LAVO Italian Restaurant

I recently had the opportunity to dine at LAVO Italian restaurant in downtown San Diego and overall, it was a decent experience. The restaurant is conveniently located in a prime area, easily accessible for locals and tourists alike. The ambience of the place is truly remarkable, creating an inviting and sophisticated atmosphere. As for the food, there were hits and misses. One standout dish that deserves recognition is their arancini balls. These crispy, golden rice balls stuffed with cheesy goodness were simply delectable. The flavors were well-balanced and the texture was spot-on. The bread served at LAVO is also worth mentioning. It was fresh, warm, and accompanied by a tasty olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip. The bread alone set a promising tone for the meal. Unfortunately, the mushroom pasta fell short of expectations. The flavors lacked depth and the mushrooms seemed bland. It was truly a disappointment, especially considering the reputation of Italian cuisine and the prices charged at LAVO. Similarly, the eggplant parmigiano failed to impress. The dish lacked the rich flavors and cheesy goodness that one would expect. It felt rather ordinary and uninspired. On a positive note, the service at LAVO was quick and efficient. The staff was friendly and attentive, ensuring a smooth dining experience. Additionally, the presentation of the dishes was impeccable, adding a touch of elegance to the overall dining experience. While LAVO Italian restaurant in downtown San Diego has its ups and downs, the delightful ambience, quick service, and appealing presentation make it a decent choice for an evening out. Just be cautious when ordering the mushroom pasta or the eggplant parmigiano, and you'll appreciate the highlights of this establishment.

Dined here on a Saturday night with friends. The ambiance is nice, and the noise level is loud. It's hard to have a conversation with people across the table. Service was good. I can't remember his name, but he checked up on us and made sure we were good. Food: 8 oz Filet with mushrooms My friends had the salmon, Reginette Seafood Alfredo, Rigatoni Alla Nona, Parpadelle Bolognese, Tiramisu, and Cannoli. Everyone enjoyed their dish, but for me, the steak was ok. I should've ordered something else. It was tender, though. Overall, I'd return when I visit SD again.

Food here was amazing but service was even better! Came for brunch with a friend, sat at the bar (because always prefer being closer to the action if possible). I wanna specifically shout out Will behind the bar. This mans offered (and made) my friend fresh rosemary salt because he heard her mention in passing that the truffle fries would be even better with that addition. Just whips out a lil food processor and makes fresh herbed salt- totally of his own volition! As someone who spent many years serving tables and tending bar, I was so impressed by this young man’s initiative and obvious love for the craft. Highly highly impressed. Will also makes a bangin espresso martini. He described how he made it (tequila + some liqueur to take the edge off and give it a bit of sweetness, plus real espresso) and I gotta say I was VERY skeptical that tequila would ever make a good espresso martini. Hoo boy if I was wearing a hat I would’ve had to eat it- I was wrong and it was delicious. So good I had two in addition to the bottomless mimosa, lol. Not tons of places especially in this district do bottomless mimosa so if you’re like me and my friend and can put away some champagne, it’s a good deal. Will also made sure to dial in the amount of juice in our mimosas as well- standard amount of juice is like 2oz I wanna say? Which in my world is about 1.5 ounces too many- so he mixed them the way we liked which was great. The seafood pasta was awesome and one of the dishes with freshly made pasta. Definitely get it with the spicy red pepper sauce on the side and mix it in- that really elevated that dish to a 10/10 for me. Super impressed by the food but especially the service at this spot. Very very impressed