Viva La Pasta

Last night my party of 8 dined at Viva La Pasta at 6 pm. We made a reservation in advance, and were seated. Everything was going splendidly, until the Host comes over and asks us to move to another table because a party of 4 had asked for our area in their reservation. We said no. They were very insistent that we move to another table. We were already eating bread and relaxing. Although the food and the waitress were very good, I was highly insulted that the Host would ask us to move because this other group wanted our area of the restaurant. Very rude. Won’t be returning anytime soon.

I am writing this review because I have never felt so humiliated in a restaurant before. My wonderful husband wrote a review about this place about a week ago. This is by far one of our favorite restaurant, but it is so unfortunate that a specific server works there. On Sunday June 5^th around 3:45 pm, my husband and I visited this restaurant like we normally do every Sunday. As we walked into the restaurant, Colin, the only sever at the moment; refused to serve us because of personal reasons. He asked the busboy, Chandler, to take our order. Chandler went to the kitchen to place our order. At that time, Colin approached him and looked over our check. He noticed that I was having a grilled chicken sandwich, #84 in the menu, but my sandwich which comes with either a soup or salad, was tweeked a bit. I only wanted the grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables instead of everything that comes with the sandwich. This is not the first time I ask for my meal to be prepared like that, all the servers that have helped me before put in the order without any hesitation or problem. The cooks also know I always have it like that, and no one seems to have a problem with it, as this is one of our regular restaurants. Colin, decided to embarrase me in front of the other patrons at the restaurant., screaming loudly, «if she wants a soup, she’s going to have to pay extra.» Let me remind you that this server refused to serve us, but he did not hesitate to look at our order, don’t know why. He then proceeded to the hostess and told her about my order, she did not want to get involved. Then he proceeded to yell and uncontrollably raise his voice reprimending Chandler, the bus boy. I got up of my seat, and told him not to yell at the busboy, Colin continued raising his voice out of control, ignoring my plead to stop yelling at the busboy. Then he said to me, «look sweetheart I am not going to lose my job because you don’t want to pay for your soup, I have three children.» I said to him, you can have the soup, I don’t want it. Then I saw my husband coming towards me, and telling me we were leaving. This was such a horrific visit to our favorite restaurant, only because of this specific server. I called the restaurant owner the next day, and informed him of what had happened. The owner seemed apologetic, but to this day, we call before we visit the restaurant because we don’t want to have another encounter with this guy ever again. I cannot believe how this server can get away mistreating customers, this is the USA, where clients are treated with respect and never denied of service. For this reason, this restaurant does not deserve a five star review from me. They rather keep a server like Colin, than to keep their patrons content and wanting to come back.

They catered our sons baptism. We got 4 pastas, meat plater, salad, and desert platter. Everything was amazing. The seafood pasta had giant shrimp, scallops and muscles, fresh and good quality. We has the pink say plan pasta, amazing, the meat sauce was great and the chicken Alfredo way supergood. They provided to go boxes for the guest (we needed). The deserts were really good, it is so hard to find a good canolli, this was well done!
Everything was just wonderful.
I am shocked with how affordable this was, feeding 30 people did not break the bank.

Have been a regular customer for more than 10 years… Yep, the food is great, service is the best except when a server named Colin is present. On Sunday June 5^th my wife and I went there for an early dinner. We were shocked when Colin S. refused to serve us, instead he sent a busboy named Chandler, who by the way always has a smile and is always helpful. When we ordered our meal, we actually ordered the same meal for the last 5 years, yeah you can say we are not very adventurous. We go there at least three times a weeks, every week. Colin started to yell and be rude to the busboy that took our order because the sandwich meal was tweeted a bit. My wife was only having a plain grilled chicken breast, instead of the sandwich. The other servers allowed her to have steamed veggies instead of all the fixings that come with the sandwich. This meal comes with a complimentary soup, and my wife, asked for it to go. Colin decided that she shouldn’t have the soup, because she was already having steamed vegetables. He was rude to the busboy and told him that we needed to pay extra for the soup; yelling at him and being disrespectful in front of the other patrons. We had several servers over the years we’ve been to Viva La Pasta, Brian, Olivia, Ian, Tuffi, Andrew, to name a few. They all have been pleasant and have no problem with this order, remember, we always order the same thing! My wife got up and went to the front desk to talk to the hostess, another GREAT person, to explain what was happening; meanwhile to defuse the situation, I just grabbed all our stuff and decided to better go to Mimi’s Café.
I am heartbroken to rate MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT with one star because of one… Very bad server… In my opinion this server has to go… just my opinion…

My husband made a reservation here for a party of 12 for the champagne brunch. When we showed up, we were told that they had no idea when we would be seated. The reservations were running over an hour and a half behind. Of course that made me mad, but what was truly upsetting was the way management handled the situation. The lady at the front desk was haughty and defensive. She was unapologetic and completely rude. It was graduation time, and I understand that they were busy but nothing can excuse a poorly run restaurant that is rude to their clientele. Needless to say, I will never return to this establishment and would advise others never to go here. If I could give negative stars, I would.

