Kerbside pickup
Yes
Dontinos La Vita Gardens in Akron
Categories
Location on the map
Akron, Summit County, Ohio, US
Service options
Takeaway
Yes
Dine-in
Yes
Health and safety
Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits
Yes
Highlights
Great coffee
Yes
Great dessert
Yes
Popular for
Lunch
Yes
Dinner
Yes
Solo dining
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible seating
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Yes
Offerings
Alcohol
Yes
Beer
Yes
Cocktails
Yes
Coffee
Yes
Comfort food
Yes
Kids' menu
Yes
Quick bite
Yes
Vegetarian options
Yes
Dining options
Lunch
Yes
Dinner
Yes
Catering
Yes
Dessert
Yes
Amenities
Bar on site
Yes
Good for kids
Yes
High chairs
Yes
Toilets
Yes
Atmosphere
Casual
Yes
Cosy
Yes
Historic
Yes
Crowd
Family friendly
Yes
Groups
Yes
Tourists
Yes
Planning
Accepts reservations
Yes
Payments
Debit cards
Yes
Phone: +1 330-928-9530
Site: http://dontinos.com/
Site: http://dontinos.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:11:30AM–9PM
- Tuesday:11:30AM–9PM
- Wednesday:11:30AM–9PM
- Thursday:11:30AM–9PM
- Friday:11:30AM–9PM
- Saturday:11:30AM–9PM
- Sunday:Closed
Comments (199)
The place is very nice and clean! The waitress was training a new person. They were both great. The cheese sticks were ok. Could have used more seasoning on them. The spaghetti was good after adding more sauce. I like the place & will go back. Thanks!
Amazing. Great family experience. Food was on point! They accommodated a party of 9 at 2pm on a Sunday. Server was incredible. Food was out on time and together. Nothing went wrong. Left happy and of course with leftovers. Portions were huge.
You must wear a mask to enter. OK spaghetti and antipasto salad. Reasonable prices for lunch specials. We spent about $9 for a lunch size spaghetti order and soft drink. The special includes a salad and bread. The restaurant is period decorated. There is a large parking area behind the restaurant.
One of the best Italian restaurants in Akron/Cuyahoga Falls Ohio. The veal cutlet is the best I have had anywhere; amazing coating. The hot Italian sausage is another of my fan favorites! I love the Italian salad dressing and purchase a bottle every time I go. The staff is friendly and attentive. If you have any issues ask for Anthony- he will make it right; also he makes the best pizza. And if that isnt enough, the chicken wings are excellent. Try an espresso or cappuccino, they use a traditional machine not a digital machine (which doesnt compare). Last but not least the prices are reasonable and reflect a real value for the money! But even better yet, Dontino’s is family owned and operated! Dontino’s is always my go to for a great Italian meal!
My wife and i went here the other night. Ive been meaning to take her there for a long while. The food was pretty ok. The service was decent. Beer selection is lack luster. Well go back and give it winter shot Im sure.
Great food, fast and friendly service. Great family restaurant. Recommend highly
Shocked to see all these good reviews. Tastes like the food comes out of a can.
Fantastic Pasta specials daily! Baked Ziti is amazing, along with the Stuffed Shells!
Amazing service, food, cleanliness!!! Love this place so much! Nichole was great! Susie always forever. A little pricey for me, but so darn good. Loved the stuffed shrimp. Want to go weekly, if I could. A little more portion size would be awesome! My son had pizza, it was really good, but I like the crust a little thinner. Wow, forgot how good the food is. Going back on Monday for the special, I hope. Im so glad olive garden ( not my favorite at all) had a 30 minute wait.somehow dontinos just popped in my head. Oh, forgot, get the meatballs. And that stuffed shrimp. My son wouldnt quit eating my shrimp! Should have ordered 2. Lol
Was at a Birthday party which they catered at their restaurant, besides the food being excellent, it was very clean, and everyone was very very nice! Although it wasnt the time or place, they have a very nice bar as well! Definitely want to go back for a full sit down dinner!
The service was good and food was good also. I had the lasagna but it seemed a little, soupy. It was good but just soupy.
Best little Italian find in North Hill. Food was fantastic, service was superb and fast. I highly recommend it.
Since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped here for a large, lazy late-afternoon meal. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.I started off with a large antipasto. The contents were nothing out of the ordinary - strips of ham and cheese over good tomato slices and average lettuce, with a few sausage slices on top. But the dressing was a whole different ballpark. Oil and vinegar based, with various seasonings that made it, and the antipasto, truly delicious.Then on to the pasta, spaghetti with white clam sauce. It did not arrive until several minutes after I had finished the antipasto, so it was nice and hot. (Kudos to the kitchen staff for that.) And delicious!I dont need dessert, but after such a good main course I decided Id see what my options were. I chose the tiramisu, which was light and delicious.All washed down with a cold draft Peroni.In short, a great meal. Wonderful food served over a sufficient length of time so that I could digest and enjoy it, without having to fear that the next course would get cold before I could start on it.Add to that that the waitress was available if I wanted to speak to her, but did not hover over me with endless visits, which I hate.In a word: Go!
Best lasagna I’ve ever had! The sauce in the lasagna made my tastebuds come alive! Will definitely return for more!
Both times we have tried the pizza it was just ok. I appreciated that the crust wasnt greasy. Would have liked to try the pasta but didnt want to spend that much money. That staff was friendly and efficient. The dining room was clean and nicely decorated. Likelihood of going back about 60% simply because I like to try to support area mom and pop establishments.
