Osteria Al Portego

If you’re not looking for it, you’ll probably walk right by this tiny restaurant. The faded sign is barely visible. There’s no menu outside, no one out front trying to lure you in. But if you do walk by, you’ll miss out on some of the best food in Venice. There isn’t a printed menu—just a chalkboard with the day’s offerings. Our waiter actually sat down with us to explain it all and help us choose. The house wine was excellent. My wife and I shared an order of Frittura di Pesce Verde—basically very lightly fried fish (calamari, clams, cod) and vegetables. Huge portions, perfectly crispy, and absolutely delicious. My wife had Tortelli con pomodoro, burrata e pesto—huge ravioli stuffed with burrata in a rich tomato and pesto sauce. She loved it. I had the Linguine alle vongole (littleneck clams)—cooked perfectly al dente, with more clams than you could possibly eat. I highly recommend you find this place. It’s awesome.

Our server was very helpful in translating all the food available for the day that was posted on the blackboard. Everything we ordered was amazing. The best food we’ve had in Italy so far. We were the only English speaking people in here, so that’s definitely a good sign!

We had our first dinner there. Small but lovely place. If you are looking for just some drinks its okay too, you can just grab your drinks and go outside. We had some fried seafood and pasta and they were amazing. We loved it, definitely top 3 dinner in our trip.

Genuine Venetian experience ,small ,discreet off the beaten tourist path. We tried a couple of cicchetti and then the fritura de pesce , then topped it off with a knock out tiramisu and a knock over Grappa!!! Couldn’t have been made more welcome for fumbling English couple with minuscule command of Italian …Superb !!!

Expectations were high, maybe too high but overall experience was mediocre. Bland old bread served as 'coperto', overpriced below average 'house' wine (no proper introduction and description) for which we didn't get seperate glasses, objectively small portions in relation to the price... Certain elements of dishes were good (gnocchi, polenta,..) but overall plates were disappointing (non-consistent plating, collapsed lasagna,...) Overall service was kind of disrespectful. From previuos experiences I guess the quality depends on the day, so good luck with that! Would and would not recommend.

It was recommended by our tour guide and is located in a small alley — which is always a good sign. Their dishes are a refreshing change from the usual pasta and pizza, offering truly local flavours you must try. The service is top-notch. It can get a bit crowded, but that’s because it’s highly recommended by many people. Go early to secure a spot. I would definitely recommend it. 🐻🐻‍❄️

One of the best gnocchi I ever had, and my friend loved her cicchetti!

Wow! What can I say..? Before I visited Venice, I didn’t even know that Venezian food existed (how stupid of me!). By accident I found this Osteria and it was the luckiest accident of my life! 🍀 Then man behind the counter made me some fresh breads, and I didn’t even know that bread can taste this good!!! It’s a shame that this food is not more popular around Europe, when I’ll be back, I’ll eat enough for the next years!! This food can be best described as “fine” and “elegant”. It was really the perfect experience! Thank you! 🙏 (The ambience in Venice is always good anyways!!)

Came here as part of a Secret Foods of Venice walking food tour. This stop included a delicious seafood risotto, paired with a refreshing glass of Prosecco. We didn't get to sample beyond this, but just based on what we had, I'd come back again to sample other items on their menu.

This gem was recommended to us by our tour guide, Sara, and it was simply amazing. We showed up around 6:30 without reservations and Chicca (pronounced Kikka), the delightful and spunky waitress, asked if we would mind sharing a table. We did not mind at all. And it turned out to be a very good thing, but I will share why later on. First the food: we started out with Cicchettis that Chicca helped me pick out from the front counter. The Prosecco that I had with them paired so nicely. My husband ordered the Tagliatelle alla Busara di Scampi, I got the Linguine alla Scoguera (seafood: mussels, clams, scallops). Simply amazing - wow For dessert hubby had the Ameretto Custard and I had the Panna Cotta. In heaven!!! Now on to the sharing the table but, Chicca said she was bringing us some new friends and another couple joined us. They happened to be from Japan... I grew up in Japan and I ended up translating Japanese to English to help them place their order with Chicca. And then we just started chatting and by the end of the evening we were exchanging email addresses. Friendship born. Thanks Chicca.