Viva LA Pasta is a great local Italian restaurant that caters to the families within the Wood Ranch community. The location and the atmosphere is relatively authentic and appears to be a great family restaurant. The portions are accurate, and for the location the food is well priced. They have a beautiful out door patio with canopies and heaters to ensure a comfortable and pleasant dining experience. I bought the Margarita Pizza and it was delicious. Their wide selection of wines also guarantees the proper wine to match your meal. Bring an appetite!!!

I enjoyed the Arriabatta (#12) with added Chicken.
This restaurant has been a staple in my weekly eating for a few years. It is good Italian food with a reasonable price.

Usually great food. Love the salmon and chicken alfredo. Best spumoni that I have ever tasted.

Came today for Easter brunch at 11. Made reservations two weeks ago, for outside and my favorite waiter Eric. They were packed when we arrived. Did not get to eat outside or have Eric. We did get a good table inside, and our waiter did a good job of bringing the free flowing champagne to us. I had some BBQ and some seafood. Everything was pretty good. This brunch is never disappointing, especially for the money! Four of us came, and all had plenty of food. The owner is always welcoming. I will be back in two weeks. :)

This little place tucked in the north end of North Ranch has the best Sunday brunch this side of the 405 with an eclectic variety of Mouth watering seafood, dairy and pastries. You don’t know where to start.
When you leave the restaurant you feel you have eaten your last meal. 5 stars all the way

Great food and bang for bucks!
I have been to Viva La Pasta half a dozen times and I have enjoyed my visit there every time.
The menu is very extensive with lots of choices of pasta, meat/​fish and pizzas. I love seafood and I usually get either the pasta fruiti di mare with shrimp/​scallop/​mussels or shrimp and crab in cream sauce. The shrimps are huge and all seafood dishes are swimming with seafood.
All meals are good values and they start off with salad/​soup, followed by generous portion of an entrée. If you pick an entrée with meat/​fish, there is complimentary pasta/​vegetables to go with the entrée.
The best value is the special (three course meal), which is list of ⁶⁄₇ choices of entrée that come with soup/​salad, entrée and dessert for about $ 19 -$ 23. Most other regular entrée are $ 15-​$ 24 and portions are very generous.
Overall, this family owned restaurant offers great value in all its meals. Highly recommend.

We were treated, and first introduced, to Viva La Pasta’s amazing Sunday Brunch by our good friend as a special surprise on my wife’s birthday, this during mid January. (Thanks, Vicky!) :D
This surprise was a secret kept so well, even ‘I’ did not know the restaurant’s name. All that was revealed was they have a delicious Eggs Benedict with the yolks done ‘perfectly’, neither dry nor overly runny which proved to be true!:) There is so much more (*pause for effect) & the very fact this family restaurant with an elegant & intimate atmosphere happens to feature freshly sourced clean tasting sea food was (for me) second only to the discovery their featured Italian entrees included the very best polenta I’ve ever tasted — .so light & fluffy! :-o Chicken, veal, & lamb, were all tender enough to cut with a fork, & are covered in remarkable sauces! There is also a B.B.Q. station outside which features tri-​tip roast, sausages, tender chicken, ribs, & steak as well as very tender sweetbread meats! It is beside their ample additional seating for this fine setting which fills up quickly. Consider getting there before they open at 10 AM! Included in the meal are bottomless orange juice & champagne poured either separately, or together in the form of delicious mimosas! One more amazing surprise, which sums up how special this extraordinary meal truly is, can be defined by their Lobster Thermadore which is quite a presentation, and arrives at your table. If you have not yet tasted this delicate mixture of delectable lobster & tender scallops married & served in a delicious cream sauce, then all I can advise is that you remember not fill up on the myriad of Viva La Pasta’s offerings before you can experience this tasty dish. My wife whom prior to this was not particularly fond of shellfish, enjoyed it immensely as she did this entire scrumptious Brunch which we are still talking about! That Sunday, we drove from Alhambra, east of Los Angeles, to arrive before they opened at 10 AM. We are very glad we did, and you will be too!

This place is as solid as it gets. Consistently excellent food with first rate service. There are a couple of items I order regularly and their amazing kitchen hasn’t messed up once. Cobb salad with no blue cheese (who does that?!) Filet mignon extra rare? Exactly how it is served. Fresh fish specials daily and a very large Italian menu. Great bread, convivial atmosphere and beautiful patio dining. Terrific neighborhood restaurant, Viva la Pasta shines!

My parents favorite restaurant. The head of the cashiers, (Manager) is the nicest lady. Class. The others from italy… The food is A+. The service is A+. A packed place. When I visit my parents, I usually go there. A recommend for Italian food. Everything is good here.

