toast perfectly browned that all melts together in your mouth. A+ One of the nice things about this restaurant is if you really like the amuse bouche you can order another round of it at no charge, which was a nice touch. I have to take a second and comment on the china. Sterling silver cutlery and ornately decorated china make the meal so much more pleasurable. It gives a warm, family dinner style to the meal, I assume in keeping pace with the restaurant's name. Gnocchi Gorgonzola -- $16.95 Homemade gnocchi with Gorgonzola cheese, cream and crushed almonds. This was a fantastic creamy dish with a little accent by the addition of the crushed almonds. I cleaned my plate in less than 5 minutes. Delicious. For your information: Gnocchi are various thick, soft doughs that may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, flour and egg, flour, egg, and cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients. Usually served as a first course in place of soup. Insalata con Arancia e Finocchio -- $9.95 Mixed greens with fennel in a lemon extra virgin olive oil dressing, garnished with fresh orange slices. Also delicious, very citrusy though. Vitello al Pistacchio -- $26.95 Pistachio crusted veal medallions served with cranberry in a light madeira sauce. This was amazing. I practically licked the plate. Madeira Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding Madeira wine to a basic demi-glace (rich and deeply flavorful sauce made by half basic brown sauce and half brown stock reduction). The Madeira sauce is an excellent accompaniment for roasts and steaks. Special: Veal wrapped with Italian eggplant. Finished with a touch of eggplant cream sauce. Eggplant and veal certainly is an interesting mixture. It was not bad by any means but certainly not a combination I would make myself. The veal was tender and sauce was adequate and creamy. Nothing too crazy here. For dessert: Creme caramel, vanilla flavored flan. Interestingly enough, this is a dessert of Spanish origin so I was surprised to find it on the Italian restaurant dessert menu. It was very good and the caramel sauce was fantastic. Presentation was a bit on the plain side, but it certainly made up for it in taste. Of note: A fully stocked bar adjacent to the main dining area. Bottles of fine spirits adorn the mantles. Gorgeous overhead lights History of the Restaurant (Per La Famiglia Website) The Sena family tradition of culinary excellence dates back to early 1947 when Carlo "Papa" Sena began to cook in postwar Naples. The family carried this experience across the Atlantic and opened La Famiglia in 1976.
(5)
Deborah H.
Very old fashioned Italian. It had nice service and good wine list. Food was ok , not great but dessert was wonderful-poached pears in some type of sharp sweet wine sauce w Italian cream sauce like a sabayon style.
(3)
Patrizia C.
I organized my department holiday luncheon here this year. I had tried their food on a couple different occasions, and since it is top notch, I figured it'd be a nice setting for a work event. My group consisted of about 40 people so we were given the private room on the second floor. The service was impeccable and the food was as good as I remembered. Thanks La Famiglia, for making this event a success
(3)
Michael S.
I came here for restaurant week with my family. Since it was restaurant week, they had a special $35 per person menu, which is a VERY good deal for this place. I got the lasagna for an appetizer and the veal for my main course. My whole family agrees it was the best lasagna we've ever had. The rest of the meal was decent. The place is beautifully decorated, and upstairs, the ceiling is painted just like many places in Italy. There is also a robust wine list. I will definitely add this to my list of Philly's finer dining establishments!
(4)
Beth K.
We celebrated a birthday here and the food was outstanding.
(5)
Michael B.
It's the best traditional Italian food classy restaurant in Philly. They have a wine cellar that resembles a vault. And a grappa bar that resembles nothing else I've ever seen since. The service and food are some the most impressive I've ever experienced. They don't make mistakes. Dining here was excellent. Parking on Front Street is a pain. Expect to walk quite a ways. Let your date know this before!
(5)
Mike Z.
We had a dinner reservation for NYE for the 4 of us. Id like to start with saying that I really liked the service. The owner is very involved on the dining room floor, and walks around table to table to make sure everyone has what they need. For appetizer I had some grilled octopus and salad which was really good. For entree I had lobster out of the shell and it was delicious. My friends ordered lamb chops which they said were very flavorful and they got devoured. The coolest part about the restaurant is their wine selection of hundreds of different bottles from all over the world. The entire downstairs is made up of a wine cellar and as you walk to the bathroom you see all the different varieties on both sides of the hallway. I look forward to checking this place out on a regular evening. Great experience!
(5)
K B.
Unbelievably SUCKY. So slow, service horrible. Not sure how this place survives. Wait staff from a different planet.
Beware of Restaurant Week menu!!! Dined here with my sister during restaurant week and was very disappointed. My first course was a bolognese which was decent. Second course was chicken breast, spinach, fontina cheese with a white wine butter sauce. It was terrible! Her first course was a mediocre gnocchi and her second course was a steak that easily looked like a TV dinner salisbury steak. Terrible! Sampling of desserts were all very underwhelming.
(1)
Jean M.
Great meal! We are from out of town and dined here during restaurant week. What a pleasant surprise- wonderful menu choices, food quality and everything was truly delicious. The sampling dessert was an added bonus. La famiglia is spacious, romantic and has an amazing wine cellar. Highly recommended!
(5)
Sabrina S.
I came back here again in February..everything is not as good as I had in memory.. Especially the tiramisu..It seems like just a regular cake, and I cant taste Rum at all.. Kind of disappointed.. I think you could go for the fabulous restaurant decorations only.
(3)
William C.
Terrible Terrible Terrible. For a supposedly higher end restaurant, I was ashamed to bring my clients to dinner here. It centered around the wine. We spent over 2k on a dinner with clients from out of town. We had about 4 bottles of wine. One of which was $350 from my favorite vineyard. Corky didn't even come close to the description as it was an '83. I told our "waiter" four times in different ways that the wine had turned yet he thinks it would be a good idea to still serve it to the five of us. None of us drank it. How many times and in different ways do I have to say the wine has turned before looking bad in front of clients?? They served it, we left it on the table, and then...THEY CHARGED ME FOR IT! I've asked them five times to respond and refund my partner and my money but they haven't. Terrible Terrible Terrible. If you come for the wine, go elsewhere because you'll pay top dollar for vinegar.
(1)
Frank C.
The broad range of reviews for this restaurant is a surprise; it is a bastion of a style of luxurious dining rarely found and wonderful to partake, but one that takes a little engagement from the diner to enjoy. Entering La Famiglia, you are greeted at the small, four-six seat bar, well stocked with fine spirits, and naturally skewed to Italian essential aperitifs and amari. Two glass cabinets of sparkling wineglasses at the far side of the bar/foyer flank the entrance to dining room beyond, all paneled in wood in the grandest style. As my partner and I both arrived with somewhat unsettled constitutions due to an unfortunate lunch at another establishment, we started with a pair of Negronis, knowing the bitter Campari would soon set us to rights and prepare us for the meal to follow. We were seated next to the carved marble fireplace that housed the collection of after dinner grappa and digestif -- it's quite a collection of 50 or more -- to which we very much looked forward. The diningroom borders on opulent, the waitstaff all in waistcoats and ties and thoroughly educated as to the menu and specials (note: to those reviewers who think that the staff is "all Italian" or "not at all Italian" WTF? The staff is clearly not Italian, but why does that matter when they all know the dishes and the cuisine and do their job well? They could be Australian for all I care.) My partner started with the chilled tomato soup; I, the zucchini-wrapped grilled shrimp. My partner found the soup very wholesome and peaceful, though it might have been better a week or two later when tomatoes are a tad riper. My shrimp were wonderful; their sweetness enhanced with the rich butter sauce. On this occasion (and partly due to the unfortunate lunch discussed above) we opted to go with just pasta for our mains -- but what pasta it was. I had the special crab and lobster stuffed angolotti in a red bell pepper creme sauce. The pasta was perfectly delicate and soft, the filling rendolent of sweet, sweet crustacean, balanced wonderfully by the slight zip of the pepper creme. My date's gnocchi were the softest rendition I have ever had, their texture that of a perfectly cooked baked potato, and accented by a gorgonzola creme that let only a restrained amount of bleu cheese funk through so that the sauce's earthiness matched that of the potato pasta. Our wine (merely by the glass -- though their by-the-bottle list resembles a telephone book, backed by the extensive cellars downstairs) was excellent -- mine the Sangiovese and my partner's a Montepulciano. Around us, we saw diners enjoying tableside preparation and carving of whole branzino baked in a salt crust, the presentation of desserts off of the dessert cart, tables being seated and leaving, patrons (at least half, anyway) who actually were dressed for the occasion of dinner -- which is such a rare thing these days, but one that La Famiglia's stateliness merits. We needed a break before dessert and, bucking tradition, took some grappa early -- both of us choosing barrel-aged versions of this venerable spirit. If you've never had it grappa is a wonderful experience, with one of the richest noses of any spirit. Barrel-aged versions start out with the sweetness and vanilla of oak, and fade to a gentle, fruity but austere whisky. For dessert, the lemon tirimisu seemed the most perfect hoice after the richness of out pasta, and indeed it was. The cake seemed soaked in lemon curd and coated in a lemon creme -- amazingly light despite an unfathomable caloric content, I'm sure. Espresso to follow came with little hazelnut maccaroons with nutella filling --an amusing twist on the common biscotti. La Famiglia: Stately, not stuffy, excellent Italian cuisine. It's a grand experience you should treat yourselves to over and over again.
(5)
Serena D.
This is a fantastic place for a date night. Looks upscale and quiet environment for a good conversation. I had Carpaccio for appetizer. Very special and flavorful. And it's good to share. For the entree, I had chilean sea bass. Very tender and delicious besides there is not really any flavor for the inner. The dessert cart looks soooo good and we ended up getting the banana cheesecake with chocolate chips. Definitely recommend this desert! :) Overall, the food is awesome, the service is great besides it's a bit overpriced. But definitely worth it especially you want to take your girl out for a special night! :)
(4)
Margo v.
A perfect lunch. We were there for Restaurant Week. The menu offered a large and varied selection for first and second courses. . For desert we received three delightful tastes. Service was excellent. A quiet relaxing atmosphere. This is an under appreciated gem.
(5)
Michael S.
I came here for restaurant week with my family. Since it was restaurant week, they had a special $35 per person menu, which is a VERY good deal for this place. I got the lasagna for an appetizer and the veal for my main course. My whole family agrees it was the best lasagna we've ever had. The rest of the meal was decent. The place is beautifully decorated, and upstairs, the ceiling is painted just like many places in Italy. There is also a robust wine list. I will definitely add this to my list of Philly's finer dining establishments!
(4)
Eleanor M.
Me and my Husband went here for Valintine Date night. As soon as we walked in we were very impressed by the Italian Decor and the Beautiful Hostes. She was warm and welcomeing and seated us right away even though we had no reservation. The waiter was also very friendly and Lite our candles. My Husband Orderd Fish It was coverd in sea salt and placed on a cart and the server did a Table side deboneing of the fish. He then coverd it in a Butter and lemon sauce with cappers and chopped tamatos. My Husband was very pleased. I had There home maid pasta in a vodka sauce and it was the best pasta I have ever had. We fell in love with this place Because its is so beautiful decorated, they treat you like family, the food is all home made,fresh and taste's like nothing I've tryed before. They even have a service button on the table and of corse me being a kid I had to test it out. so every time I would press it they would come running to the table. I did not need to press it because they know how to treat a costomer. We found out that they are open for lunch and there prices are half off if you come in befor 2:00 pm. They have a full bar and if you ask they will give you a tour of there wine sellar, it looks like somthing from the movie Good Fella's They have so many bottles of wine. The desert cart is mouth watering. Please treat your self to a 5 star dinning experiance You will not, Can not be dissapointed.THIS PLACE IS AMAZEING. The best Italian food in all of Philly and there prices are reasonable.
(5)
D S.
I will forever LOVE this restaurant. My husband and I got married here and it was awesome. My guests still say it was by far the best food they have ever had at a wedding. We went here on our first anniversary and it was just as amazing. The food melts in your mouth, it tastes fresh, and the staff are just so attentive and professional. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Did I mention how beautiful La Famiglia is, from the bar, the wine cellar, the upstairs banquet, and the intimacy of the dining area? Great place. I noticed someone said something about how people dress and how La Famiglia doesn't enforce a dress code. I love that about La Famiglia. Whether you are wearing jeans or a tie, they treat everyone with the utmost respect.
(5)
Veda P.
Went with some friends the other night for the first time. It reminded me of some of the places I've been to in Rome. Old world, very beautiful. Excellent service. The food was good, not great. Loved my app of shrimp and artichokes, but my veal was over coked. They do sell wine by the glass. Some noted that they do not.
(4)
Anthony B.
I took my girlfriend here for our One year anniversary and I couldn't have been happier with my choice. The staff attended to all our needs but were not intrusive. You could tell they really knew what they were doing. The food was amazing, full of flavor and presented wonderfully. The only thing I did not like was that the sides that came with the meal were incredibly tiny. With as good as the food was, I wound up hungry only a couple hours later. Even though it wasn't a serving size I was used to I am planning on going back. There were way too many positives to not experience this restaurant again.
(4)
Andrea M.
One of the nicest restaurants in town, the staff is very friendly and attentive. The pasta dishes are always fresh and very good, especially the bolognese. We have had the salt baked branzino and it is one of the best fish dishes I have ever had.
(4)
Nicole M.
All I can say is AMAZING! Atmosphere was perfect, food was amazing - need I say more?
(5)
Lauren C.
BEWARE OF RESTAURANT WEEK MENU I can't speak for this place during normal operation, but please omit it from your options for restaurant week. It was truly a disappointing way to spend $100. In fact, I'm so salty about it that I'm actually bothering to write a review. In short, here were the problems: *I suspect a majority of the food served was frozen, specifically the meat entrees and the italian dessert sampler (the only dessert option). I'm convinced I could go to BJ's and find the identical dessert platter in the freezer section. *Deceptive language on the RW menu: For example: "Veal medallions" came out as veal scaloppini...basically no meat and overwelmed with sesame seeds. Sesame seeds were the only flavor on the plate. *No wine, beer or cocktail menus available to diners. Boyfriend's cocktail was charged per ingredient. For example: A Captain and Diet was ordered. It appeared on the bill as Captin Morgan: $9, Diet Coke: $2.50. Totalling $11.50 for a Captain and Diet served in a rocks glass. no no no. BOTTOM LINE AND LESSON LEARNED: Be weary of going to high end establishments for Restaurant Week. The dishonest places aren't going to put quality on your plate for $35. It's a poor representation of their restaurant, but maybe they believe that only novices come in for RW to eat for cheap. For these types of restaurants it should be seen as positive marketing to spread the word and establish a customer base. As a result, I will never go back and I would never recommend it to friends. I can't imagine this would be any restaurant's goal.
(1)
Wanda M.
We were here a few nights ago with friends for dinner after a hiatus of maybe a decade. I remember that La Famiglia was my all time favorite Italian restaurant in Philly. It still is, but it is not the La Familigla of the past. The service was very, very good and professional. You could have a conversation during dinner (what a concept!) because of the noise abating and absorbing aspects of the dining room. No deafening roar so typical of today's restaurants. My argument was with the ho hum nature of the entrees. The veal chop was competently prepared, but not spectacular. The salad was fresh, but bland. The special pasta was well prepared but had no complexity. I remember years ago coming here and having the best Dover sole in my life. Perhaps we've over fished the seas and those days are long gone. But gummy calamari is no substitute. It's a good restaurant and I will be back, but it is not the great La Famiglia that I remember.
(4)
Brian P.
I just returned from a trip to Philadelphia, and La Famiglia was by far the best restaurant I went to. First of all, the service was outstanding. I'm really perplexed at some of the other reviews ? It seems that most of the negative reviews are related to "restaurant week", which probably means these folks never go to nice places normally. Perhaps La Famiglia should discontinue their participation ? Anyway, the wine list is amazing, one of the most comprehensive I've seen. We had a full menu: starters, entree, and desert, and a bottle of wine. I felt the value for the meal was very good. It's a beautiful dining room, and they certainly don't rush you out. A+ for me. If we go back to Phil, we will definitely visit again.
(5)
Olivia K.
I want to preface this review by saying that I went during restaurant week. With that said, I've had amazing meals at some very high end restaurants during previous restaurant weeks and to say that I was extremely let down at La Famiglia is an understatement. We were greeted warmly by the hostess who seated our party of 6. Within minutes, the waiter came back with restaurant week menus that were tattered and stained. While we were deciding on food, he brought out a basket of bread that was incredibly stale. I only ate a couple of pieces because I was starving. Ok, not off to a good start so far. I ended up ordering the sea scallop salad, anticipating 2-3 large sea scallops on a bed of lettuce and veggies. When it came to the table, I was disappointed. Instead of finding large, meaty sea scallops, I was given mixed greens with tiny sea scallop turds. They tasted like they were either frozen or straight out of can. Actually, I could barely taste them because they were so miniscule. There was nothing else on the salad, which bored my taste buds. Bleh. Since I'm lactose intolerant, most of the pasta dishes were out of the question for the main course, so I ordered a medium rare steak and veggies. You can't screw that up, right? Not only was I unimpressed with my first course, but I was also disappointed with the service. My table waited over 30 minutes to get our second course! When my meal finally came out, I really had to contain my disappointment as to appear polite in front of our dinner guests. Not only was my steak and the sauce covering it mediocre, it was definitely cooked over medium rare and had very little seasoning. The steak was served with a small portion of mashed potatoes and veggies, which were definitely frozen, microwaved, and dumped on a plate. Seriously? Hoping the restaurant could redeem themselves with dessert, I waited in anticipation. We were all served 3 small cakes (chocolate, ricotta cheese, and some orange cake) that were again very mediocre. If this is supposed to be fine dining, then Olive Garden is leaps and bounds ahead of this restaurant. Get it together La Famiglia. I will definitely never be back. Thank god the entire meal only cost $35 because I have no idea how people fork over hundreds of dollars to dine here.
(1)
Emma T.
La Famiglia is the quintessential old school traditional Italian restaurant. The waiters and bus boys are very professional, friendly, and polite. The decor just adds to the traditional feel. The food is great. I had a penne dish that was in a rose tomato sauce, which was delicious. My friend had the ravioli, which was tasty, but be warned that the pasta is very thick - more like dumplings than ravioli. The best thing we tasted was the artichoke soup. Beware that it is very pricey, the wine list especially. I believe the cheapest bottle was $45 and there is maybe one of those. There are a few $55 bottles, but the vast majority are over $100. They don't list the glass prices. It is an extensive list, though...you are given a literal tome of wine to choose from. The wine cellar downstairs is cool (literally). There's a neat private room down there that you can reserve for a big group.
First, let me start by saying, I'm an Irish American and although I do know how to make my own pasta and sauce I do not consider myself an Italian food expert. I know enough to know that Olive Garden is nothing like real Italian food and that no one does it better than my best friend's Grandma (thanks to her for the pasta and gravy recipes). Outside of that, I enjoy most Italian places. This place... not so much. I heard that this is one of the nicest Italian Restaurants in the city but I just wasn't blown away by any of it. My gnocchi was mediocre; overcooked and the sauce tasted like it was out of a jar. My wine was very expensive but also not very good. The service was okay but the waiter seemed to be more interested in getting us out the door than ensuring we were enjoying our meals - it was a Wednesday night and we were the only people in the restaurant so I am not sure what all the rush was about. Over priced for the quality of the food and the service. You won't be catching me here again.
(2)
W. Kirk L.
My wife and I had dinner at La Famiglia tonight and it was fantastic. An extremely attentive wait staff and delicious food made for a great evening. The bread and crispy cheesy bread sticks made for a good start to the meal. For an appetizer, I had the soup special, a creamy artichoke and onion soup. My wife had raviolis with shrimp and arugula in a mushroom sauce, I had Penne alla Famiglia. Both were superb. Dessert topped off the evening. The dessert cart look so good, we ended up have TWO desserts each(hey we don't indulge often, but when we do, look out). My wife had a creme puff with chocolate sauce and banana/puff pastry/chocolate concoction. I had a cherry topped rum cake and a chocolate chestnut cake. We finished the night with some Lemoncello, a delicious liqueur. Safe to say we will be back the next time we visit Philadelphia.
(5)
Tracy S.
Skip this place...the food is just not that good or worth the prices. When you walk in the door you are greeted with a musty mildew type of odor. The place seemed dingy and outdated to me. Seems like they are trying to keep the decor classic, which I truly respect but it is need of some updates and a little TLC. The bathroom is in the basement/wine cellar, which smelled real moldy too. I understand its a wine cellar but it smelled like they must get water down there; theres a room in the wine cellar/basement for private parties which looked like it could be cool but it needs updates too and I would never pay to eat in there with a party because of the mildewy odor. All I can say is the food was just ok and overly salted in my opinion. Not many pasta selections on the menu either. Nothing spectacular and not at all what we expected unfortunately. The servers were very nice, efficient and friendly but there was nothing special about our heavily salted meal. Drinks are also way overpriced. Go to Dante & Luigi's instead on 10th & Catherine...that place is stellar!
(2)
Patrick A.
I have been going to this restaurant for many years. The last two years I started to see it slipping a bit, when waiters had been established with the restaurant for many years started to disappear. I went to the restaurant this pass saturday to celebrate my dads 65th B Day. Two words would describe the event TRAIN WRECK!! It started bad with the fact that our reservation was for 8:30 and we did not sit till 9:15. The bar tender was clueless behind the bar and instead of asking the entire group what they wanted to drink, she made each drink one at a time and had to ask many times what the person was drinking. When we finally sat down to our table my mother over heard the waiter tell his team to push us back because they were behind. We had to continue to ask for menus and when we placed our orders it took (not exaggerating) 1hour for our appetizers to come out. The main dishes came out and the problems continued to keep coming! My sister ordered a pasta dish which was the easiest dish to make came out 5-7 min after all the other dishes. One of my favorite dishes of this restaurant which I have had many times is a veal chop bone in, with a black truffle sauce on top. I specifically said the name of the dish and pointed to it on the menu. My wife as well as others new the dish that was given to me was not what I ordered. When my mom informed the waiter it was the wrong dish, he got his back up against the wall and got nasty. I have never sent a dish back nor taking frustration out on a waiter being the fact I tended bar for many years. The waiter approached me with a cocky voice and opened the menu and said " sir this is what you ordered"! Big mistake on his part was I was the one the entire night keep the table calm and saying lets make the best of this. Now he is going to tell me what I ordered and give me attitude.... I don't think so.... and thats when for the first time in my life I let the waiter really have it! Service 101 tells you even if I ordered the wrong dish ( which I did not) he should have said sir I am sorry let me bring you out another right away. A few closing points on why this place is not worth the money in the least bit. 1st We ordered 3 bottles of Super Tuscan Wine. Super Tuscan needs to breathe and we should have been asked would we like the wine all opened. ( Never happened ) 2nd This place has a beautiful wine cellar and its suppose extremely knowledgable for wine and its presenting of the wine. Again the wine should have been asked to recommended to be all opened to it could breathe, and second the sommelier never visited the table. 3rd. When ordering salad in a restaurant like this the salad plate and fork should be chilled....neither were. 4th The staff did not work the table at all.... my martini glass was finished before I ordered and it was left on the table until my entree was taking away. I also had 2 water glasses in front of me. This place at one time was on top of its game and one who knows the little things that seperate excellence from average will clearly see this and will know plenty other spots for the same prices but much more exquisite service. No brainer for me I will never return to this mediocre place again!!!...
(1)
Mel C.
