Cantalini’s Salerno Beach Restaurant

This neighborhood favorite never disappoints. Great ambience, friendly service. Not a «gourmet» type experience. Just real delicious Italian served fresh. Come in early and check out the dive bar next-​door for inexpensive martinis and such.

One of the best hidden gems on the West Side. Cantalini’s is an old old old Italian restaurant that serves up some great home cooked meals! Warning — you need to get here early or make a reservation because this place is popular!
I ordered the Seafood Linguini, which was delicious! There was tons of seafood in it — mussels, clams, calamari, etc. The pasta was cooked just right al dente. I enjoyed our meal and the vibe in the restaurant is fun!
They have great options for the kids. My two little ones opted for the spaghetti kids meal and it came complete with a scoop of ice cream at the end.
The best part of our visit was the customer service. Everyone — from the hostess to the waiters to the bus staff all worked in harmony and ensured that their guests felt like family! I’m sure coming back here again and again and again!
Food Grade: A-​/​B+
Service Grade: A+
Worth the Money Grade: B+
Overall Impression Grade: A–

We have been going there for years and are never disappointed. You feel like they want you to relax and and feel at home. A favorite of mine is chicken picatta, but I am also a big fan of their home made pastas. The size of the place is small but if you go early you can always get in.
There are a lot of restaurants in Los Angeles but many of them are so loud and the waiters make you feel like they are doing you a favor. Not Cantalini’s friendly staff and excellent food.

My fiancé and I love this place! we usually do delivery but on the rare occasions we do a date night this is the place we go. The food is great quality and is always hot. The service is also very nice and attentive. The last we were there I ordered the penne arrabiata, it comes with mushrooms in the sauce. When the waitress noticed i had picked them all out and put them on my bread plate she tried to let me have the kitchen remake my pasta. Which was super nice but It was my fault, as i said we order online and my preferences were set to say no mushrooms and i forgot :(
It is usually pretty crowded so make sure to make a reservation and even then you may have to wait a few minutes. But they have a tiny bar next door (the harbor room) that is semi attached that you can grab a drink while you wait.
My only complaint is it is a small restaurant with an open window to the kitchen so it can get very hot.

This little spot was a great late night option. They lost a star for refusal to run the a/​c my God it was so hot in there. My Pops and I were shedding clothes. But I’m sure for you vinos after a few you won’t even notice lol. Food was on point, staff was busy but again you’ll never run on E and it’s an easy spot to find and close to Lax.

Ive been going here all my life. Its the best italian restaurant by the beach. Always an amazing atmosphere, live music sundays, amazing food and family fun. Its the place to go when you really want authenticity and that feeling of eating a grandmas cooking in napoli. Ive had so many life events and moments there.
Family, delicious food, great atmosphere, Beachy vibes, good times

I had a great time at Cantalini’s, but I enjoyed the atmosphere more than the food. It’s a super beachy, dark, old school Italian place, with photos on the walls and red leather booths, which is just so awesome. The food was just ok. I ordered the penne vodka and ended up getting penne with marinara, which was a little disappointing, but my boyfriend ordered the gnocci with the peas and prosciutto which was actually amazing! We had some apps and a fair amount of wine, so it was definitely fun. I’ll probably be back, maybe in the summer and when the have live music! (Sunday nights)
Pro tip — go to the Harbor Room right next door (they’re actually connected) for a stiff cocktail beforehand!

Fantastic old school «hole-​in-​the-​wall» type place with great food and great staff!
Visited on a Thursday night with a very large party for a work event. We were greeted by Lisa, the owner (who’s awesome) and she welcomed us with open arms and yummy home cooking.
This place isn’t super fancy or trendy. It’s better, because you feel like you’re in someone’s home. Due to our party size, we had a set menu, but no big, because the dish I had, Penne Vodka, was a bowl of yummy, cozy goodness! Creamy vodka tomato sauce and perfectly cooked pasta, tossed together for a very generous portion. We also had the calamari (light & crispy) with their delish marinara, bruschetta and a deliciously sweet dessert of chocolate gelato & a mini cannoli.
The staff, fantastic and the food, delicious. Great overall experience!

The worst Italian food in LA. The fresh ravioli were so bad and when I asked waiter why they claimed they were fresh he said «pretty hard right?» YES –and I said these had been around if not frozen for a while. He nodded. Their plain white bread had been around too long too! Look around and everything done on the cheap. Staff nice but suggest you save your money and go somewhere else in area. Absolutely terrible for the price.

I stopped in here with my parents during their California visit.
My husband and I had driven by a few times and we were intrigued since we love Italian food. I met a woman from Playa Del Rey last week and she recommended Salerno, so I figured it was time to give it a try.
Parking was a tiny bit tough, but we managed to secure a spot on a side street. I do realize parking is not super common in LA, but I had my mother with me and she had fractured her hip about 2 years ago, so she has some mobility issues. I don’t think this establishment has a parking lot.
We came on a weekday around 3 pm and the restaurant was fairly empty. Our servers were great and good with refills.
I ordered a large pizza because I wanted to bring dinner home for my husband. The pizza was beautiful looking and tasted ok, but I think it needs a bit more sauce. However, I think the price was spot on for the pizza.
My parents each had an Italian entrée and they enjoyed their meals.
I liked the bread that we received before the meal, it’s what you would get at an authentic hole in the wall Italian joint back in NY.

