Bravo Cucina

My husband and I now joke about Bravo Cucina being the prime example of Worst Restaurant Ever. It’s truly a trainwreck down there. Gordon Ramsay & the Kitchen Nightmares show would walk out on this place. There is not one redeeming quality about this restaurant.
We were lured in by an enthusiastic host on the street who gave us a free margarita coupon. The «margarita» was the worst drink I’ve ever had in my life– similar to the repulsive orange «Jungle Juice» they’d serve from a trash bin at the worst frat parties in college. The server saw my expression and admitted they ran out of margarita mix so it was just orange juice and tequila. I couldn’t even drink it.
We ordered bruschetta for an appetizer. First came the bread, which we ate, assuming it was just complimentary. Ten minutes after we finished the bread, out comes a plate of unevenly chopped tomatoes & garlic with a brick of something resembling mozzarella half-​melted on top. Ohhh, so we were supposed to assemble our own bruschetta with that bread we finished earlier? Okayyy…
When my veggie burger finally came out, it was the exact same generic patty you can buy for a buck in the grocery store freezer aisle. The fries were obviously frozen too and tasted like cardboard.
My husband’s meal was even worse. He got some pasta & chicken dish and had to spit out several pieces of hard, rubbery chicken. It was so awful it was almost comical, but I was still hungry and it’s hard to find humor when you can’t even swallow the tasteless garbage on your plate. The other couple in the restaurant seemed to be even more outraged than us, since we saw our waiter apologize profusely to some cranky looking lady, then went in the back and never came back out again. A different guy brought us our bill for over $ 80.
As long as I live, when rating a new restaurant on a scale of 1 to 0, I will always define ZERO as being Bravo Cucina. Awful in every way. Pick the Chipotle down the street instead. Or a random vending machine. Or just go hungry. Anything’s better than paying this place to serve you turds on a plate.

If I could rate this restaurant less than 1 star I would. Unfortunately 1 is the least. 3 of us visited recently and…
1. Place was almost empty in middle of day an yet the only server was still sluggish. Drink refills for sure were an issue.
2. Forgot to deliver the specialty beverages until reminded.
3. Brought a few slices of old bread to the table to serve 3 people.
4. When the 2 specialty drinks arrived, one glass had lipstick on it and had to be replaced.
5. 3 simple salad orders and the server screwed up my order and gave me a steak sandwich and fries instead of the NY Steak Salad. Within a couple minutes I received what I ordered and there was more salad than any steak. 3 small pieces to be exact which appeared they took off the sandwich and just transfered to the salad. $ 18.00 for a salad that costs less than $ 5 to make at home using a full steak and arugula.
6. The server spent more time chatting with people outside not in the restaurant than tending to those who were eating or waiting to be served.
8. The server never offered to remove the drinks from the bill or at least 1 drink for his lack of attention and the lipstick issue.
9. Food was bland, steak for salad was ordered medium rare and was like rubber.
This restaurant is not at all worth the price they charge on their menu and they are in Santa Monica. From all the posts, which some are older, all I see are apologies, but nothing seems to have improved. Here is the kicker. They have a Zagat 2015 sticker on their front window. If Zagat truly extended this to them, I am seriously going to reconsider Zagat’s accuracy. Either that or they pilfered the sticker from another restaurant, or the owner has a friend somewhere.
The bill was over $ 50.00 for a cob, ceasar and steak salad with 2 drinks and I saw no hidden charges or overcharges. Still not worth 1 dime of what I spent.

Honestly it takes a lot for me to write a bad review. Here it is: poor service– hardly checked up on us, took way to long for food to arrive, never refilled water/​tea, burger was plain (had to ask for a sauce to give it flavor) with no seasoning, expensive for what it was and they’re register was broken, so we had to go get cash to pay (at least mention this upfront). One up side– the eggs florentine was ok.

One word. terrible
Walking to the bathroom to start. floor filthy dirty and bathrooms a mess.
Our server was pleasant. I did have to ask for refills on drinks.
And then the food…
The man got salmon. I got a chicken cedar salad that tasted like salmon. I couldn’t eat the chicken! The Roman heart pieces were brown. You don’t serve that stuff for crying it loud!
I was very disappointed in the whole experience. Sad to say it looked good to start with.

The Promenade in Santa Monica can feel crowded and full of generic foods and unhealthy choices. But hidden amongst the noise and chaos is a true jewel of Santa Monica «Bravo Cucina» I heard the food was authentic and the new grass fed meatballs would make me a loyal guest. I was surprised and delighted. The meatball sauce and meatballs flavor were delicate and layered, really shocked at how good they were. Then the mushroom ravioli, this one dish I could literally have everyday. The sauce was beautifully crafted and the ravioli cooked perfectly and melts with unworldy flavors. Defiantly a great place for family and friends, hospitality was cheerful and attentive. Tables were clean and some great poetry on the walls. Has to be a top pick in La and Santa Monica. Thank you Peter and Bravo Cucina

