Colori Kitchen

Got take out from Colori and was left somewhat disappointed with our meal.
We ordered through Eat 24 and first things first, the delivery was later than the alotted window.
Second, we ordered a chicken pesto sandwich because we LOVE pesto, but got the regular chicken sandwich instead. I double checked my order and indeed I ordered pesto but did not get it.
Third, we ordered the penne bolognese and it just tasted strange. My friend and I were splitting the dish but neither of us finished it.
+1 for the side salad I was not expecting, but did receive, Appreciate that!

A hole-​in-​a-​wall in the heart of downtown LA… I saw this place on Unilocal and I seeing how popular it is, I decided to give it a shot.
Food: So I got the Spaghetti Al Pesto with chicken and my friend got the Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese with chicken. My friend thought that it was delicious and super filling. Not only that, it was also flavorful according to him. Personally, I love pesto on my pasta so I really wanted to try their Al Pesto. Reviews don’t lie, it was flavorful and the pesto was plentiful. A con I thought about the pesto was that I felt like it was a tad oily for me. I added chicken to the pasta and it wasn’t as great as I imagined it to me. The chicken seemed overcooked and hard. I recommend the pasta itself alone if you ever get the Al Pesto.
Ambiance: Sketchy exterior but cozy interior. Upon looking outside of the establishment, it seemed to be very sketch and dirty. A bad impression however once I entered, it gave off a homey vibe and it felt like a authentic Italian restaurant.
Service: The server told us the daily specials and seemed very enthusiastic about it so it was well appreciated. Not only that, he seemed very happy throughout the whole night. Although it took a while to flag him down to change our order, he finally noticed my waving hands and changed it for me.
Overall: Due to parking, its a hassle to get to this place but if you want to try amazing Italian food, COME HERE.

They’ve cut down on the portions some since I’ve been here in the past, but still have the 2 free bottles of «Bring your own wine,» You can’t beat that deal, you get to bring your own wine and have some awesome Italian cooking?! Had the Ciopino, lasagna and Spaghetti meatballs. The lasagna was ok, I was try the other pasta dishes like carbonara or fettuccine. The waiter is always helpful so ask him a question and he’ll point you to the right direction. The Cio’s soup was awesome, true Italian tomato based broth with fresh seafood, oh I forgot we ordered 2 of those. HAHA we had 4 people OKKKk. Don’t judge, just come get some!

Came here for date night and it was really nice! Made reservations and was seated immediately. I was wary of the negative reviews and inattentive service but we didn’t really have an issue. Parking is a pain in the butt though, as there isn’t really any, I mean street parking is probably best bet and maybe lots around. We lyft-​ed so I didn’t experience it first hand.
The space is a bit cramped because they are trying to fit as many people as possible in to this (fairly) large hole in the wall.
We brought a nice bottle of wine with us and definitely do so because everyone else does! There is no corkage fee and might as well take advantage! Hubs and I shared the carpaccio as an appetizer and it was a pretty sizeable portion! I’ve also never had carpaccio before but it’s like the beef version of proscuitto, very yummy! Perfect with argula and I would definitely recommend this dish.
Hubs got the spinach ravioli which was good but I don’t think very special, I had gotten a daily special which was a pasta in a tomato sauce with mini scallops, large shrimp and mushrooms. Though a tad salty for my taste, this dish was excellent, it basically had everything I love, scallops, shrimp and mushroom!
The atmosphere is lively and pretty romantic since it’s darkish, great place to fantasize about winning the lottery and how to spend the money.
Overall the experience was A-​OK, I think my dish and the app was above average and hubs’ dish average. The service was speedy albeit not as attentive and the best perk is probably the no corkage fee. For pasta I think I still prefer Maccheroni Republic despite their newly implemented corkage fee.

My absolute favorite Italian spot in DTLA. Small and hidden, almost a hole-​in-​the-​wall, on a dark street you’d never find without looking for it. Started out with a couple appetizers of course, and my favorite was the buffalo mozzarella caprese salad, topped with balsamic dressing. Mmmmm. Their family recipe lasagne is to die for; every bite was heaven. The sauce was a creamy meat sauce that looked and tasted like marinara and sour cream’s lovechild. And the only meat used in that dish is beef, surprisingly. An easy choice for a non-​pork-​eating lasagne-​lover like me. Had a couple bites of two different fish entrees, and they were both amazing with their sauces and their sides. Prices were moderate, definitely don’t feel like they were overpriced in any way. Went with a group of four, and took a 5-​minute Über ride from the JW Marriott/​Ritz-​Carlton hotel that we were staying at.
Our waitress was attentive and sweet, focusing on us for the entire meal without being overbearing. This place has no corking fees, meaning they don’t mind if you bring your own wine in to drink with dinner. This would be considered treason in most Las Vegas restaurants that I’m used to back home, but it’s actually refreshing how laid back this place is. They are confident in their food and service, and they should be. This place deserves six stars.

