Lovina

Review summary

1. J

   Jeff

   San Diego

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined today

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   From the second we we arrived at this charming local restaurant we were completely taken care of. The service was spectacular, but the food is the main attraction. We had the Mushroom Polenta Bites, Risotto with Prawns, Beef Cheeks, and the Hot Mess for dessert. They were all amazing, especially the Beef Cheek. Make sure you order the Sourdough Bread with the Kale Pistachio Pesto Butter and Black Sea Salt. We had two orders. I woke up this morning craving that bread.
   

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2. JZ

   JoeZ

   Los Angeles

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Food was wonderful as was the staff. We celebrated our 30th anniversary and we were met by a hand written card and hand made wine stopper. I had the bolognese "dirty" and practically licked the plate clean. The asparagus cream soup and au gratin potatoes were also excellent. I also live their ethos and that they pay their staff a living wage with benefits. Just all around lovely.
   

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3. J

   James

   San Francisco

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Delightful experience - server, ambience, quality and taste Go and enjoy!
   

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4. J

   Jim

   Milwaukee

   7 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   7 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Everything was spot on. Great gem in town. Will be back one day.
   

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5. B

   Bud

   San Francisco

   14 reviews

   vip
   3.0

   14 reviews

   Dined 4 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 3

   We were slightly disappointed with our experience at Lovina last night. Service was average, but with a positive attitude. We opted to sit at the bar which was a nice option. Wine list was not very good…. And very small. Now the food… an Italian restaurant serving Posole as soup of the day was weird. Fried polenta bites were OK, but the sauce was horrible. The Halibut Croquettes were shredded goo,over breaded and fried crispy served with an unifentifiable sauce . We split the beef and pork bolognese as an entree. The Pasta was excellent, but the sauce was under seasoned and no bread service of any type…. Loved the building and location….but this one is a donot repeat for us.
   

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6. M

   Myriam

   Chicago

   13 reviews

   5.0

   13 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Food was tasteful. Very quiet nice ambiance. Timely service.
   

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7. R

   Robert

   San Francisco

   7 reviews

   2.0

   7 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 2

   Lovina has a no-tip policy and provides its employees significant benefits. They appear to enable this approach by the high prices they charge for their menu offerings. We had one starter, two entrees and one beer. The beer I ordered, which came in a 16 oz can, cost $12. The same beer on tap at another area restaurant was $8.00. The bill (gratuity included) with tax and an unexpected credit card use fee came to $133. Even if the amount was adjusted for a 20% tip the total cost the food/drink items would have been equivalent to $106. That's still too high for what we received. On the plus side, my wife raved about her entree which was gluten free and dairy free. I enjoyed my fish which was flavorful and nicely presented (albeit the portion was on the small side). One other small complaint. We were a party of two and when we arrived I observed that several intimate tables were unoccupied. However, we were seated in a well lit room next to a party of four which included a small child. I should have asked for a different table. Our seating location was odd given that I had noted it was an anniversary celebration on the OpenTable reservation request.
   

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8. J

   Jock

   Philadelphia

   100 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   100 reviews

   Dined on November 13, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Excellent local restaurant. Service is included to be transparent and offer a living wage. All pottery done by owner - wow - and available (again with a service going to staff). Local ingredients. Options for omnivores, locavors, and herbivores. A true model. Keep it up.
   

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9. M

   Megan

   Sacramento

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on November 11, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Anthony was the best server with so much knowledge and a great personality.
   

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10. S

    Scott

    Sacramento

    20 reviews

    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Our favorite parts of the meal were the Model Bakery bread with herbed butter, the Apple Salad and the Polenta Bites. The cocktails were also very good: Bees Knees and the Espresso Martini. We love the atmosphere at Lovina and the service was great!
    

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