LA Vera Cucina

Unfortunately the quality of food went down big time. But the owner and workers are all very nice. My stomach was terrible all night long. I felt dis

Been here before but only now writing a review of this place. Went here yesterday at around 6:30PM/7:00PM to celebrate my dad's birthday and mothers day. We were greeted accordingly at the front by a server. To get to the front, one has to climb stairs and open the somewhat heavy doors. Definetely not handicap accessible! Anyways, he took us to a table that was near the kitchen to the right of us.

Little complaint is that he seated us sort of near other people. it's okay, but some people may want to sit away from others, especially on a slow night. Anyways, we were served accordingly with waters and bread. Next, we were told the specials and looked at the menu. Now, i have already looked at the menu online, so sort of knew what i wanted. They have lots of wine selections. Then, we ordered appetizers: we wanted the seafood casino, but they were all out.

So we got the Fried Calamari, a side of brocolli rabe, and the special with the italian cheese. Food did take a while to come out, however when it did, the appetizers were really good! the Calamari was moist and not crunchy; the brocoli rabe was slightly bitter but whatever seasonings were on it made it delicous. The special we also enjoyed, and i tried the cheese for the 1st time and enjoyed it.

The waiter refilled our waters several times, so water refills were not an issue. Next we ordered our entrees, i ordered the Mussels Maranara with Lingine pasta. My dad ordered Scallops with pasta, and my mom ordered a chicken dish. my dad also asked for a drink which was titos with 7-up/sprite. He waited a bit for that drink, but later when he wanted another one- it was refilled right away. Finally, the food came!

I ate all the mussels, which all came out of their shell easily, and was really delicous. After scouring down the mussels, i went to my pasta. immedially asked for pepper- brought out red pepper but wanted the black pepper. The black pepper isn't on the table because they use grinded black pepper, which was good- except if one wants pepper one has to get the waiter. Anyways, got the black pepper from the waiter. Now, the pasta was a little hard (and my dad said the same thing!), but i feel like it was okay and didn't ruin the meal.

My mom and i took home leftovers, as one of the waiters packed it for us. Next, we got our check and it was about $100.00! granted some of the stuff is a little expensive, but worth it i feel. We paid via credit card and was on our way home. we left a cash tip on the table for the waiter. probably will be back soon.

Unfortunately, I do not have good news. I used to LOVE this place but now it's just a normal Italian restaurant with fairly high prices. Avoid the pasta at all costs it's not cooked well, and it will ruin your experience and meal. I had the veal Parm, and wife had chicken Francess. They were both OK, but just OK not what I am used to at this restaurant.

I will only give it three stars. The service has always been good here, but the food has gone downhill but just down to the same level of the other local Italian restaurants. Good but not fantastic anymore.

The food is amazing, from the appetizers to the desserts! Everything was delicious and very enjoyable. The service is impeccable! We are always well taken care of and are never disappointed. Definitely o e of our local favorites!

1 salad (shared), 2 main dishes (just Ok), 1 dessert (shared), 2 coffees, 1 glass of alcohol before meal: $160 (inc. tip). In my opinion, quality and service were just not good enough for this price. Also, temperature really high in each of the dinning rooms. Probably won't be back.

The food is delicious and large portions. The atmosphere is cozy clean and the staff are very friendly. Excellent I love it so much its my top favorite restaurant in this area.

It started off a bit shaky and almost walked out! The host was not too quick to accommodate us as we didn't want to be seated near the bar. He found a better spot for us, which was nice! He warmed up after a while, and we had a good time. The food was good as well as the desert! I would definitely come back.

Decor is a bit outdated but the food definitely makes up for that. We came here for Valentine's Day dinner so the menu may have been slightly different than the normal menu. The stuffed bronzino wasn't really "stuffed." The seafood was on top of the fish but the flavor was excellent. The lamb osso buco could use more seasoning. However, the lamb was cooked to perfection.

The only things that bothered me were the manager didn't wear a mask the entire time we were there and was going around hugging customers and the fact that the room you first walk into when you come in the restaurant reeked of cigarettes.

First of all I like to say this place has the best risotto and the entrees are absolutely delicious thr only issue is our waiter wasn't that great, he didn't pay much attention to us and our mealtime was 3 hours long. As I like a great dinner experience I felt it took to long to get my beverages appetizer and meal! Do to Covid wait staff was short so I can't really blame them for that but wait staff should at least be attentive.

Service was great. Awesome servers and staff, very attentive. As for the food. Not bad but nothing to write home about. Calamari tasted frozen, not a fan of it. I had lobster raviolis which were luke warm, the sauce was good though. The chicken parm and veal parm were big portions and both were good. 3 stars good food. Nice atmosphere.

Local Italian restaurant. Charming decor, but walking up the stairs to the outdoor seating area a very bad strong fish odor greeted us., which made us decide to eat indoors. Becca took us to our table in the front dining area by the fireplace. the place had a musty smell and the table wasn't set, the chairs were pretty but I sat down and didn't need to worry about spilling any food as my face was so close to the table, Because my chair sunk in.

