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La Dolce Vita - Cleveland, Cleveland, OH

La Dolce Vita - Cleveland

4.7
4.7
1814 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian

Make a reservation

2 people
9:00 PM
Booked 42 times today
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
Welcome to La Dolce Vita Bistro - “The Sweet Life,” a restaurant and bistro created to recapture the bell-époque charm of “The Italian Drug,” opened here by Dr. Anthony Caruso in 1914. In the tradition of the great European bistros, La Dolce Vita is devoted to providing a relaxed and friendly atmosphere for everything from eight course dinners to coffee and Calvino. We strive to prepare the perfect meal, or the perfect cappuccino, and let you enjoy it at your leisure. Our pasta is cooked fresh to order, our sauces and dressing are painstakingly prepared using only the finest ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, the freshest vegetables, imported whole tomatoes, fresh basil and Italian parsley... and your table is reserved for the evening.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Mediterranean
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 3:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (216) 721-8155
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Terry Tarantino
  • Neighborhood
    Little Italy
  • Parking details
    Valet parking available on Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Street Parking also available.
  • Public transit
    RTA bus stop in front of restaurant.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,814 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Cleveland / Akron / Canton

    Italian

  • Cleveland

    Italian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
La Dolce Vita in Cleveland is a "Cleveland treasure" known for its authentic Italian cuisine and vibrant atmosphere. Situated in the heart of Little Italy, it offers a "charming and nostalgic" dining experience with "amazing food" and "top-notch service." Guests rave about the "wonderful" hospitality from owner Terry Tarantino, making it a must-visit for both locals and visitors. The outdoor seating provides a delightful option for quieter meals, while the "fun welcoming atmosphere" inside adds to the overall dining pleasure. Whether for opera nights or casual dinners, it's a beloved spot for Italian cuisine enthusiasts.

1,814 Reviews
  1. Valerie

    VIP

    Cleveland

    7 reviews

    2.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    A Cleveland staple as far as Italian restaurants go. Unfortunately many of us made reservations to accommodate the Cleveland Orchestra Christmas performance that evening (nearby). The restaurant apparently allowed a 24-person walk-in that then threw the reserved customers off for the remainder of the night. We stuck it out and ended up missing some of the performance. A few groups near us were very upset and left, understandably. Good food though!

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  2. Jill

    Cleveland

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Always love spending the evening at La Dolce Vita! I think you need one of those entryway door protectors. The cold wind outside came right inside…and it was really cold! Otherwise, a beautiful night. Can’t wait to return.

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  3. Michael

    VIP

    New York City

    8 reviews

    3.0

    8 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was good as was our server, who had a great personality. However, the host and seating situation were a disaster. We walked in for our Friday 5:30pm reservation and there were easily 15-20 people waiting in a tiny area to be sat. We weren’t sat until around 6pm, despite there being a six top open the entire time (our reservation was for six people). The host was a one woman show and had no help which exacerbated the situation.

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  4. Timothy

    Cleveland

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on December 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service as always. Terry makes everyone feel like family.

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  5. Mallory

    Las Vegas

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 18, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was exceptional, staff was awesome, great experience overall. Parking is a nightmare so allow for extra time. Valet is right outside which is nice but it still takes a while because of how narrow the roads are.

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  6. aubrey

    Cleveland

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 15, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Definitely going to be my new go-to spot in Little Italy! I cannot believe I’ve never been to this restaurant and I’m going to be coming back very frequently. The food, drinks, and desserts were beyond fabulous! The service was also amazing as well!

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  7. Laura

    Cleveland

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 15, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our second visit, while the food was excellent, the service was slow because of a large party and we waited probably about 45 minutes for our entrees to make it out. It was also just super busy in general and we seated at a folding table right next to the door which was tight and it was cold since it was so close to the door. Probably should just space out some of the tables and eliminate that space, because people were just right on top of us.

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    Miami

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 14, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The experience was amazing. The food specials were delicious. Our kids loved the atmosphere.

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  9. Nikki

    VIP

    Cleveland

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on December 14, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food! Terry came by our table with a delicious vegan pasta to sample. Our server was great! Friendly, prompt, precise, and just the right amount of attentiveness. Our food was fantastic, as always! Every experience we’ve had has been outstanding and last night was no exception. The live singer (not an opera night) was mediocre, i really could have gone without him, but he did do “Sweet Caroline” and I can’t resist singing along the “Ba Ba Ba” part, so I guess he redeemed himself. It was a wonderful night and our favorite spot in Little Italy!

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  10. Steve

    Cleveland

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on December 14, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Fun casual Italian restaurant in the heart of little Italy. Traditional southern Italian food. Food was flavorful and well presented; a little heavy on the garlic, but what the heck. The atmosphere is fun and lively. Not quiet, but you can still easily hear each other. The restaurant has a family atmosphere; the owner is a nice guy and he is checking in with customers and providing a complimentary pasta starter. Prices were very fair. I felt at home; I would go back.

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FAQs

La Dolce Vita - Cleveland is rated 4.7 stars by 1814 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
9:00 PM
Booked 42 times today
Google Map for La Dolce Vita - Cleveland

12112 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Little Italy
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 3:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Mediterranean
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Valet parking available on Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Street Parking also available.
  • Public transit
    RTA bus stop in front of restaurant.
  • Executive chef
    Terry Tarantino
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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