I'm not Italian, but I did spend a summer in Italy staying with real Italians and traveling throughout the country and tasting the wonderful cuisine it has to offer. Thus, I feel completely comfortable by saying this place was confusingly atrocious and am actually appalled people have rated this higher than a star (which is the lowest Yelp allows you to issue). First of all, the decor is nice albeit a tad cheesy with up and downstairs seating. We opted to sit upstairs thinking it would be quieter, but there was actually a rambunctious party up there that might have gotten quite drunk to help themselves eat the food without feigning disgust. Now, the reviews that state this is authentically Italian, maybe it has changed? I didn't see one Italian person there from the hostess to any of our servers. Let me caveat, and note that the actual service from the hostess, servers, water person man, were all very polite and nice. I had no problem with them as people but perhaps the refinement of fine dining was lost on a place that garners three or four dollar signs on food review sites. There were several people attending to all the tables... making it confusing as one would come over and ask to take our order even though we had just ordered from another. At one point, one of the servers just sort of walked aimlessly from table to table with sizzling entrees and as each one shook their heads... he just moved down the row until he found the right diners. We were running the half-marathon in Philly the next day and opted out of alcohol. We started off with some mille di verdure that had promising words like mozzarella layered with mushrooms and drizzled with pesto sauce. We had wanted some pasta and ordered a full primi of tortelleoni (filled with squash & ricotta). And finally we chose the veal chop (sauce unknown to me but hey it was a veal chop at a "top" restaurant. What could go wrong?) The layered vegetable thing was the strangest amalgamation of ingredients that together tasted like buttery pesto sauce. I could see the mushroom & mozzarella, but when I bit in it was like pesto sauce and grease was just sliding around in my mouth. I actually hadn't eaten much this day in anticipation , so I set the banquet style appy to the side and anxiously awaited my rumored plumply cheese filled tortelleoni. When it arrived, I realized I had actually not gone to La Famiglia Ristorante but was really in a Chinese take out place with 5 dumplings rolling around a butter sauce. Confused again, I took a closer look at the tortelleoni, and I really believe they took dumpling wrappers and then shadily rolled in some crumbly mixture that fell apart and rolled into the sauce to be some sort of Loch Ness Monster goop lumpily lost in the butter. Yum. Oh wait, GAG. My date/bf pleasantly offered his veal chop for a bite... but took a few tries b/c he couldn't fine a piece that wasn't really blubberous. As in the lamb might have been dieting solely on Big Macs and ding dongs b/c it was the fattiest piece of veal I have seen ever. The only positive I can say about this experience, is that it didn't interfere with our half-marathon in the morning. Not sure how they get away for actually charging people here, but I just know that I'll thoroughly read the bad reviews on Yelp before I try another "upscale" restaurant. I wish it had been Restaurant Week (but it was a Saturday) so I could partially blame the debacle this place is...
(1)
Brent M.
Old World service. Excellent.
(4)
Jamie S.
There has not been one thing that I have not ordered that has not been fantastic! Great owners and food to go along with it!
(4)
Tom D.
Bad. I am an Italian American and actually was offended by this restaurant. Let me start by telling you about the wine. I was so excited because they had a wine that I often drink with my cousin at his home in Umbria (the grape is grown near his home). So they waiter goes in the front and comes back after about 10 minutes with a glass of red wine. I tasted it and it was too sweet to be a sangantini. So I asked him to see the botlle (which he should have brought out before) and he showed me a sealed bottle of 2005 sangantini... So I do not believe him. Then he recommends a "beautiful capeletti," which sounded good. But when it came out it was ravioli. Capeletti are cousins with tortellini. When he asked how the meal was, I said that my ravioli was good. He actually defended and said capaletti... Are you kidding me! For an "upscale" Italian, please! Oh, and by the way, I thought maybe Latin background, but since they were playing italuan I figured I would speak a little Italian to him to see. Answered my questions Totally wrong. Don't try to fake people! I have never been so offended by an italian restaurant that is not run by italians (which i guess wouldn't be so bad if the other things were not an issue). This place is a scam... Stay away!!
(1)
Anannya T.
Some of the best and most innovative Italian I've ever had.
(4)
Nicole L.
My friend and I took our girlfriend here for her birthday. We have been trying a different Italian restaurant as ofter as we can. I must say, I was very impressed with the food and service. Everything was delicious & with each bite I felt like I was in heaven. The service was impeccable. Since we had a birthday lady with us, the desert was free but well worth paying for. I entered feeling welcomed and left feeling satisfied.
(5)
Aaron H.
My first time in Philly, and being from Chicago and NYC wanting to have a nice dinner with my girlfriend, I couldn't have been more satisfied with my experience at Famiglia. The food: 4 stars, the wine: a million stars, the service: 5 stars for sure and the ambiance: a cozy and romantic 5 stars no problem, the location is awesome, tons of cool spots for window shopping and drinks right there in the area. Will return next time I'm in Philly for sure.
(5)
Tom S.
My fiancee and I had an absolutely wonderful dinner here. Can't wait to go again!
(5)
Jessica P R.
Full disclosure: we dined at La Famiglia during restaurant week. During the first half of our meal, my husband and I kept commenting that the service at La Famiglia is some of the best we've ever had (despite the usual crappy service you get during RW). The appetizers were the best part of the meal. The gnocchi was probably the best I've had. The meals were good. The risotto here was much better than the risotto at Fork, but still paled in comparison to the risotto at Christopher's in Wayne. Dessert was pretty good too. Nice selection of three italian desserts all on one plate. I think we waited half an hour for our check at the end of the meal. I totally understand the art of not rushing people out. But we sat there, credit card out on the table for thirty minutes. Oh well, still an excellent meal.
(4)
carol b.
After hearing about this place for some time I've got to say it didn't live up to the billing. Actually, billing was the problem. The place just isn't a good value. Four of us at there the other night. What was really good: ambience and service. I liked that they don't rush you into ordering. It's hard to find a place that lets you sit and enjoy your drink for a while -- not just 3 minutes -- before they hand you menus. The servers were very professional. Our water glasses never got empty. What was not good: $70 per person was just too much, especially when one of us had lasagna and another the appetizer serving of tortellini. We had glasses of wine but no desserts. If the food were the best Italian food I've had in the area that would be one thing, but it was just good. My husband's Chilean sea bass was far from the best I've tasted. The best item was his artichoke soup, which was rich and flavorful, perfectly set off by crispy croutons, and just flat out sensational. After the meal we agreed it was fine, but we wouldn't go back.
(3)
Ben P.
This is my kind of place. First, it's an Italian restaurant where every single staff member talks with a heavy Italian accent. That's a good sign. Second, their wine list comes in a 4-inch, 3-ring binder. That's a good sign. Third, they give guided tours of their wine cellar. If only the law recognized human-restaurant marriages..... At the end of a hectic, busy, but fun and productive trip, I found myself in the company of 4 good friends, sitting down to dinner on OPM. We had...well, we had everything. Salads to start, then 2 pasta dishes for the table, then steaks, fish, you name it. The opening bottle of grenache gave way to a main-course bottle of Barolo that I'm glad the sommalier talked me into. An after-dinner port settled everything very nicely. The service was polite and prompt and helpful. The food was excellent. The wine was properly served and well-attended to. You probably shouldn't show up in a hoodie and Vans, but then this is a nice restaurant, not your rec room, so that shouldn't be a surprise. My 20% of this 2.5-hour meal came to $120 with tip. And we drank $200 in wine alone. So I wouldn't call this place expensive. Just excellent.
(5)
Nancy O.
I had lunch here yesterday. Glad I didn't read Mel's Yelp review before I went! A friend suggested we try La Famiglia after looking at their lunch menu, which turned out to be pretty damn reasonable for downtown. The other diners were..the sort that probably go to bed at dusk, but to me that says they have been coming here often and like it. The bread was warm and plentiful, the service was attentive, and the pasta bolognese and the minestrone were very good. Hey, it's not NY's Little Italy, but I personally think if you like Spasso or any of the other eateries on Market Street, you should try La Famiglia first for lunch. Even better, go with a bf or gf for a late lunch with wine- fresh flowers, low lights, badda bing, badda boom. A cheaper Valentine's Day than a dozen overpriced roses!
(3)
James S.
Such an amazing meal. While it was pricey, it was definitely worth it for a special occasion. The wine "bible" is unlike anything I've ever seen. I thought it was a joke. But the servers are very helpful and attentive. We had a grilled octopus appetizer along with a penne pasta dish. Both very flavorful and well presented. For my entree, I had a salmon with a light mushroom cream sauce and capers, along with spinach. Hubby decided on the filet. I don't eat red meat but it definitely looked delicious. We both did the dessert cart. I chose a banana cake which was light and airy drizzled in a chocolate sauce. Hubby chose a chocolate walnut tort, which was surprisingly not dense. Just right. Ended with complimentary glasses of limoncello. All in all an especially amazing dinner. Don't come here in a rush. We spent nearly 3 hours enjoying the ambiance and the food. The wine helped. A good Italian bottle that didn't kill the budget. Can't wait to try this place again.
(5)
Ona H.
This is a lovely restaurant with an elegant dining room, impeccable service, and fabulous food. So why the three star rating? Their lack of a dress/behavior code. I have been there several times and each time we have noticed people arriving in jeans, including cut off off jean shorts, t-shirts and rumpled kakhai pants. Many groups of people there have been loud and boisterous. These two factors are so out of keeping with the elegance of the restaurant, I am surprised the management does not inform people making reservations that there is a dress code, jackets and ties for men and no jeans or shorts. The management could also discreetly ask loud customers to keep their voices down.
(3)
Rich P.
I thought the service and food was outstanding. It was expensive but worth it.
(5)
David A.
Excellent pasta and even better fish. Well presented and fantastic. An oldie but very good. Incredible wine list. Not cheap but worth a visit!
(5)
Caroline H.
For restaurant week this year we decided to try out La Famiglia in hopes that it lived up to its expectations as a very good, high end Italian restaurant. I know many people say restaurant week is not a great time to see how a restaurant really is but I have yet to get a sub-par meal during it. We walked into the bar/hostess station/coat check/waiting area barely able to fit through the door because of the extremely small area filled with waiting diners. We were seated at a nice table upstairs and were immediately asked if we wanted anything from the bar. We had all decided prior that we were not going to get alcoholic drinks because we we were all trying to keep the cost down. Well the waiter did not seem pleased that we didn't order anything other then Iced tea and soda because he actually made a face at us once we were all done placing our drink orders. In fact another gentleman came over and asked us again, if we wanted anything from the bar. Our orders were taken and within minutes our appetizers arrived. Some of us had the gnocchi and some had the crab cakes. My gnocchi was good, a nice portion and cooked perfectly altough it seemed like it needed a little bit of salt/and or season. I had a taste of the crab cake and that was actually really good but very small. We finished and our main entrees arrived also very quickly. Between all of us we managed to only get the Veal and the Chicken. The veal was certainly one of the most unappealing looking dishes I may have ever ordered at a restaurant. No garnish, just 2 rolls of meat covered in brown sauce, soggy broccoli drowned in butter and a small slap of mashed potatoes. My second veal roll was very pink inside and the filling in both seemed to be bread stuffing I never found any mushrooms or tasted fontina. The chicken that the others in my group had was served with the same soggy drowned broccoli and mashed potatoes. It looked like a boiled chicken breast covered in cheese--I was told it tasted like any old chicken you would make at home. I was not impressed at all with the entrees. Finally dessert came. A fruit tart, small cheesecake and a cream puff. The fruit tart was really, really good the cheesecake was ok and the cream puff had a grainy texture to it and really wasn't too tasty. Overall the food was just OK and the service was nothing near what it should have been considering we had about 5 different people taking care of us. I don't think I'll be returning here...way too stuffy and overrated for my taste.
(2)
Kim C.
Came here on a friend's raving recommendations with very high expectations. For all the hype, I was a little disappointed. The restaurant was pretentious and stuffy. The food, too salty. The redeeming qualities were the mushroom and pasta dish, which was perfect, and the dessert cart. The wine list was HUGE, but unfortunately my boyfriend and I both got sick from the wine, which tasted fine at the time. We spent the evening at home nursing our nausea--definitely not what we bargained for. For the price, I'll take Ristorante Panorama or an Italian BYOB, please.
(2)
Theresa Marie S.
I went here during the holidays time of 2006. The food was the BEST I had ever tasted outside of my own Italian home. The wine list is HUGE and that is because us Italian's love their wine!! It is actually quite amazing that they have taken the time to go and create such a list. Bring your credit card because it is $$$$. I had the ravi's with a delicious cream sauce and it was...I *think* $18? I tried the salmon that my father had and it was so beyond tasty! Yum!
(5)
Charles R.
Yes, I know its an old school restaurant and people even dress, but I like it anyway. Once in a while its nice to go out to a place where people look like they are out to dinner and not going bowling. The food is on a par with most of the better Italians in the city and the service is very good. Since it's Italian I could go thru the pastas and veal dishes , but they are pretty much the same choices you get at most top eateries. One of very best dessert carts in the city, second only to La Bec Fin. Valet parking, all major credit cards and dinner for 4 with 2 bottles of wine was just over $300. Yes, it's on the top end range in this city, but if you are celebrating and b'day or anniversary this is a wonderful place to go. Oh yes, you can hear each other speak across the table because it's quiet.
(4)
Paul S.
We had a marvelous time Saturday evening at La Famiglia. As recounted in many reviews, the service is warm and attentive and this alone distinguishes the restaurant from most others. The dining room is formal without being fussy or theatrical. We started with perfectly made cocktails while we reviewed the menu and the extensive wine label list. The waiter offered some additional specials and we chose several of those including two appetizers, a fantastically smooth and delicious artichoke soup (highest recommendation) and calamari on tomatoes and white beans, which were tender and flavorful. We enjoyed our entree choices, the filleted at your table Bronzino with the white mustard sauce and the veal medallions with cheese and tomatoes. Both prepared with great care and flavor. To complement our meals we chose an excellent bottle of Puglian red wine (Patriglione 1999), which paired nicely with the fish and meat. You would be very pleased with this wine choice. Luckily, we had room for dessert. The Italian Napoleon was very fine, not too sweet and with lots of crunchy almonds. My friend also enjoyed the meringue that sat on top of cake with a raspberry filling. We ended with good coffee and good conversation and the lively chatter of a dining room filled with contented and happy diners. We felt special on a special night. Highly recommended for those looking for the same. Perhaps we'll see you there on our next visit!
(5)
Cara N.
I went for Restaurant Week, and everything was just ok. One problem that I had, that I have with just about every restaurant/bar/lounge around here is that they are just too small! Row houses are NOT meant to serve as restaurants/bars/lounges, they are meant for people to LIVE in them! And unless your last name is Gosselin (I just finished watching "Jon & Kate Plus 8"), you should NOT have a house full of people like that on a regular night...sorry I'm getting off topic. Anyway, I digress - being that I'm from New Jersey, I take my Italian food pretty seriously (yes, black people can take Italian food seriously too), and this place just didn't cut it. It didn't help that this man and his "goomah" came in and started getting all touchy-feely at the table. I don't even remember what I had, which means the chances of me returning are slim to none.
(2)
Nancy E.
Perfection in food and service. Housemade pastas were delicious (had the evening special of fettuccini in a creamy asparagus sauce with seared scallop and also tortellini with squash and butter sauce). Branzino prepared tableside was a treat for the eyes and the taste buds...expertly fileted with choice of sauces (we chose tomatoes and capers in a light lemon olive oil). Food and drink temperatures were spot on - hot entrees and crusty bread, ice cold sparkling water and Sauvignon blanc. We were given complimentary bruschetta and biscotti. Service was attentive, yet leisurely. We wish we had discovered La Famiglia earlier in our Philly residency!
(5)
Mark L.
An old school traditional Italian restaurant that's been around philly forever. Rather pricey for frequent visits but food was perfect. Decadent dessert cart. I'd personally recommend their whole fish which they lovingly and expertly disassemble in front of you to eat.
(4)
Jae R.
I went there for early evening dinner. Pricey, but the food is excellent. I love the decor upstairs.
(4)
Kit-N-Debbie W.
Been told by numerous friends this is a must go restaurant. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. The ambience itself is beautiful, the noise level made it difficult to have a conversation at dinner. Food was adequate but nothing to make us return. The menu and specials were disappointing.
(3)
Robert M.
"Rocky Balboa" was one of my favorite movies of 2006. (I love the original, which won the '76 Oscar for Best Picture, and I admire Stallone's knack for maintaining the character's likeability through six films. Think about it: Michael Corleone lost his intensity in the third Godfather, and George Lucas crashed and burned with the Star Wars prequels.) My point? Well, I'm in Philly on business, so to honor the Italian Stallion (who wound up opening a restaurant called "Adrian's"), I didn't object when I heard we'd be dining at La Famiglia. A taste of Italy, Philly-style. First-class? Yo. An elegant (yet relaxing and comfortable) setting, attentive service, and an incredibly expansive wine list (including the Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon we all enjoyed). I was tempted by the Charcoal Grilled Filet Mignon (in a red wine sauce), but wound up ordering (and loving) the Pappardelle with Porcini Mushroom. The entire experience was a first-round knockout!
(5)
Axl R.
My tuna tartar was razor thin and very well done. It was quite delicious. I asked for changes to be made to my meal, and although the waiter was initially hesitant the meal came out exactly as I wanted it. It was all complimented by the perfect glass of wine selected by the hostess. I am very, very picky about alcohol because I do not like the taste at all, but want some of the smoothness of a meal with wine. Her selection was the perfect balance for me. I would recommend eating at this restaurant but not if you have anything to do for the day. My biggest negative on this place is that the waiters are super slow as was the bill!
(4)
Chris L.
So I went here during restaurant week. It's supposedly one of the classy places to goto, and once I was inside, I could see why. Very nice, elegant interior. You really feel like you're royalty when you step inside. They had a candle lit at the table so it would feel romantic if you're with that special someone. Their bread was pretty good for an italian place... had great flavored olive oil as well. I had some pasta appetizer, roast beef, and a dessert sampler for dessert. I wasn't too impressed with their appetizer and entree... it was "ok", but it's probably due to the fact that it's restaurant week and it's probably one of their "cheaper" entrees (the place is normally rated $$$$, so I guess they have more expensive entrees that are better). Anyway, the dessert was really good though. Very small and light, but still tasty. Anyway, I give it 4 stars.
(4)
Maritza M.
Not the best high-end Italian food I've ever had, but then again I went during restaurant week. My polenta & mushroom appetizer was really not that great at all. And the green peppercorn bistc was lacking green peppercorn! The wine list was way too exaggerated! Do they really need a HUUUUGGGE book for their wine list?! How cocky are these people?! My friend had to STAND UP to go through the wine book because it was sooooo big. Basically, I was disappointed with my food. I expected better. But I'd go again when it's not restaurant week and try their real menu. If I go again and it's not good, this place gets 2 stars. It'll go up to 4 stars if it's amazing the second time around.
(3)
Hywel J.
This is the best Italian place in Philly. The service is old-school (many of the waiters look to be 900 years old!), but the food is superb and it has a relaxed kind of formality. The wine list is the size of a medieval bible and contains a similar number of revelations.
(5)
Laurel M.
Now, I know restaurant week dinners are to be taken with a grain of salt...but really this was not good. Definitely the worst restaurant week experience I've ever had. I certainly didn't expect whatever their usual quality is (which I assumed was quite high, Ive always heard pretty amazing things about this place) but what I received was simply edible at best. We had crab cakes over arugula, gnocchi, seafood risotto & veal. The crab cakes were simply OK, the salad they came with waaay too saturated w/ balsamic vinaigrette, the gnocchi had an excellent texture & consistency but the sauce with it very bland. As for the entrees, the risotto was absolutely nothing to write home about but was far better than my entree of veal. It was listed as veal medallions in a mushroom sauce, but seriously it came as like cutlets of salisbury steak & tasted about as good. I had mashed potatoes on the side which tasted really weird (almost...moldy) & on top of that were cool, my steamed broccoli seemed like it came from a frozen bag. I was only able to eat a few bites of my entree & let me server know about my displeasure. He offered me a different entree, but I wasn't interested. My appetite was simply gone. I didn't ask for my meal to be discounted in any way, but when I received my bill I noticed that I wasn't charged for any of my wine...I don't know if that was intentional but whatever I took it, haha. Dessert was pretty good (chocolate cake, cheesecake & poached pear). Service was really slow...& I know they were busy so I wasn't too put off by it, but still...it was *very* slow. I have no interest in trying La Famiglia for their regular menu. I would give my experience there only two stars, but since I was there during restaurant week & didn't have their usual menu, I'm upping it to three (just in case).
(3)
Rueben C.
So yea I heard all this hype about this joint. The self proclaimed "best italian food in Phila". I go there during restaurant week, and to get to the point, if you haven't got it from looking at the number of stars, this place is fast food caliber itaian cuisine. I was with a party of six and we order everything presented on the fixed menu (restaurant week) and none of the plates from the courses were decent. I can think of three BYOB that quickly come to mind that make this place an imposter of italian food. Honestly, even the despicable artwork on the walls is anything but horrible replicas of Italian artwork from Uffizi. I mean the plates they serve you on have the name of the restaurant on them....how corny is that? Chef Ramsey 's designers desparately need to revamp this place. If it wasn't restaurant week, which makes me think the restaurant gives the chef the week off, I'd give this place 1 star for it's location. Try la viola, modo mio or l'angolo!!!!!
(4)
Brynn D.
very expensive old-school italian food served up in a very, very formal setting... a little too formal for the likes of me. service is wonderful as one would expect when paying major bucks for dinner. it actually wasn't snooty service, either - just friendly, pretty much genuine. i've been twice and that's where they excel. food would be pleasing to the masses, so a fine place to take finnicky parents or for a business dinner.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic, Classy Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Patrizia C.
I organized my department holiday luncheon here this year. I had tried their food on a couple different occasions, and since it is top notch, I figured it'd be a nice setting for a work event. My group consisted of about 40 people so we were given the private room on the second floor. The service was impeccable and the food was as good as I remembered. Thanks La Famiglia, for making this event a success
(3)Deborah H.
Very old fashioned Italian. It had nice service and good wine list. Food was ok , not great but dessert was wonderful-poached pears in some type of sharp sweet wine sauce w Italian cream sauce like a sabayon style.
(3)Suzanne S.
I came to La Famiglia for the first time this past restaurant week I was seated right away even though the other half of my party was very late. I really appreciated this, because I have been at many an empty restaurant where they wouldn't seat me until my whole party was there. My table ordered the eggplant melenzane (AMAZING), Gnocchi in gorgonzola (okay), NY strip (outstanding), veal (I didn't try it, but they all liked it), and the salmon (moist, with the perfect amount of lemon). The service was excellent, but the desserts and mixed drinks needed improvement. They have an awesome wine cellar in the basement, which was really cool to see as well. I would definitely return to this restaurant.
(4)Frank C.
The broad range of reviews for this restaurant is a surprise; it is a bastion of a style of luxurious dining rarely found and wonderful to partake, but one that takes a little engagement from the diner to enjoy. Entering La Famiglia, you are greeted at the small, four-six seat bar, well stocked with fine spirits, and naturally skewed to Italian essential aperitifs and amari. Two glass cabinets of sparkling wineglasses at the far side of the bar/foyer flank the entrance to dining room beyond, all paneled in wood in the grandest style. As my partner and I both arrived with somewhat unsettled constitutions due to an unfortunate lunch at another establishment, we started with a pair of Negronis, knowing the bitter Campari would soon set us to rights and prepare us for the meal to follow. We were seated next to the carved marble fireplace that housed the collection of after dinner grappa and digestif -- it's quite a collection of 50 or more -- to which we very much looked forward. The diningroom borders on opulent, the waitstaff all in waistcoats and ties and thoroughly educated as to the menu and specials (note: to those reviewers who think that the staff is "all Italian" or "not at all Italian" WTF? The staff is clearly not Italian, but why does that matter when they all know the dishes and the cuisine and do their job well? They could be Australian for all I care.) My partner started with the chilled tomato soup; I, the zucchini-wrapped grilled shrimp. My partner found the soup very wholesome and peaceful, though it might have been better a week or two later when tomatoes are a tad riper. My shrimp were wonderful; their sweetness enhanced with the rich butter sauce. On this occasion (and partly due to the unfortunate lunch discussed above) we opted to go with just pasta for our mains -- but what pasta it was. I had the special crab and lobster stuffed angolotti in a red bell pepper creme sauce. The pasta was perfectly delicate and soft, the filling rendolent of sweet, sweet crustacean, balanced wonderfully by the slight zip of the pepper creme. My date's gnocchi were the softest rendition I have ever had, their texture that of a perfectly cooked baked potato, and accented by a gorgonzola creme that let only a restrained amount of bleu cheese funk through so that the sauce's earthiness matched that of the potato pasta. Our wine (merely by the glass -- though their by-the-bottle list resembles a telephone book, backed by the extensive cellars downstairs) was excellent -- mine the Sangiovese and my partner's a Montepulciano. Around us, we saw diners enjoying tableside preparation and carving of whole branzino baked in a salt crust, the presentation of desserts off of the dessert cart, tables being seated and leaving, patrons (at least half, anyway) who actually were dressed for the occasion of dinner -- which is such a rare thing these days, but one that La Famiglia's stateliness merits. We needed a break before dessert and, bucking tradition, took some grappa early -- both of us choosing barrel-aged versions of this venerable spirit. If you've never had it grappa is a wonderful experience, with one of the richest noses of any spirit. Barrel-aged versions start out with the sweetness and vanilla of oak, and fade to a gentle, fruity but austere whisky. For dessert, the lemon tirimisu seemed the most perfect hoice after the richness of out pasta, and indeed it was. The cake seemed soaked in lemon curd and coated in a lemon creme -- amazingly light despite an unfathomable caloric content, I'm sure. Espresso to follow came with little hazelnut maccaroons with nutella filling --an amusing twist on the common biscotti. La Famiglia: Stately, not stuffy, excellent Italian cuisine. It's a grand experience you should treat yourselves to over and over again.
