Nonna Tata

Awesome wait staff, AMAZEBALLS FOOD. First come first serve, and cash/​check only, but it’s worth it!!!

Absolutely fantastic food and spectacular, friendly service. The wait staff knew the menu inside and out and we’re eager to help. The food was great and authentic Italian. Also the interior was cozy and had a real hole in the wall vibe. The place with BYOB and takes American cash, checks, or euros only. The owner of the restaurant frequently goes to Italy so the restaurant is closed at times but otherwise great place.

Holy smokes, this place is awesome. Many friends have recommended this place to me but I don’t normally gravitate toward Italian food when I choose to go out so it took me a while to take them up on this. I regret waiting this long!
We wanted to have a nice date night and were spending the weekend in Fort Worth. This place is BYOB, which I LOVE, so we brought our own wine and glasses and had an awesome drink ready for dinner. The seating indoors is sparse but they have a beautiful patio area which I would recommend on any nice night or day.
I had the Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca and it was SO delectable. It’s a simple dish that is done right. I haven’t had spaghetti so good. Please give this place your love and check them out — you will not be disappointed!

Nonna Tata was amazing from start to finish. 5 courses later, we were utterly and completely satisfied. BYOB is the best! No upcharge for wine. Sitting outside was lovely. Everything we ate was so delicious and fresh. The tiramisu is the BEST I have ever had! Go check this place out people! Just plan ahead! Get there a little earlier so you can make sure to get a table!

Simply, this is the place to go for Pasta in Fort Worth. Everything I’ve ever had has been cooked and prepared to perfection. It’s also fine dining quality food for non-​fine dining prices. Two people can have lunch for 20 $-25 $ total with ease. Every time I leave, I end up annoying whoever I happen to be with because I make those inappropriate orgasm type noises you tend to make after an excellent meal…

This place is the very definition of hole in the wall amazing. We had the risotto cakes and they were awesome.
One note: they don’t take plastic so make sure you have cash or check.

Authentic Italian is hard to come by, and I was directed to come here. I wasn’t sure what to expect, since the place is small and some people have had mentioned that the quality has suffered recently. From what I could try, I still think this place is worth trying out.
But yes, it’s a tiny BYOB place, with about six tables (and one of the super small tables being awkwardly placed too close to the bathroom door and if the bathroom is smelly, you’re out of luck. Just warning you). And forget about making reservations by phone — you can only make reservations in person. The vibe, though, is very European, cozy, and relaxed — in an essence, it’s very Italian.
The owner, Ms. Trotti, hails from northwestern Italy, so I knew I was in for something different as I’m more accustomed to southern Italian cuisine. She makes rolled-​out pastas like parpadelle and tortellini from scratch, but she buys spaghetti and penne. I’m not sure about the others, but you’ll have to check the menu to see if it mentions the pasta being homemade. There’s some homemade pasta specials that will not be in the menu. But even if the pasta is not homemade, it will be prepared well here. And be sure to order the appetizers or something to hold you over while they’re making your food — it will be a while before you’ll see your entrees.
I tried the following (++ = good, + = okay, — = bad):
+ BRUSCHETTA: DIY bruschetta; the diced tomatoes were fresh and tasty, the bread toasted; first time seeing it come to the table unprepared
+ INSALATA DELLA NONNA: Good bowl of greens, red cabbage, red onion, corn and goat cheese, but in balsamic vinaigrette. I’m not sure how Italian this salad is, since I’ve never seen corn and also the vinaigrette (instead of plain balsamic vinegar and olive oil), but it was good — I’ll leave it at that
+ INVOLTINI — rolled and baked homemade pasta with ham, covered in béchamel sauce, good dish, although because it’s baked and has all this sauce on top, the pasta will be soft, instead of al dente
++ PASTA FIRENZE 07 — sausage, onion, garlic, walnut, parmesan mixed with penne pasta, great dish, loved the flavor of the melded ingredients, and the penne was cooked al dente
— TIRAMISU: too much cream, and not enough coffee flavor; would skip
++ TORTA CIOTOLA: the apple-​pear cake, which is really the best dessert here and is the owner’s favorite.
The following is a list of other things that came up recommended when I looked online, for your reference and mine (since I will be back for sure):
Appetizer:
— Antipasto option No.1: grana, ricotto salata, frittata, stuzzichini vari, focaccia and grissini
Entrée:
— Petti di pollo alla milanese: chicken milanese
— Spaghetti alla carbonara
— Timballo della Mamma (large crisped arborio rice cakes)
[Or try any of these specials, when they’re being offered: crespelle Bolognese (lasagna made with crepes instead of pasta), vitello tonnato (cold sliced veal with tuna sauce), tortelli stuffed with prosciutto and mortadella in a light mushroom cream sauce]
And of course, make it a rule to keep ordering torta ciotola for dessert. LOL. Sorry, but it is definitely a one-​of-​a-​kind.
Obviously, I definitely will be returning.
CASH ONLY
BYOB

I’m all for great, little, hole in the wall places, especially for Italian food. I love Broder’s pasta bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota. What I don’t like is incompetent staff. I understand having a wait. I understand not having reservations. I do not like staff who lie or don’t know the dynamic of the restaurant. When I call and ask if there is a wait, do not tell me that there is NOT one if there is. Do not tell me that I should be just fine, if when I arrive there are zero tables and a waitlist that will be approximately 30 minutes. When I drive out of my way to try a good restaurant, I would love to actually eat there. Instead I arrive to see all 9 tables full, a host who can’t quote a wait time, and to see that I was lied to by whomever I talked to on the phone. Disappointed, probably won’t go back, and I hope others decide not to go because they their employees lie about a wait I dont know what else they lie about.

