Al VentoOne of our favorite places.One of our favorite places. Always exceptional food & service. Home-made pastas are great. Can't wait for the new outdoor patio to open! Jonathan Hunt's other two places (Rinata & Sparks) are also among our favorites.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMMother's Day DinnerSo glad we decided to go to Al Vento. As always, the food is wonderful, service attentive but not hovering and the wine list consists of good yet moderately priced options. Always a winner!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMy favorite brunch in Minneapolis!We love Al Vento for dinner but their brunch has become our Mother's Day tradition. The selection appeals to everyone in my family. From waffles and a chocolate fountain for the kids to smoked salmon, goat cheese and panzanella for me. The "Boozie Brunch" option provides bottomless mimosa, screwdriver and/or bloody mary.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMnoisyVery good food, great service. However, the noise level can be annoying.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMlucky to have al ventowe feel very lucky that this restaurant is in our neighborhood. this kind of local restaurant is a great bonus - fresh, housemade pasta, regional vegetables and cheeses, good wine list, etc. make this an excellent choice. Worth the trip even if you aren't in the neighborhood.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMS. Minneapolis gem!Amazing Italian; impeccable service; great ambience. Highly recommended!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMCan't go wrong with Al VentoThis is my third or fourth time at AV, and it was great. For starters, I had the mussels, my dinner mates had the beet salad. I had the pork tenderloin with polenta and the others had the hangar steak. All were pleased with the food. Decent portions, not microscopic. Tiramisu was great, too. I sat in the annex at the back and it was a tad noisy, but not a big problem. I will be back.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMNeighborhood GemBecause i live in south Minneapolis, friends in the suburbs are always asking me for neighborhood, non chain, restaurants near me, and I often mention El Vento.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMhome made pastaI enjoyed the mastigliani with duck and my wife liked her pasta with pork. But our two salads really impressed too.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMSpecial occasion diningThough it was a weeknite, and we dined early, it was very busy! The veal scallopini was excellent as was the asparagas bruchetta. My friends declared the beet salad memorable. Wine choices are varied and excellent - as are the prior to 6 pm 1/2 price options.
The back room gets very noisy when filled with diners - hard to carry on a conversation!
We love al Vento and recommend it to others especially for special occasions!5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMFamily birthday celebrationOur family loves Al Vento. The food is creative, but there are always "regular" entrees if one of us is not feeling adventurous. The service is excellent. It gets noisy during the dinner rush.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was truly an authenticIt was truly an authentic Italian meal - what a great find!5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGo for food, not for bloodiesThe Bloody Mary's were entirely disappointing, so we all switched to Mimosas, which they were not stingy in refilling. The brunch buffet was delicious.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently good food. BrunchConsistently good food. Brunch is reasonably priced, nicely laid out, and excellently prepared. Love their salads and cheeses; Italian sausage is awesome.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it!I am trying to get my 60 year old parents out of their "Friday night" routine, which is dinner at one of three restaurants and going to bed by 10. For the last few weeks I've been finding new restaurants to take them too. They LOVED Al Vento. Food was unique and the dishes had not been tried before but they were close enough to normal that my parents didn't get uncomfortable.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMWe've gone for brunch andWe've gone for brunch and dinner. The brunch is kid-friendly and a great value, given the good selection and excellent price. The food at dinner is even better. Pizzas are well planned and executed, pastas go beyond the usual. Al Vento is a great neighborhood restuarant. Note: They have torn up their outdoor patio and are putting in a four season sunroom/porch. It will be very attactive and multi-functional, but there is a some construction around the restuarant currently.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was so fresh and of phenomenalFood was so fresh and of phenomenal quality. Will go back again. Place was packed and that is for a reason.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMDuck confit ragu with pappardelleDuck confit ragu with pappardelle was dark and rich, smoky tomato broto with halibut was delicious. Service was excellent - helpful suggestion about Italian white wine I was not familiar with, empty dishes just disappeared, nice pacing with courses. Noise level was high, but the restaurant was packed.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst visit, liked itWent on a special promotion to aid a charity on a Thursday night. We were very pleased with our food, an olive appetizer, beet salad and main courses. I had a delicious Manila clam fetucchini dish (lots and lots of clams in the shell) and my wife enjoyed her ravioli. We arrived early, at five o clock, and when we left a little after six the restaurant had become packed. Service and wine were both good.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMSweet spot. Small menu butSweet spot. Small menu but delicious. A little crowded but only enhances the friendly feeling.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMI love al vento! Been thereI love al vento! Been there a number of times and always have an outstanding experience!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMAl Vento is "La Dolce Vita"Al Vento is a great neighborhood eatery, with excellant, ever-changing menus of Italian cuisine, good wines, great service and a romantic ambiance. We love it and keep coming back.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMNeighborhood GemMy wife and I decided to try Al Vento, because we're frequent diners at Sparks, a sister restaurant in our neighborhood. We chose Tuesday "Date Night" to celebrate our upcoming anniversary. The experience was memorable. The food outstanding. And the service excellent. We'll be back again and again.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was not our first timeThis was not our first time dining at the restaurant. And once again, we had an amazing experience!! The service was superb, and the food was fantastic! It was a Tuesday night with the $20 Date Night special, and the restaurant was packed! We still had a great evening! Our table was not ready, and we went to the bar for a drink. It is small, but we still were able to get a drink. We then were going to be seated by the door. My husband asked for an inside table, and the hostess was more than accomodating. We waited just a few minutes, and were then seated.it was a wonderful night.