Donato&co. - Feedback

The service was excellent, with the host being attentive and the waitstaff well-informed about the menu. The food was prepared beautifully, and the portion size... read more The service was excellent, with the host being attentive and the waitstaff well-informed about the menu. The food was prepared beautifully, and the portion sizes were just right. I especially liked the creative way they presented the bill, resembling a book. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals and appreciated that we could have a conversation, even though the restaurant was full. We plan to return and bring friends to enjoy the experience together.

This is a wonderful spot for a family dinner. The food and special drinks were fantastic. The waiter was friendly and very professional. read more This is a wonderful spot for a family dinner. The food and special drinks were fantastic. The waiter was friendly and very professional.

The ratings speak for themselves. The food was excellent, the service was outstanding, and I can't wait to return! read more The ratings speak for themselves. The food was excellent, the service was outstanding, and I can't wait to return!

It is our neighborhood restaurant, we live in the Elmwood, and we look forward to having such a nice restaurant on foot. The food is really good and the service... read more It is our neighborhood restaurant, we live in the Elmwood, and we look forward to having such a nice restaurant on foot. The food is really good and the service is fiery and knowledgeable.

Good food came out quickly and such a friendly staff. The portions were small but hearty and I definitley will be back. read more Good food came out quickly and such a friendly staff. The portions were small but hearty and I definitley will be back.

Last night, we enjoyed an incredible meal to celebrate our 4-year anniversary! We opted for the prix fixe menu, and it was absolutely fantastic! Each course was... read more Last night, we enjoyed an incredible meal to celebrate our 4-year anniversary! We opted for the prix fixe menu, and it was absolutely fantastic! Each course was exceptional! From the homemade pasta with shrimp to the fried cod with artichokes, and finishing with the chocolate fudge paired with gelato for dessert, every dish was delightful! We strongly recommend this restaurant! The service was excellent as well.

The food is exquisite, and the service is warm and welcoming. We consistently have a fantastic experience when we eat here. If you're looking for exceptional It... read more The food is exquisite, and the service is warm and welcoming. We consistently have a fantastic experience when we eat here. If you're looking for exceptional Italian cuisine and a delightful meal, you should definitely pay a visit. We will certainly be coming back soon for more!

This was our second visit to Donato as we wanted to give it another chance after our initial experience on Valentine's Day, which was marred by some issues due... read more This was our second visit to Donato as we wanted to give it another chance after our initial experience on Valentine's Day, which was marred by some issues due to the holiday and a system failure. As a result, we ended up spending nearly three hours at the restaurant, mostly waiting and growing impatient for our meals. This time, we brought a friend along for a random Friday night dinner with a reservation. Unfortunately, the service was just as slow as before. It took about half an hour for our orders to be taken, and then we waited another hour for our food to arrive. To add to our frustration, we received a dessert menu before our last dish was even served. When we inquired about it, we were informed that it had never been put into the system and wouldn't be coming. I fail to understand the high ratings this place receives. The food is mediocre considering the prices, the service is sluggish, and it appears that the kitchen staff is overwhelmed and unable to deliver meals in a timely manner. I truly wanted to enjoy this restaurant given its glowing reviews, but it seems the only patrons who are appreciating it are older couples, which makes me think that if you don't fit that demographic, you might want to think twice about dining here. This will be our second and final visit.

The menu isn't the usual often found in Italian restaurants. The variations are interesting and we found the pasta dishes we had excellent. Service was phenomen... read more The menu isn't the usual often found in Italian restaurants. The variations are interesting and we found the pasta dishes we had excellent. Service was phenomenal.

Incredible food and exceptional service! The tortelloni with eggplant was extraordinary. read more Incredible food and exceptional service! The tortelloni with eggplant was extraordinary.

The grilled gambas were so delicious that we ended up ordering an extra plate. The Branzino was consistently excellent, and the pasta with meat sauce completed... read more The grilled gambas were so delicious that we ended up ordering an extra plate. The Branzino was consistently excellent, and the pasta with meat sauce completed the meal perfectly. The Italian wine selection was outstanding, and the knowledgeable waitstaff were more than happy to offer tastings. It was a fantastic family dinner!

The food was disappointing. My pasta did not match the description on the menu (there were no Calabrian chili flavors that I could detect, and fresh tomatoes we... read more The food was disappointing. My pasta did not match the description on the menu (there were no Calabrian chili flavors that I could detect, and fresh tomatoes were used instead of sun-dried tomatoes), and the dish was extremely salty, making it difficult for me to enjoy. I really wish I had sent it back.

We had a wonderful experience at Donato & Co. The food was exceptional, the atmosphere was delightful, and the service was impeccable. read more We had a wonderful experience at Donato & Co. The food was exceptional, the atmosphere was delightful, and the service was impeccable.