Old school local Italian food just like its been for decades. Ive been eating at Dontinos for almost 50 years. Its not fine dining, but its good food.Service was good and everything came out as ordered. The lasagna still takes a long time, but is worth the wait. Linguini with clam sauce is simply prepared and tasty. The veal sandwich is flavorful. Portions are generous, but not ridiculous.
Absolutely delicious! Very friendly staff, reasonable prices too!
I just loved the old school vibes! We ate at a booth in the bar. Had 1/2 carafe of chianti; delicious and a great buy. Had the (made daily) spinach ravioli- sooo good! Friend had cavatelli with meat sauce. We split a cheese pizza - delicious! We ordered half orders of the pasta so that we could also snarf down pizza. Still went home with pizza and cavatelli. Cant wait to go back!
Good food, excellent service. Very friendly place. Been going there for years.
Our waitress Jessica was the best. Very attentive and just a great waitress.
Whats not to love?! From homemade pasta to outstanding sandwiches and beyond, its all great. Ive enjoyed their food and hospitality for over 45 years.
Honestly this place was over hyped to me and did not live up to expectations. I don’t think there’s anything special about this place. You can make a plate in your own kitchen that’s about the same for a lot less money. The service was great and super friendly but food was lacking.
Great food, a little pricey for what you get though. The salads are pretty much just a filler for your money. Other than that their pasta and bread is delicious. Not only that but the pasta is made fresh how many other Italian restaurants make their own pasta?!! Plus their meatballs are amazing!
Great staff. Great owners. White clam sauce with homemade linguini noodles. Get a side of olive oil to dip your bread......and some of the cheapest cocktails in town.
Best eggplant parmesan hands down. Salads still have beets ☺️. And prosecco on tap.....I mean....🤷
Their meat sauce is the absolute best Ive ever tried.
Great food, great staff. Great overall experience!!!!
Lived in the neighborhood for a year....and Im kicking myself for not trying this place sooner! Ran in to pick up some Chicken Parm around 6pm on a tuesday. The staff were incredibly friendly- and that SAUCE- Wow! Great portions fresh salad and the Freshest delicious bread- two healthy slices. Chicken parm was perfect- juicy baked chicken isnt easy but this was Fantastic! One of THE best takeouts since Covid. I am taking the family in with me next time!
My companion and I visited Dontinos based on a recommendation. We made reservations just incase they have limited seating due to Covid. We arrived at 4:30pm on a Friday and were the first people in the parking lot behind the resturant. We entered through the front handicapped entrance. We walked by a very nice bar area & were promptly seated. I must point out that the staff take the social distancing, sanitizing, and mask wearing seriously.The menu has all of the normal Italian dishes and a nice selection of deserts. I ordered eggplant Parmigiano with a side of homemade pasta. I also ordered a side of mild Italian sausage that they make inhouse. They offer hot or mild sausage that are in patties. My companion ordered the eggplant as well but with a side of meatballs. The dinner entrees are served with fresh Italian bread and a house salad. The salad has a mix of lettuce and has a slice of tomato and a few beet slices. The main entrees arrived hot and fresh. The eggplant was cut thin, breaded, and fried perfectly. The homemade pasta was made al dente. It was cooked perfectly. The sauce was thick with a tasty combination of tomato and garlic. The Italian Sausage patties (2) were served with a side of sauce and were very good. The meatballs were large and tasted phenomenal! Because we like the dinner so much we ordered a pizza to go. We also ordered a piece of tiramisu and two cannolis to go. The tiramisu was very good. My companion said the cannolis are as good as her mom used to make. High praise indeed!While that was our first visit it wont be our last. I already know what I am ordering next time. A plate full of homemade pasta with meatballs. Why stray when you have found something that tastes so good? Obviously, I highly recommend Dontinos. I only wish I had known about this resturant sooner.As we were leaving we noticed the available tables were mostly full and the parking lot was as well. Since this was at 5:30 I recommend making reservations on the weekend. Enjoy!
I grew up coming to Dontino’s every Friday with my parents. I can say, with great authority (I’m a truck driver and have been coast to coast too many times to count), that this is by far still the best Italian restaurant I’ve been to. They treat you like you’re a member of the family! Frank, is an amazing host/manager! I can’t say enough good things about thus restaurant.
Go here now. I had the baked manicotti and as much as I wanted to save some as leftovers I couldnt stop eating it. Family owned, small town restaurant ... so good.
Great service. Suzie is the best waitress around.
Enjoyed a wonderful lunch today. Their house Italian dressing was so good we didnt let a drop get away. We dipped they yummy bread till we both had clean plate awards. Delightful service from Wendy (? I think that was her name) we will be back
This is a very popular an good restaurant. Tonight my husband and I had one of the specials on the chalk board - Veal Cannaloni. It was excellent and came with a tossed salad. I chose the house Italian dressing which they sell bottled. Excellent service. Salad was served cold rather than room temperature and main dish was served hot with the cheese melting on top. Prices are moderate. I recommend this restaurant for good homemade Italian food.
Extremely overpriced and ridiculously small lasagna. Salad was iceberg with nothing nutritious in it, soggy with lettuce that looked wilted. Bread was plain white and bleh. For the money probably the worst meal I’ve had all year. I was told I would love it. Instead I left with extreme disappointment never to return again. So glad I waiting to try before recommending and suggesting to friends that we go there. I think all their customers are retired. Seems like this place will be closed down in a decade or so.