Food is amazing, the service was not up to par. Our group made a reservation at 7:45 but we weren’t seated until 8:30…there were clearly tables open when we arrived but the host decided to seat other groups who even arrived after us before us!
Other than the not so good service, the food was so delicious!!! I would totally recommend people to go for a casual night out dinner :) I will def go back for the food haha

My family and I have been coming here for a couple years now, and we love it.
The food is always delicious. My dad loves the cioppino. It’s not on the physical menu, but if you ask for it, they’ll make it!
Every dish I’ve tasted here is delicious! You can’t go wrong!
It is also BYOB so don’t forget the vino!
Also, the space is small, so it’s best to go in smaller parties. They do a good job accommodating bigger parties (8 – 10) but i just had better experiences when I went in smaller groups.

One of the best and most filling minestrone soups, I have ever had.
I REALLY want to try their cioppino seafood stew next time. It takes about 15 – 20 minutes to prepare, but the wait seems totally worth it. My friend ordered it and the soup was huge! She devoured it all!

Food itself was pretty good. Spaghetti noodle is a little undercooked, and they say spaghetti noodle’s cooked in that way and that’s not something I prefer. I thought portions are pretty small by seeing pictures here on Unilocal,but with the starter bread, it makes you already full. lol and actually we ordered appetizer later after main dishes, we just wanted to have some fresh taste after flour. The basil Spaghetti was salty not too bad though. Caprese salad (?) was my fav so far.
There’s weird smell on the way walking to the restroom, and I hated it.
The area at night is pretty sketchy. I was pretty scared walking to the restaurant. If you do public parking, you will see $ 3 after parked at $ 5 lol look around til you find the best deal. Right next wall has different prices.
They give you a dip for the starter bread, I’d rather eat with balsamic vinegar. The dip was kinda heavy to me though it tasted good.

Nice little spot tucked away in DTLA. Colori is the perfect spot if you want some authentic, reasonably-​priced Italian food. I was going to order the lasagna when I went, but they ran out because it was the special of the day, so I ordered the bolognese. It was still pretty bomb. They don’t charge corkage fees here, so take advantage and bring a bottle of wine (or 4).
AND it’s closed on Mondays. So don’t try to go on Mondays. Trust me.

I had lunch here with a friend and I was very pleased with the service. We were attended quickly, our server was very polite, and he would check up on us.
The lunch prices were reasonable. The tortilla soup is probably the best I’ve had. The bread and hummus and different and good. I had the chicken cypress sandwich and it was very bland. I had to add some hummus to it in order to give it flavor. However, the side salad that it came with was really good. The place itself is very cute and dim. I had a good experience here and I would definitely come back.
The reason I gave this place 3 stars is because my caprese was bland.

You are going to be paying a lot for small portions.
Heard a lot of really great things about Colori and so my friend and I came for a weeknight dinner. We got there about 6:30pm or so on a Thursday night and it was relatively quiet inside. Although 30 minutes later the restaurant started filling up quickly. It is a cozy place and I actually really like that interior. Twinkle lights with unique art work is really my thing. =P
Starter bread came out with a side of hummus –ish dip. I actually really liked the bread, it tasted like sourdough and the edges were crispy. The dip was good too. Not the traditional vinegar and oil.
Spinach and ricotta ravioli ($ 17) covered in tomato sauce. I got six pieces of ravioli and I think I finished my meal in like 10 minutes (I was conscious of eating slow too!). Very small portions for the price point. It just didn’t seem like a great deal. Granted the ravioli was cooked well and the tomato sauce was tasty with a good garlic flavor. But I probably would be able to get this at any other Italian restaurant for less.
Service was ok, but I feel that the waiter so served us was a bit snooty. I asked for straws and he practically threw it at as he passed by. Once he figured out we weren’t going to order too many dishes I felt like he paid less attention to us because he assumed his tip would be less.
I don’t think I’d come back… there wasn’t anything about the dishes served here that were unique in any way and my meal here wasn’t very memorable.

It was just ok for me. We waited for about 25 minutes. We went there on a Saturday night and the host said the wait would be an hour. However, we didn’t really mind waiting because walking to another place would probably take just as long. The wait was not really one whole hour, just waited for 25 minutes. The restaurant is pretty small. They give you free bread with a butter hummus type of dip. I prefer dipping the bread in olive oil, vinegar, and pepper so you can just ask for that. The pasta was decent. I ordered the spaghetti with clams in white sauce (Spaghetti Alle Vongole $ 17.00). It comes with a decent amount of clams and you will definitely be full from the portions. carbs! But, comparing this to Mama D’s in Newport Beach, I would prefer Mama D’s any day. The portions are way bigger and the flavors are also better in comparison.
We also ordered Antipasto Misto ($ 15) as an appetizer to share amongst four people. It is a plate that comes with a bunch of random things like prosciutto, salami, eggplant, olives, brie-​like cheese, and bell peppers. This dish was ok. nothing too special about it.