Prompt service by very friendly accommodating staff. delicious food. read more Prompt service by very friendly accommodating staff. delicious food.

Well Run!!! Highly recommend this local treasure with a full bar! read more Well Run!!! Highly recommend this local treasure with a full bar!

I had a wonderful experience with both the appetizers and the main course. Our server, Glen, suggested our meals, and they turned out to be the perfect choice! read more I had a wonderful experience with both the appetizers and the main course. Our server, Glen, suggested our meals, and they turned out to be the perfect choice!

The food here is fantastic, and the atmosphere is delightful! We discovered this restaurant while out in the evening, and we decided to give it a shot. They off... read more The food here is fantastic, and the atmosphere is delightful! We discovered this restaurant while out in the evening, and we decided to give it a shot. They offer outdoor seating with heat lamps, which is a big plus, and we were promptly greeted by our server. I ordered the SPAGHETTI NERI (squid ink, calamari, garlic, spicy Calabria peppers, oven-dried Roma tomato, and bottarga), and it was absolutely delicious! You definitely need to enjoy seafood to fully appreciate this dish, as it’s packed with flavor. We also tried the tomato appetizer, which was both nutritious and tasty. Their homemade pizza and biscotti were great as well. We left feeling completely satisfied and thrilled to have discovered such a wonderful new restaurant.

My fiancée surprised me with a birthday dinner at this restaurant, and I must admit, I had my doubts since he doesn’t always choose the best places. I requested... read more My fiancée surprised me with a birthday dinner at this restaurant, and I must admit, I had my doubts since he doesn’t always choose the best places. I requested a spot that offered organic, high-quality, thoughtfully prepared, yet rustic dishes, and this restaurant exceeded my expectations. Every dish we tried was delicious. We started with the radicchio salad and then enjoyed the spaghetti Neri along with a calamari and octopus dish. The portions were medium-sized, so we decided to order the truffle ravioli as well. We paired our meal with some wine and left feeling very satisfied. The service was excellent—prompt and straightforward. Thanks for a wonderful evening!

Do any of the faithful regulars miss the gamberi (shrimp) and arugula salad? Its new replacement is a deep-fried version that is more like snack food with a dip... read more Do any of the faithful regulars miss the gamberi (shrimp) and arugula salad? Its new replacement is a deep-fried version that is more like snack food with a dipping sauce. Fried seafood all tastes like fried anything. As a non-pizza/pasta eater, and Italian cuisine offering so much variety, this was a winner. Drinks and wine always good, amiable service, but new menu more conventional. I’ll still go back for the calamari main dish, but some freshness in the heavy appetizer category would be a plus. Glad they made it through the pandemic!

Came here twice now, the steak was decent, perhaps a little more cooked than I was hoping but acceptable. The dessert was quite good. read more Came here twice now, the steak was decent, perhaps a little more cooked than I was hoping but acceptable. The dessert was quite good.

Neither dish was satisfactory. The risotto was undercooked, and the meat on top was tough and inedible. The bruschetta lacked vegetables and consisted only of b... read more Neither dish was satisfactory. The risotto was undercooked, and the meat on top was tough and inedible. The bruschetta lacked vegetables and consisted only of bread, cheese, and marinara sauce. Overall, it was a very disappointing experience and the meal felt extremely overpriced.

The dessert of sbriciolona and cream has made my week so much better! read more The dessert of sbriciolona and cream has made my week so much better!

A bit on the expensive side, but absolutely worth every bite! I'm happy to indulge occasionally at Donato. The BOLOGNESE is amazing, and the chocolate mousse is... read more A bit on the expensive side, but absolutely worth every bite! I'm happy to indulge occasionally at Donato. The BOLOGNESE is amazing, and the chocolate mousse is always a hit. I decided to try the pizzelle, and it was fantastic!

Pasta wasnt even fully cooked. Not even Al dente, the noodles were crunchy read more Pasta wasnt even fully cooked. Not even Al dente, the noodles were crunchy

As for the salad, the leaves were far too large—like, not even sliced and bigger than the box the pasta came in. There were so few leaves that you could have fi... read more As for the salad, the leaves were far too large—like, not even sliced and bigger than the box the pasta came in. There were so few leaves that you could have fit them in a giant wallet if you had one. I get that serving whole leaf salads might be a trend, but they left the bitter parts on, and there wasn't enough dressing, croutons, or overpriced cheese to cover up the taste. At least the five croutons were decent.

The service here is exceptional! We had a wonderful time at this charming restaurant. We sampled the popular Parmigiano and Vasetto (chicken liver) and absolute... read more The service here is exceptional! We had a wonderful time at this charming restaurant. We sampled the popular Parmigiano and Vasetto (chicken liver) and absolutely loved them. The pasta was good, though it didn't blow us away. Next time, we’d like to try the Spaghetti Neri and Calamari. I also recommend making a reservation before you go.

