Villa Piacere

What a wonderful place. We had the osso buca and beet salad and fresh made crab cakes. The food and service was so good, we came back the next day for brunch.

Nice place. Great food. Excellent service.

New name same old tired restaurant! No host just the bartender jumping around the bar to see if he can assist customers? There so called Martini’s are almost undrinkable, over priced at $ 12 and in small glasses give me a break. Heirloom tomatoes that tasted like card board, sent those back! Scallops with risotto, scallops ok, risotto under cooked, do they watch Hells Kitchen? The best is they have patio dining, how ever they kept the door locked so when customers tried to get out they had to have a customer at the bar go open the door for them to escape, hilarious! We are foodies and eat out a lot and look forward to new places. Unfortunately this place will not be on our return list.

Three stars only because of a woman named Lucy. She rudely interrupted our waiter while he was taking pictures for us. She came out and told him to get inside NOW and he said OK, just one more picture and she raised her voice and said NO, now.
I was completely embarrassed for him. He was a great waiter who really tried to give us the best service he could for nine women.
The food was good, the patio is beautiful but I am not sure if I would go again because for the money we paid, there are hundreds of restaurants to choose from and it is unfortunate that «Lucy» doesn’t seem to know or care that their are other choices.

Since posting this review, Villa Piacere has changed their name from «Villa Piacere», Pleasant Home to «The Villa» The House. It seems even the owners know it is no longer pleasant.
R.

Met a couple of friends in the bar area for the happy hour. The service was excellent, our server answered all our questions about the menu, made recommendations and was very attentive and helpful. The brussels sprouts appetizer was so delicious we ordered it twice, the artichoke was excellent, not too stringy or overcooked. They had a house champagne by the glass on the happy hour menu as well as a decent selection of wines and beers. The couches in the bar area are super comfy and the whole place had a lovely relaxed cozy and friendly atmosphere.
I am going to go back for dinner very soon! I can definitely recommend it for happy hour!!!

Nice atmosphere, Staff was knowledgeable and cared about their service, food was good. Parking can be challenging at time, but that’s just because the place can get busy. They’re recently added a courtyard area that looks nice for those warm nights.
Our last visit, we enjoyed dinner for six. The bread with herbed olive oil was delicious as always. Calimari was crisp outside, tender inside. The tomato sauce was a bit sweet for my taste, but others at the table enjoyed it very much.
A couple of entrees were the lamb shank, which were very delicious. They did need to be touched-​up to temperature a bit and our server was very gracious about it; checking in on us before we had a chance to say anything first. Everyone else’s meal was just right., sea bass, chicken, squash soup, and salads; all «just right». Their risotto can use a little help as it seemed a bit plain to me. A nice capuccino rounded of a nice dinner of under $ 40/​person.
Yes, they could kick some things up a notch, but it sure seems like they’re working on that right now. We’ll be back for sure. Enjoy!

Good thing I didn’t read the Unilocal reviews before I went there for dinner tonight or I might have been scared off. That would have been a mistake. My wife and I had a very good dining experience. The restaurant was packed on a Saturday night, full to capacity, and I didn’t hear anyone at the surrounding tables complaining about the food or the service.
I had a fish special. Lake Superior Whitefish with a mango-​butter sauce. Nice sized portion. Perfectly cooked. My wife had boneless short ribs which were very lean and tasty. Dessert was a rich chocolate lava cake.
The tab, with starter salads and wine, was $ 80. Not bad given the ambiance of the restaurant, service, portion size and quality of food. We’ll be back.