The customer service experience was great. Atmosphere is Italian at its finest.Food was great!
Dontinos is always consistent.Every time Ive eaten there over the past 30 some years, Ive had a wonderful dining experience.The food is delicious and the service is fantastic.The atmosphere is warm and friendly.It is my favorite restaurant.Love to go there and always happy.
Amazing food, great portion sizes, and so very reasonably priced! Atmosphere is cozy and like being at home. Staff always treats us like family!
One of Akrons best and most consistent restaurants.
I had delicious eggplant parmesan. It came with a salad, fresh bread and a side of their homemade pasta. Great food for a fair price.
I simply can not say enough great things about Dontinos. All of the food items are outstanding. Great salads served with beets and even shredded cheese on request. There are several pasta sauces to choose from. There are the normal boxed pasta options but there are several home made pasta options available, which I suggest. The pizza is also very good. I would say amoung the best in Akron. The staff is super attentive and friendly. If they are open, there is probably an owner on premises talking to patrons. The best Italian choice(s) in a multi-town radius. 10/10.
I am so disappointed. Met a friend there to celebrate her birthday. We had a party of 5 one of which was a child. We ordered 2 orders of the fettuccine Alfredo ($18.95) shrimp Alfredo ($18.95) a small pizza ($9.00) and veal parmigiana (($18.95). When the food came out I was underwhelmed by the portion size but even less impressed by the four small slices of white, bland looking chicken laying atop the noodles and white sauce. Cutting into the chicken made me think that maybe it had been cooked in the microwave. The meat was not of good flavor and it was on the colder edge of warm. I got through the dinner trying to be a gracious person for my friend. I will never return. I am kicking myself now for not saying anything and allowing myself to pay over $100.00 for a terrible dinner. The bread was good. The service was OK and the noodles and sauce were OK, much like I would serve at home. I used to talk down the Olive Garden experience but at least I can depend on the flavor and quality of a good chicken Alfredo meal there. Very disappointed.
Wife and I went for dinner on the 24th of Jan. Got seated very fast which was good. After that it was all down hill. We sat for over 15 minutes plus. We were like in a dead zone for a waitress. There were 4 waitresses just kept walking by us and never waited on us. There were four other groups of people that came in and sat down and got waited on right away. We finally said the hell with it and got up and left. Wife complained to a manager I guess he was. He said just sorry. Been there many times love the food. Will never go back.
The absolute best takeout meal I’ve had this year! Dine-in is always delicious! The pizza is hands down the best pizza in Akron! Pasta is so authentic & delicious! This place is a classic! I LOVE DONTINOS!!!!
Absolutely my FAVORITE restaurant! Great people Great Food and atmosphere!!!!!
Homemade noodles and meatballs were amazing.
My take out was last luster at $20 for a pasta dinner. Couldn’t eat much due to the pieces of shell I kept finding. The salad was so warm the cheese was turning color, since it was in the same bag as the hot food. The bread was good and they gave me a fork and napkin to eat which was nice.Maybe we’ll will try to dine in next time.
Over priced for the entree I revived the quality and effort put in was not worth 19.50$ For something that couldn’t feed some kids. (ALFREDO) My pasta wasn’t drained correctly. The sauce was out of a can.The gave you 6 pieces of shrimp with shell attached And two slices of bread. For the pricing it was terrible quality and quantity. Very overrated. Average Italian joint.
Dontinos creates a warm, casual, caring and friendly dining environment. The food cant be beat (Im partial to the pasta dishes). Make sure to try the house dressing on your salad. Every server I have ever had has been efficient, accommodating and appropriately friendly. The prices are quite reasonable, which allows for having dessert (they have the BEST Spumoni ice cream!) All in all, there is no place I would rather go for a delightful, relaxed meal.
Great service and meals. We 14 in our group, our waitress was on top of her game. Server #18 sorry never caught her name.
Pizza is out of this world, home made crust that is always nice and crispy on the bottom, real mozzarella cheese and they put a ton of toppings on! Atmosphere is old school Italian, and many rooms and can accommodate parties. I love this place! Waitresses are awesome!
Italian food which is made to perfection. I had the Chicken Parmesan. You have to get this with a glass of wine otherwise it would not be a complete meal. It has a nice intimate feel to it. Dontino’s is very professional and I appreciate the way they carried out business.
I always have an Italian dish here. This time we had the Perch on Friday. It was amazing! As was our server. I dont remember her name but we were in the front dining room in the middle both on the inside wall. Shout out to her....she made our dinner the total package. Also the iced tea here is the Bomb!
I had the Sauerkraut balls appetizer and the Lavitas Super Steak Sandwich and a side of Meatballs. All the food was really good. I am glad they returned to a better quality of meat on the Steak sandwich like they use to have in the past.
It was okay. The flavor of the chicken did not appeal to me. The service was excellent. Plenty of parking.
What a gem in North Hill!! Dontinos is wonderful! The food is always delcious: I always get the fettuccini alfredo and my boyfriends gets their meatball sub, but we have tried a lot of other things from the menu. Service is always fast and friendly. When we order over the phone all we give is our name - they have our order memorized! Price is average for an Italian place, and they do give good portions.