We sat in the corner and from that point on had mediocre service. My cocktail was very good Beer was served warm and asking for a cold glass was impossible by the time we finally got someone the beer was almost finished. Our ceasar salads were delicious but all servers should be retrained not to reach over a guest to serve another. Or pass plates or handing the plate to the guest.

There wasn't salt or pepper on our table let alone being offered cracked fresh pepper for the salad. We were enjoying them when halfway through we were served our entrees. The ravioli looked and tasted store bought, the presentation was 5 raviolis that were upside down like it was thrown on the plate and waaayy over priced. No sides were offered with a overprice $26.95 dish Our chicken dishes were not hot at all.

After once again finally getting our servers attention, he took them back. After 10 minutes a different server had our hot entrees but she went to 3 other tables offering our dishes because she didn't know where they were going. As she was about to go back into the main dining room I got her attention and she brought them to us. I had to ask for parmesan cheese as well The cappuccinos were delicious but the carrot cake was not, it had no flavor and over priced at 9.95.

We don't mind paying the price for quaity food and service but this was disappointing. We felt the servers were only interested in pushing bottled water and drinks I even called ahead days before and made a reservation. When one of our party canceled I called and spoke to Becca, I mentioned this would be my first time trying this place, he assured me I would enjoy the food after being there for 17 years. I don't know if I would go back. The service was not worth leaving a tip although we did. I am very disappointed.

We come here each year to meet up with friends. Usually everything is great. Tonight 12/18/21 was not one of those times. We arrived at 6:15pm. We sat down and did not see a waiter for about 20 min. We ordered calamari as an appetizer. We did not get it until 7:30. and unfortunately it was horrible. When the calamari came to the table we thought they were onion rings because they were so large.

They were very soft and chewy. The waiter realized how long we waited for the calamari and insinuated that the restaurant would by the next round of drinks to make up for the delay. When the bill came we were charged for the drinks. We wouldn't have gotten another round if we were going to pay for it. Our experience tonight was horrible and we will probably never go back. I gave them 3 stars instead of one because event though it took forever to get through our dinner the main meal was very good.

Last night we got take out for our anniversary. I always love their food, that's not my complaint. After spending $100 on a meal for 2 ($8 on each piece of cake). I was very disappointed when it came time have dessert. The one slice was great the other slice was horrible. It was a sliver, less than half of what they showed me on the dessert tray.

I usually don't tip on take out, but this time I did as I felt they had gone above and beyond. That won't happen again. 9/5/21 Today I called and let them know that they almost lost me as a customer due to a paper thin piece of cake that they served as take out in the past, but my mom wanted her birthday dinner from there. I was told that there wasn't any way that it was that thin.

I was told first not to order, then placed on hold, when the owner came back he said they would make sure that mom's was good but they didn't care about me. We always used them for holidays and special occasions. They had one chance to obtain me as a customer, they blew it. If I could give no stars I would.

Perfection. Perfect ambiance, incredible food. The lobster bisque is absolutely incredible. From the time we were seated, until our after dinner coffee, my family and I were treated like family. This restaurant has an old school ambiance which is warm and inviting. They also have an outdoor seating area which is absolutely stunning. The food was spot on, the BEST I have had in Orange County.

The prices are reasonable and more than comenstrate with the superb quality of food that they serve. Highly recommended. The staff and management were extremely professional. I will be returning again, I'd be CRAZY not to. Check it out you won't be disappointed.

Food NOT terrible BUT. when everything on the menu is between $10 and $25 and you are offered a filet of sole special-at lunchtime-you should be told that it's $49.80 including tax. Insult to injury? He made a big deal about throwing in a piece of bread! We will never be back

Unfortunately we were unable to eat, or drink. 20 minutes at a seat and no service. Which is typically fine for me but the woman at the front insisted we sit down for a drink, because the bar had no bartender. Clearly they were too short-handed to even serve us. Or we did not take priority because we only wanted a drink. So we sat, and sat, and sat, and sat. And left. I'd like to come back again and give it another shot but the "fun" vibes here are lacking. Three stars to the sweet young gal who brought us the menus.

This place is outstanding. I have nothing bad to say. We loved everything from start to finish. Service was on point. Special were amazing, hard time choosing because they all sounded good. Dover sole special hit on every note. Stuffed Veal special was a hit. Drinks were great. Desserts on point. Will be back.

We waited two hours for our appetizers. The service was awful. The waiter never checked in to give an update on the food. We finally asked for our salads to tie us over and the response was we normally don't do it this way. The unsweetened tasted like water. It had zero flavor. The ceasar salad was drenched in the dressing that the lettuce was soggy. The grilled chicken on the salad: some were undercooked and some were overcooked. This is a 3 dollar sign restaurant not 2.

