Best Italian Restaurants in Highland Park

The food and service were quite good. The post-Rose Bowl crowd made it too noisy to hear each other. If I lived in the area I’d definitely return, but I try for a calmer night.

Service and food were phenomenal. We had the fried spicy beef and chicken empanadas for appetizers. For dinner we had the Tagliatelle and the Malbec. The steaks were cooked to perfection and meals were full of flavors. For dessert we had the crème brûlée; very delicious, too. Can’t wait to try other dishes. 💕

This is the first time dining at Bacari GDL. We were a party of 2 sitting in the outdoor area on Brand. We thoroughly enjoyed all the “bites” we ordered: stuffed mushrooms, scallops, shawarma tacos, mushroom pizza,chicken sliders, and chocolate dessert. All were tasty and perfect for sharing. What to know: plan on ordering several dishes (appetizer size) and the food comes out as it is made, so don’t expect everything at once. There are heaters, but bring a jacket. It is still chilly on the patio. There are several staff members helping out, so make sure you get your orders if you are waiting too long. There was a mix up with our dessert. I think one waiter thought the other put in the dessert. The indoor area is small and we preferred to be outside and people watch. One thing that bugged us was that we wanted to sit closer to a heater and we were denied because it was a four-top and not allowed for a party of two AND it was being held for “reservations “. I stated that we had a reservation, but still denied. Five minutes later, they sat a party of 2. When we mentioned it to the host and said, hey, what’s up with the party of 2? The host stated that he follows the rules 🫤. Not cool, but we got over it. Overall it was an excellent experience with the food and staff . We will definitely come back to try the lettuce wraps and other items on the menu.

Christmas Eve--pretty busy of course but everyone in good sprits and relaxed. Sat inside in te back room which was comfortable. Service attentive and friendly, drinks prepared well and the food was terrific. Love coming to Gale's!

It’s an authentic Italian restaurant. The owner and staff has always been welcoming and friendly. The pastas are freshly made along with the specials. The fish are smoked and prepared with traditional techniques of hickory wood. Great selection of Italian wines make it complete. It’s a great family run ristorante!