Dontinos is a tradition for my family when we are in the area every summer. They do not take reservations but we called ahead and they managed to take care of us with a fairly short wait (10 min?) The bar tenders were attentive while we waited. This year, we had a VERY large group for my fathers 81st birthday and we had a great experience. Our waitress, who definitely had her hands full with our family, couldnt have been more fun. I really enjoyed the homemade RAVIOLI. The cheese filling was light and had just a bit of spinach. I was told they make it daily. Meatballs are tasty and tender, good classic red sauce. Other family members had the homemade long pasta ($1 upcharge, dont even hesitate). Full bar - cocktails, beer, wine.
Always delicious! Great atmosphere and service! We went Saturday night for my birthday & took my parents, whove never been... Theyve lived on the hill since 75 too! Everyone loved it and will be back again!!!
The fried mushrooms were good and had a light crispy batter. Staff was friendly, timely, and professional. The chicken in the chicken marsala was fall apart tender and the eggplant parmesan was delicious. Will be going again.
Old home feel, great Italian food. You are never ever rushed, and youre treated like family. Awesome food, homemade noodles. Great steak sandwiches, too. Excellent
Our waitress was absolutely delightful, but I was really disappointed with the quality of the food. I can say with absolute certainty that the bread that was brought out at the beginning of our meal was store-bought bread, not freshly baked. The appetizers (wings and fried mushrooms) were overcooked and mushy. They definitely werent fresh either. They were oversalted and had no flavor beyond that. Our entrees were lackluster as well. I got the lasagna, which is noted as being their signature dish on the menu. It had no flavor and was extremely mushy. I threw out the leftovers when I got home. My fiance got the stuffed shrimp linguini. The sauce was literally a half stick of melted butter and very few spices. There was no flavor. Even after he added all of the cheese/spices at the table, it still didnt taste appealing. A family friend of ours always RAVES about this restaurant, so thats why we gave it a try. Unfortunately, theres no reason for us to return. We enjoyed our waitress though!
Charming! Homemade pasta! Had a girls night out here and was super pleased. We were the last people at the restaurant for the night and they were still super sweet and accommodating. Recommend!
Got seated. Waited 15 +minutes.. 4 other couples seated after us and were waited on. Still no service for us. 3 or 4 waitresses just passing us by. We were literally at a table in the middle of the room! Left without being served and when leaving told the manager & all we got was an Im sorry. Very disappointing. Used to like this place..wont ever go back!!!
My family and I have been dining here for 50 years. I am Italian and this restaurant has the best real Italian cuisine that you will find in Ohio. This is the only place that I order lasagne, the blend of meat and cheese is perfect. Their sauce is as good as my moms. The veal is fantastic. Wednesday is spaghetti night and their spaghetti is delicious. They are also famous for their pizza and steak sandwiches. The prices are reasonable. The Italian dressing is my favorite and they even sell bottles of it to take home. A great place for family dining or a date night.
I used to love going to Dontinos. Their foods pretty good not the best but oh my gosh their prices are way way too high. Bring your prices down and I do believe it will work way better for everyone involved. Prices way too high. Portion that you get with what you order not so big. Extremely little for the price. I wont be going back for a really long long long time. If at all. I thought this was a family restaurant? How many families can truly afford eating at Dontinos? I can but a lot of people cannot and thats not right. Again lower your prices and give people more for their money. They deserve it. The public they keep you in business. Thats what counts the customer. Whats the old saying the customers always right. Suggestion again lower your prices and if youre going to charge this much at least make your portions bigger. More bang for your buck. Im just being honest in this post. You should really think about what I just submitted to Google. Along with what I put on Twitter and any social media I could possibly put it on. Happy Thanksgiving.
Favorite restaurant among locals. Ordered the veal parmesan. Burnt 2 inches around the whole thing. Fries barely cooked & tasted & looked like McDonalds. Service extremely slow. Because of that I declined the servers offer for a redo. I was starving and didnt want to wait another 30 minutes. Server was inattentive. I expected some consideration on the bill. Nope. Total bill including a Coke $24. Been there several times of late and the veal is always overcooked but usually not burned. Wont be back.
Food was amazing and our service was the best
Food was ok, i thought the sauce was somewhat bland but our waiter made the whole experience worth it. Older gal, i told her she missed her calling, she should of been a comedian, praying she is able to get surgery on her knees. She adds charm to the place
Store bought food but priced for fresh made. The spaghetti was put of a box (and obviously so). Decor is also quite outdated. We tried it because we saw decent reviews but those are probably as dated as the decor. Really was hoping for a good local Italian restaurant... But this isnt it.
Hot spot in Akron! Nice place for drinks and dinner.I have been here many times. Usually, I would not have complains apart one time. That time, the service was sooo slow... we waited for our entree for one hour- either kitchen was slow or the waiter forgot to put our order.
The steak sandwich was terrific. It was a big piece of steak, but it did have a small amount of grissel. After removing it, there was still a big steak grilled perfectly and served on a soft bun with lettuce and tomatoes and banana peppers. I had an Italian side salad with it. What a great meal! Very enjoyable! Thanks.
Stopped in late in the evening last weekend, as the options at the Italian-American Festival were less than alluring. Promptly seated and greeted at the table, the server was more than accommodating while we looked through the menu. Ordered an appetizer sampler, eggplant parmesanand a pizza. The app arrived hot and freshly prepared, with good sauerkraut balls, breaded veggies and boxed mozzarella sticks, and the iceberg salad with beets and house dressing was tasty. Eggplant parm looked a little dark, like the eggplant needed a second coating of breading to protect the color of the veg, but taste was not dramatically affected. Pasta was topped with their classic sauce, which is sweeter and light on the acids found in canned sauces. Im not sure how to perceive the pizza, as the crust came out a little tough around the edges, kind of a pastry-style crust instead of the hi-rising dough of mainstream pizza shops. Pizza taste was pleasant, with the cheese on top of the toppings, sealing the flavors underneath. Even at the late time of our arrival, there were more than 50 people inside the restaurant closing out their evenings. Diner note: when arriving, there is a parking lot at the rear of the building that leads to the main entrance. Street parking is available in the front. Daily specials are available - Ask your server.