We had an excellent girls night for 3. I'm giving it 5 stars because from bread till dessert the service was great. Cocktails were yummy. Bread dip could be my meal. I had the special pork osso buco, it was very tender and done perfect. It was on top of risotto. Only complaint it could have been seasoned more. My friend enjoyed the sauce but felt her salmon was over cooked.

The Clams orgeanata and beet and goat cheese salad DELICIOUS. My 3rd friend loved her chicken with eggplant and cheese. They shared the dessert in the picture and loved it. We will definitely go back.

The staff is friendly, attentive but lacked urgency or detail. For example, someone asked for butter for their butter noodles as was given a butter box for bread. The detail would be melting the butter to add to noodles for the guest at least. Nonetheless, my experience reflects on the wait time and quality/taste of the food. We were a party of 16 with a reservation for 730pm and a prefix menu which means it was expected.

Half the party were children so kids food is easy to do. Yet, the entrees took 1h and 45 minutes estimate and arrived at 950pm. Honestly, the food was okay but the wait was not worth it. The calamari and chicken fingers were darked The salmon could use more flavor, the chicken piccatta lukewarm and veal piccatta sauce was gooey. My suspicion is that it waited in the line for too long before being sent out.

The host had to asked about entres and as soon as the complain was made entrees arrived immediately. It seem like there was some miscommunication with the food to hit the table. It is a shame since I couldn't taste the food at its prime. The tiramisu was good at least which speaks that they can do better. Overall, the dessert and friendly staff earned the restaurant two solid stars fairly. I'm sure the miscommunication for a big party affected the quality.

So many of my friends and family have been talking about La Vera Cucina for a while. Long story short, we tried and fell in love. The ambiance, the service and the food is totally impeccable and you certainly cannot get all three around here, perfectly. Our server "File" was so. literally. perfect. She was friendly without being too much, well spoken with fluidity, graceful.

I would go back just for her. Me and my fiance have been in the service industry for 10+ years. We never express our line of work at times when we are out. La Vera Cucina is top notch. Thank you. (We are Greenwood Lake natives)

We absolutely positively love this place! Our favorite restaurant! Place is beautiful service is great owners are fantastic and the food even better!

Outstanding experience! Ambiance was cozy, everything we had was beyond delicious. Service was outstanding. Easily one of the best dining experiences we've ever had. We'll definitely be back.

I believe we have found our new favorite restaurant- I don't know how we missed this gem in our backyard! The food was excellent! It was fresh and flavorful. The staff was amazingly attentive and friendly without being intrusive! The prices were reasonable - it will be your own fault for a high bill when you can't choose between 2 appetizers, 2 entrees (so you make 1 a side) and 2 desserts so you end up getting it all like my husband lol! We brought many leftovers home and our kids are now making plans to go there themselves.

I've dined at La Vera Cucina a few times and this previous time was just as great as the others! La Vera Cucina has a beautiful, well-kept property set in a residential neighborhood off the main road. The wait staff was attentive and very pleasant. If you can, try to reserve your seating outside on the patio! We started off with meatballs (2 large ones in the order) and cold anti pasta.

Their complimentary bread and homemade dipping sauce is absolutely delicious. I wish they would sell it by the bottle for purchase! As for dinner, we got the Seafood Zuppa di Pesci, Scallops Bolshevik, Cheese Ravioli, and a Dole special. Everything tasted fresh and was delicious. Our meals each included a house salad too. For dessert, we split the Tri color cake and Limoncello cake. Definitely recommend the limoncello cake. Homemade sambuca on the house was a tasty treat too!

Based out of a large Victorian home, La Vera certainly gives a impressive facade.winding driveway, beautiful and articulately decorated porch. Walking inside, you are promptly and cheered up greeted and sat, despite what appeared to be a fully packed restaurant. Very pitching waiter/maitre'd (tall, salt and pepper hair) comes quickly over and suggests several items for dinner.

We chose some of the suggestions, but not others. Our waiter took the order and ran over to the waiter computer station to enter it. At 845pm, the waiter comes back to ask what we ordered. Starting to get upset because it appeared nothing was ordered with the kitchen, a fantastic hot antipasto, with the most sublime, tasty and delicate mushrooms I'd ever ate. Baked clams, another winner! Large, with just the right amount of breading. Needed zero lemon juice.

A fantastic lobster ravioli, big chunks of meaty lobster wedges inside a heavy cream/Cabonara sauce. Then, the trophy: A Tomahawk steak, broiled medium rare to absolute perfection. If the place wasn't packed, I'd surely pick up the bone and chomp away. It was on par with Peter Luger, it was THAT GOOD! Complimentary scotch and dessert courtesy of Alex, the proprietor, of a fantastic rainbow cookie CAKE, espresso and fruit rounded out the meal. Safe to say I won't be having breakfast and lunch tomorrow! Will be back with many people; Absolute home run. There's a reason it's packed!