Villa Sorriso

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168 W Colorado Blvd (at Pasadena Ave)
Pasadena, CA 91105

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(626) 793-2233
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Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Villa Sorriso - Pasadena, CA
Reviews
( 15 )
( 11 )
( 8 )
( 8 )
( 21 )

Best

I am a fan of the food as well, but they have been offering some great happy hour specials recently as well as the 1/2 off wine, which I'm also a big fan of.

Worst

To start with the positive ? I got the patio table I reserved and the calamari and bread were okay. The server wasn?t too bad either ? well? nice guy, slow service. Now, to why I ...

Best time I've had in weeks! 4/18/2006

I visited Villa Sorriso for my birthday, and had a grand time. The place is absolutely beautiful - like another world. The food was great, not to mention economical. My girlfriends and I were greeted with smiling faces and served with respect. We sat under one of the patio cabanas and enjoyed looking around and seeing candles, a firepit, a vintage movie and all around pleasant vibes. We enjoyed several of the famed martinis off of the impresive list, and didn't bust our budget!! I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for great food, ambiance, and an impressive bar!! Pros: food, ambiance, service more
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Birthday Bummer 3/12/2006

My friends took me out to lunch for my birthday and we were very dissapointed with the lack of service. The waiter never asked how our food was, we had to ask 3 times to get a refill of hot water for our teas and when we finally got it the waiter gave the wrong teas to the wrong people, when I asked for more salad dressing they brought the wrong dressing, then he dropped off the check and did not ask if we wanted dessert which we wanted. So very disappointing, never again! Pros: seated promptly Cons: bad service, cold more
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Horrible Service 2/25/2006

This place is not optimized for large parties. Trying to get water for our table was like pulling teeth, and it was like self service when it came to getting your order. The waiter would yell out "sea bass" and I would have to raise my hand for my order. Whatever happened to the waiter remembering your order? Our waiter even botched up the coffee orders and the cake that was brought took forever to slice and serve. Trying to get a drink at the bar was such a joke. The bartenders have this weird power trip where they don't even acknowledge you. Go to the upstairs lounge, at least the bartender there is helpful and will serve you right away. Pros: None Cons: Service, Bartenders more
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Extremely rude hostess! 2/13/2006

It was 8p.m on a Saturday night, so it was yet to be insanely busy as it usually is....I walk up to the hostess stand with a few of my girlfriends we dont have reservations but we ask if we can have a table for 5 the host immediatley responds with attitude, we are no longer serving..We are no longer serving?? She throws out you can sit at the bar....after we stood there for about 2 mins waiting...she then turned her back to us and proceeded to talk to the other host..That was the RUDEST host I have ever encountered... Cons: RUDE HOST, RUDE HOST, RUDE HOST more
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yes its good 1/29/2006

i had the filet mignon, and i ordered it medium rare, expecting the usual medium instead. but the kitchen nailed it and it was a beautiful piece of meat, with a savory peppercorn sauce that really satisfied. my date had a lobster ravioli special that was equally up to par. its not all that cheap but its quite worth it Pros: great food, great ambiance, great service more
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West side vibe, Old town prices 1/11/2006

SO nice that you can have dinner in a hot looking restaurant and not have to pay the price! The menu is broad and priced so that you can come more than once a week. I also love the "scene" on Saturday nights after dinner when the music comes up and the hot eastsiders are there to get down! Pros: food, bar scene, Ambiance more
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Disappointed!!! 11/15/2005

The only thing this restaurant has is decoration and location. Everything else, food and service never existed!!!! Pros: Decoration, location Cons: food, service more
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Horrible service! Never returning! 11/9/2005