Fantastic food, service. I havent been here in years, but I had the best food, Dontinos is a must for anyone visiting or living here.
Date night with my wife. Perfect portions, classic Italian done really really well. I had chicken parm YUM! Olive oil n little flour, chicken breast pounded out beautifully. My wife had spaghetti n meatballs delish. She said she felt like she was at Grandmas for Sunday dinner. Couple glasses of wine and wonderful service outta there for under $60 tip included.
I ordered take out this evening and spent 30 dollars on old food...and i dont mean old style. The calamari was rotten and nearly made me puke. The salad had really old rotten black leaves mixed in with some good iceberg. The sauce that came with my salad was a mystery and looked like it was packed in the plastic cup it came in 3 years ago.The food had no price on the menu online and didnt come with a receipt. The best part of my meal was the bread and butter that came with my meal that probably wasnt even made there.
Will never go there again! Always went there as a child and it was such a treat! My husband have been there a few times since the kids have taken over thinking maybe it was just a bad night but after the third bad night we won’t go back. We ordered carry out with a bill of almost $50 the best thing was the salad and that wasn’t the greatest either
My first visit was great. A lunch with friends, most not seen since before covid. Good food and service. Try the steak sandwich!
Pasta is not as good as it once was. Only thing that was good was the bread. Side salad was even a disappointment. It had 1 tomato 1 beet and some lettuce. The sauce had no flavor. Grow up in north hill. Everyone is saying the same. Very sad to see.
We took friends tonight for dinner, soooo disappointed!. I had the bruchetta pizza, it had so much oregano on it. I could not eat it.(it was removed from the bill) our friend had the sausage dinner with pasta, being Italian, i did not expect a sausage PATTY! Not a link! We have been here before, but will not return...also so overpriced!
The service was fast and pleasant, but the food was not. My son got chicken parmesan and my husband got veal parmesan and they said theirs was great. I had the stuffed shrimp, but the linguine was very hard. For the price of the food and the amount you got, we wont be back.
Someone told me this place was as good as Parasson’s! So I go like idiot thinking it was good!! Tried two different kinds of sauces very basic something I would’ve made it home. Deep fried raviolis was terrible taste like something out of a bag the only enjoyable part that I had was the pretty lady in the purple dress I recommend anybody that needs this restaurant to go to Parasson’s instead.
I love the pasta here but vegetarians beware - even after telling the server a vegetarian Ive been served dish containing meat (not on the menu!) twice. Very difficult to get a vegetarian dish there. But the pasta and wine are quite good when served as expected :)
Just finished dinner at Dontinos. The food was up to par, but the experience was unfortunately all too common.We were seated next to a table of right to ten weaponized Beckys (middle aged white women half crocked on house wine) by a server who was ten times more interested in serving her regulars than us.There was cacophonous cackling. There were godawful overused joke lines that stopped being clever when Garfield did. There were impossibly wide backsides blocking all access to the restroom. And all of them were skull-shatteringly loud.Well after I was done eating (I just put my head down and chowed in a effort to get my taste buds to ring louder than my ears) Boss ThunderBecky finally stagger-waddled home and we had a tolerably pleasant few minutes.But the food was good.
Not as expected. $20 meal looked like Ramon noodles and 4 shrimps. Note it did not taste bad. But I would have rather gone somewhere else where food was better and waitress didnt sit at the bar just chatting when she could have been checking up on customers more often.
The food is good, but the portions are terrible! For a $10.00 plate of spaghetti marinara, I was expecting a large quantity of food, but what I got was a small bowl that may not have satisfied the appetite of a 10 year-old child. Being Italian-American and having eaten at many great Italian restaurants in Greater Cleveland, this place really disappointed me.
Food and service pretty good. I will let you go on the salad but you know what you need to do. If there was iceberg why didnt you make me one when I asked?
Our familys first time at this restaurant was a wonderful treat! Amazing service and the food was delicious! We have definitely found a new favorite. Thank you Paige and the whole Dontinos team!
My girlfriend and I arrived for dinner between 6-6:15 Wednesday, June 20th. We were seated at a table in a section where 2 booths were occupied and all other booths and tables were open (in the back room near the restrooms.) The hostess seated us and promptly brought us glasses of water. Within the next 5 minutes, 2 other parties of 2 were seated in the same section. The waitress (who appeared slightly older than us, were both in our late 40s) walked past our table at least 3 times (never acknowledging us) and subsequently waited on the 2 tables that were seated AFTER us. If she cant keep track of 5 tables in her section and the order in which they arrived, much less acknowledge them, then perhaps she should seek a different profession. I notified the hostess as we walked out of the restaurant. I sincerely hope their owner or someone of high authority sees this post.
Server did a good job.I had the spaghetti with marinara sauce. I wouldn’t recommend it, not flavorful at all and not a good value.My wife had the perch dinner, she liked and it was a good value.