(5)Mel C.
I'm not Italian, but I did spend a summer in Italy staying with real Italians and traveling throughout the country and tasting the wonderful cuisine it has to offer. Thus, I feel completely comfortable by saying this place was confusingly atrocious and am actually appalled people have rated this higher than a star (which is the lowest Yelp allows you to issue). First of all, the decor is nice albeit a tad cheesy with up and downstairs seating. We opted to sit upstairs thinking it would be quieter, but there was actually a rambunctious party up there that might have gotten quite drunk to help themselves eat the food without feigning disgust. Now, the reviews that state this is authentically Italian, maybe it has changed? I didn't see one Italian person there from the hostess to any of our servers. Let me caveat, and note that the actual service from the hostess, servers, water person man, were all very polite and nice. I had no problem with them as people but perhaps the refinement of fine dining was lost on a place that garners three or four dollar signs on food review sites. There were several people attending to all the tables... making it confusing as one would come over and ask to take our order even though we had just ordered from another. At one point, one of the servers just sort of walked aimlessly from table to table with sizzling entrees and as each one shook their heads... he just moved down the row until he found the right diners. We were running the half-marathon in Philly the next day and opted out of alcohol. We started off with some mille di verdure that had promising words like mozzarella layered with mushrooms and drizzled with pesto sauce. We had wanted some pasta and ordered a full primi of tortelleoni (filled with squash & ricotta). And finally we chose the veal chop (sauce unknown to me but hey it was a veal chop at a "top" restaurant. What could go wrong?) The layered vegetable thing was the strangest amalgamation of ingredients that together tasted like buttery pesto sauce. I could see the mushroom & mozzarella, but when I bit in it was like pesto sauce and grease was just sliding around in my mouth. I actually hadn't eaten much this day in anticipation , so I set the banquet style appy to the side and anxiously awaited my rumored plumply cheese filled tortelleoni. When it arrived, I realized I had actually not gone to La Famiglia Ristorante but was really in a Chinese take out place with 5 dumplings rolling around a butter sauce. Confused again, I took a closer look at the tortelleoni, and I really believe they took dumpling wrappers and then shadily rolled in some crumbly mixture that fell apart and rolled into the sauce to be some sort of Loch Ness Monster goop lumpily lost in the butter. Yum. Oh wait, GAG. My date/bf pleasantly offered his veal chop for a bite... but took a few tries b/c he couldn't fine a piece that wasn't really blubberous. As in the lamb might have been dieting solely on Big Macs and ding dongs b/c it was the fattiest piece of veal I have seen ever. The only positive I can say about this experience, is that it didn't interfere with our half-marathon in the morning. Not sure how they get away for actually charging people here, but I just know that I'll thoroughly read the bad reviews on Yelp before I try another "upscale" restaurant. I wish it had been Restaurant Week (but it was a Saturday) so I could partially blame the debacle this place is...
(1)Kim C.
Came here on a friend's raving recommendations with very high expectations. For all the hype, I was a little disappointed. The restaurant was pretentious and stuffy. The food, too salty. The redeeming qualities were the mushroom and pasta dish, which was perfect, and the dessert cart. The wine list was HUGE, but unfortunately my boyfriend and I both got sick from the wine, which tasted fine at the time. We spent the evening at home nursing our nausea--definitely not what we bargained for. For the price, I'll take Ristorante Panorama or an Italian BYOB, please.
(2)Theresa Marie S.
I went here during the holidays time of 2006. The food was the BEST I had ever tasted outside of my own Italian home. The wine list is HUGE and that is because us Italian's love their wine!! It is actually quite amazing that they have taken the time to go and create such a list. Bring your credit card because it is $$$$. I had the ravi's with a delicious cream sauce and it was...I *think* $18? I tried the salmon that my father had and it was so beyond tasty! Yum!
(5)Robert M.
"Rocky Balboa" was one of my favorite movies of 2006. (I love the original, which won the '76 Oscar for Best Picture, and I admire Stallone's knack for maintaining the character's likeability through six films. Think about it: Michael Corleone lost his intensity in the third Godfather, and George Lucas crashed and burned with the Star Wars prequels.) My point? Well, I'm in Philly on business, so to honor the Italian Stallion (who wound up opening a restaurant called "Adrian's"), I didn't object when I heard we'd be dining at La Famiglia. A taste of Italy, Philly-style. First-class? Yo. An elegant (yet relaxing and comfortable) setting, attentive service, and an incredibly expansive wine list (including the Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon we all enjoyed). I was tempted by the Charcoal Grilled Filet Mignon (in a red wine sauce), but wound up ordering (and loving) the Pappardelle with Porcini Mushroom. The entire experience was a first-round knockout!
(5)Axl R.
My tuna tartar was razor thin and very well done. It was quite delicious. I asked for changes to be made to my meal, and although the waiter was initially hesitant the meal came out exactly as I wanted it. It was all complimented by the perfect glass of wine selected by the hostess. I am very, very picky about alcohol because I do not like the taste at all, but want some of the smoothness of a meal with wine. Her selection was the perfect balance for me. I would recommend eating at this restaurant but not if you have anything to do for the day. My biggest negative on this place is that the waiters are super slow as was the bill!
(4)Chris L.
So I went here during restaurant week. It's supposedly one of the classy places to goto, and once I was inside, I could see why. Very nice, elegant interior. You really feel like you're royalty when you step inside. They had a candle lit at the table so it would feel romantic if you're with that special someone. Their bread was pretty good for an italian place... had great flavored olive oil as well. I had some pasta appetizer, roast beef, and a dessert sampler for dessert. I wasn't too impressed with their appetizer and entree... it was "ok", but it's probably due to the fact that it's restaurant week and it's probably one of their "cheaper" entrees (the place is normally rated $$$$, so I guess they have more expensive entrees that are better). Anyway, the dessert was really good though. Very small and light, but still tasty. Anyway, I give it 4 stars.
(4)Maritza M.
Not the best high-end Italian food I've ever had, but then again I went during restaurant week. My polenta & mushroom appetizer was really not that great at all. And the green peppercorn bistc was lacking green peppercorn! The wine list was way too exaggerated! Do they really need a HUUUUGGGE book for their wine list?! How cocky are these people?! My friend had to STAND UP to go through the wine book because it was sooooo big. Basically, I was disappointed with my food. I expected better. But I'd go again when it's not restaurant week and try their real menu. If I go again and it's not good, this place gets 2 stars. It'll go up to 4 stars if it's amazing the second time around.
(3)Hywel J.
This is the best Italian place in Philly. The service is old-school (many of the waiters look to be 900 years old!), but the food is superb and it has a relaxed kind of formality. The wine list is the size of a medieval bible and contains a similar number of revelations.
(5)Rueben C.
So yea I heard all this hype about this joint. The self proclaimed "best italian food in Phila". I go there during restaurant week, and to get to the point, if you haven't got it from looking at the number of stars, this place is fast food caliber itaian cuisine. I was with a party of six and we order everything presented on the fixed menu (restaurant week) and none of the plates from the courses were decent. I can think of three BYOB that quickly come to mind that make this place an imposter of italian food. Honestly, even the despicable artwork on the walls is anything but horrible replicas of Italian artwork from Uffizi. I mean the plates they serve you on have the name of the restaurant on them....how corny is that? Chef Ramsey 's designers desparately need to revamp this place. If it wasn't restaurant week, which makes me think the restaurant gives the chef the week off, I'd give this place 1 star for it's location. Try la viola, modo mio or l'angolo!!!!!
(4)Brynn D.
very expensive old-school italian food served up in a very, very formal setting... a little too formal for the likes of me. service is wonderful as one would expect when paying major bucks for dinner. it actually wasn't snooty service, either - just friendly, pretty much genuine. i've been twice and that's where they excel. food would be pleasing to the masses, so a fine place to take finnicky parents or for a business dinner.
(3)Laurel M.
Now, I know restaurant week dinners are to be taken with a grain of salt...but really this was not good. Definitely the worst restaurant week experience I've ever had. I certainly didn't expect whatever their usual quality is (which I assumed was quite high, Ive always heard pretty amazing things about this place) but what I received was simply edible at best. We had crab cakes over arugula, gnocchi, seafood risotto & veal. The crab cakes were simply OK, the salad they came with waaay too saturated w/ balsamic vinaigrette, the gnocchi had an excellent texture & consistency but the sauce with it very bland. As for the entrees, the risotto was absolutely nothing to write home about but was far better than my entree of veal. It was listed as veal medallions in a mushroom sauce, but seriously it came as like cutlets of salisbury steak & tasted about as good. I had mashed potatoes on the side which tasted really weird (almost...moldy) & on top of that were cool, my steamed broccoli seemed like it came from a frozen bag. I was only able to eat a few bites of my entree & let me server know about my displeasure. He offered me a different entree, but I wasn't interested. My appetite was simply gone. I didn't ask for my meal to be discounted in any way, but when I received my bill I noticed that I wasn't charged for any of my wine...I don't know if that was intentional but whatever I took it, haha. Dessert was pretty good (chocolate cake, cheesecake & poached pear). Service was really slow...& I know they were busy so I wasn't too put off by it, but still...it was *very* slow. I have no interest in trying La Famiglia for their regular menu. I would give my experience there only two stars, but since I was there during restaurant week & didn't have their usual menu, I'm upping it to three (just in case).
(3)Kit-N-Debbie W.
Been told by numerous friends this is a must go restaurant. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. The ambience itself is beautiful, the noise level made it difficult to have a conversation at dinner. Food was adequate but nothing to make us return. The menu and specials were disappointing.
(3)Nancy E.
Perfection in food and service. Housemade pastas were delicious (had the evening special of fettuccini in a creamy asparagus sauce with seared scallop and also tortellini with squash and butter sauce). Branzino prepared tableside was a treat for the eyes and the taste buds...expertly fileted with choice of sauces (we chose tomatoes and capers in a light lemon olive oil). Food and drink temperatures were spot on - hot entrees and crusty bread, ice cold sparkling water and Sauvignon blanc. We were given complimentary bruschetta and biscotti. Service was attentive, yet leisurely. We wish we had discovered La Famiglia earlier in our Philly residency!
(5)Mark L.
An old school traditional Italian restaurant that's been around philly forever. Rather pricey for frequent visits but food was perfect. Decadent dessert cart. I'd personally recommend their whole fish which they lovingly and expertly disassemble in front of you to eat.
(4)Jae R.
I went there for early evening dinner. Pricey, but the food is excellent. I love the decor upstairs.
(4)Robert M.
"Rocky Balboa" was one of my favorite movies of 2006. (I love the original, which won the '76 Oscar for Best Picture, and I admire Stallone's knack for maintaining the character's likeability through six films. Think about it: Michael Corleone lost his intensity in the third Godfather, and George Lucas crashed and burned with the Star Wars prequels.) My point? Well, I'm in Philly on business, so to honor the Italian Stallion (who wound up opening a restaurant called "Adrian's"), I didn't object when I heard we'd be dining at La Famiglia. A taste of Italy, Philly-style. First-class? Yo. An elegant (yet relaxing and comfortable) setting, attentive service, and an incredibly expansive wine list (including the Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon we all enjoyed). I was tempted by the Charcoal Grilled Filet Mignon (in a red wine sauce), but wound up ordering (and loving) the Pappardelle with Porcini Mushroom. The entire experience was a first-round knockout!
(5)Axl R.
My tuna tartar was razor thin and very well done. It was quite delicious. I asked for changes to be made to my meal, and although the waiter was initially hesitant the meal came out exactly as I wanted it. It was all complimented by the perfect glass of wine selected by the hostess. I am very, very picky about alcohol because I do not like the taste at all, but want some of the smoothness of a meal with wine. Her selection was the perfect balance for me. I would recommend eating at this restaurant but not if you have anything to do for the day. My biggest negative on this place is that the waiters are super slow as was the bill!
(4)Caroline H.
For restaurant week this year we decided to try out La Famiglia in hopes that it lived up to its expectations as a very good, high end Italian restaurant. I know many people say restaurant week is not a great time to see how a restaurant really is but I have yet to get a sub-par meal during it. We walked into the bar/hostess station/coat check/waiting area barely able to fit through the door because of the extremely small area filled with waiting diners. We were seated at a nice table upstairs and were immediately asked if we wanted anything from the bar. We had all decided prior that we were not going to get alcoholic drinks because we we were all trying to keep the cost down. Well the waiter did not seem pleased that we didn't order anything other then Iced tea and soda because he actually made a face at us once we were all done placing our drink orders. In fact another gentleman came over and asked us again, if we wanted anything from the bar. Our orders were taken and within minutes our appetizers arrived. Some of us had the gnocchi and some had the crab cakes. My gnocchi was good, a nice portion and cooked perfectly altough it seemed like it needed a little bit of salt/and or season. I had a taste of the crab cake and that was actually really good but very small. We finished and our main entrees arrived also very quickly. Between all of us we managed to only get the Veal and the Chicken. The veal was certainly one of the most unappealing looking dishes I may have ever ordered at a restaurant. No garnish, just 2 rolls of meat covered in brown sauce, soggy broccoli drowned in butter and a small slap of mashed potatoes. My second veal roll was very pink inside and the filling in both seemed to be bread stuffing I never found any mushrooms or tasted fontina. The chicken that the others in my group had was served with the same soggy drowned broccoli and mashed potatoes. It looked like a boiled chicken breast covered in cheese--I was told it tasted like any old chicken you would make at home. I was not impressed at all with the entrees. Finally dessert came. A fruit tart, small cheesecake and a cream puff. The fruit tart was really, really good the cheesecake was ok and the cream puff had a grainy texture to it and really wasn't too tasty. Overall the food was just OK and the service was nothing near what it should have been considering we had about 5 different people taking care of us. I don't think I'll be returning here...way too stuffy and overrated for my taste.
(2)Kim C.
Came here on a friend's raving recommendations with very high expectations. For all the hype, I was a little disappointed. The restaurant was pretentious and stuffy. The food, too salty. The redeeming qualities were the mushroom and pasta dish, which was perfect, and the dessert cart. The wine list was HUGE, but unfortunately my boyfriend and I both got sick from the wine, which tasted fine at the time. We spent the evening at home nursing our nausea--definitely not what we bargained for. For the price, I'll take Ristorante Panorama or an Italian BYOB, please.
(2)Theresa Marie S.
I went here during the holidays time of 2006. The food was the BEST I had ever tasted outside of my own Italian home. The wine list is HUGE and that is because us Italian's love their wine!! It is actually quite amazing that they have taken the time to go and create such a list. Bring your credit card because it is $$$$. I had the ravi's with a delicious cream sauce and it was...I *think* $18? I tried the salmon that my father had and it was so beyond tasty! Yum!
(5)Charles R.
Yes, I know its an old school restaurant and people even dress, but I like it anyway. Once in a while its nice to go out to a place where people look like they are out to dinner and not going bowling. The food is on a par with most of the better Italians in the city and the service is very good. Since it's Italian I could go thru the pastas and veal dishes , but they are pretty much the same choices you get at most top eateries. One of very best dessert carts in the city, second only to La Bec Fin. Valet parking, all major credit cards and dinner for 4 with 2 bottles of wine was just over $300. Yes, it's on the top end range in this city, but if you are celebrating and b'day or anniversary this is a wonderful place to go. Oh yes, you can hear each other speak across the table because it's quiet.
(4)Paul S.
We had a marvelous time Saturday evening at La Famiglia. As recounted in many reviews, the service is warm and attentive and this alone distinguishes the restaurant from most others. The dining room is formal without being fussy or theatrical. We started with perfectly made cocktails while we reviewed the menu and the extensive wine label list. The waiter offered some additional specials and we chose several of those including two appetizers, a fantastically smooth and delicious artichoke soup (highest recommendation) and calamari on tomatoes and white beans, which were tender and flavorful. We enjoyed our entree choices, the filleted at your table Bronzino with the white mustard sauce and the veal medallions with cheese and tomatoes. Both prepared with great care and flavor. To complement our meals we chose an excellent bottle of Puglian red wine (Patriglione 1999), which paired nicely with the fish and meat. You would be very pleased with this wine choice. Luckily, we had room for dessert. The Italian Napoleon was very fine, not too sweet and with lots of crunchy almonds. My friend also enjoyed the meringue that sat on top of cake with a raspberry filling. We ended with good coffee and good conversation and the lively chatter of a dining room filled with contented and happy diners. We felt special on a special night. Highly recommended for those looking for the same. Perhaps we'll see you there on our next visit!
(5)Cara N.
I went for Restaurant Week, and everything was just ok. One problem that I had, that I have with just about every restaurant/bar/lounge around here is that they are just too small! Row houses are NOT meant to serve as restaurants/bars/lounges, they are meant for people to LIVE in them! And unless your last name is Gosselin (I just finished watching "Jon & Kate Plus 8"), you should NOT have a house full of people like that on a regular night...sorry I'm getting off topic. Anyway, I digress - being that I'm from New Jersey, I take my Italian food pretty seriously (yes, black people can take Italian food seriously too), and this place just didn't cut it. It didn't help that this man and his "goomah" came in and started getting all touchy-feely at the table. I don't even remember what I had, which means the chances of me returning are slim to none.
(2)Chris L.
So I went here during restaurant week. It's supposedly one of the classy places to goto, and once I was inside, I could see why. Very nice, elegant interior. You really feel like you're royalty when you step inside. They had a candle lit at the table so it would feel romantic if you're with that special someone. Their bread was pretty good for an italian place... had great flavored olive oil as well. I had some pasta appetizer, roast beef, and a dessert sampler for dessert. I wasn't too impressed with their appetizer and entree... it was "ok", but it's probably due to the fact that it's restaurant week and it's probably one of their "cheaper" entrees (the place is normally rated $$$$, so I guess they have more expensive entrees that are better). Anyway, the dessert was really good though. Very small and light, but still tasty. Anyway, I give it 4 stars.
(4)Maritza M.
Not the best high-end Italian food I've ever had, but then again I went during restaurant week. My polenta & mushroom appetizer was really not that great at all. And the green peppercorn bistc was lacking green peppercorn! The wine list was way too exaggerated! Do they really need a HUUUUGGGE book for their wine list?! How cocky are these people?! My friend had to STAND UP to go through the wine book because it was sooooo big. Basically, I was disappointed with my food. I expected better. But I'd go again when it's not restaurant week and try their real menu. If I go again and it's not good, this place gets 2 stars. It'll go up to 4 stars if it's amazing the second time around.
(3)Hywel J.
This is the best Italian place in Philly. The service is old-school (many of the waiters look to be 900 years old!), but the food is superb and it has a relaxed kind of formality. The wine list is the size of a medieval bible and contains a similar number of revelations.
(5)Laurel M.
Now, I know restaurant week dinners are to be taken with a grain of salt...but really this was not good. Definitely the worst restaurant week experience I've ever had. I certainly didn't expect whatever their usual quality is (which I assumed was quite high, Ive always heard pretty amazing things about this place) but what I received was simply edible at best. We had crab cakes over arugula, gnocchi, seafood risotto & veal. The crab cakes were simply OK, the salad they came with waaay too saturated w/ balsamic vinaigrette, the gnocchi had an excellent texture & consistency but the sauce with it very bland. As for the entrees, the risotto was absolutely nothing to write home about but was far better than my entree of veal. It was listed as veal medallions in a mushroom sauce, but seriously it came as like cutlets of salisbury steak & tasted about as good. I had mashed potatoes on the side which tasted really weird (almost...moldy) & on top of that were cool, my steamed broccoli seemed like it came from a frozen bag. I was only able to eat a few bites of my entree & let me server know about my displeasure. He offered me a different entree, but I wasn't interested. My appetite was simply gone. I didn't ask for my meal to be discounted in any way, but when I received my bill I noticed that I wasn't charged for any of my wine...I don't know if that was intentional but whatever I took it, haha. Dessert was pretty good (chocolate cake, cheesecake & poached pear). Service was really slow...& I know they were busy so I wasn't too put off by it, but still...it was *very* slow. I have no interest in trying La Famiglia for their regular menu. I would give my experience there only two stars, but since I was there during restaurant week & didn't have their usual menu, I'm upping it to three (just in case).
(3)Rueben C.
So yea I heard all this hype about this joint. The self proclaimed "best italian food in Phila". I go there during restaurant week, and to get to the point, if you haven't got it from looking at the number of stars, this place is fast food caliber itaian cuisine. I was with a party of six and we order everything presented on the fixed menu (restaurant week) and none of the plates from the courses were decent. I can think of three BYOB that quickly come to mind that make this place an imposter of italian food. Honestly, even the despicable artwork on the walls is anything but horrible replicas of Italian artwork from Uffizi. I mean the plates they serve you on have the name of the restaurant on them....how corny is that? Chef Ramsey 's designers desparately need to revamp this place. If it wasn't restaurant week, which makes me think the restaurant gives the chef the week off, I'd give this place 1 star for it's location. Try la viola, modo mio or l'angolo!!!!!
(4)Brynn D.
very expensive old-school italian food served up in a very, very formal setting... a little too formal for the likes of me. service is wonderful as one would expect when paying major bucks for dinner. it actually wasn't snooty service, either - just friendly, pretty much genuine. i've been twice and that's where they excel. food would be pleasing to the masses, so a fine place to take finnicky parents or for a business dinner.
(3)Michael S.
I came here for restaurant week with my family. Since it was restaurant week, they had a special $35 per person menu, which is a VERY good deal for this place. I got the lasagna for an appetizer and the veal for my main course. My whole family agrees it was the best lasagna we've ever had. The rest of the meal was decent. The place is beautifully decorated, and upstairs, the ceiling is painted just like many places in Italy. There is also a robust wine list. I will definitely add this to my list of Philly's finer dining establishments!
(4)Eleanor M.
Me and my Husband went here for Valintine Date night. As soon as we walked in we were very impressed by the Italian Decor and the Beautiful Hostes. She was warm and welcomeing and seated us right away even though we had no reservation. The waiter was also very friendly and Lite our candles. My Husband Orderd Fish It was coverd in sea salt and placed on a cart and the server did a Table side deboneing of the fish. He then coverd it in a Butter and lemon sauce with cappers and chopped tamatos. My Husband was very pleased. I had There home maid pasta in a vodka sauce and it was the best pasta I have ever had. We fell in love with this place Because its is so beautiful decorated, they treat you like family, the food is all home made,fresh and taste's like nothing I've tryed before. They even have a service button on the table and of corse me being a kid I had to test it out. so every time I would press it they would come running to the table. I did not need to press it because they know how to treat a costomer. We found out that they are open for lunch and there prices are half off if you come in befor 2:00 pm. They have a full bar and if you ask they will give you a tour of there wine sellar, it looks like somthing from the movie Good Fella's They have so many bottles of wine. The desert cart is mouth watering. Please treat your self to a 5 star dinning experiance You will not, Can not be dissapointed.THIS PLACE IS AMAZEING. The best Italian food in all of Philly and there prices are reasonable.
