We used to love this place, but they make no effort to accommodate our allergies, and we’re tired of paying high prices for mediocre food. Our server was sweet, but after we’d been over gluten free with her, and she’d gone to the kitchen to get answers to our questions, she offered us bread, so we reminded her we were gluten free, at which point she blushed and said she didn’t know what that meant. IOW she had had no training, which is very unusual in 2018. Won’t go back.

All fine food and service ok but a bit slow to come back

Quite good dinner. After our arugula salads, we shared the linguine with clams and mussels and the pork tenderloin with green beans and sweet potatoes. Both were excellent.

Arucola has a nice atmosphere. The waitress was efficient and polite. The food was unremarkable and the kitchen service was extremely SLOW. It is not on my list for a return visit.

They were closed for renovations. Minus points for not notifying OpenTable.

We got there at 6:30 on a Saturday evening. We got a window seat. The restaurant is a small friendly neighborhood place.

We each had a glass of wine (price was very reasonable), ant bread and olive oil was presented without having to ask for it. Our entries were very good, and what I would consider to be large. Food was cooked and presented very well. We skipped desert. The restaurant was very quiet at first, but became louder as it filled up, but was never too loud for conversation. Total bill was $92 including wine, for two. I left a 20% tip.
Summary: we’ll definitely be back!

We had four amazing entrees and three sensational appetizers, not to mention a great bottle of red wine, two finally crafted Grey Goose martinis. Appetizers were eggplant tower...grilled eggplant and tomatoes sliced, stacked and seasoned, fresh beets salads that was fresh, crisp and perfectly dressed, and the tomato caprese...where did they find such great tomatoes this time of the year and that elegant mozzarella cheese. Entrees, linguini with eggplant in a very tasty red sauce, grilled branzini filet with grilled vegetables, pasta with steamed mussels and clams with a very light yet tasty red sauce and papradelle pasta in a light cream sauce with fresh peas and other lightly sautéed vegetables. The bread is excellent and the service is fantastic.

Excellent!

Neighborhood Italian restaurant made a successful transition between owners

Let me start by saying ALL staff had great customer service attitude and skill. The kitchen needs big help. Forgot one of our entrees all together. This also happened to the table next to us. The explanation of offerings on the menu isn't what you receive and they didn't have a lot of what was on the menu. Pasta looked like ramen noodles from a bag, soup looked like straight out of a can...but through it all the staff worked really hard and just couldn't deliver what the restaurant claims to have/be. Unfortunate because they also have a really nice atmosphere.

The fresh pasta is fantastic. Their bolognese lasagna is the best I've had in a restaurant in some time. I couldn't decide between that and the filet mignon ravioli so I went with their option of both. Could not have been happier but then I topped it all off with creme brulee. Wow. What a meal.

My husband’s pasta with bacon and pistachios was really fantastic but my half chicken was on the overcooked side. The salad we had was wonderful. Mixed drink was excellent. Service and atmosphere very pleasant. Everything came promptly. A good place in the neighborhood.

We had a good meal and excellent service

The entree's were delicious. It was a little expensive, but considering the ingredients were fresh it was fine. Very professional and friendly staff.

Our dinner got off to a rocky start when the manager acted like it was as inconvenience to seat our party even though we had a reservation and the restaurant was practically empty upon arrival. The bread usually served before the meal arrived after our entrees. Otherwise, the pizzas were good and reasonably priced. If the customer service were better, I might want to return.

Limited menu,food was very tasty, but service was a bit disorganized

Calm, warm hearted, unpretentious with great service and true Italian cuisine. As usual, a happy place to eat with excellence and speak together, old world kept alive.

This restaurant changed owners sometime ago. After the sale some of the old waiters stayed on and it seemed seamless. However, my last experience was not very good. The waiter was very arrogant; didn’t bother to explain the specials and was overall not pleasant. Perhaps he doesn’t like to serve women.
The pizza, which used to be delicious, was not very good. It was too thick and it hardly had any cheese or sauce. I do t think I am goi g back. It used to be o e of my favorites and I used to go very often. ....not anymore

The staff was most accommodating. The restaurant was very empty at 1 p.m. so it was perfect for conversation and our r e Union lunch.. there was a good menu from which to choose and the food was served promptly and warm. It was perfect for our lengthy conversations without interruption. A fine restaurant in Upper Northwest.

We enjoyed the beet salad, lasagna, and pasta special ravioli and had the tiramisu for dessert. First time we've been in since the new management took over, the menu is basically the same.