I gave this place 2 stars for the fact that it is clean... to a point. The table wasnt ready for us that we were seated at and the waitress seemed to be in a rush. The calamari was cooked right but when I got my antipasto I was shocked cause it was a salad! The menu didnt say it was a salad! If u dont know, antipasto isnt a salad unless its told on the menu! Now for the main course... my date got hers and the pasta was ice cold around the edges and dry, like it was sitting in the window for ever! And my food looked like a complete disaster! It was supposed to be a baked manicotti. From the looks of it, it was pre-made days ago and wrapped in plastic and frozen, then heated in a microwave! The waitress stressed to me that it was oven baked but there was no browning or oven anything that would say it even touched a oven! The sad manicotti didnt even have cheese on top! Sad so sad... for the price they want we couldve gone to Olive Garden and gotten a better meal. I had a 50$ gift card to pay for our meal. After they charged us 22 and some change for just our salad, calamari and drinks (WAY TOO MUCH) I gave the card to another table because we r not stepping foot back in that place.
1st time ever going was on a anniversary date with my husband the food was served simply and done right and tasted like a fancy restaurant. True tastes of Sicily 🥰
Delish food. Great wine to go and super friendly staff and owners!! Try Eggplant, Rigatoni, and the Risotto spinach ball appetizers!!
Staff was quick and food was old school delicious! I had the lasagna and my husband had the chicken parm! Would highly recommend both! The bread was delicious!!
Very pleasant waitress,best fish Ive had in ages .Salad and homemade dressing delicious as was the homemade Italian bread,finished off with wonderful coffee.Very reasonable price.
This place is awesome!!! My favorite thing to get here is the wedding soup...fantastic. The ravioli is also great. Service is wonderful as well. 5/5 stars... Recommend Dontinos to everyone!
Do not go here unless you want to be judged based off of what you look like and what youre wearing. I came here one day i wasnt feeling the best, so no i didnt have my best clothes on or my hair done. Hostess just stared at me until i told her how many were in my party. I could already feel the off vibe. The server seemed as if she disliked her job, couldnt smile during our entire experience. When my salad came, there was 5 brown pieces of lettuce (okay, i ignored that and waited for the rest of my food). It comes and is an EXTREMELY small portion for $13.95. But whatever, italian is typically expensive. On top of all that, i had been waiting and waiting for a box, server was no where in sight. So i see the busser boys clearing the table next to mine and tell them not to clear my food off because i had to use the restroom. As i proceed to go into the restroom, which is no where near the exit, the owner/manager (looked like a higher up) chases me into the restroom asking me if im going to pay my bill!?! I was BLOWN away by this!!! I absolutely could not believe he thought i was going to dine n dash! Needless to say, i will NEVER be returning to this establishment after being treated like this. The food was alright, but for the price and the service not worth it at all.
My family has been going for years upon years and Ive been going for as long as I can remember. We know the family that runs the business and they are great people. The service has always been amazing. Dontinos is a very good restaurant.
The authentic atmosphere is outstanding. The food is amazing. Everyone makes you feel like you are home.
Old style Italian food. Portions are a little small, but food is good. Last place I know that you can get homemade spaghetti. Likely has not changed in 20 years.
Very disappointing meal. I was expecting authentic Italian food. It was bland and overpriced. Quality of food is similar to Parassons. For the same prices and much better food, I suggest Leos Italian Social or Papa Joes.
Great service and food... even the butter for your bread was not frozen ( like some places) but warm enough to spread on you bread without tearing it apart.. very clean and relaxing atmosphere... definitely will vist again.
Came here with a wedding party. Food was great! Had a great time. Sorry that we stayed almost an hour after closing. You guys treated us great that night!
We went for my birthday. It was our first time. The atmosphere was friendly and the food was good.
Terrible service and food wasnt good. The server repeatedly tried to give us other tables food, told us she didnt know what the drinks were so we needed to smell it and figure it out ourselves, and was just plain rude.
Nice atmosphere. Very homey. Loved our desserts. Good was nice sized with nice variety. Cute Italian eatery.
Beautiful little gem! Food was great, service was swift. Will definitely go back!
Service was very good.... food was not, special of the night was cold sent back came back was only warm. Appetizer was not hot for deep fried, pizza was good and was hot
Love Dontinos! I hadnt been there in 25 years mainly because I lived out of state for 15 years. As much as some things change some things stay the same just like they should! Keep doing it right Dontinos!
Food was alright service was good just the server was like to quick to want get rid of us didnt even offer us any dessert. It was my birthday and we told her that it was. She didnt even offer. That was my only disappointment.
Great locally sourced Italian food! Family owned, tremendous atmosphere.
Service was great waitress very friendly. Food was just okay.
Excellent family style restaurant! Broad menu, my kids love the pasta. Family owned and operated. Very clean, with great service. Consistently exceptional!!
Met friends from church. Had a nice visit hope to do it again soon. Food was good and service good. The lunch hour was very noisy. But we got too visit a while.
Our first time and it was terrific! The staff was very friendly and food was amazing. I was quite impressed with the cannolis too!! We will definitely return.
Excellent traditional italian food, friendly and prompt service, owned by the Maltempi fa
Been looking for lasagna for a while. Think Dontinos was very good. Not great, but very good. Service was good. Will definitely go back. As always have to comment on cleanliness. Very very clean.
Dontinos is only for our familys most special occasions. It is intimate, excellent Italian food, and the staff does anything they can to accommodate your wishes.
Never in my 40 plus years of going there have I ever had a bad meal. My favorite Italian restaurant on the Hill!