We met the owner next door at the Ve(ry)nice Beershop the day before. He told us we needed to come to his restaurant and took us inside to arrange it. We showed up and his chef and staff put together a family style seafood tour de force. One of the best meals I've had. The starter plate alone was full of such unusual and delicious seafood, that I still think about it. Stop by during the day for cicchetti and a drink as well.

Wanting to try Cicchetti (tapas) I heard about this place from some food and travel blogs and reading the reviews I had to try it. Osteria al Portego did not disappoint. Not being able to speak Italian I didn't want to call for a reservation in case of miscommunication so I do what works best for me, show up early before opening. I was able to speak to someone before opening and they said come back at noon. I was seated at the table made out of the wine barrel. I ordered Sarde in Saor (fried sardines w/ vinegar, raisins, onions, & pine nuts), Baccalà Mantecanto (dried cod whipped w/ evoo), Polenta e Schie (shrimp & polenta), and Bigoli in Salsa (pasta in salt-cured fish & onions). I'm not a big fish eater so 4 seafood dishes kinda overwhelmed me. The sarde in saor and baccalà mantecanto came out first. The sardines were surprisingly good, better than I expected. The whipped cod was good on the bread provided. Then came the shrimp and polenta. The shrimp were tiny little things and kinda briny but that evened out with the polenta. A good dish. The pasta with fish and onions was also very good. And even though I don't drink I even had a small glass of the house spritzer. If I had more time in Venezia I would have come back for more Cicchetti. I was glad to have read about and eat at Osteria al Portego.

Overrated for cicchetti based on other places we tried. Bread was like ordinary roll from a grocery store. They microwave selections to rewarm. Wine started at €6/glass and was only ok.

On a 10 day trip through Italy, this was the one and only place we regret. We were hungry and tired, and my wife had found this place only as a good option to try Venetian staples in a laid back environment. It was a terrible choice from the beginning. As we entered, they had a sign saying the green pass was needed, so we took ours out and the waitress behind the bar just looked at us like idiots and said "nah, I trust you". She then said something in mumble Italian and we asked her to repeat and she just stared at us. The other girl next to her didn't even acknowledge us. Eventually a guy said we had to way for a table and wait we did. We stood there for 15 minutes and eventually a few tables emptied out. Nobody cleaned them or say anything. We decided to just sit at one, and then watched as the same rude waitress cleaned the other and took the order of a family who had just arrived. Should have left at that point. We insisted on trying something, so I stood up and asked the only person who had shown a smidge of customer service to bring us some of the tapas they had (cant remember the name in Italian, sorry!). Tried a seafood lasagna, some cheese filled balls, and some rice. Those 3 little plates and a few spritz came to be 38 euros. Crazy stuff, and nothing tasted fresh or particularly unique. There are much better places to eat in Venice. We went to nearby Bacarretto and we were treated like family. Skip this place.

Venice, Italy One of the first things we learned about the food scene in Venice, Italy was the great Chiccetti (tapas) bars all around town. Standing and eating is a thing at these bars and this one is no exception. Crowds spill over from the standing only wall counter to a few outdoor tables. The confusing part of this location, (people continuously asked to be seated and were turned away) there are tables specifically for restaurant dining menu (not the tapas bar) and the tables fill up fast and are most always fully booked. It is rare to find a same day opening. From our experience I can attest, the restaurant has some great items but there are some chicchetti items like the mushroom lasagna and eggplant parmesan which are outstanding. The frito misto from the restaurant menu was stellar one day and horrible the next...different chef, different fish, made all of the difference...make sure you ask what they have in and make sure it is to your liking. IMPORTANT NOTE: there is one single table made out of a wine barrel and a small round top at the front of the restaurant near the chicchetti bar which allows you to sit down and eat tapas OR order from the restaurant menu, and trust me when I say this is the best seat of the house. Larger items like their eggplant lasagna or mushroom lasagna are a mere $7 euros at the tapas bar but the same EXACT thing is $14 Euros if you order off of the restaurant menu and sit in the dining area. You are also charged a surcharge for dining. We did choose to dine one night in the restaurant but regretted not just keeping the wine barrel table we started at, the ambiance and excitement is much more lively up a the front, and the price is right. Overall, the food we ordered from the Chiccetti bar was better than the restaurant food...go figure! It all comes out of the same kitchen!