When we arrived, the hostess led us toward the stairs. We asked for a table on the first floor -- because it was the birthday of one member of our party. At least half of the tables on the first floor were not occupied. The restaurant refused, saying that they would be using those for other diners and that we made our reservation that day (which apparently renders you ineligible for 1st floor dining). We were then seated upstairs in a small, crowded, and very loud room. When they seated us, every other table upstairs was full. The puzzling and annoying thing: when we left less than 90 minutes later, 2/3 of the tables on the first floor were not occupied. It's hard to believe that everyone whom they were saving those tables for came and went while we eating upstairs! Have eaten there before -- the food is quite good, but the attitude was quite off-putting. We are not inclined to go again.

Delicious food in a relaxing setting. The service couldn’t be better! We always enjoy eating there.

The limited lunch menu was good. Service was very attentive. Food came nice and hot. Quiet Friday lunch.

Great lunch!

Arucola is a great neighborhood restaurant that offers good Italian menu options at reasonable prices. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Inside it is crisp, clean, and cozy. It wasn't too noisy, which is a real plus! The music was low enough to create a little ambiance (nostalgic Dean Martin) but the perfect level to be nice background music. My friends and I always look for places we can enjoy a nice meal and talk without straining to be heard or flinching at obnoxiously loud music or diners. Arucola provided both! I've only eaten there twice so can't comment much on the food in general. The tilapia I had was rather bland and I wouldn't order it again. But, the pasta my friend ordered was pretty good.

Arucola is favorite restaurant of my family. This meal with my adult granddaughter was delightful. Good food, perfect service, pleasant ambience , and a low noise level. That's a combination that is hard to beat.

Deserves 2.5 stars so I rounded down to balance out the inflated average this place has. My husband and I ate here last night for a casual Valentine's dinner date. Based on the reviews we hoped that this could become our new regular place. But the food was poor. We started with calamari, which was simply coated in Panko and fried too long and over-salted. Then my husband had the veal, which was a small cutlet, pounded to hell, breaded, and cooked with zero seasoning. It was a waste of veal. The whole thing was then placed on top of about 3 cups of arugala. I got the pappardelle with greens and Italian bacon in gorgonzola cream sauce. Sounds flavorful right? Wrong. It had almost zero flavor, except for the overdone, to crispy bacon. The service was fine, except that when we asked about how much wine cones in a half vs full carafe, he said a full was 5 glasses. We ordered a full of the chianti riserva, which was way more than expected (and not very good). I had 3 glasses, my husband had two, and there were two left in the carafe. I'd say this is a fine place to take your 9 year old who doesn't like flavor, or your parents visiting from the Midwest who've never had real Italian food.

Service was a little slow, had to ask for bread. Ordered linguine w/mussels and a red sauce but got the white wine sauce, which was still very good. Great local place to grab a meal after the movies.

Not what it used to be. Food is bland. New decor is bright and cheery. Service was fine, no complaints. The menu is limited and execution not worthy to write home about.

We live near to Arucola and it has become a favorite place to go with friends in the evenings. We also love the wood-fired pizza for a leisurely lunch. The outdoor tables are great when weather permits. There is parking behind the restaurant.

Arucola is a staple we enjoy on a regular basis. The pizza is very good, as is the pasta. We love the atmosphere which has a wonderful neighborhood feel. They have a solid wine list, and beer options. their craft mixed drinks were very good.

The new ownership at Arucola has made a very good neighborhood restaurant/institution even better. More diverse menu--including excellent pasta variety--made our evening with friends a treat. Our welcome at the door and service at our table was cordial and professional. Delighted to see the place crowded with folks having a very good time.

Been going there for years.Didn't like the lecture from the new manager abt sitting at a table for 4 with 2 people and he would move us mid- dinner if more peeps came. They didn't come and the back of the place was empty!All diners and especially regulars should be treated with respect.

This neighborhood gem is consistently good with daily specials and good service. Nice atmosphere and tables up front are not too loud.

Delicious dinner, excellent service, and a nice atmosphere!

Chose Arugula for a friend get together with 5 couples and it was excellent. The food and service were terrific. Look forward to going again.

Excellent fish and pasta; very good service....warm, friendly ambiance. Arucola is a neighborhood treasure!

VERY PLEASED WITH THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE. FROM THE GREETING AT THE DOOR, TABLE SEATNG, ATTENTIVE AND FRIENDLY WAIT STAFF, AND EXCELLENT MEAL. SERVED WELL AND TIMELY.

Fabulous every time. Get the specials.

We have eaten at and loved Arucola as our neighborhood standby for fifteen years, and we took our entire family tonight. The new ownership, although friendly, has some serious kinks to work out. We were there for over two hours with small children, despite that we had a reservation and were seated immediately. The restaurant was not full, but our kids’ meals took over an hour to arrive. When they did arrive, one order was wrong. The manager came to ask what it should be and redid it, but it came back wrong again. Very frustrating. The size of the pizzas has also decreased by at least a third. We are willing to try again, but given that it’s been under new ownership since April, it should be a much better-run operation than it was tonight.