Unfortunately our experience was not what we had hoped for. First off the wait at the table before our order was taken was too long. The menu was small and the choices limited. The two main dishes we ordered tasted good but not outstanding. But what really broke the spell for us were two things: 1)to see a rat close to our feet almost at the end of our dinner that scared us and the diners at the next table. 2) that towards the end of our dinner the waiter brought us another bottle of sparkling water without asking us if we wanted one and opened it before approaching our table and started pouring it, when I said I didn't want it he merely put it on the table and left, but then when the check came we were being charged for it!! So unprofessional! We felt cheated.
Chris
The food is very good. We had the halibut special and the chicken Marsala - both delicious! All staff are very efficient & friendly. Our server (Nicholas) is just amazing! :-)
Danny
The only good thing I can say is that aesthetically it looks good Service was pretty much nonexistent for us. I had a dinner reservation for 5:45 pm. Got there on time and got seated fairly quickly. It didn't seem that busy as there were only 2-3 tables seated outside. It was 6:15 when we decided to leave. All we were ever served with was water. No one came and got our order. No bread for our table. Just one glass of water for those 30 minutes. I think the deciding factor that made us leave was seeing the next table next to us, got seated, got bread, got their water, got their orders taken, AND got their appetizers all while coming in after us. So I went up to the guy who seated us to ask him if we can have some bread for the table and also that we're ready to order, which I shouldn't have to do that as a customer but at that point I'm just wondering if they forgot about us or were purposely ignoring us. Then the waiter goes and asks me "did you get a server?" Like ???? I don't know man, you should know this, you're the one who seated us. Overall really disappointed with this restaurant and how they service people with dinner reservations. 30 minutes with only getting served one glass of water is pretty ridiculous, in my opinion, especially if you made a reservation. We ended up going to Italico 5 minutes down the road and got seated, got our wine, our appetizers, and our dinner within about 30 minutes
Katherine Wurzburg
Cafe Riace is a hidden gem in Palo Alto. The outdoor patio is delightful with the fountain and statues. The food is delicious and the service attentive. We’ve gone there for decades and enjoy it every time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Radhika
The gluten free pasta was excellent and there were many choices for vegetarians who are also gluten-free. Ambiance was excellent with the fountain making the air very cool and with their nice umbrella canopies, even on a sunny warm day.
Ellyn
We haven't been there for a while and are very glad we went back. Would recommend for both small and large groups (we had seven). A bit expensive but no more so that all restaurants currently. Everyone liked the food and environment.
Sarah Maria
The restaurant wasn't very busy and we could see our server actively ignore us. He was nice when interacting with us though. My main issue is that they use WAY too much basil in their dishes; I first ordered lasagna, which was oily and lacked cheese. I then ordered the bolognese, which was riddled with basil strips therefore ruining whatever flavor it had. My boyfriend, however, thoroughly enjoyed his meal! He ordered some seafood pasta, I can't remember which one though.
lewis
This restaurant turned out to be an unexpected delight. The outside dining area is as lovely as anything we've experienced anywhere in the US or overseas. The service was exceptional, and the private dining rooms are impressive. They offer a nice menu with a good range of regular items and specials. I was impressed enough to send information to friends who frequently arrange for group dinners in the Palo Alto area. This is truly a hidden gem that will be a must-choose anytime we are in the Palo Alto area. Thank you for a delightful evening.
Anne-Marie Duliege
Great experience. Delicious food and fine service. I highly recommend it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nilesh Junnarkar
We had great lunch experience at Cafe Riace. It’s a charming place with great food. We went on a Friday afternoon and the place was empty so we got very attentive service. Food was all round great. I will be recommending this place to my friends and will be visiting again. Maybe trying in the evening. They have some interesting sculptures in the beautiful garden. Overall enjoyed the experience.
Caffe Riace is a hidden gem. I love the peace and quiet for dinner. Very lovely outdoor decor, which I am sure gets very busy during warm summer months.
Alan
This is our favorite restaurant! The food is exceptional, uniquely Sicilian. The outdoor dining on a sunny day is special. But what makes this place over the top is the extraordinary caring of Brenda, one of the owners. When my wife's meal was not entirely to her satisfaction, Brenda went well beyond anything that was called for to make everything right. My wife left raving again about Caffe Riace and what a wonderful place it is. Come. You'll be glad you did. And did I mention that the Tiramisu is like no other.
Carol
Two of us had the osso bucco, a richly sauced piece of oxtail with a perfectly cooked piece of meat which just fell off the bone. Neither of us could finish the large portion so took it home. Two of us had seafood pasta which they enjoyed, commenting about the delicious sauce and wealth of seafood. They finished their plates! The fifth of our group enjoyed her calamari steak finding it tender. All in all it was a delightful evening, with excellent service and a nice Italian red wine. We will be back to try the outside patio when it gets a bit warmer.
Peter
Plenty of nearby parking. Friendly greeting and prompt seating. Outstanding food: arancini, pasta, canoli and affogato.
Lisa HD
Had a lovely dinner at this beautiful Italian restaurant. We went on a rainy evening and we're seated inside. We had the tomato mozzarella, which wasn't very fresh for me. The eggplant appetizer was yum with ricotta cheese slices. I had the shrimp scampi special which was a bit lemony. Husband has the chicken marsala which was delicious with a glass of red. It was a nice place, good service and next time I would probably do an afternoon visit as I would love to set in their beautiful patio area.
