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Nella Kitchen and Bar, Los Olivos, CA

Nella Kitchen and Bar

4.7
4.7
1064 Reviews
$31 to $50
Californian

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 29 times today
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
Opened in August 2020, Nella Kitchen & Bar offers fresh, modern California cuisine and focuses on 'Roman Pinsas'.
Meals are served on the front porch overlooking Grand Ave where guests are warmly welcomed, or in the cozy Dining Room which also has a private Wine Room that can host family seating and private parties.
Cocktails are focused on classics and served in the Lounge with a lot of bar seating.
As much as we love pets, we only allow service animals at Nella, thank you for understanding.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Italian
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:30–21:00 Bar Daily 11:30–21:00
  • Phone number
    (805) 686-1359
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Luca Crestanelli
  • Private party facilities
    Please email us at events@nellakitchen.com for details.
  • Area
    Santa Ynez Valley
  • Cross Street
    Alamo Pintado
  • Parking details
    There is street parking available on Grand Ave.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,064 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
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Californian

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Best Overall

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Best Food

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Best Service

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Best Ambience

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Best Value

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Good for groups

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Healthy

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Good for special occasions

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Lively

  • Santa Ynez Valley

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Nella Kitchen and Bar in Los Olivos is a culinary gem, offering "fabulous food" and "outstanding service" in a charming, movie-like setting. Known for its "delicious" Pinsas and Bolognese, the restaurant also boasts an extensive wine list. Despite occasional service lapses, it's a must-visit for fine Italian dining.

1,064 Reviews
  1. Anthony

    Central Coast

    32 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    32 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We sat for 2.5 hrs, dinner, dessert and coffee. The mgr kept staring at us which was disrespectful as we overstayed our welcome. The hostess did ask us to leave as someone was waiting for the table. I’ve never been asked to ever leave a restaurant in my life, this was irritating 👎

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  2. Fred

    Los Angeles

    18 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on 19 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    We’ve given this restaurant multiple chances, but the results continue to disappoint. While the service is genuine and the food shows potential, something fundamental just doesn’t click. To their credit, they accommodated my wife’s food allergies by modifying the Romini Lettuce dish, which turned out quite nice. However, management issues became evident when, halfway through our salad, a server hovered over the table, attempting to clear our plates, announcing that the main courses were ready. We asked for more time to finish our starter and enjoy our wine, but as expected, our entrées ended up sitting under a heat lamp in the kitchen. The result? My wife’s John Dory dish, which could have been wonderful, arrived as warm, smoked fish. My tagliatelle was undercooked. The Bolognese sauce was disappointingly mediocre, and the traditional shaved Parmigiano was neither offered nor delivered. To top it off, a simple request for a spoon to assist with eating my pasta was ignored and never fulfilled. The restaurant shows potential, but poor execution and management continue to overshadow what could be an enjoyable dining experience.

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  3. Margaret

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 17 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    I went with my girlfriend for a quiet lunch. We had a lot to discuss. The food was very good, but our server was a real motor mouth. Very pleasant, but he went on and on. He was very sweet, but was not picking up our cues to move on. He kept suggesting that he sit down and join us. A little much to say the least. Someone should gently remind him why he’s there.

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  4. Cris

    Central Coast

    4 reviews

    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    Restaurant Review: Disappointed by Recent Visits to Nella’s Nella’s has long been a favorite of ours, but our last three visits, including last night, have left us questioning whether it’s still worth the trip. The service has unfortunately taken a noticeable downturn. Last night, it was particularly disappointing—slow, inattentive, and lacking the warmth we’ve come to expect. As for the food, the pork chops were flavorful and well-seasoned, showcasing the kitchen’s usual talent. However, they were served lukewarm, which dulled what could have been a standout dish. We hope this is just a temporary slip for Nella’s. While we’ve always appreciated their culinary creativity, the recent decline in service and attention to detail is hard to overlook.

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  5. Donna

    Central Coast

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 5 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service, interesting and unusual wines by the glass - we will definitely be back!

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  6. Lisa

    Central Coast

    37 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    37 reviews

    Dined on 3 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a favorite. Pinsas are sooo delish. We like to get a few to share with salads and other starters. You can’t make a bad choice. We never pass on the shaved pineapple dessert, although this visit it seemed to be about half the serving and less of a presentation. Candied cumquat, pistachio panna cotta was also delicious.

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  7. LindaL

    San Diego

    10 reviews

    3.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on 30 October 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Pros: Pleasant, relaxed atmosphere, competent service, good food. Especially liked the Romini Salad with lemon-caeser dressing. Cons: Prices! $9 for bread and butter, seriously?! Two bowls of Tagliatelle Bolognese, a shared salad and a baguette with butter came to $80 PLUS tax and tip!! Ouch!

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  8. Karen

    San Francisco

    22 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on 29 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We have eaten at Nella many times and have never been disappointed!

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Portland

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 28 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous food. I really didn’t think that I order pizza at such a fine dining restaurant, but the waitress told us that that’s what they’re known for so we tried it and it was beyond wonderful. I can’t say great things about this place. The Bolognese was to die for.

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  10. Randy

    Central Coast

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 28 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was quick. Waitress was knowledgeable. Appetizers were great. Entrees were good except filet mignon sauce/veggies were so salty it wasn’t palatable. We were unaware we had to pay for water.

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FAQs

Nella Kitchen and Bar offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (805) 686-1359.

Nella Kitchen and Bar is rated 4.7 stars by 1064 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 29 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Nella Kitchen and Bar

2860 Grand Ave., Los Olivos, CA 93441

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Alamo Pintado
  • Area
    Santa Ynez Valley
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:30–21:00 Bar Daily 11:30–21:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    There is street parking available on Grand Ave.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Luca Crestanelli
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (805) 686-1359
  • Private party facilities
    Please email us at events@nellakitchen.com for details.
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