Great food, right a cross the street from a very trendy and a bit over rated Italian restaurant. Wish more people gave this place a try. Great service and classic dishes with great wine selection.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Unfortunately the seafood pasta I ordered with Olive oil and garlic was not worth it. The calamari was very rubbery and the garlic sauce wasn't evident. The dish was totally bland and nit good. I should have returned the dish.
Patty P.
There's been a refresh and it's great. Food has always been really good but decor has added to the charm.
Ruby P.
Let me start with the food- incredible and very authentic. The appetizers I indulged in were the grilled calamari and carciofini (artichoke) salad. The salad is so flavorful and calamari grilled to perfection; the best I have had- tender and flavorful! The main course I had the fusilli nassa pasta which had little shrimps cooked in a red sauce that melts in your mouth. The Branzino with roasted potatoes and veggies were absolutely delicious. The linguine made with zucchini and topped with mouthwatering clams and porcini mushrooms was a fantastic alternative for those that cannot eat regular pasta (still an option). I recommend closing the meal out with a flavorful chocolate flourless cake or tiramisu desert! The service is impeccable as one of the Italian owner navigates through the busy tables making sure everyone's' needs are met. The Ambiance includes original artwork and perfect lighting for a night out with friends, family or a romantic interlude. It is truly a gem! A little slice of Italy nestled in Santa Monica Canyon.
Stuart G
Wonderful to be back, delicious food, great cosy vibe and hard to leave! Make sure you ask to check out his Ferrari Formula 1 memorabilia, whether it be the carved marble F1 Tyre or Michael Schumachers race jacket from back in the day!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Linguine Mare White, Grilled Calamari, Caesar Salad, Linguine Clams E Porcini in Bianco
Jamie Johnson
Got a seat by the window and had an awesome meal with a date. Food was great and so was the bottle of wine we shared. Service was very attentive and the vibe was old school small town Italian style. Walkable within SM in a great location.
Miguel Chion
Mixed feelings. The pasta was excellent but the steak and veal was just okay. The steak had too much Worcester sauce that you could not appreciate the neat flavor, though the meat was very tender. The veal was a little bit tough... how was that possible... it's veal. The server seems to be a little bit annoyed, we didn't know if he had a bad day or something else. Understanding that this is a gourmet, a little bit hig end restaurant, we expected more. We are not sure if it is really worth to come back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
aronp
Cafe Delfini is a hidden gem. The food is authentic Italian and delicious. The only problem is that there are too many tempting choices on the menu. We had artichoke salad, sauteed spinach, veal milanese and a pasta special with shrimp. Service is attentive and friendly. The manager/owner keeps a careful eye on things also. We had a small hiccup and not only was the problem solved, but a delicious tartufo dessert arrived on the house. We were visiting from the East and staying at the Channel Road Inn nearby. We wish we had a Cafe Delfini at home!
Such a special find and right in our "backyard"! Being both Malibu and Brentwood homeowners we were delighted to dine for the first time and brought guests who were unfamiliar with the restaurant. The history is fun, the ambiance is romantic and personal, and the food is exceptional on every level. A thoughtfully curated wine list as well. PS Do not let the parking frighten you. The valets are quick and caring.
philp
We had a terrific experience. We were a party of 4, and everyone thought their dish was excellent. Very enjoyable neighborhood atmosphere. We are looking forward to a return visit.
KenR
Very kind people working. The service was a bit slow but it worked out perfectly for us. The food was good and the ambiance was perfect. The bathrooms were cold too but I left with a positive experience overall. You should definitely try it out.. They are very personable there xo
AlonP
stayed near by on business travel. went on my own based on recommendation from person at hotel. great host and waitress. very very good service - food and wine were great but I found it costly - roughly $100 for a soup, main, glass of wine and an affogato. but its been a while since ive been out on the west coast so i could be wrong here
This place is awesome. Great food, service and setting. It is a small restaurant so tables are a little close and can be a little loud. That said, the food was fantastic, food came out in a reasonable time, will be back many more times.