Unfortunately our experience was not what we had hoped for. First off the wait at the table before our order was taken was too long. The menu was small and the choices limited. The two main dishes we ordered tasted good but not outstanding. But what really broke the spell for us were two things: 1)to see a rat close to our feet almost at the end of our dinner that scared us and the diners at the next table. 2) that towards the end of our dinner the waiter brought us another bottle of sparkling water without asking us if we wanted one and opened it before approaching our table and started pouring it, when I said I didn't want it he merely put it on the table and left, but then when the check came we were being charged for it!! So unprofessional! We felt cheated.
The food is very good. We had the halibut special and the chicken Marsala - both delicious! All staff are very efficient & friendly. Our server (Nicholas) is just amazing! :-)
The only good thing I can say is that aesthetically it looks good Service was pretty much nonexistent for us. I had a dinner reservation for 5:45 pm. Got there on time and got seated fairly quickly. It didn't seem that busy as there were only 2-3 tables seated outside. It was 6:15 when we decided to leave. All we were ever served with was water. No one came and got our order. No bread for our table. Just one glass of water for those 30 minutes. I think the deciding factor that made us leave was seeing the next table next to us, got seated, got bread, got their water, got their orders taken, AND got their appetizers all while coming in after us. So I went up to the guy who seated us to ask him if we can have some bread for the table and also that we're ready to order, which I shouldn't have to do that as a customer but at that point I'm just wondering if they forgot about us or were purposely ignoring us. Then the waiter goes and asks me "did you get a server?" Like ???? I don't know man, you should know this, you're the one who seated us. Overall really disappointed with this restaurant and how they service people with dinner reservations. 30 minutes with only getting served one glass of water is pretty ridiculous, in my opinion, especially if you made a reservation. We ended up going to Italico 5 minutes down the road and got seated, got our wine, our appetizers, and our dinner within about 30 minutes
Cafe Riace is a hidden gem in Palo Alto. The outdoor patio is delightful with the fountain and statues. The food is delicious and the service attentive. We’ve gone there for decades and enjoy it every time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The gluten free pasta was excellent and there were many choices for vegetarians who are also gluten-free. Ambiance was excellent with the fountain making the air very cool and with their nice umbrella canopies, even on a sunny warm day.
We haven't been there for a while and are very glad we went back. Would recommend for both small and large groups (we had seven). A bit expensive but no more so that all restaurants currently. Everyone liked the food and environment.
The restaurant wasn't very busy and we could see our server actively ignore us. He was nice when interacting with us though. My main issue is that they use WAY too much basil in their dishes; I first ordered lasagna, which was oily and lacked cheese. I then ordered the bolognese, which was riddled with basil strips therefore ruining whatever flavor it had. My boyfriend, however, thoroughly enjoyed his meal! He ordered some seafood pasta, I can't remember which one though.
This restaurant turned out to be an unexpected delight. The outside dining area is as lovely as anything we've experienced anywhere in the US or overseas. The service was exceptional, and the private dining rooms are impressive. They offer a nice menu with a good range of regular items and specials. I was impressed enough to send information to friends who frequently arrange for group dinners in the Palo Alto area. This is truly a hidden gem that will be a must-choose anytime we are in the Palo Alto area. Thank you for a delightful evening.
Great experience. Delicious food and fine service. I highly recommend it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had great lunch experience at Cafe Riace.
It’s a charming place with great food. We went on a Friday afternoon and the place was empty so we got very attentive service. Food was all round great. I will be recommending this place to my friends and will be visiting again. Maybe trying in the evening. They have some interesting sculptures in the beautiful garden. Overall enjoyed the experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Caffe Riace is a hidden gem. I love the peace and quiet for dinner. Very lovely outdoor decor, which I am sure gets very busy during warm summer months.
This is our favorite restaurant! The food is exceptional, uniquely Sicilian. The outdoor dining on a sunny day is special. But what makes this place over the top is the extraordinary caring of Brenda, one of the owners. When my wife's meal was not entirely to her satisfaction, Brenda went well beyond anything that was called for to make everything right. My wife left raving again about Caffe Riace and what a wonderful place it is. Come. You'll be glad you did. And did I mention that the Tiramisu is like no other.
Two of us had the osso bucco, a richly sauced piece of oxtail with a perfectly cooked piece of meat which just fell off the bone. Neither of us could finish the large portion so took it home. Two of us had seafood pasta which they enjoyed, commenting about the delicious sauce and wealth of seafood. They finished their plates! The fifth of our group enjoyed her calamari steak finding it tender. All in all it was a delightful evening, with excellent service and a nice Italian red wine. We will be back to try the outside patio when it gets a bit warmer.
Plenty of nearby parking. Friendly greeting and prompt seating. Outstanding food: arancini, pasta, canoli and affogato.
Had a lovely dinner at this beautiful Italian restaurant. We went on a rainy evening and we're seated inside. We had the tomato mozzarella, which wasn't very fresh for me. The eggplant appetizer was yum with ricotta cheese slices.
I had the shrimp scampi special which was a bit lemony. Husband has the chicken marsala which was delicious with a glass of red.
It was a nice place, good service and next time I would probably do an afternoon visit as I would love to set in their beautiful patio area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
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