(5)D S.
I will forever LOVE this restaurant. My husband and I got married here and it was awesome. My guests still say it was by far the best food they have ever had at a wedding. We went here on our first anniversary and it was just as amazing. The food melts in your mouth, it tastes fresh, and the staff are just so attentive and professional. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Did I mention how beautiful La Famiglia is, from the bar, the wine cellar, the upstairs banquet, and the intimacy of the dining area? Great place. I noticed someone said something about how people dress and how La Famiglia doesn't enforce a dress code. I love that about La Famiglia. Whether you are wearing jeans or a tie, they treat everyone with the utmost respect.
(5)Patrizia C.
I organized my department holiday luncheon here this year. I had tried their food on a couple different occasions, and since it is top notch, I figured it'd be a nice setting for a work event. My group consisted of about 40 people so we were given the private room on the second floor. The service was impeccable and the food was as good as I remembered. Thanks La Famiglia, for making this event a success
(3)Michael B.
It's the best traditional Italian food classy restaurant in Philly. They have a wine cellar that resembles a vault. And a grappa bar that resembles nothing else I've ever seen since. The service and food are some the most impressive I've ever experienced. They don't make mistakes. Dining here was excellent. Parking on Front Street is a pain. Expect to walk quite a ways. Let your date know this before!
(5)Ed K.
Excellent dinner with our daughter for a celebration! Apps Calamari was great as well as pasta special. Dinner Outstanding presentation and taste for the branzino Veal is great too! Medallions and chops Wonderful service! Cream puffs were highlighted dessert. Would highly recommend! Second to me there recently and will go back
(5)Beth K.
We celebrated a birthday here and the food was outstanding.
(5)Deborah H.
Very old fashioned Italian. It had nice service and good wine list. Food was ok , not great but dessert was wonderful-poached pears in some type of sharp sweet wine sauce w Italian cream sauce like a sabayon style.
(3)Suzanne S.
I came to La Famiglia for the first time this past restaurant week I was seated right away even though the other half of my party was very late. I really appreciated this, because I have been at many an empty restaurant where they wouldn't seat me until my whole party was there. My table ordered the eggplant melenzane (AMAZING), Gnocchi in gorgonzola (okay), NY strip (outstanding), veal (I didn't try it, but they all liked it), and the salmon (moist, with the perfect amount of lemon). The service was excellent, but the desserts and mixed drinks needed improvement. They have an awesome wine cellar in the basement, which was really cool to see as well. I would definitely return to this restaurant.
(4)John R.
La Famiglia Ristorante: Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant 8 S Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 922-2803 lafamiglia.com I lifted the title of this review from the official Google search for this restaurant, and the top of the results lists the La Famiglia website as Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant. A bit pompous on their part, proclaiming themselves the best, but after eating here I have to agree. Opened in 1976, La Famiglia has been serving the Philadelphia community for almost 30 years. Given that according to the Small Business Administration, "About half of all new establishments survive five years or more and about one-third survive 10 years or more." it says something about the experience provided by dining at La Famiglia that has withstood the test of time. Upon entering the restaurant, the establishment at once has an aristocratic, old money feel. This restaurant is not for the faint of heart, or wallet. It is also a two to three hour affair. The waitstaff doesn't even bring the menu out until 15 minutes into the meal as you are given various amuse bouches and an extensive wine list for leisure reading. The first course (complimentary) is a standard bruschetta. Excellent. Sliced tomatoes, crisp and crunchy with buttered toast perfectly browned that all melts together in your mouth. A+ One of the nice things about this restaurant is if you really like the amuse bouche you can order another round of it at no charge, which was a nice touch. I have to take a second and comment on the china. Sterling silver cutlery and ornately decorated china make the meal so much more pleasurable. It gives a warm, family dinner style to the meal, I assume in keeping pace with the restaurant's name. Gnocchi Gorgonzola -- $16.95 Homemade gnocchi with Gorgonzola cheese, cream and crushed almonds. This was a fantastic creamy dish with a little accent by the addition of the crushed almonds. I cleaned my plate in less than 5 minutes. Delicious. For your information: Gnocchi are various thick, soft doughs that may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, flour and egg, flour, egg, and cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients. Usually served as a first course in place of soup. Insalata con Arancia e Finocchio -- $9.95 Mixed greens with fennel in a lemon extra virgin olive oil dressing, garnished with fresh orange slices. Also delicious, very citrusy though. Vitello al Pistacchio -- $26.95 Pistachio crusted veal medallions served with cranberry in a light madeira sauce. This was amazing. I practically licked the plate. Madeira Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding Madeira wine to a basic demi-glace (rich and deeply flavorful sauce made by half basic brown sauce and half brown stock reduction). The Madeira sauce is an excellent accompaniment for roasts and steaks. Special: Veal wrapped with Italian eggplant. Finished with a touch of eggplant cream sauce. Eggplant and veal certainly is an interesting mixture. It was not bad by any means but certainly not a combination I would make myself. The veal was tender and sauce was adequate and creamy. Nothing too crazy here. For dessert: Creme caramel, vanilla flavored flan. Interestingly enough, this is a dessert of Spanish origin so I was surprised to find it on the Italian restaurant dessert menu. It was very good and the caramel sauce was fantastic. Presentation was a bit on the plain side, but it certainly made up for it in taste. Of note: A fully stocked bar adjacent to the main dining area. Bottles of fine spirits adorn the mantles. Gorgeous overhead lights History of the Restaurant (Per La Famiglia Website) The Sena family tradition of culinary excellence dates back to early 1947 when Carlo "Papa" Sena began to cook in postwar Naples. The family carried this experience across the Atlantic and opened La Famiglia in 1976.
(5)Mike Z.
We had a dinner reservation for NYE for the 4 of us. Id like to start with saying that I really liked the service. The owner is very involved on the dining room floor, and walks around table to table to make sure everyone has what they need. For appetizer I had some grilled octopus and salad which was really good. For entree I had lobster out of the shell and it was delicious. My friends ordered lamb chops which they said were very flavorful and they got devoured. The coolest part about the restaurant is their wine selection of hundreds of different bottles from all over the world. The entire downstairs is made up of a wine cellar and as you walk to the bathroom you see all the different varieties on both sides of the hallway. I look forward to checking this place out on a regular evening. Great experience!
(5)K B.
Unbelievably SUCKY. So slow, service horrible. Not sure how this place survives. Wait staff from a different planet.
(1)Monique C.
I attended a holiday gathering with my coworkers at La Famiglia on Thursday evening. There's a parking lot nearby and plenty of metered parking so don't let the center city parking situation scare you. Kudos to La Famiglia for handling our rather "merry" party of ten (that got even merrier as night went on) with ease. Our four waiters kept the drinks flowing and glasses full (hence the merriment I mentioned). The bruschetta and breadstick appetizers were tasty but the standout was the eggplant. Order it as an appetizer and you won't be sorry. The bread would have been better if it was warm. My salmon entree was delicious with sautéed spinach and roasted potatoes and even yummier the next day when I ate the leftovers lol. With an extensive wine collection, solid service and food, La Famiglia is definitely worth a visit.
(4)Kate C.
Beware of Restaurant Week menu!!! Dined here with my sister during restaurant week and was very disappointed. My first course was a bolognese which was decent. Second course was chicken breast, spinach, fontina cheese with a white wine butter sauce. It was terrible! Her first course was a mediocre gnocchi and her second course was a steak that easily looked like a TV dinner salisbury steak. Terrible! Sampling of desserts were all very underwhelming.
(1)Jean M.
Great meal! We are from out of town and dined here during restaurant week. What a pleasant surprise- wonderful menu choices, food quality and everything was truly delicious. The sampling dessert was an added bonus. La famiglia is spacious, romantic and has an amazing wine cellar. Highly recommended!
(5)Sabrina S.
I came back here again in February..everything is not as good as I had in memory.. Especially the tiramisu..It seems like just a regular cake, and I cant taste Rum at all.. Kind of disappointed.. I think you could go for the fabulous restaurant decorations only.
(3)William C.
Terrible Terrible Terrible. For a supposedly higher end restaurant, I was ashamed to bring my clients to dinner here. It centered around the wine. We spent over 2k on a dinner with clients from out of town. We had about 4 bottles of wine. One of which was $350 from my favorite vineyard. Corky didn't even come close to the description as it was an '83. I told our "waiter" four times in different ways that the wine had turned yet he thinks it would be a good idea to still serve it to the five of us. None of us drank it. How many times and in different ways do I have to say the wine has turned before looking bad in front of clients?? They served it, we left it on the table, and then...THEY CHARGED ME FOR IT! I've asked them five times to respond and refund my partner and my money but they haven't. Terrible Terrible Terrible. If you come for the wine, go elsewhere because you'll pay top dollar for vinegar.
(1)Anthony B.
I took my girlfriend here for our One year anniversary and I couldn't have been happier with my choice. The staff attended to all our needs but were not intrusive. You could tell they really knew what they were doing. The food was amazing, full of flavor and presented wonderfully. The only thing I did not like was that the sides that came with the meal were incredibly tiny. With as good as the food was, I wound up hungry only a couple hours later. Even though it wasn't a serving size I was used to I am planning on going back. There were way too many positives to not experience this restaurant again.
(4)Andrea M.
One of the nicest restaurants in town, the staff is very friendly and attentive. The pasta dishes are always fresh and very good, especially the bolognese. We have had the salt baked branzino and it is one of the best fish dishes I have ever had.
(4)Nicole M.
All I can say is AMAZING! Atmosphere was perfect, food was amazing - need I say more?
(5)Serena D.
This is a fantastic place for a date night. Looks upscale and quiet environment for a good conversation. I had Carpaccio for appetizer. Very special and flavorful. And it's good to share. For the entree, I had chilean sea bass. Very tender and delicious besides there is not really any flavor for the inner. The dessert cart looks soooo good and we ended up getting the banana cheesecake with chocolate chips. Definitely recommend this desert! :) Overall, the food is awesome, the service is great besides it's a bit overpriced. But definitely worth it especially you want to take your girl out for a special night! :)
(4)Margo v.
A perfect lunch. We were there for Restaurant Week. The menu offered a large and varied selection for first and second courses. . For desert we received three delightful tastes. Service was excellent. A quiet relaxing atmosphere. This is an under appreciated gem.
(5)Lauren C.
BEWARE OF RESTAURANT WEEK MENU I can't speak for this place during normal operation, but please omit it from your options for restaurant week. It was truly a disappointing way to spend $100. In fact, I'm so salty about it that I'm actually bothering to write a review. In short, here were the problems: *I suspect a majority of the food served was frozen, specifically the meat entrees and the italian dessert sampler (the only dessert option). I'm convinced I could go to BJ's and find the identical dessert platter in the freezer section. *Deceptive language on the RW menu: For example: "Veal medallions" came out as veal scaloppini...basically no meat and overwelmed with sesame seeds. Sesame seeds were the only flavor on the plate. *No wine, beer or cocktail menus available to diners. Boyfriend's cocktail was charged per ingredient. For example: A Captain and Diet was ordered. It appeared on the bill as Captin Morgan: $9, Diet Coke: $2.50. Totalling $11.50 for a Captain and Diet served in a rocks glass. no no no. BOTTOM LINE AND LESSON LEARNED: Be weary of going to high end establishments for Restaurant Week. The dishonest places aren't going to put quality on your plate for $35. It's a poor representation of their restaurant, but maybe they believe that only novices come in for RW to eat for cheap. For these types of restaurants it should be seen as positive marketing to spread the word and establish a customer base. As a result, I will never go back and I would never recommend it to friends. I can't imagine this would be any restaurant's goal.
(1)Wanda M.
We were here a few nights ago with friends for dinner after a hiatus of maybe a decade. I remember that La Famiglia was my all time favorite Italian restaurant in Philly. It still is, but it is not the La Familigla of the past. The service was very, very good and professional. You could have a conversation during dinner (what a concept!) because of the noise abating and absorbing aspects of the dining room. No deafening roar so typical of today's restaurants. My argument was with the ho hum nature of the entrees. The veal chop was competently prepared, but not spectacular. The salad was fresh, but bland. The special pasta was well prepared but had no complexity. I remember years ago coming here and having the best Dover sole in my life. Perhaps we've over fished the seas and those days are long gone. But gummy calamari is no substitute. It's a good restaurant and I will be back, but it is not the great La Famiglia that I remember.
(4)Brian P.
I just returned from a trip to Philadelphia, and La Famiglia was by far the best restaurant I went to. First of all, the service was outstanding. I'm really perplexed at some of the other reviews ? It seems that most of the negative reviews are related to "restaurant week", which probably means these folks never go to nice places normally. Perhaps La Famiglia should discontinue their participation ? Anyway, the wine list is amazing, one of the most comprehensive I've seen. We had a full menu: starters, entree, and desert, and a bottle of wine. I felt the value for the meal was very good. It's a beautiful dining room, and they certainly don't rush you out. A+ for me. If we go back to Phil, we will definitely visit again.
(5)Olivia K.
I want to preface this review by saying that I went during restaurant week. With that said, I've had amazing meals at some very high end restaurants during previous restaurant weeks and to say that I was extremely let down at La Famiglia is an understatement. We were greeted warmly by the hostess who seated our party of 6. Within minutes, the waiter came back with restaurant week menus that were tattered and stained. While we were deciding on food, he brought out a basket of bread that was incredibly stale. I only ate a couple of pieces because I was starving. Ok, not off to a good start so far. I ended up ordering the sea scallop salad, anticipating 2-3 large sea scallops on a bed of lettuce and veggies. When it came to the table, I was disappointed. Instead of finding large, meaty sea scallops, I was given mixed greens with tiny sea scallop turds. They tasted like they were either frozen or straight out of can. Actually, I could barely taste them because they were so miniscule. There was nothing else on the salad, which bored my taste buds. Bleh. Since I'm lactose intolerant, most of the pasta dishes were out of the question for the main course, so I ordered a medium rare steak and veggies. You can't screw that up, right? Not only was I unimpressed with my first course, but I was also disappointed with the service. My table waited over 30 minutes to get our second course! When my meal finally came out, I really had to contain my disappointment as to appear polite in front of our dinner guests. Not only was my steak and the sauce covering it mediocre, it was definitely cooked over medium rare and had very little seasoning. The steak was served with a small portion of mashed potatoes and veggies, which were definitely frozen, microwaved, and dumped on a plate. Seriously? Hoping the restaurant could redeem themselves with dessert, I waited in anticipation. We were all served 3 small cakes (chocolate, ricotta cheese, and some orange cake) that were again very mediocre. If this is supposed to be fine dining, then Olive Garden is leaps and bounds ahead of this restaurant. Get it together La Famiglia. I will definitely never be back. Thank god the entire meal only cost $35 because I have no idea how people fork over hundreds of dollars to dine here.
(1)Emma T.
La Famiglia is the quintessential old school traditional Italian restaurant. The waiters and bus boys are very professional, friendly, and polite. The decor just adds to the traditional feel. The food is great. I had a penne dish that was in a rose tomato sauce, which was delicious. My friend had the ravioli, which was tasty, but be warned that the pasta is very thick - more like dumplings than ravioli. The best thing we tasted was the artichoke soup. Beware that it is very pricey, the wine list especially. I believe the cheapest bottle was $45 and there is maybe one of those. There are a few $55 bottles, but the vast majority are over $100. They don't list the glass prices. It is an extensive list, though...you are given a literal tome of wine to choose from. The wine cellar downstairs is cool (literally). There's a neat private room down there that you can reserve for a big group.
(4)Colleen M.
First, let me start by saying, I'm an Irish American and although I do know how to make my own pasta and sauce I do not consider myself an Italian food expert. I know enough to know that Olive Garden is nothing like real Italian food and that no one does it better than my best friend's Grandma (thanks to her for the pasta and gravy recipes). Outside of that, I enjoy most Italian places. This place... not so much. I heard that this is one of the nicest Italian Restaurants in the city but I just wasn't blown away by any of it. My gnocchi was mediocre; overcooked and the sauce tasted like it was out of a jar. My wine was very expensive but also not very good. The service was okay but the waiter seemed to be more interested in getting us out the door than ensuring we were enjoying our meals - it was a Wednesday night and we were the only people in the restaurant so I am not sure what all the rush was about. Over priced for the quality of the food and the service. You won't be catching me here again.
(2)W. Kirk L.
My wife and I had dinner at La Famiglia tonight and it was fantastic. An extremely attentive wait staff and delicious food made for a great evening. The bread and crispy cheesy bread sticks made for a good start to the meal. For an appetizer, I had the soup special, a creamy artichoke and onion soup. My wife had raviolis with shrimp and arugula in a mushroom sauce, I had Penne alla Famiglia. Both were superb. Dessert topped off the evening. The dessert cart look so good, we ended up have TWO desserts each(hey we don't indulge often, but when we do, look out). My wife had a creme puff with chocolate sauce and banana/puff pastry/chocolate concoction. I had a cherry topped rum cake and a chocolate chestnut cake. We finished the night with some Lemoncello, a delicious liqueur. Safe to say we will be back the next time we visit Philadelphia.
(5)Tracy S.
Skip this place...the food is just not that good or worth the prices. When you walk in the door you are greeted with a musty mildew type of odor. The place seemed dingy and outdated to me. Seems like they are trying to keep the decor classic, which I truly respect but it is need of some updates and a little TLC. The bathroom is in the basement/wine cellar, which smelled real moldy too. I understand its a wine cellar but it smelled like they must get water down there; theres a room in the wine cellar/basement for private parties which looked like it could be cool but it needs updates too and I would never pay to eat in there with a party because of the mildewy odor. All I can say is the food was just ok and overly salted in my opinion. Not many pasta selections on the menu either. Nothing spectacular and not at all what we expected unfortunately. The servers were very nice, efficient and friendly but there was nothing special about our heavily salted meal. Drinks are also way overpriced. Go to Dante & Luigi's instead on 10th & Catherine...that place is stellar!
(2)Patrick A.
I have been going to this restaurant for many years. The last two years I started to see it slipping a bit, when waiters had been established with the restaurant for many years started to disappear. I went to the restaurant this pass saturday to celebrate my dads 65th B Day. Two words would describe the event TRAIN WRECK!! It started bad with the fact that our reservation was for 8:30 and we did not sit till 9:15. The bar tender was clueless behind the bar and instead of asking the entire group what they wanted to drink, she made each drink one at a time and had to ask many times what the person was drinking. When we finally sat down to our table my mother over heard the waiter tell his team to push us back because they were behind. We had to continue to ask for menus and when we placed our orders it took (not exaggerating) 1hour for our appetizers to come out. The main dishes came out and the problems continued to keep coming! My sister ordered a pasta dish which was the easiest dish to make came out 5-7 min after all the other dishes. One of my favorite dishes of this restaurant which I have had many times is a veal chop bone in, with a black truffle sauce on top. I specifically said the name of the dish and pointed to it on the menu. My wife as well as others new the dish that was given to me was not what I ordered. When my mom informed the waiter it was the wrong dish, he got his back up against the wall and got nasty. I have never sent a dish back nor taking frustration out on a waiter being the fact I tended bar for many years. The waiter approached me with a cocky voice and opened the menu and said " sir this is what you ordered"! Big mistake on his part was I was the one the entire night keep the table calm and saying lets make the best of this. Now he is going to tell me what I ordered and give me attitude.... I don't think so.... and thats when for the first time in my life I let the waiter really have it! Service 101 tells you even if I ordered the wrong dish ( which I did not) he should have said sir I am sorry let me bring you out another right away. A few closing points on why this place is not worth the money in the least bit. 1st We ordered 3 bottles of Super Tuscan Wine. Super Tuscan needs to breathe and we should have been asked would we like the wine all opened. ( Never happened ) 2nd This place has a beautiful wine cellar and its suppose extremely knowledgable for wine and its presenting of the wine. Again the wine should have been asked to recommended to be all opened to it could breathe, and second the sommelier never visited the table. 3rd. When ordering salad in a restaurant like this the salad plate and fork should be chilled....neither were. 4th The staff did not work the table at all.... my martini glass was finished before I ordered and it was left on the table until my entree was taking away. I also had 2 water glasses in front of me. This place at one time was on top of its game and one who knows the little things that seperate excellence from average will clearly see this and will know plenty other spots for the same prices but much more exquisite service. No brainer for me I will never return to this mediocre place again!!!...
(1)Veda P.
Went with some friends the other night for the first time. It reminded me of some of the places I've been to in Rome. Old world, very beautiful. Excellent service. The food was good, not great. Loved my app of shrimp and artichokes, but my veal was over coked. They do sell wine by the glass. Some noted that they do not.
(4)Ona H.
This is a lovely restaurant with an elegant dining room, impeccable service, and fabulous food. So why the three star rating? Their lack of a dress/behavior code. I have been there several times and each time we have noticed people arriving in jeans, including cut off off jean shorts, t-shirts and rumpled kakhai pants. Many groups of people there have been loud and boisterous. These two factors are so out of keeping with the elegance of the restaurant, I am surprised the management does not inform people making reservations that there is a dress code, jackets and ties for men and no jeans or shorts. The management could also discreetly ask loud customers to keep their voices down.
(3)Rich P.
I thought the service and food was outstanding. It was expensive but worth it.
(5)David A.
Excellent pasta and even better fish. Well presented and fantastic. An oldie but very good. Incredible wine list. Not cheap but worth a visit!
(5)Kit-N-Debbie W.
Been told by numerous friends this is a must go restaurant. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. The ambience itself is beautiful, the noise level made it difficult to have a conversation at dinner. Food was adequate but nothing to make us return. The menu and specials were disappointing.
(3)Jessica P R.
Full disclosure: we dined at La Famiglia during restaurant week. During the first half of our meal, my husband and I kept commenting that the service at La Famiglia is some of the best we've ever had (despite the usual crappy service you get during RW). The appetizers were the best part of the meal. The gnocchi was probably the best I've had. The meals were good. The risotto here was much better than the risotto at Fork, but still paled in comparison to the risotto at Christopher's in Wayne. Dessert was pretty good too. Nice selection of three italian desserts all on one plate. I think we waited half an hour for our check at the end of the meal. I totally understand the art of not rushing people out. But we sat there, credit card out on the table for thirty minutes. Oh well, still an excellent meal.
(4)carol b.
After hearing about this place for some time I've got to say it didn't live up to the billing. Actually, billing was the problem. The place just isn't a good value. Four of us at there the other night. What was really good: ambience and service. I liked that they don't rush you into ordering. It's hard to find a place that lets you sit and enjoy your drink for a while -- not just 3 minutes -- before they hand you menus. The servers were very professional. Our water glasses never got empty. What was not good: $70 per person was just too much, especially when one of us had lasagna and another the appetizer serving of tortellini. We had glasses of wine but no desserts. If the food were the best Italian food I've had in the area that would be one thing, but it was just good. My husband's Chilean sea bass was far from the best I've tasted. The best item was his artichoke soup, which was rich and flavorful, perfectly set off by crispy croutons, and just flat out sensational. After the meal we agreed it was fine, but we wouldn't go back.
(3)W. Kirk L.
My wife and I had dinner at La Famiglia tonight and it was fantastic. An extremely attentive wait staff and delicious food made for a great evening. The bread and crispy cheesy bread sticks made for a good start to the meal. For an appetizer, I had the soup special, a creamy artichoke and onion soup. My wife had raviolis with shrimp and arugula in a mushroom sauce, I had Penne alla Famiglia. Both were superb. Dessert topped off the evening. The dessert cart look so good, we ended up have TWO desserts each(hey we don't indulge often, but when we do, look out). My wife had a creme puff with chocolate sauce and banana/puff pastry/chocolate concoction. I had a cherry topped rum cake and a chocolate chestnut cake. We finished the night with some Lemoncello, a delicious liqueur. Safe to say we will be back the next time we visit Philadelphia.
(5)Frank C.