It’s Italian
Great food, right a cross the street from a very trendy and a bit over rated Italian restaurant. Wish more people gave this place a try. Great service and classic dishes with great wine selection.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Unfortunately the seafood pasta I ordered with Olive oil and garlic was not worth it. The calamari was very rubbery and the garlic sauce wasn't evident. The dish was totally bland and nit good. I should have returned the dish.
There's been a refresh and it's great. Food has always been really good but decor has added to the charm.
Let me start with the food- incredible and very authentic. The appetizers I indulged in were the grilled calamari and carciofini (artichoke) salad. The salad is so flavorful and calamari grilled to perfection; the best I have had- tender and flavorful! The main course I had the fusilli nassa pasta which had little shrimps cooked in a red sauce that melts in your mouth. The Branzino with roasted potatoes and veggies were absolutely delicious. The linguine made with zucchini and topped with mouthwatering clams and porcini mushrooms was a fantastic alternative for those that cannot eat regular pasta (still an option). I recommend closing the meal out with a flavorful chocolate flourless cake or tiramisu desert! The service is impeccable as one of the Italian owner navigates through the busy tables making sure everyone's' needs are met. The Ambiance includes original artwork and perfect lighting for a night out with friends, family or a romantic interlude. It is truly a gem! A little slice of Italy nestled in Santa Monica Canyon.
Wonderful to be back, delicious food, great cosy vibe and hard to leave! Make sure you ask to check out his Ferrari Formula 1 memorabilia, whether it be the carved marble F1 Tyre or Michael Schumachers race jacket from back in the day!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Linguine Mare White, Grilled Calamari, Caesar Salad, Linguine Clams E Porcini in Bianco
Got a seat by the window and had an awesome meal with a date. Food was great and so was the bottle of wine we shared. Service was very attentive and the vibe was old school small town Italian style. Walkable within SM in a great location.
Mixed feelings. The pasta was excellent but the steak and veal was just okay. The steak had too much Worcester sauce that you could not appreciate the neat flavor, though the meat was very tender. The veal was a little bit tough... how was that possible... it's veal. The server seems to be a little bit annoyed, we didn't know if he had a bad day or something else. Understanding that this is a gourmet, a little bit hig end restaurant, we expected more. We are not sure if it is really worth to come back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Cafe Delfini is a hidden gem. The food is authentic Italian and delicious. The only problem is that there are too many tempting choices on the menu. We had artichoke salad, sauteed spinach, veal milanese and a pasta special with shrimp. Service is attentive and friendly. The manager/owner keeps a careful eye on things also. We had a small hiccup and not only was the problem solved, but a delicious tartufo dessert arrived on the house. We were visiting from the East and staying at the Channel Road Inn nearby. We wish we had a Cafe Delfini at home!
Fun local Italian gem in Santa Monica canyon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Such a special find and right in our "backyard"! Being both Malibu and Brentwood homeowners we were delighted to dine for the first time and brought guests who were unfamiliar with the restaurant. The history is fun, the ambiance is romantic and personal, and the food is exceptional on every level. A thoughtfully curated wine list as well. PS Do not let the parking frighten you. The valets are quick and caring.
We had a terrific experience. We were a party of 4, and everyone thought their dish was excellent. Very enjoyable neighborhood atmosphere. We are looking forward to a return visit.
Very kind people working. The service was a bit slow but it worked out perfectly for us. The food was good and the ambiance was perfect. The bathrooms were cold too but I left with a positive experience overall. You should definitely try it out.. They are very personable there xo
stayed near by on business travel. went on my own based on recommendation from person at hotel. great host and waitress. very very good service - food and wine were great but I found it costly - roughly $100 for a soup, main, glass of wine and an affogato. but its been a while since ive been out on the west coast so i could be wrong here
This place is awesome. Great food, service and setting. It is a small restaurant so tables are a little close and can be a little loud. That said, the food was fantastic, food came out in a reasonable time, will be back many more times.