tl;dr — Upvote for the chef; Many downvote for the service staff. Be specially vary of the hidden charges. We are never likely to return.
EDIT: — Owner replied to this review but when I looked at multiple reviews. Owner just copy pastes replies, does not seem sincere about customer services. If you are reading this review before entering make a careful choice. It’s after you’ve been there, my sympathies go with you.
First of all we went to this restaurant because it had a free tiramisu with an entrée. So I and my wife walked into this restaurant. We ordered a pasta to share because we were in a mood for a light lunch. We ordered a pasta and asked to substitute marinara with alfredo, nothing was mentioned.
However in the bill they had a suspicious entry (Add B) with $ 3.5 extra which is odd. We felt that since our bill was low waiter just added some cost randomly. Neither was there any mention of substitution cost nor the waiter suggested. Also «Add B» for substitution also did not make sense, we felt he just made the reason up when we asked for it. I would say this restaurant’s treatment to customers is horrendous but the food is good.
But such treatment sticks more with the experience and we are never likely to return.

Excellent food. Brunch until 4. Great ambience. Reasonably priced. Service not bad.

Not coming back. This place has inexperienced staff who make you ask for every refill even when you leave all of your empty cups on the corner. They do not pre buss your table so you get stuck with no room on your table. And not to mention their panini is nothing like a real panini, unless you like your panini made with a dry loaf of bread and not pressed. Only good thing was the fries and cold beer.
And when you want your check good luck. You play the waiting game. Then on top of it they over charge your card. That’s always fun…

Very slow service, waiter hardly came to check on us for refills and food and bread came 25 minutes after water — absolutely disgusting bathrooms — over priced food. By 1p they were out of burgers and ground meat products — put by a door where I kept getting bumped into. Food is hardly worth the price wait or visit. Calamari was flavorless. Don’t be lured in by cute patio or free dessert. Ordered eggs Florentine and got eggs benedict. Pasta sauce was watery — most food tasted like it was frozen.

Came in with my girlfriend for our anniversary dinner. Hostess sat us in the patio. Ordered calamari for starters. entrée was the rigatoni farma and diavolo. Calamari came in 5 mins later.
A father and a son came in about 10mins after us. They sat inside.
45 mins later. Our pasta still havent came, but the father and son that came in after us are eating already.
I asked the hostess about our pasta and she said «the meat is there were just waiting for the pasta»
I know they have a pasta boiler on all the time. Shouldnt take 5 to 7 mins to be cooked.
Got the check for the calamari and walked out, went to bucca down the street instead.
Really had high expectation of this place, but after tonight I dont think ill be coming back. I dont know if they have new owners or same but service was different then when I remembem

Is the building old, yes. Were the tables wobbly, yes. Was the food great, YES!
Even though the other reviews were less than favorable we decided to give it a try. I’m glad we did.
I had the gnocchi with pesto. I usually don’t like anyone else’s gnocchi since my grandmother passed but the gnocchi at Bravo Cucina was perfect!
My daughter’s best friend had the fettuccine with pesto and prawns. I think she actually licked the plate! And yes, the tiramisu was at least as good as some of the best I have had; and I have had my share.
The biggest negative is the long wait for the food. The menu is huge which may contribute to the timing issue.
The building is probably original to Santa Monica. It could use a good scrubbing but the oldness is part of it’s charm. The 3^rd Street Promenade is full of slick, modern, chain stores and restaurants, it’s nice to find a place that does not feel so L.A. fake.
Bravo Cucina would be right at home in San Francisco and if you know food you know that is high praise!

Pricey place but gives you a free dessert with entrée, so was allowed to use 2 coupons with my order. Was seated right away and unlimited bread was great. How the serve the tea is very fancy, I love it. Seeing my hubby is a big tea drinker it was super cute. Really wish they had a half portion menu for those on diets. And that they check their tables as every time I leaned on then off, hubby would wear hot tea & I cold water. Our table was off balanced which made for some annoying slipping each moment

Oh my… one of the best Italian restaurants in LA… and I expect only the very best!
Can’t beat the friendly staff, spectacular food and location!
Glass of Chianti, Lemoncello Martini, Fresh Bread, Happy Cathy Salad, Shrimp Fra Diavolo, and Rigatoni Farma… Tasty?
Thank you Peter, Oscar and Carlos!

Went for dinner around 5:00pm on a Monday. We were the only people in the inside seating area. We ordered two sandwiches, a meatball and a chicken parmesan. Both were at best room temperature. The meatball sandwich was not good and the texture was odd. Each sandwich cost $ 16.00. So $ 32.00 for two room temperature sandwiches.
They took 30% off on the bill, so $ 22.00 for cold sandwiches that were not close to being good.
On the positive, the waiter was very nice.

This restaurant was far less than impressive. We got lured in with a «free dessert with your entrée» offer. The place wasn’t too incredibly busy, and yet everything was very slow. The bread came out late, the water took forever to be refilled, the food took a while, and we waited almost half an hour just for the check.
The food itself was pretty tasty but definitely not for the price. The restaurant is small and seems cute at first — then you walk toward the bathroom and you can see how it isn’t kept up so well. As I walked to the bathroom, there was a window where a man was washing dishes and I got sprayed with the hose he was using.
When in Southern California, there are so many great meal options! This restaurant is not one of them.

