La Catena Restaurant

Reviews

• Samantha S.

  star star star star star 1 July 2026

  Marcello (the server and painter responsible for the beautiful murals inside) is such a personable guy. Him and Noelle really make it feel like a place for the locals--somewhere to come back to that will remember you and be happy to have you again.
  
  The food is incredible. I, myself, usually opt for the Steak Poivre (you MUST get it cooked medium for maximum effect) but I've also loved the pasta dishes I've ordered there.
  
  They have wonderful toast and bruschetta served with every meal, with a garlic and tomato topping I often find myself craving.
  
  The pricing is a bit upscale, but they're well worth it.
  
  Perfect little date spot for someone you really want to win over, and also great for a quiet dinner with friends.
  
  Will definitely be back again soon and with an appetite!

• matt r.

  star star star star star_border 25 June 2026

  1st visit because of somewhat good reviews & we wanted to stay local.
  
  Small parking lot(12-15) did find one space close but parking lot is small so had to go back/forth several times before fitting in comfortably.
  
  Inside maybe a dozen tables & as others have said beautiful murals on the walls.
  
  We got a glass of red sangria a chocolate martini not the milky type but more clear--both drinks very strong & justified the $20 total charge.
  
  Starter was scampi gorgonzola. We got 1 order so they split it on separate plates to serve which was a nice touch.  Shrimp very fresh, well seasoned & sauce worked perfectly, an appetizer i would not hesitate to get again.
  
  Entrees were veal almondine in a paprika/brown sugar sauce.  A combo i've never encountered but this obviously wasnt a new one they wanted to try as it was a very good blend, veal 3 small pieces but very tender(almost didnt need a knife) & shaved almonds a nice touch.  Not enough to have leftovers but enough to satisfy.  Other was a special penned vodka with shrimp & scallops, also very tasty & plenty of creamy sauce.
  
  Desserts were flan & chocolate mouse cake, both standard & I had a cappuccino(pretty strong) to finish.
  
  As is the case with many small family owned places service was spot on friendly, not hovering nor disappearing & no noticeable lags.
  
  Total including tax/tip was $130 which is a tad high but keeping in mind the type of place & the overall experience justifies a return visit & for those saying it's too high that's your opinion but dont compare a fine Italian dining experience with a casual Portuguese one that's like comparing an apple to an orange.
  
  I prefer to give a detailed rating as opposed to just saying I liked it or I didn't.
  
  For me I rate a restaurant in 4 categories in order of importance:
  
  Food
  Service
  Value
  Décor/ambience/misc
  
  If you're wondering why this is the order for me I rather have great food & so-so service than the other way around.  You can always plan around a slower evening to make it just as enjoyable but not around mediocre food whether it's fast or slow paced.
  
  My 3rd item I call value instead of price because based on the taste & serving portion of the item compared to similar items at other restaurants tells me if it's a good value.  
  
  Food(2.0), service(1.5), value(1.0) & décor/ambience/misc(0.5)
  
  I then take the # stars for each category & multiply by the # in parentheses then divide by 5 to get my final rating. If the final average is near 1/2 I'll round up or down depending on other reviews & anything out of the ordinary(good or bad).
  
  So my calculations are as follows:
  
  FOOD                                     4.5 x 2 = 9
  SERVICE                               4 x 1.5 = 6
  VALUE                                   4 x 1 =   4
  AMBIENCE/OTHER             3.5 x .5 = 2.25
  
  Total pts 21.25 divided by 5 = 4.25 which rounds to 4

• Gus R.

  star star star star_border star_border 13 June 2026

  This place is good for its food. However, the place is so small. Having parties at this place is not ideal. It's in a tiny area and you are cramped. I feel like it gets cramped even during dinner time, not much room to move around which is bad. But the food is great. Highly recommend the food. Some of the waitress seem to have an attitude which made it a not so great experience. But their food is great. I would order out instead of dining in.

• Anna L.

  star star star star star_border 11 June 2026

  The ambiance is nice people are very friendly the food was very good. The only reason I didn't give it a five-star was because the portions are not that big.

• Greg H.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 5 June 2026

  If I could give this restaurant less than 1 star, I would! I called to place an order and I guess because it was for a church, the guy said, "No, sorry I cannot take the order" and hung up on me! They will lose a lot of business from this word of mouth!