Delicious food & great service! Ill definitely go back.
Great Italian cuisine. Seems weird to say but had a very Italian feel. I dont know how to describe it, if you want to feel it too go there for dinner.
Good lasagna. Great service with friendly staff. I will go again.
First time going. Hand the steak sandwich with homemade chips and it was tasty. Had a canoli for dessert and that was very good as well.
We have been going here for years ! it has really gone down hill the last few times Ive gone ! It seems they just buy cheap store brand stuff or frozen and heat it a bit not even hot really ! They actually told me nothing was made fresh there at all anymore ! It left a bad taste in my mouth , it said fresh rite on the flyer on the table that is why I tried it ! Then when it came out still frozen in the middle well !!!! enough said ! Fresh or Fake ,I will take fresh every time !!!!!
Nice homemade pasta. Nice friendly staff. Great attention to the guest experience and check back on the table often. Prices are fantastic and quality is tasty.
A favorite go to for great traditional Italian food.
Incredible week in and week out. Love the homemade pasta and marinara. Love the family. Great staff. Go there every Friday. See you there!
Terrible steak sandwich, so sad. Response was they had received a bad batch of meat. If you know it was tough and full of gristle, why did you still serve it? Not sure any of our group of 10 will be in any hurry to return.
Its fabulous..our waitress was Beautiful!!! Good was the best...first time there..cant wait to go back.
The noodles were fantastic. My wife enjoyed that the sauce was not overly sweet. My son thought the lasagna was amazing.
Great family Italian restaurant. The service was fantastic, the food excellent, and the dessert divine. Well worth the price.
The best place for Italian food in the area. Carlo and family are the best. Great food and drinks plus good prices. I love this place. You will too.
Great dinner, highly recommend the gnocchi if available! Oh and dont forget the cannoli!
Excellent service!!! Waitress was so accommodating!!!! Excellent dinner!!!! Overall excellent experience!!!
After that amazing dinner and house Cab, order a cappuccino. You will love it. Good food great atmosphere and perfect service.
Good service, great food, great atmosphere plus they had an Italian family band and an entertaining balloon man while the short wait for the table
I had the hot sausage sandwich and it was excellent. Staff was friendly. It seemed a little pricey but that could be my age showing.
Always a good time, great food, great service... Love Dontinos!!!
First time here and we really enjoyed the food!! We will be back.
Great place for our date night dinner. Very romantic like atmosphere, and the food was excellent!
A really great local North Hill establishment. Food is always good, prices are reasonable and friendly, attentive service. Great for lunches and dinner.
Voted best pizza numerous years. Spaghetti is good also. I usually order rigatoni and side salad with cheese.
The Best place ever. We have been eating there for over 30 years. Its family.
The hubs and I were the only people in the place. The service was not good and the food was not hot.
Food was overpriced and not very good tasting and no kids menu. I would not recommend this place. The waitress was not friendly.
Great atmosphere, delicious food, reasonable prices. Ive been going here nearly 30 years and its always been great.
Great food good people
Not a bad spot for Italian. Quick service and reasonable prices. My piece of lasanga was HUGE! The staff are very friendly too.
Great food awesome service this is a must go to restaurant!!
The wait was almost 45 minutes and the food was terrible. The claim sause was from a can, and smelled so bad it was not worth even earing more than one bite. I cannot recommend this place.
Best Italian restaurant in Cuyahoga Falls/Akron . Amazing food. Staff is always friendly and accommodating
Best chicken parmigiana in Akron. Old school favorite spot in old north hill neighborhood!
Amazing food, great atmosphere. Run by great people and their staff. Great family and place to take your family.
Excellent food, and great service....wonderful atmosphere always . Anthony, Frank and all the girls treat you like family !
We used to love going here all the time when I was younger however the food did not stay the same it’s not terrible but it’s not the way it used to being unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be returning the reason why am reading three stars is because the staff is very friendly and the food was decent
Food was wonderful! Can’t wait to go back again. The home made pasta was on par!
I could eat here everyday ! Good help wonderful food ! Been eating here for more than 40 years ! I wish I lived closer.
Very nice people. It was a safe place to eat. Masks required but I liked that
Great food, excellent service.We will be back for sure!!!!!!!
I hate going out to eat on a Friday because restaurants are always crazy, however with being so busy I really enjoyed the atmosphere! The food is always good!
Outstanding food and even better people. Highly recommend this place for a nice, relaxing, small town, mom and pop experience! Delicious!!!!
Service was fair or better, depending on server. Food was merely OK. Runny Alfredo sauce isnt right.
No angel hair spaghetti but certainly has not changed in 50 years. Great to see that somethings never change
One of our very favorite places in Akron!Staff is wonderful and food is out of this world!
Lunch with wife. Nice and quiet at that hour. Service and food excellent as always. I had meatball cassarole and salad.
Taylor was an amazing server! Food was very good!
We always have an excellent experience at Dontinos. Great food, great service, and reasonable prices. The spumoni is fantastic!
Great food, great price. Clean place and friendly staff. Always enjoy coming here
Great food, Great service, Perfect place to relax after a long day or dinner might with the fam. My 2nd home !
This is an awesome family dining area great food and good prices
My favorite Italian restaurant hands down the best
Food was great, but not very handicap accessible.
Great Italian food at great prices! Atmosphere can’t be beat! Always good service!
This is one of my favorite places to eat. Never disappointing. Food is great!!!