We came here to try cicchetti, Venetian style "tapas." As I elaborate below, I am very happy with Osteria al Portego. The Restaurant: It's not a big restaurant, but there are two sections: the bar and the restaurant. If you'd like cicchetti, you need to be in the bar. If you are seated at a table, you can get cicchetti only if you order a primo or a secondo. The Ambience: It's a clean establishment. I thought the ambience was very good. Since it is recommended in guidebooks, such as Rick Steves guide, there were quite tourists, but the menu is only in Italian. The Food: I ordered assorted pickled fish, called "saor" (photo). Three kinds of seafood (sardine, shrimp, and cod) deep fried and pickled in vinegar. As we have a similar dish in my culture (Japanese), I absolutely loved it. I can imagine saor to be too exotic for some people, but it was my best meal in Venice on this trip. The Service: Our waitress was upbeat and very helpful. As she claimed herself, she's the English menu. She translates and explains the menu. The Price: I thought the price was more than reasonable. Especially, given the quality of and the service, I would be willing to pay more. We, a party of three, ordered five glasses of wine, two primi, one secondo, and one cicchetto (octopus salad). It only came to 86.50 euro, including the coperto. If you're not used to coperto, you may find it annoying (probably in a similar way that I'm annoyed by the tipping custom in the US). It's a small charge that you pay to keep a table. I would say take your time and enjoy your meal as the table is all yours. Recommendation: It was my fourth trip to Italy and my second time in Venice. Osteria al Portego is no doubt my favorite restaurant in Venice. I highly recommend it. As it's a small restaurant, it's wise to make a reservation unless you eat cicchetti at the bar. Enjoy! ***************************** If you found something useful in my review, please hit "useful" so that I can improve my future reviews. If you love food and traveling, follow me, or better yet, let's become Yelp friends! Thank you and happy Yelping! If you think your friends will find my review useful, please share it with them!

Excellent food, good service. Great place for cicchetti. Make a reservation if you're coming after 6

This was our favorite restaurant in Venice and wish we ate here more than just once. Pros: - Excellent food and portions for affordable prices (which is hard to find given most of Venice restaurants are overpriced and touristy) We recommend any of the appetizers at the bar that you can eat with your Venetian Spritz, unique Truffle & Mushroom Ravioli, and Seafood Mussel Pasta - Fresh and and seasonal menu - Friendly and warm staff Tip: - This place was a little tricky to find because when you enter "Osteria AL Portego," Google Maps will inaccurately direct you elsewhere. We got lost for a good 15 minutes. Make sure to map the actual address: Calle Della Malvasia Castello 6014, 30122 Venice, Italy

We had an hour to kill before a dinner reservation at a fancy restaurant around the corner. Stopped in and the place was packed but one table open. We asked if we could get a glass of wine and stand (freezing wind outside). He said no sit and enjoy until my reservation shows up. Ordered calamari and enjoyed some good house wine. Wish we could have stayed and had dinner - smelled and looked so good! Most welcoming restaurant we had in Venice!

We came here on recommendation and it was great! I'd suggest making a reservation even if it's the day of (we called in the afternoon for a table that night, but if we would have walked in, we would not have had a table.) The menu is on a chalkboard - we navigated it pretty well and our server translated anything we asked. We each ordered a primi and then shared the plate of fried fish - plenty of food! The marinated salmon was the perfect mix of "salt, fat, heat, acid" (see food book of the same name). The lasagna was savory and balanced - hearty but not too big of a portion. Not sure if they have dessert?

We went there twice to try to get a table. We were refused. The waitress was very nice but she wasn't allowed to seat us. There was plenty of room to accommodate us. Either way, all I can say is beware of karma. It comes back in different ways.