This place was always «the place» that I always wanted to go to growing up… since I saw it basically everyday… (it’s situated right across the street from the library).
They have an adorable little courtyard (complete with wrought iron seating — although not very practical for our 100+ degree weather) and a little fountain and tons of foliage with white twinkle lights… so it’s very cute. Also, there is one table upstairs on the balcony, that is ultra romantic. Every girl’s dream… you know?
I’ve been here a couple times. First time was on Valentine’s Day, where the food was pretty good. I had the capellini with chicken… and it was pretty tasty. They also had rose petals everywhere. on the floor, on the tables, chairs… everywhere… so it was lovely. The food was good and I was happy.
The couple other times after, I’ve been here… the food has been less than good. I’ve ordered the same thing…(since I am so not adventurous) and it just hasn’t measured up.
It’s also really expensive… might I add… which is fine for good food… but since the food is pretty meh, it’s lame. This isn’t Beverly Hills after all… but I suppose this place fancies itself as good as one of the other places in Beverly Hills.
The service is also pretty hit or miss. For example, one time, we had some aspiring magician, who was more interested in showing his «tricks» off to his friends than doing «waiter-​ly» things.
Eh. All in all, I wouldn’t recommend this place for it’s food… but at best, maybe it’s ambiance…

This place has a beautiful ambiance.
VERY EXPENSIVE
VERY AVERAGE TASTING.
There will be no 2^nd visit.

Cute little spot that’s hidden on Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills. Great ambiance inside, nice fireplace in the dining area and low lights throughout the restaurant — very romantic!
Service was friendly, however, they were «busy» the night I went (not that that’s an excuse) so they weren’t quite as attentive as I would like. It makes me wonder how the service would be during an extremely busy holiday dinner … ??
Wasn’t overly impressed by the food. The branzino was tasty, but definitely was expecting more for the price. The capellini is a much better deal — decent amount, great price, and way tastier than the fish.
Parking is either valet, street, or tiny spaces located across the street at the library.
4 stars (not 3) because it was an overall positive experience — good service, decent food, convenient location.

Wow what 10 years will do. Last time I ate here I was with my grandmother and she raved about the Osso Bucco as the best in the world. And she had been all over the world. Skip ahead 10 years.
The hamburger was supposed to be Medium. Instead it was the far side of well and tasted like leather. My dad’s Bronnzino was probably a few days past fresh. My salad was uninspired.
The tell tale should have been that the place was empty on a Thursday. We never saw another customer the entire evening. Not a good sign. This made over once was is just that, a once was.

We went here for a graduation dinner on June 18^th, 2011.
I must say that I was a little nervous coming here based on some of the previous reviews I have read on Unilocal.
Dinner for 8 at 7:30 P.M. Arrived on time and was shown to a table by the manager, in the front window area, immediately.
Server arrived promptly and took our drink order and went over the specials for that night; Seafood Risotto with Clams, Calamari, and Shrimp which I ultimately chose and by the way was marvelous!
Our server was slammed while taking care of us and several other tables, and still managed to tend to us in a timely manner.
He had a good sense of humor and kept the mood light.
Apparently the restaurant had a banquet going on upstairs as well.
The menu items that we ordered were:
2 orders of BRAISED LAMB SHANK garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, braising jus, that was cooked perfectly, and as my daughter said, «this is the way lamb is supposed to taste; delicious and not gamey».
3 orders of MESQUITE GRILLED FILET MIGNON fingerling potatoes, asparagus, barolo reduction that were done just right at medium rare.
1 order of ROASTED DUCK AND LEG CONFIT roasted fennel, mushroom risotto, sour cherries that my sister in law just loved.
1 order of WHOLE ROASTED BRANZINO seabass, asparagus, white beans, piquillo peppers that my wife had.
Quite honestly this was the least spectacular meal that we were served. Not bad, but unremarkable.
1 order of the Seafood Risotta that was very tasty and done just right.
Add to this a couple bottles of wine and then the dessert list came.
We all shared the apple crisp-​like dessert with vanilla ice cream, and 2 chocolate desserts that were incredible; it was tough not to hoard!
All in all we were all impressed with the quality of food and service that we received.
I would definitely come back, maybe for date night so the wife, I and the Aunti aren’t on the hook for the bill for the 5 other people!
I must mention that the crowd of patrons at the restaurant when we arrived, tended to be an older group. As the night progressed, however, the average age profile dropped.
A great graduation, a great dinner, and good company… it doesn’t get better than this!

