05/31/09

Hidden gem of Orlando

by kpac51

If your looking for a great little Italian place for a date, here is the place. With a menu that won't break the bank and portions that are perfectly sized, this is the place for you. The sidewalk seating is a bonus particularly on a fall evening. A nice wine selection to accomodate a menu filled with several chicken & pasta choices that are freshly prepared. I can recommend the Pollo Pesto, a little on the creamy side but a nice mix of chicken and pasta that isn't overdone with spices. A very attentive wait staff is just another selling point of this hidden gem.

• Pros: Not a chain, Great service, good food & prices
• Cons: Small TV at Bar

03/12/09

Not as good as it used to be

by JessicaLB

I must say, Bravissimo has definitely lost my vote. It used to be my favorite Italian restaurant, but within the past year, I have lost all love for the place. My favorite dish ever used to be the Chicken Rollatini but the last time that I went the chicken was dry and it was not very good. I was so disappointed. I also love the garlic infused bread that they serve, but the last time we were there the waiter admitted that they had run out of garlic bread and had to get some bread from The Outback Steakhouse. Needless to say, I was very disappointed and have not been back since. I don't know if they have new management or a new chef or what, but they need to bring the old Bravissimo back!

• Pros: Good location, nice atmosphere
• Cons: Food is average, pricey

02/24/09

Bad Food, Bad Service

by ucfalum

I never write reviews on these websites, but after my horrible experience at Bravissimo and managements lack of concern for the bad experience I had, I felt I needed to write a review for this restaurant. The only good thing about Bravissimo is it's unique location in downtown Orlando. As for that, I would in no means recommend this establishment to anyone. I recently dined here with my boyfriend and ended up waiting over an hour for a table when we had a reservation. The restaurant, which is very tiny, seemed to be greedy in taking reservations and FAR overbooked themselves. The small kitchen and management were in no way able to handle the amount of guests dining at the restaurant. Our waiter did the best job he could for the 8+ tables that he was assigned to, but the entire dining experience still took us over 3 hours! We ordered the Brushcetta appetizer, stuffed chicken pasta entree, and the seafood stuffed chicken & risotto entree. All were mediocre and overpriced, and as being someone who has traveled to Italy, there is far better Italian food in Orlando elsewhere. My food came out completely cold after we waited over an hour and half for it. It had to be reheated, which took another 15 mins and left my boyfriend's food cold upon my entrees return. The management did not even acknowledge our long wait, bad service, and cold food, which in my eyes makes a huge impact on the dining experience. After our 3 hour, overpriced, and bad service experience I took the time to email the owner my concerns. After hearing no reply back I even called the restaurant to ask to speak with the manager, and got a rude blowoff response from the staff on the phone. This in my eyes shows that the management is not concerned with the reputation Bravissimo gets and could care less about the experiences their guests have while they dine there.

02/17/09

Loccation, Location, Location!!

by lucas49er

Took my date here on Valentine's Day, and if you're looking for somewhere romantic in an otherwise tourist trap of a town, this is the place to go. Bravissimo's is located in a residential neighborhood, which adds to its allure. You almost feel like you're in someone's home. Now, i went on the night which i would guess would be the busiest, Valentine's Day, and while there was an hour wait to sit (even with a reservation), this was expected so me and my date were prepared. Alot of people in front of us decided to leave, which is funny because they weren't going to get better service anywhere else on this night. The owner was busy running around, but gave us 2 free rounds of beer while we waited. We ended up eating at the bar area, but it was perfect. Now, I'll admit the food isn't the greatest, but that doesn't matter, the place is just so romantic. Small enough so it feels exclusive, but big enough to fit a good crowd. If you're looking for top notch italian food, this isn't the place. if you're looking for something different and romantic, this is the place. we were almost the last ones out for the night, and walk to our car in the quaint neighborhood was special as well. It's a much different experience than eating in a business district.

• Pros: Romantic atmosphere
• Cons: Food is just average

01/31/09

Great Location but staff a problem

by Kandlelea

Saw servers drinking on the job.