I was excited to try this place and i arrived pretty early. I asked the guy for a table and while small, it was mostly empty at this hour, except for a couple. He scans the room like he needed to contemplate. Then his phone rings, he picked it up and purposely stayed on, ignoring the fact that i was still waiting. He was clear that he didnt want to serve. Truly disappointed in this place amongst many others in Venice, Italy, as this was the typical reception. I don't know what their deal is, racism? Tired of tourists? Just plain rude and no manners? All above? Disappointing

Oh my goodness, I have nothing but good things to say about this small but busy restaurant in the heart of Venice. My parents and I were visiting Venice for about two days and I came across the recommendation for this restaurant online from a blog I follow. They suggested calling ahead and making a reservation for dinner, so I did so the night before. We reserved a table for 3 at 6PM and when we arrived we were seated promptly. We had a few minutes to review the drink and food menu written on the blackboards but weren't sure what to order. I had heard that Squid Ink Pasta was a must try when in Venice, so I asked our server (who spoke fluent English) if they served it. They said it's not on the menu but often make it for their customers if they want it. We ordered the squid ink pasta, the Linguine alla Scogliera (Seafood Linguine Pictured), and the tagliatelle con calamari caronatina e pistacci. We also ordered the frittura dish (fried vegetables and seafood) which came after we finished our pastas. Everything was absolutely delicious and the food was perfectly seasoned! I tried the aperol spritz which seemed to be an overall popular drink in most of Venice. I would totally recommend this place for service, food, cleanliness, atmosphere, and even price! Our check came out to be around 78 euros which is very reasonably priced for the three pastas, secondi, and drink as well. This place is a must try if you're ever in Venice! Book ahead and have a marvelous dinner!! :)

I just didn't want to leave this place! I came in hoping to sit down, however tables were reserved although the nice waitress said she could accommodate me after the reserve party arrived at a shared table. It seems reservations are important here. I stood around for a minute or two and looked at the yummy selections at the standing bar and decided to get a few. Well all I can say is I was in heaven. It was all I needed and didn't know. It was my first time trying Cicchetti and the assortment and combinations were fantastic. I totally fell in love. The standing bar also had a lot of different options and I tried a few as well which were also delicious. I pair everything with prosecco and sat down outside in one of their few tables. I stayed there for about an hour or more just enjoying everything including the lack of tourists in that area. The whole bar/restaurant is clean and quaint; however very small and limited in sitting. There are only two small tables outside and I was happy that I got one. The place became very crowded. I was sad I didn't get to try the main dishes but was happy to discover the standing bar which I think for lunch was probably the best. I would recommend this to anyone and will definitely be returning.

Young hip restaurant with a standing bar. Italian menu only but the waiter was very helpful in translating everything for us.

Great dinner! The seafood pasta is the best we've ever had! Jam-packed with all kinds of goodies. Eggplant parmiagiana was delish as well. Wine by the glass is cheap and a decent pour. Highly recommend!

We always get lost trying to find this place, but it's so worth it. It's still the same quality and taste as good as I remembered from last year. This restaurant and their seafood pasta is why we came to Venice again. Also they don't have an English menu but the waitress speaks English. P.S. you have to walk to Suso to get gelato after your dinner.

Stopped in for a quick lunch. Very small and crowded place but the service was great. Good gluten free options and very tasty food. I loved the Pesto Calamari and my wife was very happy with her beef salad. We would eat here again for sure.

Osteria al Portego is heaven for seafood lovers. Among the four of us, we shared 7 dishes, which included 3 different preparations of octopus, 2 squid ink pastas, in addition to cockle, shrimp, sardines, and cod. The chef brought out all flavor profiles in the different preparations of the seafood - salty, sweet, savory, and fresh - to satiate every kind of craving you could have for fish. I unfortunately do not remember the names of the dishes as we trusted our friend to order for us, as he grew up around the area. But I get a sense that you cannot go wrong with any of the dishes here. For another source, Rick Steves even recommended the Osteria in my Italy travel book! Did we order too much? Yes. Even with 3 men at the table, we couldn't finish all of the dishes. But did we regret our decision to partake in a true Venetian experience? Not one bit! We left completely satisfied, but didn't feel the food to weigh us down at all for the rest of our sightseeing. Easily the best meal we had in Venice, and would come back anytime!

My favorite little osteria in Venice! We enjoyed it so much that my friend and I went back twice! This place is outside of the touristy areas by the Rialto Bridge, but not too far away that you wouldn't be willing to make the trek. The menu is NOT in English, but that's how you know it's the real deal. Fortunately, all the servers spoke English when we were there, translated the menu and provided recommendations. The menu changes slightly depending on the time of day. (I'm not sure if there's also a rotating menu for the seasons.) The food serves your standard pasta and wine, but the good stuff is the traditional Venetian food. They have an amazing octopus appetizer called moscardini alla veneziana con polenta. It's stewed baby octopus in a tomato and polenta sauce. It's absolutely delicious and one of my favorite dishes from the trip. During lunch, they also served a scallop appetizer that was to die for. Overall, a really great spot for Venetian food. Would definitely recommend for travelers staying in Venice.