The food was excellent, and the atmosphere was delightful! We discovered this restaurant by chance in the evening and decided to give it a shot. They have outdo... read more The food was excellent, and the atmosphere was delightful! We discovered this restaurant by chance in the evening and decided to give it a shot. They have outdoor seating with heat lamps, which was a nice touch. Our waiter welcomed us right away. I ordered the SPAGHETTI NERI (squid ink, calamari, garlic, spicy Calabria peppers, oven-dried Roma tomatoes, bottarga) and it was fantastic! You definitely need to enjoy seafood to fully appreciate this dish, as it packed a lot of flavor. We also tried a tomato appetizer, which was both healthy and tasty, along with their homemade pizza and biscotti. We left feeling satisfied and happy to have found such a great new restaurant.

The service and atmosphere at Donato and Co was wonderful. The food was delicious and quality as well. I was a bit confused by the bruschetta, traditionally it'... read more The service and atmosphere at Donato and Co was wonderful. The food was delicious and quality as well. I was a bit confused by the bruschetta, traditionally it's less of a sauce and more chunky with fresh tomatoes so that was a bit strange. I would havepreferred the more authentic style. The burrata saved it for me though because that combination was excellent. The Cacio e pepewas RICH! I guess I should know that. It was delicious nevertheless, but I might try something new next time with more veggies.The homemade spaghetti was perfectly Al dente. The fettuccine duck special, though really high quality, was missing an elementfor me. Perhaps tomato or a sauce to really tie it all together? The fresh pasta was delicious and the duck was cookedperfectly. Overall, it was just a little one note. All-in-all, the quality and the service cannot be beat. I'll have to give itanother try to see what else that have to offer. ???? Another note: please turn the lighting down. It was so bright in there.Gave off a strange vibe. Mood lighting is best.

A truly authentic Italian pasta experience in a lovely, tranquil setting! My family and I love dining at Donato Co. whenever we get the chance. Thank you, Gianl... read more A truly authentic Italian pasta experience in a lovely, tranquil setting! My family and I love dining at Donato Co. whenever we get the chance. Thank you, Gianluca and Dayli, for the wonderful brunch!

Charming in a distinctly Berkeley manner, Donato is nestled at the end of Ashby Street before it reaches College Avenue. This restaurant offers a unique take on... read more Charming in a distinctly Berkeley manner, Donato is nestled at the end of Ashby Street before it reaches College Avenue. This restaurant offers a unique take on Italian cuisine that adds to its allure. It's a fantastic spot for lunch.

I spent a wonderful couple of hours at this restaurant, thanks to Christian, Casey, and Shaun, who made the afternoon truly enjoyable. The entire team is fantas... read more I spent a wonderful couple of hours at this restaurant, thanks to Christian, Casey, and Shaun, who made the afternoon truly enjoyable. The entire team is fantastic. The pizelles brought back memories of home, and the cocktails were creative and delightful. I can't wait to return; this place really knows how to please the senses!

Great food, responsive service, and a relatively quiet environment. I will go back on my next trip to Berkeley. Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Meal type: Dinn... read more Great food, responsive service, and a relatively quiet environment. I will go back on my next trip to Berkeley. Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Meal type: Dinner Recommendation for vegetarians: Highly recommend Vegetarian offerings: Vegetarian menu or section

Not bad but not great either. I have been to Donato twice now. My first experience was good, but my more recent experience was so so, and left an unpleasant tas... read more Not bad but not great either. I have been to Donato twice now. My first experience was good, but my more recent experience was so so, and left an unpleasant taste both literally and figuratively. Everyone was nice and welcoming, but the food service was surprisingly slow, and my order had meat when I specifically requested vegetarian options for religious reasons. Italian cuisine is normally very accommodating towards vegetarians, and Donato's menu is surprisingly meat filled, almost intentionally so. That said, given that this is a Berkeley restaurant, and how many people have dietary restrictions, I am surprised how difficult the menu is to interpret. I don't plan on returning anytime soon. Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $50–100 Food: 3 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 4 Vegetarian offerings: Not sure Vegetarian options: Not well labeled, no vegetarian options in the entrees. Dietary restrictions: Do not recommend

Service mediocre, example is that they cleared 1/3 of the table post service but when we asked for the check, they never returned to finishing clearing. They di... read more Service mediocre, example is that they cleared 1/3 of the table post service but when we asked for the check, they never returned to finishing clearing. They did not ask about food allergies or restrictions. Food was difficult to eat. Bread stale, dishes without much flavor. We do not recommend. Food: 2 Service: 3 Atmosphere: 2