• Pros: Wine
• Cons: Food, parking

09/07/07

Great food served by people who love what they do. Fantastic Value.

by izzys_dad

As perfect as one could hope for in a dining experience. At no point did we feel rushed from the ordering to the after dinner drinks. This is quite a contrast from the rushed, quick table turnover style of almost any modern restaurant. The mood is relaxed, but the food is taken seriously. Wine selections were recommended and matched well with the entrees and desert, but they were not pretentious or stuffy.

This is quite simply the best dining value that we know of. Prices are incredibly reasonable with quality entrees for around the same price as a cheap steak elsewhere. These menu prices would easily be close to $30 if this restaurant were on Park Avenue or the Village in Winter Park. I expect that the prices will have to go up soon due to the increased food costs we have seen. Hopefully when they adjust, they maintain the value that makes this place such a treat.

Parking can be tricky at times due to it's residential surroundings, but that's about the only gripe we could think of.

Fun dining, great food and drinks, served by people who are proud of what they serve and enjoy what they do is what we have experienced on every visit, consistently, over the last couple years.

We love this place and hope it doesn't change at all.

• Pros: high quality food, fun atmosphere, enthusiastic service, exceptional value
• Cons: parking

03/01/07

extreme disappointment

by emb2519

I am a first time Citysearch reviewer, but after my experience last night at Bravissimo, I felt compelled. What a great location! I absolutely loved the fact that it is nesteled into a quaint historic neighborhood, a street filled with character-this is the perfect location for a gem of a restaurant. The restaurant is nicely decorated with a traditional italian feel. As we arrived we were promptly seated by the hostess. The menu was dirty and falling apart, the cheap linen napkin was flopped on the table, over a side plate and silverware that reminded me of a banquet setting in a cheap hotel. After several minutes of looking around wondering when we might be greeted by a server, a lady popped to our table and without saying hello immediately asked us if we were ready to order. Sort of shocked, i began to inquire about items on the menu. She answered my questions and then told us she would give us a few more minutes. I grabbed her before she walked away and requested an appetizer, without an opportunity to order a beverage she left the table and didn't come back. Finally the hostess stopped by and wondered if we had even been helped yet. I let him know that we would like to order some wine. Several minutes later our Caprese Salad came out (before we even got our wine). The presentation was poor. The tomatoes looked like they came from my mothers garden, there was a pile of iceburg lettuce in the center of the plate as garnish? The bread was nothing special, actually it was awful and served with butter packets. When I requested a bottle of balsamic vinegar there was a residue stuck in the top that dripped out like slime. I was told they clean the bottles once a week? Food was average, the sauce was bland. I was looking forward to finding my new favorite neighborhood restaurant, instead I'm spending my work day writing a horrible review. The lot of for sale, someone should buy it and force these owners out. The location and building has SO MUCH POTENTIAL!!

• Pros: Ambience, Location
• Cons: poor value - less than average food with high prices

02/27/07

Gives you a feeling of OLD ORLANDO with brick roads located in historic district off the beaten path

by yellowfin

Everything is excellent here. This is the CUTEST most romantic restaurant in Orlando. The food is awesome. My husband loves the Penne Della Casa, I love the Farfalle. But I have tasted everything and all is awesome. Sitting outside is pleasant and it is also less than one mile to Lake Eola and Orange Ave. Prices are great and portions are good size.

• Pros: Ambience, FOOD

Charming cafe and wine bar attracts a host of regulars to Colonialtown.

by Contributor

In Short
This bungalow of a restaurant avoids the studied trendiness of some other downtown restaurants. Inside, its straighfoward touches include exposed ductwork on the ceiling and servers in street clothes. The casual vibe extends to a menu of individual pizzas, calzones and pastas such as lobster ravioli. The pizza del marinaio serves up salmon, crab, scallops, red onions, and tomatoes on an outstanding crust. Homemade desserts include cheesecake and tiramisu.

• Pros: popular local hang
• Cons: inconsistent service

08/27/06

Microwave Italian and bad service.

by stellarchef1

Tried to enjoy this quaint restaurant ;but the food was cold and tasted horrible.The server supposedly the owner, was totally inept and arrogant!

• Pros: Great location
• Cons: food and servce