I might be in the minority here, but I don’t understand what the hype is for Colori Kitchen. This place has been on my list forever and I have heard mixed reviews with some people saying that it’s amazing, while other say that it’s overrated. I decided to give this place a try for myself and after going to this place, I am going go with the opinion that this place is overrated.
I came here on a Friday night. There was plenty of street parking around the restaurant. The area is a little sketchy, so I definitely recommend walking in group at nighttime. The restaurant is very small, so I would suggest making reservations. I got seated right away and after perusing the menu, I decided on spaghetti bolognese. I thought this definitely would have to be good since who messes up spaghetti with meat sauce???
I got the food and dug in and I was VERY disappointed by my dish. Apparently, you can mess up spaghetti. My spaghetti did not taste good and was undercooked. The meat, which I believe was filet, was not tender and was sort of chewy. The sauce itself was a little salty (by the way, I LOVE salty food, so if I thought it was too salty, it must have been WAY salty). Overall, a very disappointing dish.
The restaurant was SOOO hot. To be fair, I came here when LA was having a heat wave during the summer, but I almost thought that the restaurant’s AC was broken or something. I would recommend dressing in layers if you come here. I definitely don’t think I would come back to this place.

I have been waiting to go to this restaurant for a year until tonight was the night. Got a table and drive to downtown LA…
The food is mediocre, service average, location downtown and I still don’t understand the hype…
Food heavy, felt my stomach soooo bloated!
For me it won’t be a repeat!

Had a grand ol time here! The food was just spot on and so hearty. I got the ravioli di zucca, which came with a walnut cream sauce. The pumpkin inside was absolutely delicious, great flavors and just the right amount. I was literally savoring every bite: D Ugh I want more…
They bring out some bread to snack on… we were waiting for one of our lagging friends, so ended up asking for more… which they charge for, sad. Otherwise, it’s BYOW with no corkage fee. AWESOME. Easily makes this moderately priced Italian joint that much more appealing.
Unfortunately, the A/​C was down, so we were seriously baking with our food and sweating while downing our wine. That’s one way to burn those calories!
This place is a hole in the wall, kinda hard to find… with a whole bunch of construction going on, so watch out for those closed roads. There’s a couple of cheap lots in the surrounding blocks if you’re having trouble locking in some street parking: P

Come here for a HUGE home made Italian dinner. Having dinner here reminded me of my honeymoon in Italy. Though the pasta wasn’t as chewy as they were in Italy, the sauces and flavors were so on point!
We ordered a variety of pasta dishes to share. The most popular by far was the pesto pasta. I don’t even like pesto, but this dish was so nutty and flavorful!
Portions are pretty big, so be prepared to take food to go! The wait can be pretty long — so make reservations! Just make sure nobody in your party flakes — because your credit card will be charged.
Best part of the restaurant? NO CORKING FEE!!! (maximum of 1 bottle allowed for every 2 people) We brought 3 bottles of wine and enjoyed each drop! Service was friendly, food was delicious — we will be back!

My first time here! Been hearing about this place but never been…
We started w the squid steak appetizer — delicious!
We shared the Cioppino… Amazing, full of flavor, big portion, delicious! A must have!
Also shared a fish dish.
Finished off w the cheesecake — also amazing!
Light and fluffy
I ordered to go for my bf (italian) at home and since we cook/​eat Italian — I needed to order something we wouldn’t normally cook — ordered the lasagna and he enhaled it!
I’ll definitely be back!
Great service too! Waiter was funny and made you feel at home!
Ps… They don’t serve liquor so either have a drink at golden gopher next door before or bring a bottle of wine (no corkage fee for your first bottle)

Colori Kitchen is one of those restaurants in the background of Bottega Louie. It literally is! It’s one block south and a block east of Bottega. Shoot me, but I’m not a huge fan of Mr. Louie. I think it’s just okay for what it is.
The restaurant is narrow so it’s easy to miss this restaurant along 8^th street. The restaurant itself is homely with a brick interior and open kitchen. Menu is full of pasta and meat dishes. I’ve had a number of dishes here before. The spaghetti pasta with pesto sauce is very good. Chicken breast with mushrooms in marsala wine sauce and side of roasted potatoes and broccoli is always a winner. Seafood in parchment paper is good but a bit bland. The cioppino has a great broth with ample seafood. It’s mildly spicy.
Service here is good and friendly. Just like most Italian restaurants, it’s loud. Definitely a good choice for Italian if your in the neighborhood.

Aside from the loud environment, I still love the feel of this place. It’s really too bad they don’t take reservations but since it’s such a small space and it’s so packed, I can definitely see why.
We took the server’s recommendations last night to get the Calamari Steak, which was absolutely delicious– grilled just perfectly with a side of salad and olives. I actually didn’t even need the lemon on the side as the sauce they pour over the calamari is citrusy enough and actually already too overwhelming for the calamari. I prefer less sauce on it, but it still did not take away from the fact that the calamari was grilled just right.
The Risotto with Mushroom and Pork Ribs was pretty bomb. I liked the risotto more (not because I like mushrooms) since the juices of the pork rib really made the risotto amazingly delicious. It was a bit on the salty side, but the ribs were tender and perfect.
Tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce was not quite as good as I remembered, but still good nonetheless as I haven’t had too many delectable pastas like that in a while. It is thicker in terms of noodle length and obviously the sauce, and still reminded me of home-​cooking.
Wonderful service, still love that bread and dip (bread to soak up the sauce– YASSS), and will still be back when I get the chance!