I was a little nervous about trying this place given the Unilocal reviews, but was pleasantly surprised. Although the ambiance leaves a bit to be desired (we sat inside because there was a loud street performance happening just next to the patio), the food is totally solid and the service great. We were running a bit late for a play, and the server rushed us our wine, and our entrees were out in no time. I tried the chicken marsala, which was quite good and came with a super yummy little arugula salad and delicious roasted potatoes. Priced a bit high ($ 20) but still, I enjoyed the meal and appreciated the expeditiousness of the service.

When we first walked in and I checked Unilocal,I was a little worried about the food and the service. I was totally kicking myself for not checking reviews first. That changed shortly after we sat down.
We were seated immediately because it wasn’t super busy. The server took our drink orders and another gentleman (possibly the owner or manager?) came by to tell us the specials (which sounded amazing). Fresh warm bread with oil and balsamic came out quickly, which was perfect considering we were starving.
Boyfriend ordered the fish special — sole over a scallop risotto. The fish was pan-​seared and served with capers, kalamata olives, and tomatoes. I ordered the grilled salmon salad. Both were amazing — the fish melted in your mouth and the salad was fresh and very flavorful.
We were full, but the guy in charge twisted our arms a bit when it came to dessert. After we read the description, we decided to have their Crispy Chocolate Ravioli. No joke — the boyfriend looked me right in the eye and said, «YOLO, right?!» The chocolate ravioli was so amazing. Crispy on the outside with a warm, chocolatey center. It was served with vanilla gelato and whipped cream. I thought I was too full for dessert, but this was just fab.
I’m still confused about how they acquired such poor Unilocal reviews. My taste buds and tummy are both happy. I would say this place was worth a try. Overall, it seemed like and Italian family-​type restaurant.

Accueil vraiment très chaleureux suivi d’un repas à la hauteur. Le patron vient en personne proposer les plats du jour, pleins de saveurs et parfaitement servis.
Musique live dans la rue pour l’ambiance, à recommander.

This review is loooooon overdue, but here it is.
I first went to Bravo 11 years ago. It was OUTSTANDING then. The mushroom ravioli was simply heaven.
Sadly, they’ve steadily declined and I shall go there no more. I’m almost positive either ownership or management has changed, and so have the ingrediants. They use canned mushrooms now (or it certainly seems that way!), and the food just isnt as good as it once was. Plus, they havent remodeled or upgraded their tables/​chairs in over a decade, and the normal wear and tear really shows.
Its unfortunate but they’ve lost a once loyal eater. I give them 2 stars instead of 1 just because of the memories (I proposed to my wife here, thats how much I used to love this place!!!)

Came here yesterday with Jayleen Y. and a few friends I hadn’t seen in a while.
My friend was looking for Italian food and we stumbled upon this little place. Lucky we did, because we all had a fantastic meal!
Jayleen and I split the calamari and mushroom ravioli. My friends split the Salmon ravioli and the pesto fettuccine.
The calamari was hot out of the fryer, crispy and just enough chew. The mushroom ravioli had real tomatoes in it, which is always refreshing and a healthy portion of mushrooms.
I tried a bit of the salmon ravioli and would definitely recommend that as well! The fish is not overwhelming and the sauce complements it quite well!
Waiter Rogelio was hilarious and fantastic with making sure our food came out in a timely manner!

This place is located right next to George’s and I feel a lot of competition going on. I came here on a Sunday afternoon and everywhere was pretty packed. We didn’t want to settle on subway or anywhere that we can get back home.
We first went toward George’s menu stand and the waitress was super nice. She was complementing my bag and shirt and also went on and on about how their menu has everything but pizza. Everything sounds good but I wanted to see what Bravo has to offer.
The first thing I saw was breakfast and brunch and it was served till 4pm! Sold! Gotta have my egg Benedict on my beautiful Sunday afternoon! Oh I was also greeted by a nice young girl too. I felt bad for ditching the other girl tho.
Anyway, we were seated outside but the sun was too bright for me so we went inside. Got some complimentary bread which was okay. Bland and dry. I wish it had garlic or something. Their passion fruit tea is unsweetened and they have Splenda, C&H and equal sugar packets on the side.
This time I didn’t get my egg Benedict but I did get the egg florentine and my boyfriend got the salmon ravioli. The egg florentine came with two poached egg, English muffin, creamy spinach with hollandaise sauce. The sauce was so not over powering anything and the ooze of the yolk was perfect. The ravioli was so creamy and delicious. I wish I didn’t have to eat everything so fast because I wanted that savory dish to last another 10 minutes! But hey, never stop a hungry girl!
Overall, this is a great place to bring your date. I say don’t bring your kids because this place is pretty small and spaces between tables are very cramped. Take them to McDonald next door please.