The food is great but if you go in to purchase and wait to receive your purchase theres no Hospitality on that end.
This the best place for pasta in Akron. Homemade pasta, nice environment, great people and nice prices. A must for dinner.
Great food and family. Ironically the zesty wings are hands down the best thing on the menu.
Very poor experience. Some of the food was served cold and the wait staff was rude. It ruined what we expected to be a great family experience.
Go here every Thursday. Live the food, company and drinks. The people are Great. Always enjoy seeing friends.
Good, solid Italian fare at reasonable prices. Pay the extra dollar for homemade pasta, its worth it.
Ok prices are higher than I remember, ordered stuffed shrimp linguine, 18.75.....4 small shrimp...very disappointed...overall just ok
Weve been coming here for years! Same delicious food and friendly service!
We always go early to beat the crowd. Good home cooked Italian food and great service!
Great original Italian food and the service is fantastic. Very reasonably priced.
I would rate the food, the service, and the prices at 4 stars, and 3 stars for presentation and the atmosphere.
Love this place. I hadnt been here in a while. A few things had changed! Family owned, intimate
Food was exceptional! Service was decent. Got a table right away
Liked the addition of home made pasta!! Als was able to buy and bring home some of their yummy salad dressing
Its like going to a relatives house. Always good food and great service!
Just a good place to eat. Friendly staff too.
Total reviews rating 4.4
199 Reviews for Dontinos La Vita Gardens 2023:
Review №1
2022-05-13Dontino’s La Vita GardensCraving the taste of Italy? Stop by this family-owned gem that’s been a part of the Akron area for nearly 100 years! From the place mats and color schemes, to the vintage photographs and decor, Dontino’s La Vita Gardens serves something we think is super important in dining experiences: authenticity. We absolutely loved the style of this restaurant, and want to go back just to sit at the beautifully arranged bar (which we are SO sad we weren’t able to photograph). We didn’t get anything to drink, but were plenty satisfied with our pre-meal bread and salads. The house-made Italian dressing was absolutely wonderful, and the bread was fresh and refilled promptly upon our request! For our main courses, we got the baked manicotti and the spaghetti with mushrooms. The spaghetti dish was very average, and we weren’t too wowed by any uniqueness or flavors. But the manicotti dish was absolutely DELICIOUS, and was probably the freshest we’ve tasted. Additionally, Dontino’s menu is large, diverse, and filled with incredibly reasonably priced items. Overall, it’s likely in the cards for us to visit again and try something new!
Review №2
2022-03-30Lovely experience, down to earth and quick service. Had the chicken Parm special which was delish. Salad with their house Italian was refreshing and tasty. Lemon Italian cake was a perfect ending. Took home this small.pizza for second dinner. I forgot to take pictures of everything else!
Review №3
2022-06-13Really great authentic Italian cuisine! The homemade ricotta stuffed ravioli are the best! The marinara sauce tastes very clean like fresh tomatoes. Not overly spiced with garlic. I like the marinara because its NOT sweet. The salads are good too. The Italian dressing is authentic tasting like vinegar which I prefer. Fair prices too.Shout out to Kathy! She was our waitress who was awesome!
Review №4
2022-05-01The best Italian food in the Akron area. Everything we’ve ordered has been next level. Highly recommend the veal and fried ravioli appetizer. The restaurant is extremely clean and welcoming. Owned and run by a single family. They’re Always beyond polite. They usually have a full dining room and ticket times are always quick anyways!
Review №5
2022-03-08I enjoyed the fried fish dinner with a side salad and spaghetti. The fish was my favorite part, 2 large filets and excellent tartar sauce too. The fried fish did get a little wet from the spaghetti water, being on the same plate. My husband had a pepperoni pizza, but he would have enjoyed it better with a lot less cheese, next time he will request very light cheese. I love cheese and I tasted it, but it was kinda doughy, like it didnt bake completely because of so much cheese. Cheese lovers this pizza is for you! We will return again but will request little cheese, and also request no beets on the side salad, SO MANY beets the lettuce turned purple. Beet lovers will enjoy this! I love the ambiance of this restaurant.
Review №6
2021-04-1191 years old! @dontinos_italian_akron is that “old school cool” italian place in North Hill/ Cuyahoga Falls Border. We saw someone had been there recently and had to go back after a prolonged absence. My wife had the beef ravioli. She doesn’t dish praise lavishly but she said, “ next time you are over this direction you have to stop and get me more!”. high praise from @jillrn_17 . My son fettuccini alfredo and was silently happy stuffing his face. the homemade hot sausage sandwich was good but I wished it had been more like kielbasa rather than patties. the chicken tenders were fine out of a box ( as my youngest likes them )fries , salad and fried mozerella all were as expected. great ambience ans great service.
Review №7
2022-07-07The food is amazing!! We were visiting from out of town and came back two days in a row! My mother-in-law is Italian and said this was “real” Italian food. Thank you for the great experience!
Review №8
2022-04-22A very good family style Italian restaurant. Good food, good spirits, great service. If you want to experience North Hill proper, this is a throw back to the communities history that is still standing strong.
Review №9
2022-06-16Wow I was really hoping for more. The food was just ok but the service was great. Well we went back tonight and the steak sandwich was fantastic, thank you Anthony for checking on us...great job.
Review №10
2022-06-18Great atmosphere. Good service.Mac and cheese disappointing. Mushy.Not made to order.First time I ever have a complaint in 40 years at this restaurant.