Great cicchetti place! There is a small narrow bar stand where you can try the cicchetti, which is helpful. A few other cicchetti places I have tried have no stands at all, so even if you like the cicchetti, you have nowhere to eat them. Each serving is on the larger side (2-3 bites), which satisfy cravings. There are also tables available if you are looking for a full meal. The Aperol Spritz is refreshing! 1 star off: Prices for the bruschettas are clearly marked, but everything else was not. Why can't everything be marked? Had too many Aperol Spritzes?

We had our favorite meal in Venice at this small and special restaurant. My husband and I were on a quest to avoid touristy eateries, so this incredibly authentic, fresh spot was a true treat. With only six tables, be sure to make reservations if you want a sit down meal, but the cicchetti at the bar looked fabulous, so I'd recommend coming by no matter what. Menus for food and wine are written on blackboards. Our wonderful server, Kika, helped us select a burrata starter with delicious tomatoes and peppers, the pasta with a wild boar sauce, and my ABSOLUTE favorite, the seafood lasagna. This last item didn't sound appetizing at first, but it sticks out as one of the tastiest things I ate during our two week trip (and we ate LOTS of wonderful things!). We wrapped up this delightful meal with panna cotta and a tort. YUM!

Two things to note: Euro 2.50 coperto (charge/person), and the menu changes seasonably so don't expect to see the same things as you do on yelp. The bread on the table was horribly stable and seemed very old. I ordered a ravioli and it came cold. We asked the waitress and it was supposed to be warm. It tasted alright; I've had much better ravioli/pasta in many other places.

We walked up during business hours. We politely asked when they were open and the guy was ride and said "are you joking? ' he seemed to be completely pissed off at the moment because there was flooding that week. Understandable in some sense but this is Venice and is a regular thing. The restaurant seemed cleaned up at that point. In any case, If that's an indication of how he treats customers, this is a highly not recommended.

Amazing food, fresh seafood from the lagoon. Menu on a chalk board so it can be updated each day based on what's at the market. At 6:30 people (lots of locals) lines up for the cicchetti. Limited seating and all the tables had reservations between 8-10. We got there at 6:30 and they sat us. Seating is only if you are ordering dinner. There was a single two seat table and an old wine barrel out front that people gathered at for aperitifs and snacks....no one seemed unhappy about it. OH, and... My wife and I don't speak much Italian so the waitress explained every dish on the menu for us. Not expected but greatly appreciated!!

Ahhhhhhh we are home back in the states. Your place have left a very happy and memorable place in our hearts and our minds. I miss you and our time together like old friends. We ate and drank there 3 nights in a row. Thank you for great food and house wine. We loved it. Americans if you want a great place with a real Italian vibe this is it! Xo

Cyndy's Bottom Line: A wonderful osteria to get a variety of tasty cicchetti and delicious tiramisu! We were so happy to find Al Porchego and were the first ones there. We started with a glass of prosecco and wine. This is what we ate: 1. Mozzarella and tomato sauce bites. A fried pocket full of goodness, yummy! 2. Shark in tomato sauce with capers. Very tender and the sauce was flavorful. 3. Fried calamari. Fried to perfection and nicely salted. 4. Meatballs - moist with flavor and an excellent tomato sauce. 5. Tiramisu so delicious and decadent and you can taste the espresso. The prices are reasonable and you are able to try a wide variety of foods that are so flavorful and freshly made.

We had the most delicious meal here! My friend got an amazing home made ravioli with leeks & truffle butter. I got a squid & artichoke antipasto and then an AMAZING seafood linguine! Would come back on my next trip for sure!

After two days of traveling the first thing, we wanted to do when we got to Venice was eat. I found Osteria Al Portego on Yelp. We walked in fairly late, to what definitely appears to be a local place. The restaurant was busy with Venetians drinking wine. We ordered some of the open face sandwiches from the counter and wine. The food was good. Our friend arrived late and joined us. He talked to the host, and ended up getting a custom made veggie plate. His custom plate was amazing. The vegetables were all fresh, and flavorful. If I go back I may try to go late again. In hopes that if it's slow I too can get a custom plate of veggies.