Villa Piacere is very consistent. I have never had a bad meal. I have the butternut squash ravioli, the chilean seabass, calamari, butterfish, and the roasted duck confit. All of my dishes were great. Service is good. The only negative comments are the location. Its tucked away in woodland hills. Its now a new and swanky joint so i would bring a first time date here. Its full of senior citizens from the valley.

Not what I expected when recommended by the Hilton staff. We asked for a good Italian restaurant besides Maggliano’s. I was going to go to Adagio based on Unilocal reviews but I was concerned it was too intimate for a business dinner. I expected a restaurant with more than 3 pasta entrees and at least 1 chicken entrée besides ½ free chicken. I had the lamb shank which was pretty good. The garlic mashed potatoes didn’t have much taste. The asparagus was OK. The caesar salad was OK.
As others mentioned the restaurant was not crowded on a Wednesday night. The service was very good.

My hubby and I came here for date night on Friday. We have a one year old, so these outings are rare. We had driven by this place many times and were curious. I have to say, having read all the negative reviews we were really hesitant to go here but decided to give it a shot.
I have to say, this place was pretty great. First, it’s gorgeous. Very romantic setting perfect for date night.
We had a 7:30 reservation but got there around 7 to have a drink at the bar. They have a nice bar area with comfy couches. The drinks were good and the bar tender was friendly!
Then we were seated at our table. Our waiter came almost instantly with our menus and took our drink orders. He was quick, attentive and friendly.
As for the food, hubby and I got the calamari and crab cakes to start with. I wasn’t a huge fan of the crab cakes but my husband really liked them. They also came with a really good dipping sauce. So good that I was eating with a fork on it’s own. The calamari were really good too– crunchy and not too greasy.
For our entrees, I got the ½ chicken and my husband got the salmon. My chicken was yummy and the brussels sprouts it came with were amazing. The only thing was the sauce was really salty, but I like salty, so it didn’t bother me. Husbands salmon was good too.
For dessert, I had the berries with cream and hubby got the banana tart. I have to say, the banana tart was amazing. I wish I had gotten one too. They have a chocolate soufflé on the menu, which I want to try next time we go.
I really think this place is underrated. The staff was super nice and the food was good. We will be back.

3.5 Stars.
Excellent ambiance. Lots of intimate tables, and the patio is nice. The food is very good. Don’t expect anything super-​creative or out of the ordinary, but what we’ve ordered has been tasty and well-​prepared. We’ve been here 4 or 5 times and have not been disappointed with the food. In general the waitstaff have been friendly and prompt. Depending on the night it can be ridiculously busy or completely dead.
We did have one meal that was sort of strange though. It was a romantic Valentines date with my wife. The waitress decided it was a good idea to pull up a chair and sit down to chat with us. Ok, I’m a pretty friendly guy but when I’m on a Valentine’s date I don’t really have much desire for a ten minute chat with the waitstaff about how crazy her life is and how her sister just dropped out of college.
In general I don’t think this restaurant deserves so many 1-​star reviews. But maybe they should pay attention and try to step up their game… it does look like most of the 1-​star reviews have been in regards to the service.