The broad range of reviews for this restaurant is a surprise; it is a bastion of a style of luxurious dining rarely found and wonderful to partake, but one that takes a little engagement from the diner to enjoy. Entering La Famiglia, you are greeted at the small, four-six seat bar, well stocked with fine spirits, and naturally skewed to Italian essential aperitifs and amari. Two glass cabinets of sparkling wineglasses at the far side of the bar/foyer flank the entrance to dining room beyond, all paneled in wood in the grandest style. As my partner and I both arrived with somewhat unsettled constitutions due to an unfortunate lunch at another establishment, we started with a pair of Negronis, knowing the bitter Campari would soon set us to rights and prepare us for the meal to follow. We were seated next to the carved marble fireplace that housed the collection of after dinner grappa and digestif -- it's quite a collection of 50 or more -- to which we very much looked forward. The diningroom borders on opulent, the waitstaff all in waistcoats and ties and thoroughly educated as to the menu and specials (note: to those reviewers who think that the staff is "all Italian" or "not at all Italian" WTF? The staff is clearly not Italian, but why does that matter when they all know the dishes and the cuisine and do their job well? They could be Australian for all I care.) My partner started with the chilled tomato soup; I, the zucchini-wrapped grilled shrimp. My partner found the soup very wholesome and peaceful, though it might have been better a week or two later when tomatoes are a tad riper. My shrimp were wonderful; their sweetness enhanced with the rich butter sauce. On this occasion (and partly due to the unfortunate lunch discussed above) we opted to go with just pasta for our mains -- but what pasta it was. I had the special crab and lobster stuffed angolotti in a red bell pepper creme sauce. The pasta was perfectly delicate and soft, the filling rendolent of sweet, sweet crustacean, balanced wonderfully by the slight zip of the pepper creme. My date's gnocchi were the softest rendition I have ever had, their texture that of a perfectly cooked baked potato, and accented by a gorgonzola creme that let only a restrained amount of bleu cheese funk through so that the sauce's earthiness matched that of the potato pasta. Our wine (merely by the glass -- though their by-the-bottle list resembles a telephone book, backed by the extensive cellars downstairs) was excellent -- mine the Sangiovese and my partner's a Montepulciano. Around us, we saw diners enjoying tableside preparation and carving of whole branzino baked in a salt crust, the presentation of desserts off of the dessert cart, tables being seated and leaving, patrons (at least half, anyway) who actually were dressed for the occasion of dinner -- which is such a rare thing these days, but one that La Famiglia's stateliness merits. We needed a break before dessert and, bucking tradition, took some grappa early -- both of us choosing barrel-aged versions of this venerable spirit. If you've never had it grappa is a wonderful experience, with one of the richest noses of any spirit. Barrel-aged versions start out with the sweetness and vanilla of oak, and fade to a gentle, fruity but austere whisky. For dessert, the lemon tirimisu seemed the most perfect hoice after the richness of out pasta, and indeed it was. The cake seemed soaked in lemon curd and coated in a lemon creme -- amazingly light despite an unfathomable caloric content, I'm sure. Espresso to follow came with little hazelnut maccaroons with nutella filling --an amusing twist on the common biscotti. La Famiglia: Stately, not stuffy, excellent Italian cuisine. It's a grand experience you should treat yourselves to over and over again.
(5)Olivia K.
I want to preface this review by saying that I went during restaurant week. With that said, I've had amazing meals at some very high end restaurants during previous restaurant weeks and to say that I was extremely let down at La Famiglia is an understatement. We were greeted warmly by the hostess who seated our party of 6. Within minutes, the waiter came back with restaurant week menus that were tattered and stained. While we were deciding on food, he brought out a basket of bread that was incredibly stale. I only ate a couple of pieces because I was starving. Ok, not off to a good start so far. I ended up ordering the sea scallop salad, anticipating 2-3 large sea scallops on a bed of lettuce and veggies. When it came to the table, I was disappointed. Instead of finding large, meaty sea scallops, I was given mixed greens with tiny sea scallop turds. They tasted like they were either frozen or straight out of can. Actually, I could barely taste them because they were so miniscule. There was nothing else on the salad, which bored my taste buds. Bleh. Since I'm lactose intolerant, most of the pasta dishes were out of the question for the main course, so I ordered a medium rare steak and veggies. You can't screw that up, right? Not only was I unimpressed with my first course, but I was also disappointed with the service. My table waited over 30 minutes to get our second course! When my meal finally came out, I really had to contain my disappointment as to appear polite in front of our dinner guests. Not only was my steak and the sauce covering it mediocre, it was definitely cooked over medium rare and had very little seasoning. The steak was served with a small portion of mashed potatoes and veggies, which were definitely frozen, microwaved, and dumped on a plate. Seriously? Hoping the restaurant could redeem themselves with dessert, I waited in anticipation. We were all served 3 small cakes (chocolate, ricotta cheese, and some orange cake) that were again very mediocre. If this is supposed to be fine dining, then Olive Garden is leaps and bounds ahead of this restaurant. Get it together La Famiglia. I will definitely never be back. Thank god the entire meal only cost $35 because I have no idea how people fork over hundreds of dollars to dine here.
(1)Emma T.
La Famiglia is the quintessential old school traditional Italian restaurant. The waiters and bus boys are very professional, friendly, and polite. The decor just adds to the traditional feel. The food is great. I had a penne dish that was in a rose tomato sauce, which was delicious. My friend had the ravioli, which was tasty, but be warned that the pasta is very thick - more like dumplings than ravioli. The best thing we tasted was the artichoke soup. Beware that it is very pricey, the wine list especially. I believe the cheapest bottle was $45 and there is maybe one of those. There are a few $55 bottles, but the vast majority are over $100. They don't list the glass prices. It is an extensive list, though...you are given a literal tome of wine to choose from. The wine cellar downstairs is cool (literally). There's a neat private room down there that you can reserve for a big group.
(4)Wanda M.
We were here a few nights ago with friends for dinner after a hiatus of maybe a decade. I remember that La Famiglia was my all time favorite Italian restaurant in Philly. It still is, but it is not the La Familigla of the past. The service was very, very good and professional. You could have a conversation during dinner (what a concept!) because of the noise abating and absorbing aspects of the dining room. No deafening roar so typical of today's restaurants. My argument was with the ho hum nature of the entrees. The veal chop was competently prepared, but not spectacular. The salad was fresh, but bland. The special pasta was well prepared but had no complexity. I remember years ago coming here and having the best Dover sole in my life. Perhaps we've over fished the seas and those days are long gone. But gummy calamari is no substitute. It's a good restaurant and I will be back, but it is not the great La Famiglia that I remember.
(4)lena n.
Me and a group of my friends came here for our birthday dinner and wanted to try it out for restaurant week. I had previously checked the menu ahead of time to know what I could order and was edible enough for me to eat. When we first got there, our table was ready but our friends were not there yet so they gave us the option to sit at the table or at the bar which is really small. At the bar, we ordered a drink that was made by restaurant week, delicious! We were then escorted to our table and I really loved the decor. It was like a very Italian family friendly decor and exquisite feeling. I felt like I was in a fancy house in Rome. lol. But loved it and it felt just right with the food! Which is superb!!! 1st choice was the crabcakes with lettuce. The lettuce was not all that, but the crabcakes was pretty good for a mini size bite. My friends ordered the Gnocchi Sorrentina - Homemade ricotta gnocchi with mozzarella, basil and fresh marinara sauce - AND I LOVED IT! It was like a soft thick pasta in chunks in marianara sauce and it was banging!! Never had something like that before and it was delicious!! 2nd choice - Petto di Pollo alla Capri- Breast of chicken served with sautéed spinach topped with mozzarella cheese in a wine butter sauce. It was delicious and I did not leave one bite behind. My friend ordered the risotto which is DELICIOUS because i love risotto!! My guy friends ordered steak and they said it was great and it was cooked just right and they are regular steak eaters. I tried it and it was seasoned just right and tasted amazing! Another friend of mine ordered fish and that was sooo good as well. Everything we had overall, everybody was very pleased! And our 3rd course was 3 samples of tiramisu, cherry tart, and creme puff, omg - all soooo good! LOVED IT! I loved every single bite here and I would definitely come here again for a nice romantic evening with my boyfriend and this is definitely an intimate setting for close group of friends. Amazing Italian food I ever had! Service would need to be a bit faster however because it took awhile for us to receive the check, but overall, excellent dining here and not 1 problem. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for anybody who wants good Italian food. The price is up there, but I think its worth it. They also had a huge wine list which is good for our men who loves wine!
(5)Jamie S.
There has not been one thing that I have not ordered that has not been fantastic! Great owners and food to go along with it!
(4)Tom D.
Bad. I am an Italian American and actually was offended by this restaurant. Let me start by telling you about the wine. I was so excited because they had a wine that I often drink with my cousin at his home in Umbria (the grape is grown near his home). So they waiter goes in the front and comes back after about 10 minutes with a glass of red wine. I tasted it and it was too sweet to be a sangantini. So I asked him to see the botlle (which he should have brought out before) and he showed me a sealed bottle of 2005 sangantini... So I do not believe him. Then he recommends a "beautiful capeletti," which sounded good. But when it came out it was ravioli. Capeletti are cousins with tortellini. When he asked how the meal was, I said that my ravioli was good. He actually defended and said capaletti... Are you kidding me! For an "upscale" Italian, please! Oh, and by the way, I thought maybe Latin background, but since they were playing italuan I figured I would speak a little Italian to him to see. Answered my questions Totally wrong. Don't try to fake people! I have never been so offended by an italian restaurant that is not run by italians (which i guess wouldn't be so bad if the other things were not an issue). This place is a scam... Stay away!!
(1)Anannya T.
Some of the best and most innovative Italian I've ever had.
(4)Brent M.
Old World service. Excellent.
(4)Nicole L.
My friend and I took our girlfriend here for her birthday. We have been trying a different Italian restaurant as ofter as we can. I must say, I was very impressed with the food and service. Everything was delicious & with each bite I felt like I was in heaven. The service was impeccable. Since we had a birthday lady with us, the desert was free but well worth paying for. I entered feeling welcomed and left feeling satisfied.
(5)Aaron H.
My first time in Philly, and being from Chicago and NYC wanting to have a nice dinner with my girlfriend, I couldn't have been more satisfied with my experience at Famiglia. The food: 4 stars, the wine: a million stars, the service: 5 stars for sure and the ambiance: a cozy and romantic 5 stars no problem, the location is awesome, tons of cool spots for window shopping and drinks right there in the area. Will return next time I'm in Philly for sure.
(5)Tom S.
My fiancee and I had an absolutely wonderful dinner here. Can't wait to go again!
(5)Ona H.
This is a lovely restaurant with an elegant dining room, impeccable service, and fabulous food. So why the three star rating? Their lack of a dress/behavior code. I have been there several times and each time we have noticed people arriving in jeans, including cut off off jean shorts, t-shirts and rumpled kakhai pants. Many groups of people there have been loud and boisterous. These two factors are so out of keeping with the elegance of the restaurant, I am surprised the management does not inform people making reservations that there is a dress code, jackets and ties for men and no jeans or shorts. The management could also discreetly ask loud customers to keep their voices down.
(3)Rich P.
I thought the service and food was outstanding. It was expensive but worth it.
(5)David A.
Excellent pasta and even better fish. Well presented and fantastic. An oldie but very good. Incredible wine list. Not cheap but worth a visit!
(5)Caroline H.
For restaurant week this year we decided to try out La Famiglia in hopes that it lived up to its expectations as a very good, high end Italian restaurant. I know many people say restaurant week is not a great time to see how a restaurant really is but I have yet to get a sub-par meal during it. We walked into the bar/hostess station/coat check/waiting area barely able to fit through the door because of the extremely small area filled with waiting diners. We were seated at a nice table upstairs and were immediately asked if we wanted anything from the bar. We had all decided prior that we were not going to get alcoholic drinks because we we were all trying to keep the cost down. Well the waiter did not seem pleased that we didn't order anything other then Iced tea and soda because he actually made a face at us once we were all done placing our drink orders. In fact another gentleman came over and asked us again, if we wanted anything from the bar. Our orders were taken and within minutes our appetizers arrived. Some of us had the gnocchi and some had the crab cakes. My gnocchi was good, a nice portion and cooked perfectly altough it seemed like it needed a little bit of salt/and or season. I had a taste of the crab cake and that was actually really good but very small. We finished and our main entrees arrived also very quickly. Between all of us we managed to only get the Veal and the Chicken. The veal was certainly one of the most unappealing looking dishes I may have ever ordered at a restaurant. No garnish, just 2 rolls of meat covered in brown sauce, soggy broccoli drowned in butter and a small slap of mashed potatoes. My second veal roll was very pink inside and the filling in both seemed to be bread stuffing I never found any mushrooms or tasted fontina. The chicken that the others in my group had was served with the same soggy drowned broccoli and mashed potatoes. It looked like a boiled chicken breast covered in cheese--I was told it tasted like any old chicken you would make at home. I was not impressed at all with the entrees. Finally dessert came. A fruit tart, small cheesecake and a cream puff. The fruit tart was really, really good the cheesecake was ok and the cream puff had a grainy texture to it and really wasn't too tasty. Overall the food was just OK and the service was nothing near what it should have been considering we had about 5 different people taking care of us. I don't think I'll be returning here...way too stuffy and overrated for my taste.
(2)Charles R.
Yes, I know its an old school restaurant and people even dress, but I like it anyway. Once in a while its nice to go out to a place where people look like they are out to dinner and not going bowling. The food is on a par with most of the better Italians in the city and the service is very good. Since it's Italian I could go thru the pastas and veal dishes , but they are pretty much the same choices you get at most top eateries. One of very best dessert carts in the city, second only to La Bec Fin. Valet parking, all major credit cards and dinner for 4 with 2 bottles of wine was just over $300. Yes, it's on the top end range in this city, but if you are celebrating and b'day or anniversary this is a wonderful place to go. Oh yes, you can hear each other speak across the table because it's quiet.
(4)Paul S.
We had a marvelous time Saturday evening at La Famiglia. As recounted in many reviews, the service is warm and attentive and this alone distinguishes the restaurant from most others. The dining room is formal without being fussy or theatrical. We started with perfectly made cocktails while we reviewed the menu and the extensive wine label list. The waiter offered some additional specials and we chose several of those including two appetizers, a fantastically smooth and delicious artichoke soup (highest recommendation) and calamari on tomatoes and white beans, which were tender and flavorful. We enjoyed our entree choices, the filleted at your table Bronzino with the white mustard sauce and the veal medallions with cheese and tomatoes. Both prepared with great care and flavor. To complement our meals we chose an excellent bottle of Puglian red wine (Patriglione 1999), which paired nicely with the fish and meat. You would be very pleased with this wine choice. Luckily, we had room for dessert. The Italian Napoleon was very fine, not too sweet and with lots of crunchy almonds. My friend also enjoyed the meringue that sat on top of cake with a raspberry filling. We ended with good coffee and good conversation and the lively chatter of a dining room filled with contented and happy diners. We felt special on a special night. Highly recommended for those looking for the same. Perhaps we'll see you there on our next visit!
(5)Cara N.
I went for Restaurant Week, and everything was just ok. One problem that I had, that I have with just about every restaurant/bar/lounge around here is that they are just too small! Row houses are NOT meant to serve as restaurants/bars/lounges, they are meant for people to LIVE in them! And unless your last name is Gosselin (I just finished watching "Jon & Kate Plus 8"), you should NOT have a house full of people like that on a regular night...sorry I'm getting off topic. Anyway, I digress - being that I'm from New Jersey, I take my Italian food pretty seriously (yes, black people can take Italian food seriously too), and this place just didn't cut it. It didn't help that this man and his "goomah" came in and started getting all touchy-feely at the table. I don't even remember what I had, which means the chances of me returning are slim to none.
(2)Nancy E.
Perfection in food and service. Housemade pastas were delicious (had the evening special of fettuccini in a creamy asparagus sauce with seared scallop and also tortellini with squash and butter sauce). Branzino prepared tableside was a treat for the eyes and the taste buds...expertly fileted with choice of sauces (we chose tomatoes and capers in a light lemon olive oil). Food and drink temperatures were spot on - hot entrees and crusty bread, ice cold sparkling water and Sauvignon blanc. We were given complimentary bruschetta and biscotti. Service was attentive, yet leisurely. We wish we had discovered La Famiglia earlier in our Philly residency!
(5)Mark L.
An old school traditional Italian restaurant that's been around philly forever. Rather pricey for frequent visits but food was perfect. Decadent dessert cart. I'd personally recommend their whole fish which they lovingly and expertly disassemble in front of you to eat.
(4)Jae R.
I went there for early evening dinner. Pricey, but the food is excellent. I love the decor upstairs.
(4)Ben P.
This is my kind of place. First, it's an Italian restaurant where every single staff member talks with a heavy Italian accent. That's a good sign. Second, their wine list comes in a 4-inch, 3-ring binder. That's a good sign. Third, they give guided tours of their wine cellar. If only the law recognized human-restaurant marriages..... At the end of a hectic, busy, but fun and productive trip, I found myself in the company of 4 good friends, sitting down to dinner on OPM. We had...well, we had everything. Salads to start, then 2 pasta dishes for the table, then steaks, fish, you name it. The opening bottle of grenache gave way to a main-course bottle of Barolo that I'm glad the sommalier talked me into. An after-dinner port settled everything very nicely. The service was polite and prompt and helpful. The food was excellent. The wine was properly served and well-attended to. You probably shouldn't show up in a hoodie and Vans, but then this is a nice restaurant, not your rec room, so that shouldn't be a surprise. My 20% of this 2.5-hour meal came to $120 with tip. And we drank $200 in wine alone. So I wouldn't call this place expensive. Just excellent.
(5)Nancy O.
I had lunch here yesterday. Glad I didn't read Mel's Yelp review before I went! A friend suggested we try La Famiglia after looking at their lunch menu, which turned out to be pretty damn reasonable for downtown. The other diners were..the sort that probably go to bed at dusk, but to me that says they have been coming here often and like it. The bread was warm and plentiful, the service was attentive, and the pasta bolognese and the minestrone were very good. Hey, it's not NY's Little Italy, but I personally think if you like Spasso or any of the other eateries on Market Street, you should try La Famiglia first for lunch. Even better, go with a bf or gf for a late lunch with wine- fresh flowers, low lights, badda bing, badda boom. A cheaper Valentine's Day than a dozen overpriced roses!
(3)James S.
Such an amazing meal. While it was pricey, it was definitely worth it for a special occasion. The wine "bible" is unlike anything I've ever seen. I thought it was a joke. But the servers are very helpful and attentive. We had a grilled octopus appetizer along with a penne pasta dish. Both very flavorful and well presented. For my entree, I had a salmon with a light mushroom cream sauce and capers, along with spinach. Hubby decided on the filet. I don't eat red meat but it definitely looked delicious. We both did the dessert cart. I chose a banana cake which was light and airy drizzled in a chocolate sauce. Hubby chose a chocolate walnut tort, which was surprisingly not dense. Just right. Ended with complimentary glasses of limoncello. All in all an especially amazing dinner. Don't come here in a rush. We spent nearly 3 hours enjoying the ambiance and the food. The wine helped. A good Italian bottle that didn't kill the budget. Can't wait to try this place again.
(5)Tom D.
Bad. I am an Italian American and actually was offended by this restaurant. Let me start by telling you about the wine. I was so excited because they had a wine that I often drink with my cousin at his home in Umbria (the grape is grown near his home). So they waiter goes in the front and comes back after about 10 minutes with a glass of red wine. I tasted it and it was too sweet to be a sangantini. So I asked him to see the botlle (which he should have brought out before) and he showed me a sealed bottle of 2005 sangantini... So I do not believe him. Then he recommends a "beautiful capeletti," which sounded good. But when it came out it was ravioli. Capeletti are cousins with tortellini. When he asked how the meal was, I said that my ravioli was good. He actually defended and said capaletti... Are you kidding me! For an "upscale" Italian, please! Oh, and by the way, I thought maybe Latin background, but since they were playing italuan I figured I would speak a little Italian to him to see. Answered my questions Totally wrong. Don't try to fake people! I have never been so offended by an italian restaurant that is not run by italians (which i guess wouldn't be so bad if the other things were not an issue). This place is a scam... Stay away!!
(1)Anannya T.
Some of the best and most innovative Italian I've ever had.
(4)Brent M.
Old World service. Excellent.
(4)Nicole L.
My friend and I took our girlfriend here for her birthday. We have been trying a different Italian restaurant as ofter as we can. I must say, I was very impressed with the food and service. Everything was delicious & with each bite I felt like I was in heaven. The service was impeccable. Since we had a birthday lady with us, the desert was free but well worth paying for. I entered feeling welcomed and left feeling satisfied.
(5)Jessica P R.
Full disclosure: we dined at La Famiglia during restaurant week. During the first half of our meal, my husband and I kept commenting that the service at La Famiglia is some of the best we've ever had (despite the usual crappy service you get during RW). The appetizers were the best part of the meal. The gnocchi was probably the best I've had. The meals were good. The risotto here was much better than the risotto at Fork, but still paled in comparison to the risotto at Christopher's in Wayne. Dessert was pretty good too. Nice selection of three italian desserts all on one plate. I think we waited half an hour for our check at the end of the meal. I totally understand the art of not rushing people out. But we sat there, credit card out on the table for thirty minutes. Oh well, still an excellent meal.
(4)carol b.
After hearing about this place for some time I've got to say it didn't live up to the billing. Actually, billing was the problem. The place just isn't a good value. Four of us at there the other night. What was really good: ambience and service. I liked that they don't rush you into ordering. It's hard to find a place that lets you sit and enjoy your drink for a while -- not just 3 minutes -- before they hand you menus. The servers were very professional. Our water glasses never got empty. What was not good: $70 per person was just too much, especially when one of us had lasagna and another the appetizer serving of tortellini. We had glasses of wine but no desserts. If the food were the best Italian food I've had in the area that would be one thing, but it was just good. My husband's Chilean sea bass was far from the best I've tasted. The best item was his artichoke soup, which was rich and flavorful, perfectly set off by crispy croutons, and just flat out sensational. After the meal we agreed it was fine, but we wouldn't go back.
(3)Aaron H.
My first time in Philly, and being from Chicago and NYC wanting to have a nice dinner with my girlfriend, I couldn't have been more satisfied with my experience at Famiglia. The food: 4 stars, the wine: a million stars, the service: 5 stars for sure and the ambiance: a cozy and romantic 5 stars no problem, the location is awesome, tons of cool spots for window shopping and drinks right there in the area. Will return next time I'm in Philly for sure.
(5)Tom S.
My fiancee and I had an absolutely wonderful dinner here. Can't wait to go again!
(5)Tracy S.
Skip this place...the food is just not that good or worth the prices. When you walk in the door you are greeted with a musty mildew type of odor. The place seemed dingy and outdated to me. Seems like they are trying to keep the decor classic, which I truly respect but it is need of some updates and a little TLC. The bathroom is in the basement/wine cellar, which smelled real moldy too. I understand its a wine cellar but it smelled like they must get water down there; theres a room in the wine cellar/basement for private parties which looked like it could be cool but it needs updates too and I would never pay to eat in there with a party because of the mildewy odor. All I can say is the food was just ok and overly salted in my opinion. Not many pasta selections on the menu either. Nothing spectacular and not at all what we expected unfortunately. The servers were very nice, efficient and friendly but there was nothing special about our heavily salted meal. Drinks are also way overpriced. Go to Dante & Luigi's instead on 10th & Catherine...that place is stellar!
(2)Patrick A.