This place met our expectations. Perfect for Apperitivo but not for dinner. Pros: Go early for Apperitivo time for cheap drinks and delicious free appetizers. Restaurant opens at 5:30 for apperitivo time but kitchen is not opened until 6:15 pm. Delicious fried calamari shrimp dish (listed on the board as part of Secondi item) Tagliatele with mushroom was pretty good as well. Cons: Baccala/Codfish: We didn't like it. It was prepared three ways and we didn't like all three ways. Service could be temperamental. We went to this place twice. The first night we were turned away without any reservation. But the server was very nice to make us a reservation on the next night. On the second night, the server was aloof and appeared too busy for us. Menu only listed on the black board. Server only told us after she asked if we are ready to order. Pricey: dinner entrees are pretty expensive.

We found this osteria many years ago and it is so small that you just squeeze in, make your way to the bar, and order wine and delicious cicchette. The baccala is the best in my opinion. If you can snag a table, the spaghetti is also very fresh and the calamari are also delicious. The specials are all on the boards and prices for wine are very reasonable.

This was the best meal I ate in Venice and I so wish I could go back! No cover charge, no service charge. The four of us were greeted outside and kindly welcomed in by the staff. The manager was a little snippy, but that was easily ignored because the food was AMAZING! We ordered the marinara pizza, spaghetti pomodoro, and two pizzas with prosciutto, mushrooms and artichoke. Everything was so flavorful and perfectly cooked! The portion sizes were generous and the price was great. Will definitely be the first place I go if I'm ever back in Venice!

Reasonable price tapas style food. I had steam egg (decent), wild rice with curry (very good), and some squid. It's a small restaurant with sit down and standing spaces

As is well documented, finding value for money in Venice is not very easy. However it is well worth taking some time exploring the labyrinthine network of alleys and passages. I can really recommend the Osteria Al Portego. For one, the prices are very reasonable, especially in comparison to other venetian establishments. Secondly, the food is great - and third, the locals eat there! The staff don't speak much english but they are still very helpful and with a bit of effort everyone can get themselves understood. The restaurant itself is pretty small so you may have to share a table with someone else, but that just adds to the friendly atmosphere. The food is great - although I would suggest trying to reserve the tiramisu early since it seems to be everyones favourite. A word of warning - they don't take credit cards so it is worth checking the coffers before ordering.

Stumbled upon this place while randomly walking in Venice and couldn't be happier. The cicchetto (tapas in venetian dialect) are gorgeous, the atmosphere is so relaxed and the wine menu amazing. All for a very fair price. Highly recommended!

We made a reservation because of the reviews and was very disappointed in the food at this restaurant. The service was great. It was very busy and it had all the indicators of a great find. I ordered the soup castradina to start (waitress recommendation)and it was delicious. My wife ordered the seafood pasta (waitress recommended)and I ordered the duck pasta (review recommended). My wife's seafood was completely over cooked which made some of the seafood rubbery and some very squishy. My duck ground meat was very over cooked making the consistency chewy. I would not recommended the restaurant for these reasons.

To be honest, we should have just had the tapas. We ordered the lasagna with the sea bass and the pasta with baby squid. Both dishes had HAIR in them! Gross! Very slow service and we could see the people at the pass tasting the food off of the plates. Also, bottled water comes out of a tap with the host placing a cap on it. It just seemed a bit odd. Too many other good restaurants in Venice to go here again.

I hate to buck the trend, but I was quite disappointed with Osteria al portega. After reading all of the reviews, my hopes were sky high, especially for their cichetti (Venetian version of tapas, aka small plates). Pros: -Their ombra (house wine) was only 1 euro and wasn't bad (I don't claim to be a wine expert). Well worth it for a cheap drink. -The pasta was decent, if unspectacular. We ordered the lasagna and campanelle with meat sauce (not on the menu, we had it custom made). Cons: -We asked the waiter for his recommendations on which cichetti he recommended. He brought a plate of about 10 items, all of the seafood variety. They ranged from terrible to average. -The wait for a table can be quite long. Avoid this by making a reservation in advance (or just get drunk on 1euro wine in the meantime).