Try the cheesecake here, you will not regret it! Also, I come here for late night snacking after the bars are closed. The late night menu is pretty limited but the food is decent and range from banh mi to chicken and waffles and such; I mainly get dessert though. The restaurant is tiny though, so you might have to stand to eat.

I guess the pasta is better than a Macaroni Grill, but for those that know good domestic Italian food or have been to Italy, this place is pretty weak. I had the carbonate and it was almost flavorless — this is shocking for a dish that’s bacon, egg, cream, cheese.
The atmosphere is quaint and authentic. Note: all indoor seating is stools. You want me to pay $ 22 for an entrée while sitting uncomfortably?

What a quaint Italian restaurant! We were able to snag a table outside on a gorgeous night, and between the cool breeze, string lights. Given that it is a teeny, tiny family owned and operated restaurant, be prepared to wait — a long time. Wait for menus, wait for your order to be taken, wait for drinks — you get the picture. Now, is it worth it? If you have the time, the delicious food will make it worth your while; otherwise, don’t bother because it’s going to be a looooong dinner.
Make sure to get the homemade pasta — it’s an option to substitute it in any pasta dish and it is so delightfully chewy. All the sauces were delicious and it all tasted like I was back in Italy again. The carbonara and puttanesca were simple, but executed well, and you can really tell that everything is homemade. They also had a braised beef stuffed pasta, like little dumplings, which were divine. We started with the calamari, which was unlike the typical breaded and fried calamari, but instead grilled to tender perfection with some olive oil and herbs — so good!
If you’re looking for a cozy dinner, bring yourself and a bottle of wine (BYOB here), and limitless time to enjoy this homey Italian meal at Nonna Tata.

Great pasta dishes that are well executed and crave-​worthy. I’ve tried many of the menu items and have always been pleased. The soups are also really great and change regularly. Staff is friendly and hardworking. We really love this place.
Best Italian in Tarrant County

Amazingly simple dishes with the most satisfying of tastes! I just got the soup and salad at lunch and it is easily the best soup/​salad combo I have ever had. Nonna makes what is normally a plain dish and makes every bite an experience. Highly recommend (also extremely affordable for the quality).

One of my favorite places on Magnolia! Love how cute and intimate this place is. I’ve been here several times and I’m just now writing a review! Shame on me I know. Well honestly you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu here. The place is only open on certain days and that just adds to my excitement. Bring cash and no worries if you can’t find a seat. You can go next door to the Usual and have a nice drink and have your food brought over.

BYOB and no Credit cards
Overly casual service (gym shorts and t shirt) considering the historical reviews.
Food is okay, and prices are fair, but a Magnolia street restaurant can do way better.
I really wanted this place to be cool. It has a very intimate dining area that would be very cool. However, not all tables had salt and pepper (some had different combinations).
There is an advertisement for an «experienced cook wanted» on the door… should’ve been a sign that an experienced cook was missing.
How can we still not be accepting credit cards?! Buy a square or something.

Have you ever wanted to eat fantastic Italian food on a Saturday, a Sunday, or perhaps a Monday? Me either!
Do you want to use your credit or debit card to purchase fantastic Italian food at least 4 days a week? Me either!
Do you understand that Nonna Tata translates to Grandmother Nanny in Italian, and as a 5’10″ white male who grew up in a small country town — who has, but barely uses Tinder, can you fathom that sort of Italian relationship? Me either!
Do you like waiting to eat fantastic Italian food at a fantastic Italian food place without wine in your hand? Me either!
Do you want to forget that one date, the one where you ate fantastic Italian food… the one where you forgot that it was a cash-​only place because you were enamored? The way you looked at that trout fillet in parchment paper with tomatoes, capers, and olives… that helpless side of pesto pasta. You looked at your date, and then you looked at your lover. You knew what to do; you knew what you HAD to do. You stared at that trout and by golly, you stood up and proclaimed, «Hello. My name is Torta Al Cartoccio, you killed my father. Prepare to die» in a tiny restaurant full of patrons. Then you sat down abruptly, as you scanned the room with your eyes as if you had just heard a gunshot. You knew it didn’t make any sense, but you tried to diffuse the situation by telling your date that you’ve been planning that for weeks. Then, when she finally gives up on you years later, it’s just because you didn’t know that Blockbuster Video stores didn’t exist anymore? Me either!
Nonna Tata is pretty good though.

