5 stars

s_anthonysmith 08/18/2008

Classic Food, Great Wine

I absolutely enjoyed my experience at the Bella Luna. From the evenly priced menu, to the wonderful tasting food, to the eclectic selection of fine wines, this is definitely a place that anyone who enjoys good Italian cooking should visit.

It is located on University Avenue in Downtown Palo Alto, just a few minutes' walk from the Caltrain station, 3 minutes from El Camino and 7 minutes from Hwy 101, which makes it easily accessible to folks in the City, with or without an automobile. The menu and warm atmosphere make the trip worthwhile.

There are a few outdoor tables as well, so one can relax beneath the stars and enjoy a great meal and a bottle of fine wine with his/her favorite person, have a power lunch with a full staff ready to serve your every need, or just catch a quick snack and enjoy the Palo Alto weather. The owners are warm, welcoming, and have a knack for making any meal feel like a special occasion.

If you're looking for a great restaurant to enjoy a fine European meal at an affordable price, The Bella Luna Italian Restaurant in Palo Alto, Ca is the place to visit, day or night!

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2 stars

jledd 03/08/2007

Mediocre food, mediocre service, nice atmoshpere

Provided by Citysearch

My hustband and I went here for dinner and were fairly disappointed with the quality of the food. I rarely send food back, but the mussels that I ordered were bad. They tasted spoiled and fishy. The pasta dish (fettucini with sausage) that my husband got tasted cheap and as if it was made with low quality ingredients. The prices are decent, but not considering the quality of food (also, the online menu prices are lower than actual). I would not recommend this restaurant.

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3 stars

battlemaiden 11/02/2006

Decent restaurant, but very overpriced

Provided by Citysearch

The money spend on a Bella Luna dinner could buy a much better dinner (or dinners even) elsewhere. \r \r I've been here twice, and both times the food was good, but not as good as we've found at some other Italian restaurants in Palo Alto. I didn't think the taste was worth the high bill.\r \r The decore is nice, the service average.\r \r I think its very telling the the second time I ended up here, we had decided at the last minute we wanted to go to an Italian restaurant in Palo Alto on a Friday night, and this was the first one on our list that had availability. Next time we'll plan further ahead and get reservations elsewhere.

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1 stars

andreadb 08/17/2006

Horrendous service. Absolutely horrendous

Provided by Citysearch

After waiting ONE HOURS & FORTY-FIVE MINUTES for a simple pasta dish, we left. There was only one waitress and about 20 customers. She said it was a ""rush."" The place holds about 100+. Anyway, our food never arrived. A few other customers left without their food as well. Do not go to this place!

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4 stars

kyoxchan 07/01/2006

Best food anywhere

Provided by Citysearch

Best food anywhereBest food anywhereBest food anywhereBest food anywhereBest food anywhereBest food anywhereBest food anywhereBest food anywhereBest food anywhereBest food anywhere

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2 stars

steveco1966 06/08/2006

Worst Restaurant in Bay area

Provided by Citysearch

Worst Italian Food in Palo Alto, Lousy service,lousy food, terrible desert and very expensive. Don't waste your money.

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4 stars

pookeyhontas 05/25/2006

good food and service

Provided by Citysearch

Our entrees were really good. The service was good. The dessert was a little disappointing though. (tiramisu- much better at Cheesecake Factory or Buca di Beppo)

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4 stars

karekano 08/16/2003

No detail was missed

Provided by Citysearch

We had a delightful experience at Bella Luna. We were seated quickly and served promptly throughout the evening, never waiting to order, for a refill, for the next dish, or for the check. The waiter was helpful in selecting a wine and entree. The pansotti with spinach and ricotta in a buttery sage and tomato sauce was one of the best pasta dishes I have enjoyed in a long time, and the vanilla mousse was a perfect, light way to end the meal. I thought the prices were reasonable for the amount, quality, and presentation of food, as well as the service and ambiance. If our experience was any indication, they have overcome the problems indicated in past reviews. I would be happy to go back to this gem.

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2 stars

chochay 09/11/2002

A pretty abd experience

Provided by Citysearch

This pretty restuarant in Palo Alto serves good food, if you can wait around for it. the waiters are slow, well beyond slow almost, you have to wave your arms around to get service...oh, I tried that didn't get any, correction, you have to stand up and tap the waiter on the back before you get any service. I was trying to order and the waiter convieniently did not speak english and knew nothing of ""appetizers"". I honestly did not wait any longer to torture myself so we walked out of the restaurant

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