We had a wonderful meal here! The menu changes daily and everything looked so delicious! They seated us right away even though we didn't have a reservation. The staff is friendly and will make recommendations if you like. I definitely recommend this place!

The reviews were spot -on thank you yelp! We arrived at this restaurant a couple of minutes before they opened, so we toured the bakery next door ( O.M.G. chocolate Nirvana btw) Anyway, 10 minutes after opening this place was already packed....great house wine and incredible cichetta... which are only available if you are standing at the bar... if you can get a table then you can order from the blackboard menu that changes daily. We did notice that they had reservation times and the tables so would recommend this if looking to have dinner.. Every time we strolled by this restaurant it was very busy so they know what they're doing! Highly recommend

This place was packed when we first arrived. And the customers (many locals and several tourists like us who must have read Rick Steve's) just kept coming. But most were there for the cicchetti, so we were able to snag one of the six tables as long as we promised to be done by 8:30, when the table was needed for a reserved party. I had heard about the cicchetti, the Venetian small plates, so I was eager to try a few, but had no idea where to start. So I asked our server to choose 3-4 of her favourites. I think my request started her, but she quickly obliged and brought us several scrumptious treats. My favourite, also our server's, is the octopus and olives in a tomato sauce. Yum! Our toddler announced that he loved octopus after eating that dish. Our server was also helpful in recommending dishes, letting us know when dishes were similar to each other or to the cicchetti plate she was putting together. We ended up ordering the linguine with mixed seafood, and a tuna steak. Both dishes were outstanding. The tuna steak was one of the best I've ever had. The food here is amazing. But what really stood out for us was the exceptional service. Despite the busyness of the restaurant, our server was very attentive and helpful. I'd certainly return if staying in Venice longer.

I wish I could be more helpful to others in terms of finding this place, but all I know is that its by Campo Santa Maria Formosa. We spent about 45 minutes to an hour trying to find this place, and once we saw the church, we took a turn down an adjacent alley and saw the restaurant at the end of the way. Full of locals and not one English word in sight, we were ecstatic. Fortunately there was wi-fi to mooch of off so we quickly Google translated a few words on the menu before the waitress came by. Thankfully, she spoke English and made a few suggestions for us. I got linguine with assorted seafood, which came with so many clams, muscles, and a monstrous shrimp that I couldn't see the pasta underneath-- by far the best pasta I've ever had. Ever. The juices from the seafood, quality olive oil, and garlic dressed the pasta in the most flavorful, light sauce I've ever had. The bf ordered huge grilled squid that was tender and delicious. Wanting to engorge ourselves as much as possible during our short time in Venice, the waitress suggested a seared tuna salad. The tune was seared perfectly and came with a mix of spinach, arugula, other greens, and some sort of fruity vinaigrette. Everything was phenomenal. I would recommend staying away from the tapas-style offerings at the front of the store (I know, sad faces all around) because of all the gnats and flies buzzing around-- we spent the majority of our meal swatting away the little shits, and when they closed towards the end of our meal one of the employees waved around an electric fly swatter, which produced more sparks than there should be in a restaurant.

This is such a quaint little restaurant. We had the seafood pasta and squid ink cuddlefish and polenta. Both were excellent and affordably priced which is difficult to find in Venice. We tried to come back for a second night but they were booked so a reservation is recommended.

Our tour guide from freevenicetour.com Jaqueline highly recommended this little spot. Cute, personable, great staff, all great appetizers. Seafood with linguine, to die for.

This is extremely quaint. There are just 4-5 tables. The menu is on the wall. The food was as good as we had in Venice. The service was super friendly (easy for two staff to cover just these tables). And it had a nice vibe. Many people come for drinks which they enjoy in the courtyard to the side. Also, if you come during the day there is a phenomenal chocolate store across the street.

Advised by our AirB&B host that this is her families restaurant, we decided to give it a go. A wonderful meal with pasta made right there for your order. Seafood is their specialty, but the asparagus ravioli is a great and tasty alternative. Very reasonable price for an authentic meal in Venice.

The pasta tasted good. We love the cichetti here！A must try！The service is kind of slow because the bar is always busy. They dont have a English menu which makes a little inconvienient for us.