I’m a little late to my review, but our first and probably only experience here has been weighing on me. We had been anticipating coming here for years. We had read all the rave reviews and were excited to try this quaint little restaurant for some authentic Italian food.
We made reservations for Valentine’s Day, and we were made aware that it would be a set menu for around $ 60 per person (close to that number). We were told it would be a 5 course meal. We were PUMPED. We basically didn’t eat all day in anticipation of having a 5 course heavy Italian meal.
Boy… We were WRONG.
The first appetizer course they brought out were 4 – 5 barely bite sized items that, on paper, sounded really good/​cool, but the presentation was meh, and the taste was even more MEH. They tasted old, cold, and soggy, as if they had been prepped wayyyyyyyy in advance and been sitting there.
The second course was a salad, which was the size of what you would normally consider a garnish on a plate. The flavors were great, but it was a few sprigs, fennel, and an itty bitty barely there fragment of an orange.
The third course was some sort of crêpe and some risotto. By this point we were so hungry, that I almost tackled the waitress coming out of the kitchen with these dishes. Finally things were looking like they might turn around… NOPE! She only set down ONE plate for us the share. What the heck? Our romantic date turned into a battle for who got to eat more.
Finally it was time for our main course. My husband got the meat dish, which I think was beef medallion? It tasted really good, but looked really unappetizing. Then again maybe it tasted «so good» because we had been ready to eat the table by that point.
I got the shrimp dish, which was so blah. Three small shrimp on top of cold wilted spinach and cold white beans. I don’t think it was a dish intended to be cold.
I can’t remember the dessert, because it was unremarkable, except for the fact that we also had to share one plate. I mean cmon, 60 bucks per person and we have to SHARE dishes? Give me a break.
Where was the PASTA??? Anything??? Bread and butter? What about this place was authentic? I had previously skimmed over their menu and looked at photos of food on Unilocal and it seems like their best dishes ARE their pastas. Everyone dining there on Valentine’s Day got totally JIPPED and ROBBED.
The atmosphere is very… quaint? I assume that is part of the appeal. But there was one frazzled rushed woman running the food from the kitchen, and one guy just kind of roaming around talking to everyone? I don’t really know what his purpose was, but he seemed to be getting drunk on wine and just chatting people up, which is actually kind of annoying in a space the size of a walk-​in closet.
Not impressed. Not in the slightest.

Great little place that makes homemade pasta! When I say the place is little, I mean little. They only have about 5 – 6 small tables inside but can accommodate more if weather is nice with patio seating. As stated before on previous posts the building is rustic but the atmosphere and food remind me of my travels in Italy. I can certainly see this being in a small, countryside town where locals would cook food as if they were cooking for family. There are very few places where you can order handmade pappardelle and this is one. The food is delicious and the low key ambience makes it a home run.

The little red café on Magnolia’s charmingly local and laid back restaurant row is a tight squeeze of 6 tables in a building that wasn’t meant to be a restaurant.
Nonna Tatto’s individualized concept was unusual a few years back when it first opened, helping to pioneer the mom and pop foodie scene in cow town.
A recent lunch visit made me sad that mainly just pastas and sandwiches are offered on the daytime menu now. None of that appealed to me. So I just went crazy and got the hearty chicken parmesan platter with its fresh tomato sauce that seemed unfortunately uncomplex. We of course had to order the rich and creamy pear dessert which always steals the show.
I feel the recent incubation of new local area restaurants have overshadowed Nonna Tatta’s former unique quality, which was a little unexciting without a cheese plate, or any other real special offerings at lunch.
I hope the dinner menu has a more authentic Italian dining feel, like that killer pear dessert does. The slightly more Americanization of the menu is perhaps a nod to local palettes.
On a more positive note, that rancid commode smell that sometimes overpowered the teeny dining space has been necessarily eradicated. Still, I’d avoid
a table near that restroom door in case someone’s smell of number two mixes in with your pasta sauce taste.
The room is only about 10 feet by 10 feet.
Cash only
BYOB
Patio
Parking can be an issue
Expect to wait since they only have 6 tables.
Get the desserts.

I was thoroughly disappointed by our dinner here. I have been wanting to dine at Nonna for a long time, but always ended up somewhere else due to the wait or availability. It’s a small place, which I don’t mind.
We decided to BYOB, but didn’t know we needed glasses or a bottle opener. We had a coursed meal. You can tell when things have been made ahead of time. I do understand that some items need to be prepped in advance, believe me, but items shouldn’t be soggy OR cold. The first course looked and tasted as if it had been made hours ago. My main dish– which was white beans with shrimp was cold and under cooked. The beans had crunch and were cold, while the shrimp was hot… As if someone had just cooked them and plopped them onto a waiting plate. There were definitely a few elements of dinner that tasted lovely. BUT at 200 $ for 2 people, I want every course to be good. Not just my salad and dessert. The one waitress was so frazzled and the other guy ‘helping’ didn’t have it together.
I don’t know. Maybe this is one of those times we just had a crap meal because the staff didn’t have it together? Or the chef was stressed? Meh. MEH.