Made reservation 3 days ahead, had 2 give my credit card, cuz they charge $5 per person if reservation isnt cancelled by 2pm same day. And when I told her I was having 18 ppl, she told me on top of the 18% gratuity, there is a catering fee if over 17 ppl. 14 out of 18 ppl arrived on time, but werent seated til 40 mins later, cuz everyone had 2 be there 2 be seated(btw, our table was empty). when we sat down, we were rushed to finish our meal so they can "turn over their tables". I told them 2 ppl were gonna show up late when i made reservation, yet when they arrived, they werent allowed 2 order food cuz "our time is up". i asked if they could at least have some bread, waitress said yes, but never came back. it was a horrible experience!!! more
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Don't waste ur time! 10/6/2005

I wish I had read the reviews b4 I ate there. It was horrible. I ate there on a Wed night and the restaurant was almost empty. HOwever, I did not get great service during a slow night. I would had to look for the waiter for refills and the bill. The pasta was in a small portion and it did not taste good either. I will never go back again! Pros: Atmosphere Cons: bad food, bad service more
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horrible! 9/11/2005

i wish i read all these review before i decided to celebrate my little sister's birthday there. even though we made reservation, we waited almost 1/2 hour to be sitted. it took forever to get our drinks, and even longer to get our food. when we kindly let her know we waited 1/2 hour for our food, she just coldly said becoz we are a party of 8, it will take that long to get our food. when the food finally came, the lasagna my little sister ordered was cold and hard. the waitress didn't even bother clearing our table or getting refills for us. the bread basket and the empty appetizer plate were on the table the whole time. when we complained to the manager about the food and the horrible service, she didn't even care! it was by far the WORST experience i ever had at a restaurant. more
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People who write good reviews are lying 8/6/2005

Anyone who thinks this place has great food obviously has not been to enough restaurants. I went there for a Sunday brunch with a friend and both of our dishes were disagreeable. The pasta he had could've been made at home with spaghetti and mayonaise and my sandwich's bread tasted like chunks of drywall. The lemonade I had was so watered down it was like drinking sour water. However, the atmosphere is very nice but it does not correlate with the quality of the food. Pros: Atmosphere, Pretty hostesses, Cheap Cons: Food more
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Just ok... 3/6/2005

This place is completely over rated! The service (in the restaurant) was lousy! The waitress made us feel rushed from the very second we sat down. As I was about to ask for her suggestion on a cocktail, she cut me off and said "obviously you need another minute, I'll be back"! She never came around to ask if we needed anything, asked how our meal was (which by the way was just average), if we'd like dessert, etc. Although I must say the atmosphere is great! The drinks are well worth the high price. I recommend this place if your're looking to have a good time at the bar but I will never return to have dinner. Pros: Atmosphere, Great Cocktails, Location Cons: Rude staff, Service more
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Not as good as the original 3/2/2005

This is the ""new"" version of Sorriso, which was located a few blocks down the street. (Bar Celona, a tapas bar, is now in its old space). This space is very sleek and modern--very Hollywood/Westside type of vibe. The menu is different, with more seafood and steaks. Unfortunately, many of the outstanding pasta dishes on the Sorriso menu (gnocchi, chicken bowtie pasta) are no longer on the menu. I found the pastas to be good, but not as good as the original. Also, portions are smaller. However, this is a great place for drinks--the drinks are strong and staff are quick to ask if you need a refill. On the patio, misters are turned on in summer, heaters in the winter. Pros: Hip vibe, strong drinks Cons: Average food more
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Not as good as the original 3/2/2005

This is the "new" version of Sorriso, which was located a few blocks down the street. (Bar Celona, a tapas bar, is now in its old space). This space is very sleek and modern--very Hollywood/Westside type of vibe. The menu is different, with more seafood and steaks. Unfortunately, many of the outstanding pasta dishes on the Sorriso menu (gnocchi, chicken bowtie pasta) are no longer on the menu. I found the pastas to be good, but not as good as the original. Also, portions are smaller. However, this is a great place for drinks--the drinks are strong and staff are quick to ask if you need a refill. On the patio, misters are turned on in summer, heaters in the winter. Pros: Hip vibe, strong drinks Cons: Average food more
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Had a Blast! 2/27/2005