I have been going to this restaurant for many years. The last two years I started to see it slipping a bit, when waiters had been established with the restaurant for many years started to disappear. I went to the restaurant this pass saturday to celebrate my dads 65th B Day. Two words would describe the event TRAIN WRECK!! It started bad with the fact that our reservation was for 8:30 and we did not sit till 9:15. The bar tender was clueless behind the bar and instead of asking the entire group what they wanted to drink, she made each drink one at a time and had to ask many times what the person was drinking. When we finally sat down to our table my mother over heard the waiter tell his team to push us back because they were behind. We had to continue to ask for menus and when we placed our orders it took (not exaggerating) 1hour for our appetizers to come out. The main dishes came out and the problems continued to keep coming! My sister ordered a pasta dish which was the easiest dish to make came out 5-7 min after all the other dishes. One of my favorite dishes of this restaurant which I have had many times is a veal chop bone in, with a black truffle sauce on top. I specifically said the name of the dish and pointed to it on the menu. My wife as well as others new the dish that was given to me was not what I ordered. When my mom informed the waiter it was the wrong dish, he got his back up against the wall and got nasty. I have never sent a dish back nor taking frustration out on a waiter being the fact I tended bar for many years. The waiter approached me with a cocky voice and opened the menu and said " sir this is what you ordered"! Big mistake on his part was I was the one the entire night keep the table calm and saying lets make the best of this. Now he is going to tell me what I ordered and give me attitude.... I don't think so.... and thats when for the first time in my life I let the waiter really have it! Service 101 tells you even if I ordered the wrong dish ( which I did not) he should have said sir I am sorry let me bring you out another right away. A few closing points on why this place is not worth the money in the least bit. 1st We ordered 3 bottles of Super Tuscan Wine. Super Tuscan needs to breathe and we should have been asked would we like the wine all opened. ( Never happened ) 2nd This place has a beautiful wine cellar and its suppose extremely knowledgable for wine and its presenting of the wine. Again the wine should have been asked to recommended to be all opened to it could breathe, and second the sommelier never visited the table. 3rd. When ordering salad in a restaurant like this the salad plate and fork should be chilled....neither were. 4th The staff did not work the table at all.... my martini glass was finished before I ordered and it was left on the table until my entree was taking away. I also had 2 water glasses in front of me. This place at one time was on top of its game and one who knows the little things that seperate excellence from average will clearly see this and will know plenty other spots for the same prices but much more exquisite service. No brainer for me I will never return to this mediocre place again!!!...
(1)lena n.
Me and a group of my friends came here for our birthday dinner and wanted to try it out for restaurant week. I had previously checked the menu ahead of time to know what I could order and was edible enough for me to eat. When we first got there, our table was ready but our friends were not there yet so they gave us the option to sit at the table or at the bar which is really small. At the bar, we ordered a drink that was made by restaurant week, delicious! We were then escorted to our table and I really loved the decor. It was like a very Italian family friendly decor and exquisite feeling. I felt like I was in a fancy house in Rome. lol. But loved it and it felt just right with the food! Which is superb!!! 1st choice was the crabcakes with lettuce. The lettuce was not all that, but the crabcakes was pretty good for a mini size bite. My friends ordered the Gnocchi Sorrentina - Homemade ricotta gnocchi with mozzarella, basil and fresh marinara sauce - AND I LOVED IT! It was like a soft thick pasta in chunks in marianara sauce and it was banging!! Never had something like that before and it was delicious!! 2nd choice - Petto di Pollo alla Capri- Breast of chicken served with sautéed spinach topped with mozzarella cheese in a wine butter sauce. It was delicious and I did not leave one bite behind. My friend ordered the risotto which is DELICIOUS because i love risotto!! My guy friends ordered steak and they said it was great and it was cooked just right and they are regular steak eaters. I tried it and it was seasoned just right and tasted amazing! Another friend of mine ordered fish and that was sooo good as well. Everything we had overall, everybody was very pleased! And our 3rd course was 3 samples of tiramisu, cherry tart, and creme puff, omg - all soooo good! LOVED IT! I loved every single bite here and I would definitely come here again for a nice romantic evening with my boyfriend and this is definitely an intimate setting for close group of friends. Amazing Italian food I ever had! Service would need to be a bit faster however because it took awhile for us to receive the check, but overall, excellent dining here and not 1 problem. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for anybody who wants good Italian food. The price is up there, but I think its worth it. They also had a huge wine list which is good for our men who loves wine!
(5)Jamie S.
There has not been one thing that I have not ordered that has not been fantastic! Great owners and food to go along with it!
(4)Veda P.
Went with some friends the other night for the first time. It reminded me of some of the places I've been to in Rome. Old world, very beautiful. Excellent service. The food was good, not great. Loved my app of shrimp and artichokes, but my veal was over coked. They do sell wine by the glass. Some noted that they do not.
(4)Mel C.
I'm not Italian, but I did spend a summer in Italy staying with real Italians and traveling throughout the country and tasting the wonderful cuisine it has to offer. Thus, I feel completely comfortable by saying this place was confusingly atrocious and am actually appalled people have rated this higher than a star (which is the lowest Yelp allows you to issue). First of all, the decor is nice albeit a tad cheesy with up and downstairs seating. We opted to sit upstairs thinking it would be quieter, but there was actually a rambunctious party up there that might have gotten quite drunk to help themselves eat the food without feigning disgust. Now, the reviews that state this is authentically Italian, maybe it has changed? I didn't see one Italian person there from the hostess to any of our servers. Let me caveat, and note that the actual service from the hostess, servers, water person man, were all very polite and nice. I had no problem with them as people but perhaps the refinement of fine dining was lost on a place that garners three or four dollar signs on food review sites. There were several people attending to all the tables... making it confusing as one would come over and ask to take our order even though we had just ordered from another. At one point, one of the servers just sort of walked aimlessly from table to table with sizzling entrees and as each one shook their heads... he just moved down the row until he found the right diners. We were running the half-marathon in Philly the next day and opted out of alcohol. We started off with some mille di verdure that had promising words like mozzarella layered with mushrooms and drizzled with pesto sauce. We had wanted some pasta and ordered a full primi of tortelleoni (filled with squash & ricotta). And finally we chose the veal chop (sauce unknown to me but hey it was a veal chop at a "top" restaurant. What could go wrong?) The layered vegetable thing was the strangest amalgamation of ingredients that together tasted like buttery pesto sauce. I could see the mushroom & mozzarella, but when I bit in it was like pesto sauce and grease was just sliding around in my mouth. I actually hadn't eaten much this day in anticipation , so I set the banquet style appy to the side and anxiously awaited my rumored plumply cheese filled tortelleoni. When it arrived, I realized I had actually not gone to La Famiglia Ristorante but was really in a Chinese take out place with 5 dumplings rolling around a butter sauce. Confused again, I took a closer look at the tortelleoni, and I really believe they took dumpling wrappers and then shadily rolled in some crumbly mixture that fell apart and rolled into the sauce to be some sort of Loch Ness Monster goop lumpily lost in the butter. Yum. Oh wait, GAG. My date/bf pleasantly offered his veal chop for a bite... but took a few tries b/c he couldn't fine a piece that wasn't really blubberous. As in the lamb might have been dieting solely on Big Macs and ding dongs b/c it was the fattiest piece of veal I have seen ever. The only positive I can say about this experience, is that it didn't interfere with our half-marathon in the morning. Not sure how they get away for actually charging people here, but I just know that I'll thoroughly read the bad reviews on Yelp before I try another "upscale" restaurant. I wish it had been Restaurant Week (but it was a Saturday) so I could partially blame the debacle this place is...
(1)Eleanor M.
Me and my Husband went here for Valintine Date night. As soon as we walked in we were very impressed by the Italian Decor and the Beautiful Hostes. She was warm and welcomeing and seated us right away even though we had no reservation. The waiter was also very friendly and Lite our candles. My Husband Orderd Fish It was coverd in sea salt and placed on a cart and the server did a Table side deboneing of the fish. He then coverd it in a Butter and lemon sauce with cappers and chopped tamatos. My Husband was very pleased. I had There home maid pasta in a vodka sauce and it was the best pasta I have ever had. We fell in love with this place Because its is so beautiful decorated, they treat you like family, the food is all home made,fresh and taste's like nothing I've tryed before. They even have a service button on the table and of corse me being a kid I had to test it out. so every time I would press it they would come running to the table. I did not need to press it because they know how to treat a costomer. We found out that they are open for lunch and there prices are half off if you come in befor 2:00 pm. They have a full bar and if you ask they will give you a tour of there wine sellar, it looks like somthing from the movie Good Fella's They have so many bottles of wine. The desert cart is mouth watering. Please treat your self to a 5 star dinning experiance You will not, Can not be dissapointed.THIS PLACE IS AMAZEING. The best Italian food in all of Philly and there prices are reasonable.
(5)D S.
I will forever LOVE this restaurant. My husband and I got married here and it was awesome. My guests still say it was by far the best food they have ever had at a wedding. We went here on our first anniversary and it was just as amazing. The food melts in your mouth, it tastes fresh, and the staff are just so attentive and professional. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Did I mention how beautiful La Famiglia is, from the bar, the wine cellar, the upstairs banquet, and the intimacy of the dining area? Great place. I noticed someone said something about how people dress and how La Famiglia doesn't enforce a dress code. I love that about La Famiglia. Whether you are wearing jeans or a tie, they treat everyone with the utmost respect.
(5)Nancy O.
I had lunch here yesterday. Glad I didn't read Mel's Yelp review before I went! A friend suggested we try La Famiglia after looking at their lunch menu, which turned out to be pretty damn reasonable for downtown. The other diners were..the sort that probably go to bed at dusk, but to me that says they have been coming here often and like it. The bread was warm and plentiful, the service was attentive, and the pasta bolognese and the minestrone were very good. Hey, it's not NY's Little Italy, but I personally think if you like Spasso or any of the other eateries on Market Street, you should try La Famiglia first for lunch. Even better, go with a bf or gf for a late lunch with wine- fresh flowers, low lights, badda bing, badda boom. A cheaper Valentine's Day than a dozen overpriced roses!
(3)James S.
Such an amazing meal. While it was pricey, it was definitely worth it for a special occasion. The wine "bible" is unlike anything I've ever seen. I thought it was a joke. But the servers are very helpful and attentive. We had a grilled octopus appetizer along with a penne pasta dish. Both very flavorful and well presented. For my entree, I had a salmon with a light mushroom cream sauce and capers, along with spinach. Hubby decided on the filet. I don't eat red meat but it definitely looked delicious. We both did the dessert cart. I chose a banana cake which was light and airy drizzled in a chocolate sauce. Hubby chose a chocolate walnut tort, which was surprisingly not dense. Just right. Ended with complimentary glasses of limoncello. All in all an especially amazing dinner. Don't come here in a rush. We spent nearly 3 hours enjoying the ambiance and the food. The wine helped. A good Italian bottle that didn't kill the budget. Can't wait to try this place again.
(5)Ben P.
This is my kind of place. First, it's an Italian restaurant where every single staff member talks with a heavy Italian accent. That's a good sign. Second, their wine list comes in a 4-inch, 3-ring binder. That's a good sign. Third, they give guided tours of their wine cellar. If only the law recognized human-restaurant marriages..... At the end of a hectic, busy, but fun and productive trip, I found myself in the company of 4 good friends, sitting down to dinner on OPM. We had...well, we had everything. Salads to start, then 2 pasta dishes for the table, then steaks, fish, you name it. The opening bottle of grenache gave way to a main-course bottle of Barolo that I'm glad the sommalier talked me into. An after-dinner port settled everything very nicely. The service was polite and prompt and helpful. The food was excellent. The wine was properly served and well-attended to. You probably shouldn't show up in a hoodie and Vans, but then this is a nice restaurant, not your rec room, so that shouldn't be a surprise. My 20% of this 2.5-hour meal came to $120 with tip. And we drank $200 in wine alone. So I wouldn't call this place expensive. Just excellent.
(5)John R.
La Famiglia Ristorante: Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant 8 S Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 922-2803 lafamiglia.com I lifted the title of this review from the official Google search for this restaurant, and the top of the results lists the La Famiglia website as Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant. A bit pompous on their part, proclaiming themselves the best, but after eating here I have to agree. Opened in 1976, La Famiglia has been serving the Philadelphia community for almost 30 years. Given that according to the Small Business Administration, "About half of all new establishments survive five years or more and about one-third survive 10 years or more." it says something about the experience provided by dining at La Famiglia that has withstood the test of time. Upon entering the restaurant, the establishment at once has an aristocratic, old money feel. This restaurant is not for the faint of heart, or wallet. It is also a two to three hour affair. The waitstaff doesn't even bring the menu out until 15 minutes into the meal as you are given various amuse bouches and an extensive wine list for leisure reading. The first course (complimentary) is a standard bruschetta. Excellent. Sliced tomatoes, crisp and crunchy with buttered toast perfectly browned that all melts together in your mouth. A+ One of the nice things about this restaurant is if you really like the amuse bouche you can order another round of it at no charge, which was a nice touch. I have to take a second and comment on the china. Sterling silver cutlery and ornately decorated china make the meal so much more pleasurable. It gives a warm, family dinner style to the meal, I assume in keeping pace with the restaurant's name. Gnocchi Gorgonzola -- $16.95 Homemade gnocchi with Gorgonzola cheese, cream and crushed almonds. This was a fantastic creamy dish with a little accent by the addition of the crushed almonds. I cleaned my plate in less than 5 minutes. Delicious. For your information: Gnocchi are various thick, soft doughs that may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, flour and egg, flour, egg, and cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients. Usually served as a first course in place of soup. Insalata con Arancia e Finocchio -- $9.95 Mixed greens with fennel in a lemon extra virgin olive oil dressing, garnished with fresh orange slices. Also delicious, very citrusy though. Vitello al Pistacchio -- $26.95 Pistachio crusted veal medallions served with cranberry in a light madeira sauce. This was amazing. I practically licked the plate. Madeira Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding Madeira wine to a basic demi-glace (rich and deeply flavorful sauce made by half basic brown sauce and half brown stock reduction). The Madeira sauce is an excellent accompaniment for roasts and steaks. Special: Veal wrapped with Italian eggplant. Finished with a touch of eggplant cream sauce. Eggplant and veal certainly is an interesting mixture. It was not bad by any means but certainly not a combination I would make myself. The veal was tender and sauce was adequate and creamy. Nothing too crazy here. For dessert: Creme caramel, vanilla flavored flan. Interestingly enough, this is a dessert of Spanish origin so I was surprised to find it on the Italian restaurant dessert menu. It was very good and the caramel sauce was fantastic. Presentation was a bit on the plain side, but it certainly made up for it in taste. Of note: A fully stocked bar adjacent to the main dining area. Bottles of fine spirits adorn the mantles. Gorgeous overhead lights History of the Restaurant (Per La Famiglia Website) The Sena family tradition of culinary excellence dates back to early 1947 when Carlo "Papa" Sena began to cook in postwar Naples. The family carried this experience across the Atlantic and opened La Famiglia in 1976.
(5)Anthony B.
I took my girlfriend here for our One year anniversary and I couldn't have been happier with my choice. The staff attended to all our needs but were not intrusive. You could tell they really knew what they were doing. The food was amazing, full of flavor and presented wonderfully. The only thing I did not like was that the sides that came with the meal were incredibly tiny. With as good as the food was, I wound up hungry only a couple hours later. Even though it wasn't a serving size I was used to I am planning on going back. There were way too many positives to not experience this restaurant again.
(4)Andrea M.
One of the nicest restaurants in town, the staff is very friendly and attentive. The pasta dishes are always fresh and very good, especially the bolognese. We have had the salt baked branzino and it is one of the best fish dishes I have ever had.
(4)Nicole M.
All I can say is AMAZING! Atmosphere was perfect, food was amazing - need I say more?
(5)Serena D.
This is a fantastic place for a date night. Looks upscale and quiet environment for a good conversation. I had Carpaccio for appetizer. Very special and flavorful. And it's good to share. For the entree, I had chilean sea bass. Very tender and delicious besides there is not really any flavor for the inner. The dessert cart looks soooo good and we ended up getting the banana cheesecake with chocolate chips. Definitely recommend this desert! :) Overall, the food is awesome, the service is great besides it's a bit overpriced. But definitely worth it especially you want to take your girl out for a special night! :)
(4)Margo v.
A perfect lunch. We were there for Restaurant Week. The menu offered a large and varied selection for first and second courses. . For desert we received three delightful tastes. Service was excellent. A quiet relaxing atmosphere. This is an under appreciated gem.
(5)Brian P.
I just returned from a trip to Philadelphia, and La Famiglia was by far the best restaurant I went to. First of all, the service was outstanding. I'm really perplexed at some of the other reviews ? It seems that most of the negative reviews are related to "restaurant week", which probably means these folks never go to nice places normally. Perhaps La Famiglia should discontinue their participation ? Anyway, the wine list is amazing, one of the most comprehensive I've seen. We had a full menu: starters, entree, and desert, and a bottle of wine. I felt the value for the meal was very good. It's a beautiful dining room, and they certainly don't rush you out. A+ for me. If we go back to Phil, we will definitely visit again.
(5)Colleen M.
First, let me start by saying, I'm an Irish American and although I do know how to make my own pasta and sauce I do not consider myself an Italian food expert. I know enough to know that Olive Garden is nothing like real Italian food and that no one does it better than my best friend's Grandma (thanks to her for the pasta and gravy recipes). Outside of that, I enjoy most Italian places. This place... not so much. I heard that this is one of the nicest Italian Restaurants in the city but I just wasn't blown away by any of it. My gnocchi was mediocre; overcooked and the sauce tasted like it was out of a jar. My wine was very expensive but also not very good. The service was okay but the waiter seemed to be more interested in getting us out the door than ensuring we were enjoying our meals - it was a Wednesday night and we were the only people in the restaurant so I am not sure what all the rush was about. Over priced for the quality of the food and the service. You won't be catching me here again.
(2)Jean M.
Great meal! We are from out of town and dined here during restaurant week. What a pleasant surprise- wonderful menu choices, food quality and everything was truly delicious. The sampling dessert was an added bonus. La famiglia is spacious, romantic and has an amazing wine cellar. Highly recommended!
(5)Sabrina S.
I came back here again in February..everything is not as good as I had in memory.. Especially the tiramisu..It seems like just a regular cake, and I cant taste Rum at all.. Kind of disappointed.. I think you could go for the fabulous restaurant decorations only.
(3)Lauren C.
BEWARE OF RESTAURANT WEEK MENU I can't speak for this place during normal operation, but please omit it from your options for restaurant week. It was truly a disappointing way to spend $100. In fact, I'm so salty about it that I'm actually bothering to write a review. In short, here were the problems: *I suspect a majority of the food served was frozen, specifically the meat entrees and the italian dessert sampler (the only dessert option). I'm convinced I could go to BJ's and find the identical dessert platter in the freezer section. *Deceptive language on the RW menu: For example: "Veal medallions" came out as veal scaloppini...basically no meat and overwelmed with sesame seeds. Sesame seeds were the only flavor on the plate. *No wine, beer or cocktail menus available to diners. Boyfriend's cocktail was charged per ingredient. For example: A Captain and Diet was ordered. It appeared on the bill as Captin Morgan: $9, Diet Coke: $2.50. Totalling $11.50 for a Captain and Diet served in a rocks glass. no no no. BOTTOM LINE AND LESSON LEARNED: Be weary of going to high end establishments for Restaurant Week. The dishonest places aren't going to put quality on your plate for $35. It's a poor representation of their restaurant, but maybe they believe that only novices come in for RW to eat for cheap. For these types of restaurants it should be seen as positive marketing to spread the word and establish a customer base. As a result, I will never go back and I would never recommend it to friends. I can't imagine this would be any restaurant's goal.
(1)Kate C.
Beware of Restaurant Week menu!!! Dined here with my sister during restaurant week and was very disappointed. My first course was a bolognese which was decent. Second course was chicken breast, spinach, fontina cheese with a white wine butter sauce. It was terrible! Her first course was a mediocre gnocchi and her second course was a steak that easily looked like a TV dinner salisbury steak. Terrible! Sampling of desserts were all very underwhelming.
(1)Beth K.
We celebrated a birthday here and the food was outstanding.
(5)Suzanne S.
I came to La Famiglia for the first time this past restaurant week I was seated right away even though the other half of my party was very late. I really appreciated this, because I have been at many an empty restaurant where they wouldn't seat me until my whole party was there. My table ordered the eggplant melenzane (AMAZING), Gnocchi in gorgonzola (okay), NY strip (outstanding), veal (I didn't try it, but they all liked it), and the salmon (moist, with the perfect amount of lemon). The service was excellent, but the desserts and mixed drinks needed improvement. They have an awesome wine cellar in the basement, which was really cool to see as well. I would definitely return to this restaurant.
(4)Michael B.
It's the best traditional Italian food classy restaurant in Philly. They have a wine cellar that resembles a vault. And a grappa bar that resembles nothing else I've ever seen since. The service and food are some the most impressive I've ever experienced. They don't make mistakes. Dining here was excellent. Parking on Front Street is a pain. Expect to walk quite a ways. Let your date know this before!
(5)Ed K.
Excellent dinner with our daughter for a celebration! Apps Calamari was great as well as pasta special. Dinner Outstanding presentation and taste for the branzino Veal is great too! Medallions and chops Wonderful service! Cream puffs were highlighted dessert. Would highly recommend! Second to me there recently and will go back
(5)Mike Z.
We had a dinner reservation for NYE for the 4 of us. Id like to start with saying that I really liked the service. The owner is very involved on the dining room floor, and walks around table to table to make sure everyone has what they need. For appetizer I had some grilled octopus and salad which was really good. For entree I had lobster out of the shell and it was delicious. My friends ordered lamb chops which they said were very flavorful and they got devoured. The coolest part about the restaurant is their wine selection of hundreds of different bottles from all over the world. The entire downstairs is made up of a wine cellar and as you walk to the bathroom you see all the different varieties on both sides of the hallway. I look forward to checking this place out on a regular evening. Great experience!
(5)K B.
Unbelievably SUCKY. So slow, service horrible. Not sure how this place survives. Wait staff from a different planet.
(1)Monique C.
I attended a holiday gathering with my coworkers at La Famiglia on Thursday evening. There's a parking lot nearby and plenty of metered parking so don't let the center city parking situation scare you. Kudos to La Famiglia for handling our rather "merry" party of ten (that got even merrier as night went on) with ease. Our four waiters kept the drinks flowing and glasses full (hence the merriment I mentioned). The bruschetta and breadstick appetizers were tasty but the standout was the eggplant. Order it as an appetizer and you won't be sorry. The bread would have been better if it was warm. My salmon entree was delicious with sautéed spinach and roasted potatoes and even yummier the next day when I ate the leftovers lol. With an extensive wine collection, solid service and food, La Famiglia is definitely worth a visit.
(4)William C.
Terrible Terrible Terrible. For a supposedly higher end restaurant, I was ashamed to bring my clients to dinner here. It centered around the wine. We spent over 2k on a dinner with clients from out of town. We had about 4 bottles of wine. One of which was $350 from my favorite vineyard. Corky didn't even come close to the description as it was an '83. I told our "waiter" four times in different ways that the wine had turned yet he thinks it would be a good idea to still serve it to the five of us. None of us drank it. How many times and in different ways do I have to say the wine has turned before looking bad in front of clients?? They served it, we left it on the table, and then...THEY CHARGED ME FOR IT! I've asked them five times to respond and refund my partner and my money but they haven't. Terrible Terrible Terrible. If you come for the wine, go elsewhere because you'll pay top dollar for vinegar.
(1)Ed K.
Excellent dinner with our daughter for a celebration! Apps Calamari was great as well as pasta special. Dinner Outstanding presentation and taste for the branzino Veal is great too! Medallions and chops Wonderful service! Cream puffs were highlighted dessert. Would highly recommend! Second to me there recently and will go back
(5)John R.