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMAs always, we had a fantasticAs always, we had a fantastic brunch experience. We usually go to Al Vento at least once a week and usually more than that.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were placed at a cornerWe were placed at a corner table, which was rather hard to get in and out. This was fine for us, but could be an issue for others.i made the reservations in my car as we were driving into the cities. Love the convenience!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMyum!Needed to find a place for dinner and not too familiar with this neighborhood - decided on Al Vento because it had gotten great reviews. They were right! First impression when walking through the front door was 'huh?' because there was a large curtain hanging there - were we supposed to walk through it? Had we come in the wrong entrance? We pushed through and voila! there we were in an adorable restaurant. (I am assuming the large curtain is there to minimize the cold air coming in) Service was great, they had 1/2 price bottles of wine. The Caesar Salad was wonderful - homemade dressing (a little too garlicky - I could still taste it the next day, but it's hard to complain about too much garlic:)Dinner also very good! We'll be back!4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMA very reliable restaurant.A very reliable restaurant. Consistency in quality of food preparation. Always cozy. Drink prices should come down a little. I come to this place quite frequently year after year because it's so close to me. I always bring friends there with me to share the place.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have been to Al Vento twiceWe have been to Al Vento twice and absolutely love this place. The best pasta I have ever had and I love pasta!! I love the atmosphere, the staff, the ambiance, everything. Can't wait to go back. I also can't wait to see the new patio.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Neighborhood RestaurantGreat ambiance, food and service but too loud. On a busy Saturday night our table of 4 was practically shouting at each other to be heard over all the noise. It took away from the wonderful meal.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMamazing!great food every time. doesn't disappoint ever. service is freindly, food is amazing.wine list is nice, and 1/2 bottles before 6pm.
new patio to come, can't wait.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall eating at Al VentoOverall eating at Al Vento was a good experience. The atmosphere was comfortable and the service was great. Some of the items we ordered had excellent flavor and some of the items were dominated by raw, minced garlic. If you don't like a lot of raw garlic flavor, be careful what you order. Ask your waiter.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMA New Brunch Favorite!Al Vento continues to impress me! My husband and I took my mom to Al Vento for brunch and were wowed by the experience. We have always loved the restaurant for its quaint, intimate feel. Now it is a great brunch location for us as well. Our waiter was excellent (we never had to wait for a re-fill of mimosa)! For the price, you cannot beat Al Vento for a very classy, European style brunch.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat recipes, friendly serviceGreat recipes, friendly service - relaxed but not lacking attentiveness. Half price wine bottles weeknights. Brunch was perfect, too. We keep going back!3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMWe wanted to try somethingWe wanted to try something in the neighborhood....We scored! Deliciousness abound... from the appetizer sampler, the pork sandwich, the linguini nero, the classic spaghetti, and the grapefruit salad. We shared since the servings were generous. Wednesday is a great night to go because of the amazing happy hour pricing structure. A nice evening all round to celebrate a special friends birthday!... Thank you3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMLove the date night menu andLove the date night menu and happy hour deal on bottles of wine. It's a great value. My only conplaint is that it is very, very dark in the back room. Looking forward to the new patio area.3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMAl Vento is a "keeper"! ThisAl Vento is a "keeper"! This was our first visit on a recommendation from friends. It is now on our "A" list. Excellent service, great ambiance, spectacular food.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent variety of selectionsExcellent variety of selections on the menu. Sizable portions. Excellent wine recommendations.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMOnce again, Amazing!!!!We recommended this restaurant for a couples night and really talked it up before our friends traveled from Orono to meet us here. Al Vento delivered on every level. The service is absolutely flawless. Everyone goes above and beyond to make your experience the best night out you will have in a long time. The food and wine recommendations (I don't eat meat) were perfect. They went the extra mile to make sure everyone felt taken care of.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful staff, amazing foodWonderful staff, amazing food with great timeing. Could use a slightly wider flavor variation in the mixed drinks though. Over all, no complaints! I do miss bacon at brunch though.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMI've never had a mediocreI've never had a mediocre dish here. Lamb with white bean and lamb belly was amazing ... also, I didn't even like gnocchi until I tried their's.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMBEST FOR BRUNCHFantastic brunch. Nice variety of food, attractive and very tasty buffet. Service was attentive and despite being crowded they followed the Italian custom of allowing us to linger and chat.Prices were very reasonable. Reminded me of going out to brunch in New York.We'll be back!3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMVisiting from out-of-townVisiting from out-of-town and found great reviews online so we booked Sunday Brunch.
No disappointment! Loved the choices, delicious preparations and good mimosas for a boozy brunch. Highly recommended for Italian foodies!3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is a wonderful restaurantThis is a wonderful restaurant that is hidden away in south Minneapolis. The service is excellent, the food and the wine delightful, and the ambiance was very romantic. I am extremely happy with my experience at Al Vento and will definitely be visiting again.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent service, food soExcellent service, food so flavorful and wonderful ambiance! A very enjoyable experience!3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic food, good service.Fantastic food, good service. A great little neighborhood restaurant!3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMI have been coming to Al VentoI have been coming to Al Vento for years. It still
remains in my top 3 restaurants. I bring all my
friends & family here when they are in town. It is always
A big hit.
I love the date night menu & the happy hour specials.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMA sure thing.I have been to Al Vento many times for one reason. I have NEVER been disappointed. The food is always outstanding, and the service is always great. The manager often visits our table to make sure we're happy. GREAT place, GREAT date night.2/12/2013 12:00:00 AM