My friends and I dined there Saturday February 13th and it was busy!! I was a little leary that my B-day party of 16 was not going to e smooth but it was great!! Food came out great, service was fun (the guy was funny) and best Martini in Pasadena. Try the Canteloupe. My only complaint is the dancing starts so late. more
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Pasadena Identity crisis - awful service 2/7/2005

We had made reservations here for 8 people for drinks for a friends birthday and were tastefully dressed and ready to drop some cash at the bar. First they told us we had to pay a $5 cover, then dropped it to $2.50. Who charges $2.50 cover? On top of that they came and tried to check our compliance to their 'dress code'. After paying the cover and leaving it on the counter as there was no-one willing to take our money, we were later accosted and accused of not paying the $2.50 by the manager and a 'heavy'. We often frequent much more 'prestigious' bars in hollywood and w. hollywood and I've personally never been treated more rudely in LA. You couldn't pay me to go back here. This place has a severely overinflated ego of itself. Cons: idiotic cover, rude staff more
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Bring back the old Sorriso 1/25/2005

Sorriso was great before it became the "Villa". The 2 times that I have been there, the food was horrible. The chicken parmesan was dry and covered with a tomato paste that might as well have come straight from a can. The angel hair pomodoro was drenched in yet another tomato sauce that was the most sour pomodoro I have ever had. There was no hint of any other flavors in the sauce. The Misto Salad came drenched in dressing but yet was still tasteless. I wondered why it was served with a wedge of lemon-I had to use it to flavor my salad. In addition, one of the servers kept running into my chair. I found tomato sauce on the back of my jacket after I left the restaurant. Pros: trendy environ, nice outdoor dining Cons: , insensitive service more
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Awesome Atmosphere 12/25/2004

The atmosphere at Sorriso is great; pretty and diverse crowd. Food is great - changes have apparently been made in the menu and food is excellent. I see references to Twin Palms from past reviewers - the crowd at Sorriso is infinitely more appealing, as is the music. There is a DJ on weekend nights who plays a tight mix. My friends have planned parties at Sorriso recently and everyone has had a great night each time. Pros: Atmosphere, Crowd, Food more
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Horrible Service & attitude 12/11/2004

Having been impressed their sister restaurant (Old Towns BarCelona), we decided to try Villa Sorriso in their new digs off Colorado and Pasadena Ave. The place is BUSY, but thats okay. Nice layout, and design. Thumbnail impressions: Hosts/hostesses (3 of them) were totally dismissive to the point of rudeness (they seemed more interested in their own conversation than the long line of people waiting to check in). We were seated forty-five minutes AFTER our reservation time, unacceptable. The table service was horrible, non-existent; never saw her after we ordered (a check was deposited without desert even being offered.) The food was just fair in quality and price. Would not return unless the service issues were resolved. Pros: location Cons: , service, service more
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A good upscale pasadena option 10/17/2004

I just visited the martini bar, so I didn't have any of the food that others appear to be dissatisfied with. It's a pretty big place, but keeps a cozy feel by dividing up the space into several different rooms--some indoor, some outdoor. The decor was classy and I especially liked the tents that were outside. The dj played a good mix of crowd-pleasing musing from lots of different genres. The crowd was anywhere from 20's to 40's, and looked like an upscale Pasadena crowd...trendy, pretty people--nothing too edgy. Overall, I liked it and would recommend it, especially if you are with a diverse group of people. There is nothing not to like here, but the bar does seem to be missing a unique character or personality. Pros: ambience, good mix of music, decent prices more
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Menu for Villa Sorriso


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Sunest Happy Hour Monday - Friday 4:00 - 7:00 and Moonlight Happy Hour Sunday - Thursday 9:00-11:00pm

Editorial

  • In Short
    In its new, more centrally located home, this longtime Pasadena favorite stretches out over two levels, with tasteful, candlelit modernist interiors straight out of Architectural...

  • 3/3/2005 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Thu 11:30am-12am Fri - 11:30am-1am Sat 10:30am-1am Sun 10:30am-12am
  • Neighborhoods: South Arroyo, East LA
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