Viva La Pasta is one of those places in my hometown that everyone and their mother seems to have been to. I finally joined their ranks. While I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. It’s definitely somewhere I’d go again if I’m in the mood for a buttload of pasta. Because dude, that’s what you get.
I had a WTF moment when I eyeballed their menu online. They make a lot of stuff. There’s literally over a hundred things on the menu. And it’s not cheap. An average dish price of $ 15 at a local eatery was a bit surprising.
Inside it’s dimly lit and there are a ton of tables which could easily accommodate any number of families or large groups. I feel like this place would be great for celebrating an elderly couple’s wedding anniversary or a high school graduation, but fine dining it is definitely not.
The décor, down to the white paper doilies that sit under your plate, is all very 1980’s chic. You get a standard basket of rolls, half of which is like a cheese-​laden garlic bread. The bread was extremely tasty and there’s olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the table.
The service is forgettable while the portions and plating are heavy-​handed. If I didn’t know better, I would accuse this place of single-​handedly causing America’s obesity epidemic. There’s an emphasis on bulk that makes it feel as though you’re some shameless farm animal sauntering up to a trough of slop to gorge yourself silly before being sent off to slaughter. There isn’t anything classy about portion sizes that constitute two sittings.
Was the food good? Hell yes. But the prices are too high, the portions are too big, the place is too dark, and they haven’t gotten the memo about it being 2015. Maybe their fax machine is broken.

Look Simi /​Woodranch area is simply not a mecca for fine dining. Viva La Pasta does a pretty good job all things considered. I was meh initially but no longer. The staff is sweet, funny and caring — I have been back many times. The pizza may possibly be the best I have had in California when it comes to the thicker crust — I am a fan. Family loves the all you can eat brunch. I have changed my opinion. Seriously, that pizza is soooo good.

Viva La Pasta located in Simi was easy to find. Came here at 830pm on a Friday. Parking lot was full, prolly since there’s a bar/​grill that had a live band, but I was able to park right away. Older lady in the front is a busy body, prolly why other Unilocalers say she’s rude. She’s just busy, I think because she’s handling a lot of paperwork & seems like she can just delegate to the many servers they have on hand. I said Hi to her & told her I had a reservation for two. She helped delegate right away. I got seated right away. My date was running late, so I decided to get our table just in case it became busy for dinner.
Restaurant is nice looking, looks small from outside & when you enter. They have way more tables outside in the back as well.
They give you 3 different breads to start off with. One was a firmer/​harder type, another was the soft bread that you can butter or dip into the oil & vinegar that you mix yourself & a garlic/​cheesy bread. Depending on your order, you have the option for the soup of the day or a salad. My luck, they had clam chowder, my fave. Im very picky w/​my chowder, it was good. I ordered #45 Pollo Al Marsala w/​a choice of pasta or veggies. I opted for the veggies. It was delicious! Chicken had a Marsala sauce w/​sautéed mushroom served w/​veggies (yellow squash, green beans & carrots). My date ordered #35 Lasagna Bolognese. It was nom noms. It was like 2 servings. We were stuffed. Our waiter was attentive & knowledgeable. Also other workers were attentive too. You can get wine by the glass $ 6 or by the bottle $ 20 – 30. I’ll have to get the many different bottles of wine they have.
I had a Groupon to use, so it made my experience at Viva La Pasta even better!
I will come back to try their lunch or dinner here. & I will definitely come back to try their Sunday Brunch!
My tip: Lasagna is nom noms & they have good clam chowder! They serve bread to start your meal. Parking can be a bit tight. Great service for me, esp on a Friday night.

I love Viva La Pasta! This is one of my favorite Italian places to get a good meal. We also order a lot of takeout here because it is conveniently located to where we live in Wood Ranch.
The food here is very good. They have plenty of pasta dishes with different sauces to choose from as well as chicken, fish, veal, and steak (the rib eye is one of the best out there). They also have pizza and paninis. Everything is well prepared and delicious. The pasta portions are large and I always end up taking some home for the next day. They also make some pretty awesome desserts. The lemon cake is my favorite and their gelato is super good.
The restaurant is clean and well kept. They have plenty of seating inside and an outside patio as well. The service is fairly good. Sometimes they can be a little slow but just sit back and enjoy your meal because the food is worth it!
They also have a Sunday brunch which includes lobster that I have yet to try, but I have been told it is amazing.
This is a great little place for a good Italian meal in Wood Ranch, Simi Valley.
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Came here for the first time to have Sunday champagne brunch and it was very delicious. They had fresh shucked oysters, raw clams, cocktail shrimp and even lobster Thermidor. They also have meat cooking on the grill on the outside of the restaurant and some of the meats were sweetbread’s cooking on the grill as well as tri tip, ribs and sausage. The restaurant was very packed and it was only 1030 in the morning. If you want to experience a really good Sunday champagne brunch, I highly recommend coming to this restaurant but make reservations!

Made a reservation a week in advance and when we arrived, it was a complete clusterfuck. The older woman at the front did not even acknowledge anyone that walked up because she was too overwhelmed with the brunch rush.
We ended up at Jinky’s Café who gladly took us in last minute even though we had a group of 6. Will probably not be back here.