*yawn* This place bores me. Went here a couple of years back for Valentine’s Day, only to be met with a terribly boring Valentine’s Day menu that had pretty much noting appetizing on it. I opted for the lobster ravioli. It was pretty pricey, so I assumed I’d be getting something worthwhile.
I was wrong. I got like… four medium sized ravioli, with chopped langostino lobster in it. Not that it wasn’t relatively tasty, but langostino is NOT lobster. I won’t be going back…

Okay, going with the theory that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all, I have not left one bad review. Until now. I came to terms with it because I realized that I would be doing a disservice to people who spent their hard earned money on this place.
Pros:
Absolutely beautiful
Calamari — crunchy and not greasy at all. Cocktail sauce had a perfect kick.
Cons:
Sell sell sell!!! — my least favorite thing in a restaurant is when they try to oversell you apps, wine, cocktails, water, etc. The entire meal was upselling. We turned down the wine about 5 times. Hindsight being ²⁰⁄₂₀ I should have ordered the cocktail. I realize had I taken our servers advice, I would not have noticed how dreadful the food was.
French Onion Soup — Don’t bother. They did not broil and melt the cheese, but instead threw a slice of cheese into the soup. The bread was too soft to stand up to the flavorless broth and so you ended up with a half melted Swiss cheese slice and crumbs in your soup. I sent it back, which I never do, and when I got it back, there was a stripe of cheese broiled on top. So gross.
Turkey Meatloaf — My boyfriend ordered this mealy mess of a meal. Came with sweet fries that were soft mushy wilted oily pieces of what once was sweet potato.
Apple Strusel? I’m not sure what it was, but the ice cream that was served with it was kissed with freezer burn and extremely icy.
The food was terrible and everything was soooo expensive.
I will not ever go back. Not when there is so much great food in LA.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Consistently good restaurants in the SF Valley can be hard to find. Fortunately. Villa Piacere is very easy to find on Ventura Blvd between Topanga and Shoup. It’s a bit disarming though because when you first approach the space, it looks like a garden laden contemporary wood sided house. The side parking lot is a cobbled vine covered outdoor arbor with huge iron chandeliers… just for the parking lot I would start at 3 stars and go up from there. The patio dining area in the rear makes you forget you are in the Valley. I actually think of The Inn of the Seventh Ray when I dine here outside.
Ahhhh — once inside you realize you have come to a very comfortable and personable restaurant where everything is prepared for only one single goal — your personal enjoyment of a fine Italian/​Californian cuisine.
The decades old huge California Pepper trees all around the exterior of the restaurant frame a some-​what farm house rustic-​like atmosphere. The food served is, however, anything but rustic, and definitely not what any farmer’s wife would serve.
They offer a good selection of appetizers. Most of the usual fare is represented including a fantastic Beef Carpaccio that easily serves two. Their fresher tasting than most Caprese Salad starter is also top notch. They even have an authentic Brown Derby Salad that’s as good as I remember the original Brown Derby served.
From their limited pasta selections, I love their Mushroom Pappardelle in cream sauce… very rich but not heavy like most cream sauces.
Their sea bass and roasted duck are two of my favs from the house specialty menu. The duck is particularly good, especially the next Sunday morning when they serve it as hash in their Duck Hash and Poached Eggs — yum!
For grilled entrees, I love their NY Steak served with their Peppercorn sauce. There are a good number of sides to select from as well (all a la carte). Try their sauteed boccolini and ask them to pop a clove of garlic into the pan when preparing it. The grilled asparagus and haricot verts are also great sides.
I’m not a big dessert fan, but they do offer some daily specials that change every month or so, so check out their offerings when you arrive. They do offer some great quality coffee.
Their bar is quite nice and comfortable on the ground floor west side of the space. Like Monty’s down the street, they do great martini based drinks and a fabulous bloody mary. I do wish they had lemoncello though.
This is a good date spot because you can actually sit and talk to each other during the meal without raising your voice. They do have a semi-​private dining room available for a larger group and some more intimate tables up and downstairs. Beware though that they also have some not too private tables along one particular wall downstairs that has a lot of wait staff traffic passing by — constantly.
This is most definitely a restaurant for a special occasion or small family function gathering, especially when dining outside. It is a little pricey for what you get, but what you get is great. I once attended a wedding reception in their patio area. Very romantic and all guests felt spoiled. Lots of smiles and no complaints from anyone.