Nice, cozy atmosphere that feels like a decent night out where you can take the baby or kids along. Restaurant is pretty dark. We literally needed our cell phone light to read the menu. You can tell this place has some history. You’ll find pictures and articles around the walls. Food was pretty spot on. Took Italian family friends and they approved. Portions were hearty.
In the mood for something flavorful yet balanced? Something cheesy, comforting? Maybe it’s your «cheat day».
The staff were friendly, attentive and quick.
Parking: valet or street. Street is pretty scarce. Maybe bring your daily driver.

This restaurant wasn’t exactly what I expected. From the outside, I was surprised at how small it looked. The inside looked just as small and they packed as many tables as they could fit. With that said, they do try to make an effort on the ambiance. The place was dimly lit when we arrived for our 4:30 reservation and later they added candles. They covered the walls with fake murals and mismatched frames. The decorations made the interior look quaint and slightly quirky.
We ordered from the three-​course early bird menu on Valentine’s Day. It was $ 40 for two people. Not bad! Oh and it came with either champagne or wine. We started off with salad and a fried bread roll. I chose the pesto rigatoni for my entrée and my husband chose the spaghetti and meatballs. The pasta came out piping hot and al dente. Even though mine was a simple dish, I liked how the pasta had a chewiness and the pesto was light and creamy. I sampled the spaghetti and meatballs and found it a bit too tomato-​y. I could tell that everything was authentic tasting though. The dessert that came with the meal was a tiny scoop of spumoni. However, it was so good that I contemplated ordering more! It had small chunks of chocolate and cherry. I loved it!
If I had an Italian grandma, I’d imagine having dinner at her house to be like this. There’s something about this mom and pop restaurant that makes you crave more — it’s like having comfort food on a cold night. What they lacked in size and interior updates, they more than made up in charm. On my way out, I was given a red rose. What a way to make sure every customer leaves with a smile on Valentine’s Day!

Cantalini’s was one of the most authentic Italian restaurants in the beach cities area… particularly Playa Del Rey
The staff is extremely knowledgeable on the vast wine selection, pairing recommendations and uniqueness of the ingredients in the dishes.
I ordered the Chicken Tortellini and let me tell you it was by far one of the tastiest pasta and sauce I’ve ever had. Will be going back and highly recommend a Merlot with your meal… if the line is too long go next door to The Harbor Room where you can have any cocktail you want SUPER STIFF — it’s inevitable — and extremely cheap… you won’t lose your place in line because it connects to Cantalini’s …enjoy!

Throw-​back Italian place that is family run and worth the experience. I had the Clam Linguini and it was fabulous. Bread was a little bland, but good. The family had vaious items and all were pleased. Parking can be a little challenging and you may have to walk a little. The next trip to the area, I will be back.

Favorite Italian Restaurant in W.LA. Great for groups, romantic on weekends when they have live music. Their Shrimp Diablo is the best Italian entrée I’ve ever had; spice is just right and the pasta is silky and delicious.
AMBIANCE, AMBIANCE, AMBIANCE. Great for a date, great for kids, great for a rainy day, this place is just plain GREAT!
Mangia Mangia.

A little hole in the wall, I guess this place is a family run restaurant with authentic Italian food. We were invited for An 80^th birthday. We had the anti-​pasta salad which was unbelievable variety of cold cuts peppers and cheeses, my favorite part of the meal. My wife had stuffed shells and it was good at little too cheesy and salty for my taste. I had the shrimp scampi and I love that it was done to perfection. My kids had the lasagna I taught it had too much tomato and sauce .was not a big fan but my kids love it. For dessert they served cheesecake and Italian ice cream it was phenomenon.

Ha, funny how there are two Italian restaurants on this strip. We had dinner at Pinquini and they ran out of tiramisu so we headed down here to check it out.
B-​: Cannoli — I guess I just don’t like them period. Too sweet and cinnamony for me
B-​: Tiramisu — pretty average, wish it was homemade but it satisfied my cravings.
We didn’t try any other food since we just had dinner but I wouldn’t mind coming back to check out their menu another time.

One of the best experience eating Italian food ever! Went stopped by around 8pm on a Saturday night and there was about a 30 minute wait.
Parking: seems like there is completely none, not even aide street parking available. They do valet on Saturday night and we think you can park on the street diagonal to the restaurant. Not sure though, but parking sucked. Off one star… And this coming from an LA driver.
Ambiance: small and cozy! I love the friendly atmosphere. You can dress up all fancy or be casual and you’ll fit right in! Host was super friendly and the qaot staff was VERY personable.
Food: Amazing!!! Great quality and great prices. Ordered the scallops and they were so fresh. Friends loved their eggplant and chicken parmesan. Wine and sodas were good as well. Got served with two types of bread, olive oil and vinegar, and ordered some fresh fried mozerella!
Price: very good deal for everything we ordered. Great price for a nice dine-​in and good Italian restaurant. Will definitely be back!

Very friendly people, it’s the kind of America~Italian food that was once ubiquitous, now rare. Comfort food like few others, the campy décor and curb appeal adds to the unique. Pass on the pizza, but the pasta and hospitality were much enjoyed.

Amazing food here– awesome wall of fame celebrity signed photos, very good service, incredible menu and ambiance– A bit pricey, but well worth it.
Excellent location and awesome murals on the walls.
I had Fettucini with Pesto and Grilled Chicken which was incredible. Their bread selection was very nice, and all in all this is a great little Italian place with a ton of history on the very cool small beach side city of Playa Del Rey.
ALSO they have a cool neon sign on top.