La Famiglia Ristorante: Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant 8 S Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 922-2803 lafamiglia.com I lifted the title of this review from the official Google search for this restaurant, and the top of the results lists the La Famiglia website as Philadelphia's Best Italian Restaurant. A bit pompous on their part, proclaiming themselves the best, but after eating here I have to agree. Opened in 1976, La Famiglia has been serving the Philadelphia community for almost 30 years. Given that according to the Small Business Administration, "About half of all new establishments survive five years or more and about one-third survive 10 years or more." it says something about the experience provided by dining at La Famiglia that has withstood the test of time. Upon entering the restaurant, the establishment at once has an aristocratic, old money feel. This restaurant is not for the faint of heart, or wallet. It is also a two to three hour affair. The waitstaff doesn't even bring the menu out until 15 minutes into the meal as you are given various amuse bouches and an extensive wine list for leisure reading. The first course (complimentary) is a standard bruschetta. Excellent. Sliced tomatoes, crisp and crunchy with buttered toast perfectly browned that all melts together in your mouth. A+ One of the nice things about this restaurant is if you really like the amuse bouche you can order another round of it at no charge, which was a nice touch. I have to take a second and comment on the china. Sterling silver cutlery and ornately decorated china make the meal so much more pleasurable. It gives a warm, family dinner style to the meal, I assume in keeping pace with the restaurant's name. Gnocchi Gorgonzola -- $16.95 Homemade gnocchi with Gorgonzola cheese, cream and crushed almonds. This was a fantastic creamy dish with a little accent by the addition of the crushed almonds. I cleaned my plate in less than 5 minutes. Delicious. For your information: Gnocchi are various thick, soft doughs that may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, flour and egg, flour, egg, and cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients. Usually served as a first course in place of soup. Insalata con Arancia e Finocchio -- $9.95 Mixed greens with fennel in a lemon extra virgin olive oil dressing, garnished with fresh orange slices. Also delicious, very citrusy though. Vitello al Pistacchio -- $26.95 Pistachio crusted veal medallions served with cranberry in a light madeira sauce. This was amazing. I practically licked the plate. Madeira Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding Madeira wine to a basic demi-glace (rich and deeply flavorful sauce made by half basic brown sauce and half brown stock reduction). The Madeira sauce is an excellent accompaniment for roasts and steaks. Special: Veal wrapped with Italian eggplant. Finished with a touch of eggplant cream sauce. Eggplant and veal certainly is an interesting mixture. It was not bad by any means but certainly not a combination I would make myself. The veal was tender and sauce was adequate and creamy. Nothing too crazy here. For dessert: Creme caramel, vanilla flavored flan. Interestingly enough, this is a dessert of Spanish origin so I was surprised to find it on the Italian restaurant dessert menu. It was very good and the caramel sauce was fantastic. Presentation was a bit on the plain side, but it certainly made up for it in taste. Of note: A fully stocked bar adjacent to the main dining area. Bottles of fine spirits adorn the mantles. Gorgeous overhead lights History of the Restaurant (Per La Famiglia Website) The Sena family tradition of culinary excellence dates back to early 1947 when Carlo "Papa" Sena began to cook in postwar Naples. The family carried this experience across the Atlantic and opened La Famiglia in 1976.
(5)Deborah H.
Very old fashioned Italian. It had nice service and good wine list. Food was ok , not great but dessert was wonderful-poached pears in some type of sharp sweet wine sauce w Italian cream sauce like a sabayon style.
(3)Patrizia C.
I organized my department holiday luncheon here this year. I had tried their food on a couple different occasions, and since it is top notch, I figured it'd be a nice setting for a work event. My group consisted of about 40 people so we were given the private room on the second floor. The service was impeccable and the food was as good as I remembered. Thanks La Famiglia, for making this event a success
(3)Michael S.
I came here for restaurant week with my family. Since it was restaurant week, they had a special $35 per person menu, which is a VERY good deal for this place. I got the lasagna for an appetizer and the veal for my main course. My whole family agrees it was the best lasagna we've ever had. The rest of the meal was decent. The place is beautifully decorated, and upstairs, the ceiling is painted just like many places in Italy. There is also a robust wine list. I will definitely add this to my list of Philly's finer dining establishments!
(4)Beth K.
We celebrated a birthday here and the food was outstanding.
(5)Michael B.
It's the best traditional Italian food classy restaurant in Philly. They have a wine cellar that resembles a vault. And a grappa bar that resembles nothing else I've ever seen since. The service and food are some the most impressive I've ever experienced. They don't make mistakes. Dining here was excellent. Parking on Front Street is a pain. Expect to walk quite a ways. Let your date know this before!
(5)Mike Z.
We had a dinner reservation for NYE for the 4 of us. Id like to start with saying that I really liked the service. The owner is very involved on the dining room floor, and walks around table to table to make sure everyone has what they need. For appetizer I had some grilled octopus and salad which was really good. For entree I had lobster out of the shell and it was delicious. My friends ordered lamb chops which they said were very flavorful and they got devoured. The coolest part about the restaurant is their wine selection of hundreds of different bottles from all over the world. The entire downstairs is made up of a wine cellar and as you walk to the bathroom you see all the different varieties on both sides of the hallway. I look forward to checking this place out on a regular evening. Great experience!
(5)K B.
Unbelievably SUCKY. So slow, service horrible. Not sure how this place survives. Wait staff from a different planet.
(1)Monique C.
I attended a holiday gathering with my coworkers at La Famiglia on Thursday evening. There's a parking lot nearby and plenty of metered parking so don't let the center city parking situation scare you. Kudos to La Famiglia for handling our rather "merry" party of ten (that got even merrier as night went on) with ease. Our four waiters kept the drinks flowing and glasses full (hence the merriment I mentioned). The bruschetta and breadstick appetizers were tasty but the standout was the eggplant. Order it as an appetizer and you won't be sorry. The bread would have been better if it was warm. My salmon entree was delicious with sautéed spinach and roasted potatoes and even yummier the next day when I ate the leftovers lol. With an extensive wine collection, solid service and food, La Famiglia is definitely worth a visit.
(4)Kate C.
Beware of Restaurant Week menu!!! Dined here with my sister during restaurant week and was very disappointed. My first course was a bolognese which was decent. Second course was chicken breast, spinach, fontina cheese with a white wine butter sauce. It was terrible! Her first course was a mediocre gnocchi and her second course was a steak that easily looked like a TV dinner salisbury steak. Terrible! Sampling of desserts were all very underwhelming.
(1)Jean M.
Great meal! We are from out of town and dined here during restaurant week. What a pleasant surprise- wonderful menu choices, food quality and everything was truly delicious. The sampling dessert was an added bonus. La famiglia is spacious, romantic and has an amazing wine cellar. Highly recommended!
(5)Sabrina S.
I came back here again in February..everything is not as good as I had in memory.. Especially the tiramisu..It seems like just a regular cake, and I cant taste Rum at all.. Kind of disappointed.. I think you could go for the fabulous restaurant decorations only.
(3)William C.
Terrible Terrible Terrible. For a supposedly higher end restaurant, I was ashamed to bring my clients to dinner here. It centered around the wine. We spent over 2k on a dinner with clients from out of town. We had about 4 bottles of wine. One of which was $350 from my favorite vineyard. Corky didn't even come close to the description as it was an '83. I told our "waiter" four times in different ways that the wine had turned yet he thinks it would be a good idea to still serve it to the five of us. None of us drank it. How many times and in different ways do I have to say the wine has turned before looking bad in front of clients?? They served it, we left it on the table, and then...THEY CHARGED ME FOR IT! I've asked them five times to respond and refund my partner and my money but they haven't. Terrible Terrible Terrible. If you come for the wine, go elsewhere because you'll pay top dollar for vinegar.
(1)Frank C.
The broad range of reviews for this restaurant is a surprise; it is a bastion of a style of luxurious dining rarely found and wonderful to partake, but one that takes a little engagement from the diner to enjoy. Entering La Famiglia, you are greeted at the small, four-six seat bar, well stocked with fine spirits, and naturally skewed to Italian essential aperitifs and amari. Two glass cabinets of sparkling wineglasses at the far side of the bar/foyer flank the entrance to dining room beyond, all paneled in wood in the grandest style. As my partner and I both arrived with somewhat unsettled constitutions due to an unfortunate lunch at another establishment, we started with a pair of Negronis, knowing the bitter Campari would soon set us to rights and prepare us for the meal to follow. We were seated next to the carved marble fireplace that housed the collection of after dinner grappa and digestif -- it's quite a collection of 50 or more -- to which we very much looked forward. The diningroom borders on opulent, the waitstaff all in waistcoats and ties and thoroughly educated as to the menu and specials (note: to those reviewers who think that the staff is "all Italian" or "not at all Italian" WTF? The staff is clearly not Italian, but why does that matter when they all know the dishes and the cuisine and do their job well? They could be Australian for all I care.) My partner started with the chilled tomato soup; I, the zucchini-wrapped grilled shrimp. My partner found the soup very wholesome and peaceful, though it might have been better a week or two later when tomatoes are a tad riper. My shrimp were wonderful; their sweetness enhanced with the rich butter sauce. On this occasion (and partly due to the unfortunate lunch discussed above) we opted to go with just pasta for our mains -- but what pasta it was. I had the special crab and lobster stuffed angolotti in a red bell pepper creme sauce. The pasta was perfectly delicate and soft, the filling rendolent of sweet, sweet crustacean, balanced wonderfully by the slight zip of the pepper creme. My date's gnocchi were the softest rendition I have ever had, their texture that of a perfectly cooked baked potato, and accented by a gorgonzola creme that let only a restrained amount of bleu cheese funk through so that the sauce's earthiness matched that of the potato pasta. Our wine (merely by the glass -- though their by-the-bottle list resembles a telephone book, backed by the extensive cellars downstairs) was excellent -- mine the Sangiovese and my partner's a Montepulciano. Around us, we saw diners enjoying tableside preparation and carving of whole branzino baked in a salt crust, the presentation of desserts off of the dessert cart, tables being seated and leaving, patrons (at least half, anyway) who actually were dressed for the occasion of dinner -- which is such a rare thing these days, but one that La Famiglia's stateliness merits. We needed a break before dessert and, bucking tradition, took some grappa early -- both of us choosing barrel-aged versions of this venerable spirit. If you've never had it grappa is a wonderful experience, with one of the richest noses of any spirit. Barrel-aged versions start out with the sweetness and vanilla of oak, and fade to a gentle, fruity but austere whisky. For dessert, the lemon tirimisu seemed the most perfect hoice after the richness of out pasta, and indeed it was. The cake seemed soaked in lemon curd and coated in a lemon creme -- amazingly light despite an unfathomable caloric content, I'm sure. Espresso to follow came with little hazelnut maccaroons with nutella filling --an amusing twist on the common biscotti. La Famiglia: Stately, not stuffy, excellent Italian cuisine. It's a grand experience you should treat yourselves to over and over again.
(5)Serena D.
This is a fantastic place for a date night. Looks upscale and quiet environment for a good conversation. I had Carpaccio for appetizer. Very special and flavorful. And it's good to share. For the entree, I had chilean sea bass. Very tender and delicious besides there is not really any flavor for the inner. The dessert cart looks soooo good and we ended up getting the banana cheesecake with chocolate chips. Definitely recommend this desert! :) Overall, the food is awesome, the service is great besides it's a bit overpriced. But definitely worth it especially you want to take your girl out for a special night! :)
(4)Margo v.
A perfect lunch. We were there for Restaurant Week. The menu offered a large and varied selection for first and second courses. . For desert we received three delightful tastes. Service was excellent. A quiet relaxing atmosphere. This is an under appreciated gem.
(5)Michael S.
I came here for restaurant week with my family. Since it was restaurant week, they had a special $35 per person menu, which is a VERY good deal for this place. I got the lasagna for an appetizer and the veal for my main course. My whole family agrees it was the best lasagna we've ever had. The rest of the meal was decent. The place is beautifully decorated, and upstairs, the ceiling is painted just like many places in Italy. There is also a robust wine list. I will definitely add this to my list of Philly's finer dining establishments!
(4)Eleanor M.
Me and my Husband went here for Valintine Date night. As soon as we walked in we were very impressed by the Italian Decor and the Beautiful Hostes. She was warm and welcomeing and seated us right away even though we had no reservation. The waiter was also very friendly and Lite our candles. My Husband Orderd Fish It was coverd in sea salt and placed on a cart and the server did a Table side deboneing of the fish. He then coverd it in a Butter and lemon sauce with cappers and chopped tamatos. My Husband was very pleased. I had There home maid pasta in a vodka sauce and it was the best pasta I have ever had. We fell in love with this place Because its is so beautiful decorated, they treat you like family, the food is all home made,fresh and taste's like nothing I've tryed before. They even have a service button on the table and of corse me being a kid I had to test it out. so every time I would press it they would come running to the table. I did not need to press it because they know how to treat a costomer. We found out that they are open for lunch and there prices are half off if you come in befor 2:00 pm. They have a full bar and if you ask they will give you a tour of there wine sellar, it looks like somthing from the movie Good Fella's They have so many bottles of wine. The desert cart is mouth watering. Please treat your self to a 5 star dinning experiance You will not, Can not be dissapointed.THIS PLACE IS AMAZEING. The best Italian food in all of Philly and there prices are reasonable.
(5)D S.
I will forever LOVE this restaurant. My husband and I got married here and it was awesome. My guests still say it was by far the best food they have ever had at a wedding. We went here on our first anniversary and it was just as amazing. The food melts in your mouth, it tastes fresh, and the staff are just so attentive and professional. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Did I mention how beautiful La Famiglia is, from the bar, the wine cellar, the upstairs banquet, and the intimacy of the dining area? Great place. I noticed someone said something about how people dress and how La Famiglia doesn't enforce a dress code. I love that about La Famiglia. Whether you are wearing jeans or a tie, they treat everyone with the utmost respect.
(5)Veda P.
Went with some friends the other night for the first time. It reminded me of some of the places I've been to in Rome. Old world, very beautiful. Excellent service. The food was good, not great. Loved my app of shrimp and artichokes, but my veal was over coked. They do sell wine by the glass. Some noted that they do not.
(4)Anthony B.
I took my girlfriend here for our One year anniversary and I couldn't have been happier with my choice. The staff attended to all our needs but were not intrusive. You could tell they really knew what they were doing. The food was amazing, full of flavor and presented wonderfully. The only thing I did not like was that the sides that came with the meal were incredibly tiny. With as good as the food was, I wound up hungry only a couple hours later. Even though it wasn't a serving size I was used to I am planning on going back. There were way too many positives to not experience this restaurant again.
(4)Andrea M.
One of the nicest restaurants in town, the staff is very friendly and attentive. The pasta dishes are always fresh and very good, especially the bolognese. We have had the salt baked branzino and it is one of the best fish dishes I have ever had.
(4)Nicole M.
All I can say is AMAZING! Atmosphere was perfect, food was amazing - need I say more?
(5)Lauren C.
BEWARE OF RESTAURANT WEEK MENU I can't speak for this place during normal operation, but please omit it from your options for restaurant week. It was truly a disappointing way to spend $100. In fact, I'm so salty about it that I'm actually bothering to write a review. In short, here were the problems: *I suspect a majority of the food served was frozen, specifically the meat entrees and the italian dessert sampler (the only dessert option). I'm convinced I could go to BJ's and find the identical dessert platter in the freezer section. *Deceptive language on the RW menu: For example: "Veal medallions" came out as veal scaloppini...basically no meat and overwelmed with sesame seeds. Sesame seeds were the only flavor on the plate. *No wine, beer or cocktail menus available to diners. Boyfriend's cocktail was charged per ingredient. For example: A Captain and Diet was ordered. It appeared on the bill as Captin Morgan: $9, Diet Coke: $2.50. Totalling $11.50 for a Captain and Diet served in a rocks glass. no no no. BOTTOM LINE AND LESSON LEARNED: Be weary of going to high end establishments for Restaurant Week. The dishonest places aren't going to put quality on your plate for $35. It's a poor representation of their restaurant, but maybe they believe that only novices come in for RW to eat for cheap. For these types of restaurants it should be seen as positive marketing to spread the word and establish a customer base. As a result, I will never go back and I would never recommend it to friends. I can't imagine this would be any restaurant's goal.
(1)Wanda M.
We were here a few nights ago with friends for dinner after a hiatus of maybe a decade. I remember that La Famiglia was my all time favorite Italian restaurant in Philly. It still is, but it is not the La Familigla of the past. The service was very, very good and professional. You could have a conversation during dinner (what a concept!) because of the noise abating and absorbing aspects of the dining room. No deafening roar so typical of today's restaurants. My argument was with the ho hum nature of the entrees. The veal chop was competently prepared, but not spectacular. The salad was fresh, but bland. The special pasta was well prepared but had no complexity. I remember years ago coming here and having the best Dover sole in my life. Perhaps we've over fished the seas and those days are long gone. But gummy calamari is no substitute. It's a good restaurant and I will be back, but it is not the great La Famiglia that I remember.
(4)Brian P.
I just returned from a trip to Philadelphia, and La Famiglia was by far the best restaurant I went to. First of all, the service was outstanding. I'm really perplexed at some of the other reviews ? It seems that most of the negative reviews are related to "restaurant week", which probably means these folks never go to nice places normally. Perhaps La Famiglia should discontinue their participation ? Anyway, the wine list is amazing, one of the most comprehensive I've seen. We had a full menu: starters, entree, and desert, and a bottle of wine. I felt the value for the meal was very good. It's a beautiful dining room, and they certainly don't rush you out. A+ for me. If we go back to Phil, we will definitely visit again.
(5)Olivia K.
I want to preface this review by saying that I went during restaurant week. With that said, I've had amazing meals at some very high end restaurants during previous restaurant weeks and to say that I was extremely let down at La Famiglia is an understatement. We were greeted warmly by the hostess who seated our party of 6. Within minutes, the waiter came back with restaurant week menus that were tattered and stained. While we were deciding on food, he brought out a basket of bread that was incredibly stale. I only ate a couple of pieces because I was starving. Ok, not off to a good start so far. I ended up ordering the sea scallop salad, anticipating 2-3 large sea scallops on a bed of lettuce and veggies. When it came to the table, I was disappointed. Instead of finding large, meaty sea scallops, I was given mixed greens with tiny sea scallop turds. They tasted like they were either frozen or straight out of can. Actually, I could barely taste them because they were so miniscule. There was nothing else on the salad, which bored my taste buds. Bleh. Since I'm lactose intolerant, most of the pasta dishes were out of the question for the main course, so I ordered a medium rare steak and veggies. You can't screw that up, right? Not only was I unimpressed with my first course, but I was also disappointed with the service. My table waited over 30 minutes to get our second course! When my meal finally came out, I really had to contain my disappointment as to appear polite in front of our dinner guests. Not only was my steak and the sauce covering it mediocre, it was definitely cooked over medium rare and had very little seasoning. The steak was served with a small portion of mashed potatoes and veggies, which were definitely frozen, microwaved, and dumped on a plate. Seriously? Hoping the restaurant could redeem themselves with dessert, I waited in anticipation. We were all served 3 small cakes (chocolate, ricotta cheese, and some orange cake) that were again very mediocre. If this is supposed to be fine dining, then Olive Garden is leaps and bounds ahead of this restaurant. Get it together La Famiglia. I will definitely never be back. Thank god the entire meal only cost $35 because I have no idea how people fork over hundreds of dollars to dine here.
(1)Emma T.
La Famiglia is the quintessential old school traditional Italian restaurant. The waiters and bus boys are very professional, friendly, and polite. The decor just adds to the traditional feel. The food is great. I had a penne dish that was in a rose tomato sauce, which was delicious. My friend had the ravioli, which was tasty, but be warned that the pasta is very thick - more like dumplings than ravioli. The best thing we tasted was the artichoke soup. Beware that it is very pricey, the wine list especially. I believe the cheapest bottle was $45 and there is maybe one of those. There are a few $55 bottles, but the vast majority are over $100. They don't list the glass prices. It is an extensive list, though...you are given a literal tome of wine to choose from. The wine cellar downstairs is cool (literally). There's a neat private room down there that you can reserve for a big group.
(4)lena n.
Me and a group of my friends came here for our birthday dinner and wanted to try it out for restaurant week. I had previously checked the menu ahead of time to know what I could order and was edible enough for me to eat. When we first got there, our table was ready but our friends were not there yet so they gave us the option to sit at the table or at the bar which is really small. At the bar, we ordered a drink that was made by restaurant week, delicious! We were then escorted to our table and I really loved the decor. It was like a very Italian family friendly decor and exquisite feeling. I felt like I was in a fancy house in Rome. lol. But loved it and it felt just right with the food! Which is superb!!! 1st choice was the crabcakes with lettuce. The lettuce was not all that, but the crabcakes was pretty good for a mini size bite. My friends ordered the Gnocchi Sorrentina - Homemade ricotta gnocchi with mozzarella, basil and fresh marinara sauce - AND I LOVED IT! It was like a soft thick pasta in chunks in marianara sauce and it was banging!! Never had something like that before and it was delicious!! 2nd choice - Petto di Pollo alla Capri- Breast of chicken served with sautéed spinach topped with mozzarella cheese in a wine butter sauce. It was delicious and I did not leave one bite behind. My friend ordered the risotto which is DELICIOUS because i love risotto!! My guy friends ordered steak and they said it was great and it was cooked just right and they are regular steak eaters. I tried it and it was seasoned just right and tasted amazing! Another friend of mine ordered fish and that was sooo good as well. Everything we had overall, everybody was very pleased! And our 3rd course was 3 samples of tiramisu, cherry tart, and creme puff, omg - all soooo good! LOVED IT! I loved every single bite here and I would definitely come here again for a nice romantic evening with my boyfriend and this is definitely an intimate setting for close group of friends. Amazing Italian food I ever had! Service would need to be a bit faster however because it took awhile for us to receive the check, but overall, excellent dining here and not 1 problem. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for anybody who wants good Italian food. The price is up there, but I think its worth it. They also had a huge wine list which is good for our men who loves wine!
(5)Colleen M.
First, let me start by saying, I'm an Irish American and although I do know how to make my own pasta and sauce I do not consider myself an Italian food expert. I know enough to know that Olive Garden is nothing like real Italian food and that no one does it better than my best friend's Grandma (thanks to her for the pasta and gravy recipes). Outside of that, I enjoy most Italian places. This place... not so much. I heard that this is one of the nicest Italian Restaurants in the city but I just wasn't blown away by any of it. My gnocchi was mediocre; overcooked and the sauce tasted like it was out of a jar. My wine was very expensive but also not very good. The service was okay but the waiter seemed to be more interested in getting us out the door than ensuring we were enjoying our meals - it was a Wednesday night and we were the only people in the restaurant so I am not sure what all the rush was about. Over priced for the quality of the food and the service. You won't be catching me here again.
(2)W. Kirk L.
My wife and I had dinner at La Famiglia tonight and it was fantastic. An extremely attentive wait staff and delicious food made for a great evening. The bread and crispy cheesy bread sticks made for a good start to the meal. For an appetizer, I had the soup special, a creamy artichoke and onion soup. My wife had raviolis with shrimp and arugula in a mushroom sauce, I had Penne alla Famiglia. Both were superb. Dessert topped off the evening. The dessert cart look so good, we ended up have TWO desserts each(hey we don't indulge often, but when we do, look out). My wife had a creme puff with chocolate sauce and banana/puff pastry/chocolate concoction. I had a cherry topped rum cake and a chocolate chestnut cake. We finished the night with some Lemoncello, a delicious liqueur. Safe to say we will be back the next time we visit Philadelphia.
(5)Tracy S.
Skip this place...the food is just not that good or worth the prices. When you walk in the door you are greeted with a musty mildew type of odor. The place seemed dingy and outdated to me. Seems like they are trying to keep the decor classic, which I truly respect but it is need of some updates and a little TLC. The bathroom is in the basement/wine cellar, which smelled real moldy too. I understand its a wine cellar but it smelled like they must get water down there; theres a room in the wine cellar/basement for private parties which looked like it could be cool but it needs updates too and I would never pay to eat in there with a party because of the mildewy odor. All I can say is the food was just ok and overly salted in my opinion. Not many pasta selections on the menu either. Nothing spectacular and not at all what we expected unfortunately. The servers were very nice, efficient and friendly but there was nothing special about our heavily salted meal. Drinks are also way overpriced. Go to Dante & Luigi's instead on 10th & Catherine...that place is stellar!
(2)Patrick A.
I have been going to this restaurant for many years. The last two years I started to see it slipping a bit, when waiters had been established with the restaurant for many years started to disappear. I went to the restaurant this pass saturday to celebrate my dads 65th B Day. Two words would describe the event TRAIN WRECK!! It started bad with the fact that our reservation was for 8:30 and we did not sit till 9:15. The bar tender was clueless behind the bar and instead of asking the entire group what they wanted to drink, she made each drink one at a time and had to ask many times what the person was drinking. When we finally sat down to our table my mother over heard the waiter tell his team to push us back because they were behind. We had to continue to ask for menus and when we placed our orders it took (not exaggerating) 1hour for our appetizers to come out. The main dishes came out and the problems continued to keep coming! My sister ordered a pasta dish which was the easiest dish to make came out 5-7 min after all the other dishes. One of my favorite dishes of this restaurant which I have had many times is a veal chop bone in, with a black truffle sauce on top. I specifically said the name of the dish and pointed to it on the menu. My wife as well as others new the dish that was given to me was not what I ordered. When my mom informed the waiter it was the wrong dish, he got his back up against the wall and got nasty. I have never sent a dish back nor taking frustration out on a waiter being the fact I tended bar for many years. The waiter approached me with a cocky voice and opened the menu and said " sir this is what you ordered"! Big mistake on his part was I was the one the entire night keep the table calm and saying lets make the best of this. Now he is going to tell me what I ordered and give me attitude.... I don't think so.... and thats when for the first time in my life I let the waiter really have it! Service 101 tells you even if I ordered the wrong dish ( which I did not) he should have said sir I am sorry let me bring you out another right away. A few closing points on why this place is not worth the money in the least bit. 1st We ordered 3 bottles of Super Tuscan Wine. Super Tuscan needs to breathe and we should have been asked would we like the wine all opened. ( Never happened ) 2nd This place has a beautiful wine cellar and its suppose extremely knowledgable for wine and its presenting of the wine. Again the wine should have been asked to recommended to be all opened to it could breathe, and second the sommelier never visited the table. 3rd. When ordering salad in a restaurant like this the salad plate and fork should be chilled....neither were. 4th The staff did not work the table at all.... my martini glass was finished before I ordered and it was left on the table until my entree was taking away. I also had 2 water glasses in front of me. This place at one time was on top of its game and one who knows the little things that seperate excellence from average will clearly see this and will know plenty other spots for the same prices but much more exquisite service. No brainer for me I will never return to this mediocre place again!!!...
(1)Mel C.
I'm not Italian, but I did spend a summer in Italy staying with real Italians and traveling throughout the country and tasting the wonderful cuisine it has to offer. Thus, I feel completely comfortable by saying this place was confusingly atrocious and am actually appalled people have rated this higher than a star (which is the lowest Yelp allows you to issue). First of all, the decor is nice albeit a tad cheesy with up and downstairs seating. We opted to sit upstairs thinking it would be quieter, but there was actually a rambunctious party up there that might have gotten quite drunk to help themselves eat the food without feigning disgust. Now, the reviews that state this is authentically Italian, maybe it has changed? I didn't see one Italian person there from the hostess to any of our servers. Let me caveat, and note that the actual service from the hostess, servers, water person man, were all very polite and nice. I had no problem with them as people but perhaps the refinement of fine dining was lost on a place that garners three or four dollar signs on food review sites. There were several people attending to all the tables... making it confusing as one would come over and ask to take our order even though we had just ordered from another. At one point, one of the servers just sort of walked aimlessly from table to table with sizzling entrees and as each one shook their heads... he just moved down the row until he found the right diners. We were running the half-marathon in Philly the next day and opted out of alcohol. We started off with some mille di verdure that had promising words like mozzarella layered with mushrooms and drizzled with pesto sauce. We had wanted some pasta and ordered a full primi of tortelleoni (filled with squash & ricotta). And finally we chose the veal chop (sauce unknown to me but hey it was a veal chop at a "top" restaurant. What could go wrong?) The layered vegetable thing was the strangest amalgamation of ingredients that together tasted like buttery pesto sauce. I could see the mushroom & mozzarella, but when I bit in it was like pesto sauce and grease was just sliding around in my mouth. I actually hadn't eaten much this day in anticipation , so I set the banquet style appy to the side and anxiously awaited my rumored plumply cheese filled tortelleoni. When it arrived, I realized I had actually not gone to La Famiglia Ristorante but was really in a Chinese take out place with 5 dumplings rolling around a butter sauce. Confused again, I took a closer look at the tortelleoni, and I really believe they took dumpling wrappers and then shadily rolled in some crumbly mixture that fell apart and rolled into the sauce to be some sort of Loch Ness Monster goop lumpily lost in the butter. Yum. Oh wait, GAG. My date/bf pleasantly offered his veal chop for a bite... but took a few tries b/c he couldn't fine a piece that wasn't really blubberous. As in the lamb might have been dieting solely on Big Macs and ding dongs b/c it was the fattiest piece of veal I have seen ever. The only positive I can say about this experience, is that it didn't interfere with our half-marathon in the morning. Not sure how they get away for actually charging people here, but I just know that I'll thoroughly read the bad reviews on Yelp before I try another "upscale" restaurant. I wish it had been Restaurant Week (but it was a Saturday) so I could partially blame the debacle this place is...
(1)Brent M.
Old World service. Excellent.
(4)Jamie S.
There has not been one thing that I have not ordered that has not been fantastic! Great owners and food to go along with it!
(4)Tom D.
Bad. I am an Italian American and actually was offended by this restaurant. Let me start by telling you about the wine. I was so excited because they had a wine that I often drink with my cousin at his home in Umbria (the grape is grown near his home). So they waiter goes in the front and comes back after about 10 minutes with a glass of red wine. I tasted it and it was too sweet to be a sangantini. So I asked him to see the botlle (which he should have brought out before) and he showed me a sealed bottle of 2005 sangantini... So I do not believe him. Then he recommends a "beautiful capeletti," which sounded good. But when it came out it was ravioli. Capeletti are cousins with tortellini. When he asked how the meal was, I said that my ravioli was good. He actually defended and said capaletti... Are you kidding me! For an "upscale" Italian, please! Oh, and by the way, I thought maybe Latin background, but since they were playing italuan I figured I would speak a little Italian to him to see. Answered my questions Totally wrong. Don't try to fake people! I have never been so offended by an italian restaurant that is not run by italians (which i guess wouldn't be so bad if the other things were not an issue). This place is a scam... Stay away!!
(1)Anannya T.
Some of the best and most innovative Italian I've ever had.
(4)Nicole L.
My friend and I took our girlfriend here for her birthday. We have been trying a different Italian restaurant as ofter as we can. I must say, I was very impressed with the food and service. Everything was delicious & with each bite I felt like I was in heaven. The service was impeccable. Since we had a birthday lady with us, the desert was free but well worth paying for. I entered feeling welcomed and left feeling satisfied.
(5)Aaron H.
My first time in Philly, and being from Chicago and NYC wanting to have a nice dinner with my girlfriend, I couldn't have been more satisfied with my experience at Famiglia. The food: 4 stars, the wine: a million stars, the service: 5 stars for sure and the ambiance: a cozy and romantic 5 stars no problem, the location is awesome, tons of cool spots for window shopping and drinks right there in the area. Will return next time I'm in Philly for sure.
(5)Tom S.
My fiancee and I had an absolutely wonderful dinner here. Can't wait to go again!
(5)Jessica P R.
Full disclosure: we dined at La Famiglia during restaurant week. During the first half of our meal, my husband and I kept commenting that the service at La Famiglia is some of the best we've ever had (despite the usual crappy service you get during RW). The appetizers were the best part of the meal. The gnocchi was probably the best I've had. The meals were good. The risotto here was much better than the risotto at Fork, but still paled in comparison to the risotto at Christopher's in Wayne. Dessert was pretty good too. Nice selection of three italian desserts all on one plate. I think we waited half an hour for our check at the end of the meal. I totally understand the art of not rushing people out. But we sat there, credit card out on the table for thirty minutes. Oh well, still an excellent meal.
(4)carol b.
After hearing about this place for some time I've got to say it didn't live up to the billing. Actually, billing was the problem. The place just isn't a good value. Four of us at there the other night. What was really good: ambience and service. I liked that they don't rush you into ordering. It's hard to find a place that lets you sit and enjoy your drink for a while -- not just 3 minutes -- before they hand you menus. The servers were very professional. Our water glasses never got empty. What was not good: $70 per person was just too much, especially when one of us had lasagna and another the appetizer serving of tortellini. We had glasses of wine but no desserts. If the food were the best Italian food I've had in the area that would be one thing, but it was just good. My husband's Chilean sea bass was far from the best I've tasted. The best item was his artichoke soup, which was rich and flavorful, perfectly set off by crispy croutons, and just flat out sensational. After the meal we agreed it was fine, but we wouldn't go back.
(3)Ben P.
This is my kind of place. First, it's an Italian restaurant where every single staff member talks with a heavy Italian accent. That's a good sign. Second, their wine list comes in a 4-inch, 3-ring binder. That's a good sign. Third, they give guided tours of their wine cellar. If only the law recognized human-restaurant marriages..... At the end of a hectic, busy, but fun and productive trip, I found myself in the company of 4 good friends, sitting down to dinner on OPM. We had...well, we had everything. Salads to start, then 2 pasta dishes for the table, then steaks, fish, you name it. The opening bottle of grenache gave way to a main-course bottle of Barolo that I'm glad the sommalier talked me into. An after-dinner port settled everything very nicely. The service was polite and prompt and helpful. The food was excellent. The wine was properly served and well-attended to. You probably shouldn't show up in a hoodie and Vans, but then this is a nice restaurant, not your rec room, so that shouldn't be a surprise. My 20% of this 2.5-hour meal came to $120 with tip. And we drank $200 in wine alone. So I wouldn't call this place expensive. Just excellent.
(5)Nancy O.
I had lunch here yesterday. Glad I didn't read Mel's Yelp review before I went! A friend suggested we try La Famiglia after looking at their lunch menu, which turned out to be pretty damn reasonable for downtown. The other diners were..the sort that probably go to bed at dusk, but to me that says they have been coming here often and like it. The bread was warm and plentiful, the service was attentive, and the pasta bolognese and the minestrone were very good. Hey, it's not NY's Little Italy, but I personally think if you like Spasso or any of the other eateries on Market Street, you should try La Famiglia first for lunch. Even better, go with a bf or gf for a late lunch with wine- fresh flowers, low lights, badda bing, badda boom. A cheaper Valentine's Day than a dozen overpriced roses!
(3)James S.
Such an amazing meal. While it was pricey, it was definitely worth it for a special occasion. The wine "bible" is unlike anything I've ever seen. I thought it was a joke. But the servers are very helpful and attentive. We had a grilled octopus appetizer along with a penne pasta dish. Both very flavorful and well presented. For my entree, I had a salmon with a light mushroom cream sauce and capers, along with spinach. Hubby decided on the filet. I don't eat red meat but it definitely looked delicious. We both did the dessert cart. I chose a banana cake which was light and airy drizzled in a chocolate sauce. Hubby chose a chocolate walnut tort, which was surprisingly not dense. Just right. Ended with complimentary glasses of limoncello. All in all an especially amazing dinner. Don't come here in a rush. We spent nearly 3 hours enjoying the ambiance and the food. The wine helped. A good Italian bottle that didn't kill the budget. Can't wait to try this place again.
(5)Ona H.
This is a lovely restaurant with an elegant dining room, impeccable service, and fabulous food. So why the three star rating? Their lack of a dress/behavior code. I have been there several times and each time we have noticed people arriving in jeans, including cut off off jean shorts, t-shirts and rumpled kakhai pants. Many groups of people there have been loud and boisterous. These two factors are so out of keeping with the elegance of the restaurant, I am surprised the management does not inform people making reservations that there is a dress code, jackets and ties for men and no jeans or shorts. The management could also discreetly ask loud customers to keep their voices down.
(3)Rich P.
I thought the service and food was outstanding. It was expensive but worth it.
(5)David A.
Excellent pasta and even better fish. Well presented and fantastic. An oldie but very good. Incredible wine list. Not cheap but worth a visit!
(5)Caroline H.
For restaurant week this year we decided to try out La Famiglia in hopes that it lived up to its expectations as a very good, high end Italian restaurant. I know many people say restaurant week is not a great time to see how a restaurant really is but I have yet to get a sub-par meal during it. We walked into the bar/hostess station/coat check/waiting area barely able to fit through the door because of the extremely small area filled with waiting diners. We were seated at a nice table upstairs and were immediately asked if we wanted anything from the bar. We had all decided prior that we were not going to get alcoholic drinks because we we were all trying to keep the cost down. Well the waiter did not seem pleased that we didn't order anything other then Iced tea and soda because he actually made a face at us once we were all done placing our drink orders. In fact another gentleman came over and asked us again, if we wanted anything from the bar. Our orders were taken and within minutes our appetizers arrived. Some of us had the gnocchi and some had the crab cakes. My gnocchi was good, a nice portion and cooked perfectly altough it seemed like it needed a little bit of salt/and or season. I had a taste of the crab cake and that was actually really good but very small. We finished and our main entrees arrived also very quickly. Between all of us we managed to only get the Veal and the Chicken. The veal was certainly one of the most unappealing looking dishes I may have ever ordered at a restaurant. No garnish, just 2 rolls of meat covered in brown sauce, soggy broccoli drowned in butter and a small slap of mashed potatoes. My second veal roll was very pink inside and the filling in both seemed to be bread stuffing I never found any mushrooms or tasted fontina. The chicken that the others in my group had was served with the same soggy drowned broccoli and mashed potatoes. It looked like a boiled chicken breast covered in cheese--I was told it tasted like any old chicken you would make at home. I was not impressed at all with the entrees. Finally dessert came. A fruit tart, small cheesecake and a cream puff. The fruit tart was really, really good the cheesecake was ok and the cream puff had a grainy texture to it and really wasn't too tasty. Overall the food was just OK and the service was nothing near what it should have been considering we had about 5 different people taking care of us. I don't think I'll be returning here...way too stuffy and overrated for my taste.
(2)Kim C.
Came here on a friend's raving recommendations with very high expectations. For all the hype, I was a little disappointed. The restaurant was pretentious and stuffy. The food, too salty. The redeeming qualities were the mushroom and pasta dish, which was perfect, and the dessert cart. The wine list was HUGE, but unfortunately my boyfriend and I both got sick from the wine, which tasted fine at the time. We spent the evening at home nursing our nausea--definitely not what we bargained for. For the price, I'll take Ristorante Panorama or an Italian BYOB, please.
(2)Theresa Marie S.
I went here during the holidays time of 2006. The food was the BEST I had ever tasted outside of my own Italian home. The wine list is HUGE and that is because us Italian's love their wine!! It is actually quite amazing that they have taken the time to go and create such a list. Bring your credit card because it is $$$$. I had the ravi's with a delicious cream sauce and it was...I *think* $18? I tried the salmon that my father had and it was so beyond tasty! Yum!
(5)Charles R.
Yes, I know its an old school restaurant and people even dress, but I like it anyway. Once in a while its nice to go out to a place where people look like they are out to dinner and not going bowling. The food is on a par with most of the better Italians in the city and the service is very good. Since it's Italian I could go thru the pastas and veal dishes , but they are pretty much the same choices you get at most top eateries. One of very best dessert carts in the city, second only to La Bec Fin. Valet parking, all major credit cards and dinner for 4 with 2 bottles of wine was just over $300. Yes, it's on the top end range in this city, but if you are celebrating and b'day or anniversary this is a wonderful place to go. Oh yes, you can hear each other speak across the table because it's quiet.
(4)Paul S.
We had a marvelous time Saturday evening at La Famiglia. As recounted in many reviews, the service is warm and attentive and this alone distinguishes the restaurant from most others. The dining room is formal without being fussy or theatrical. We started with perfectly made cocktails while we reviewed the menu and the extensive wine label list. The waiter offered some additional specials and we chose several of those including two appetizers, a fantastically smooth and delicious artichoke soup (highest recommendation) and calamari on tomatoes and white beans, which were tender and flavorful. We enjoyed our entree choices, the filleted at your table Bronzino with the white mustard sauce and the veal medallions with cheese and tomatoes. Both prepared with great care and flavor. To complement our meals we chose an excellent bottle of Puglian red wine (Patriglione 1999), which paired nicely with the fish and meat. You would be very pleased with this wine choice. Luckily, we had room for dessert. The Italian Napoleon was very fine, not too sweet and with lots of crunchy almonds. My friend also enjoyed the meringue that sat on top of cake with a raspberry filling. We ended with good coffee and good conversation and the lively chatter of a dining room filled with contented and happy diners. We felt special on a special night. Highly recommended for those looking for the same. Perhaps we'll see you there on our next visit!
(5)Cara N.
I went for Restaurant Week, and everything was just ok. One problem that I had, that I have with just about every restaurant/bar/lounge around here is that they are just too small! Row houses are NOT meant to serve as restaurants/bars/lounges, they are meant for people to LIVE in them! And unless your last name is Gosselin (I just finished watching "Jon & Kate Plus 8"), you should NOT have a house full of people like that on a regular night...sorry I'm getting off topic. Anyway, I digress - being that I'm from New Jersey, I take my Italian food pretty seriously (yes, black people can take Italian food seriously too), and this place just didn't cut it. It didn't help that this man and his "goomah" came in and started getting all touchy-feely at the table. I don't even remember what I had, which means the chances of me returning are slim to none.
(2)Nancy E.
Perfection in food and service. Housemade pastas were delicious (had the evening special of fettuccini in a creamy asparagus sauce with seared scallop and also tortellini with squash and butter sauce). Branzino prepared tableside was a treat for the eyes and the taste buds...expertly fileted with choice of sauces (we chose tomatoes and capers in a light lemon olive oil). Food and drink temperatures were spot on - hot entrees and crusty bread, ice cold sparkling water and Sauvignon blanc. We were given complimentary bruschetta and biscotti. Service was attentive, yet leisurely. We wish we had discovered La Famiglia earlier in our Philly residency!
(5)Mark L.
An old school traditional Italian restaurant that's been around philly forever. Rather pricey for frequent visits but food was perfect. Decadent dessert cart. I'd personally recommend their whole fish which they lovingly and expertly disassemble in front of you to eat.
(4)Jae R.
I went there for early evening dinner. Pricey, but the food is excellent. I love the decor upstairs.
(4)Kit-N-Debbie W.
Been told by numerous friends this is a must go restaurant. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. The ambience itself is beautiful, the noise level made it difficult to have a conversation at dinner. Food was adequate but nothing to make us return. The menu and specials were disappointing.
(3)Robert M.
"Rocky Balboa" was one of my favorite movies of 2006. (I love the original, which won the '76 Oscar for Best Picture, and I admire Stallone's knack for maintaining the character's likeability through six films. Think about it: Michael Corleone lost his intensity in the third Godfather, and George Lucas crashed and burned with the Star Wars prequels.) My point? Well, I'm in Philly on business, so to honor the Italian Stallion (who wound up opening a restaurant called "Adrian's"), I didn't object when I heard we'd be dining at La Famiglia. A taste of Italy, Philly-style. First-class? Yo. An elegant (yet relaxing and comfortable) setting, attentive service, and an incredibly expansive wine list (including the Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon we all enjoyed). I was tempted by the Charcoal Grilled Filet Mignon (in a red wine sauce), but wound up ordering (and loving) the Pappardelle with Porcini Mushroom. The entire experience was a first-round knockout!
(5)Axl R.
My tuna tartar was razor thin and very well done. It was quite delicious. I asked for changes to be made to my meal, and although the waiter was initially hesitant the meal came out exactly as I wanted it. It was all complimented by the perfect glass of wine selected by the hostess. I am very, very picky about alcohol because I do not like the taste at all, but want some of the smoothness of a meal with wine. Her selection was the perfect balance for me. I would recommend eating at this restaurant but not if you have anything to do for the day. My biggest negative on this place is that the waiters are super slow as was the bill!
(4)Chris L.
So I went here during restaurant week. It's supposedly one of the classy places to goto, and once I was inside, I could see why. Very nice, elegant interior. You really feel like you're royalty when you step inside. They had a candle lit at the table so it would feel romantic if you're with that special someone. Their bread was pretty good for an italian place... had great flavored olive oil as well. I had some pasta appetizer, roast beef, and a dessert sampler for dessert. I wasn't too impressed with their appetizer and entree... it was "ok", but it's probably due to the fact that it's restaurant week and it's probably one of their "cheaper" entrees (the place is normally rated $$$$, so I guess they have more expensive entrees that are better). Anyway, the dessert was really good though. Very small and light, but still tasty. Anyway, I give it 4 stars.
(4)Maritza M.
Not the best high-end Italian food I've ever had, but then again I went during restaurant week. My polenta & mushroom appetizer was really not that great at all. And the green peppercorn bistc was lacking green peppercorn! The wine list was way too exaggerated! Do they really need a HUUUUGGGE book for their wine list?! How cocky are these people?! My friend had to STAND UP to go through the wine book because it was sooooo big. Basically, I was disappointed with my food. I expected better. But I'd go again when it's not restaurant week and try their real menu. If I go again and it's not good, this place gets 2 stars. It'll go up to 4 stars if it's amazing the second time around.
(3)Hywel J.
This is the best Italian place in Philly. The service is old-school (many of the waiters look to be 900 years old!), but the food is superb and it has a relaxed kind of formality. The wine list is the size of a medieval bible and contains a similar number of revelations.
(5)Laurel M.
Now, I know restaurant week dinners are to be taken with a grain of salt...but really this was not good. Definitely the worst restaurant week experience I've ever had. I certainly didn't expect whatever their usual quality is (which I assumed was quite high, Ive always heard pretty amazing things about this place) but what I received was simply edible at best. We had crab cakes over arugula, gnocchi, seafood risotto & veal. The crab cakes were simply OK, the salad they came with waaay too saturated w/ balsamic vinaigrette, the gnocchi had an excellent texture & consistency but the sauce with it very bland. As for the entrees, the risotto was absolutely nothing to write home about but was far better than my entree of veal. It was listed as veal medallions in a mushroom sauce, but seriously it came as like cutlets of salisbury steak & tasted about as good. I had mashed potatoes on the side which tasted really weird (almost...moldy) & on top of that were cool, my steamed broccoli seemed like it came from a frozen bag. I was only able to eat a few bites of my entree & let me server know about my displeasure. He offered me a different entree, but I wasn't interested. My appetite was simply gone. I didn't ask for my meal to be discounted in any way, but when I received my bill I noticed that I wasn't charged for any of my wine...I don't know if that was intentional but whatever I took it, haha. Dessert was pretty good (chocolate cake, cheesecake & poached pear). Service was really slow...& I know they were busy so I wasn't too put off by it, but still...it was *very* slow. I have no interest in trying La Famiglia for their regular menu. I would give my experience there only two stars, but since I was there during restaurant week & didn't have their usual menu, I'm upping it to three (just in case).
(3)Rueben C.
So yea I heard all this hype about this joint. The self proclaimed "best italian food in Phila". I go there during restaurant week, and to get to the point, if you haven't got it from looking at the number of stars, this place is fast food caliber itaian cuisine. I was with a party of six and we order everything presented on the fixed menu (restaurant week) and none of the plates from the courses were decent. I can think of three BYOB that quickly come to mind that make this place an imposter of italian food. Honestly, even the despicable artwork on the walls is anything but horrible replicas of Italian artwork from Uffizi. I mean the plates they serve you on have the name of the restaurant on them....how corny is that? Chef Ramsey 's designers desparately need to revamp this place. If it wasn't restaurant week, which makes me think the restaurant gives the chef the week off, I'd give this place 1 star for it's location. Try la viola, modo mio or l'angolo!!!!!
(4)Brynn D.
very expensive old-school italian food served up in a very, very formal setting... a little too formal for the likes of me. service is wonderful as one would expect when paying major bucks for dinner. it actually wasn't snooty service, either - just friendly, pretty much genuine. i've been twice and that's where they excel. food would be pleasing to the masses, so a fine place to take finnicky parents or for a business dinner.
(3)