Un Caffe’ Italian Bistro

This used to be one of our favorite places is town, but after our most recent experience, I doubt we will be back.
We went in shortly before 7:30 on a Saturday and were thrilled to see that there were several empty tables and the bar was completely empty. We were promptly greeted and told they would be right with us. Several minutes go by and another server said the same thing. At this point, both servers who had greeted us disappeared into the kitchen. Several more minutes go by. After standing by the door for about 10 minutes, the second server who had greeted us comes back from the kitchen and tells us they won’t be seating anyone else that evening as they are «full» and then proceeded to smugly tell us that we should have made a reservation.
We were floored. To start with, we had been here on numerous occasions when there were no empty tables or seats at the bar, so given the fact that there were SEVERAL open tables and an EMPTY bar, we were quite confused. Couple that with the fact that we were asked to wait for a significant amount of time only to be disrespected and turned away is completely not okay.
We were not even offered the option of simply having a drink or dessert.
We spoke with several friends who frequent this restaurant as well, and they had all experienced recent issues with the customer service as well.
Very sad that a once wonderful place has fallen so far. I sincerely hope they figure something out.

The service alone earned this place my five stars.
I had been looking for a coffee shop that was open late to study at this evening, and this restaurant popped up in my search. I walked in and saw that, although they served coffee, this was very much a restaurant. I asked if they minded if I sat and studied for a while, the server said it was no problem, I could take my time, and gave me the wifi password.
So I wound up ordering the lasagna and some wine. The wine she recommended to go with the lasagna was fantastic, although I wish I could remember the name. The lasagna was pretty good, although I will order something else next time.
At the end of the meal, I decided to order some tiramisu. That was so delicious! Definitely try this if you come here! But the dessert menu had several yummy looking options, as well as liqueurs.
But as I previously mentioned, although the food was good enough I would have seriously considered 5 stars, the service was best I’ve had in a long time. The server (it said Amanda on the receipt) was welcoming, told me to stay as long as I wanted, was attentive, kind, and funny.
There was a bar there as well, though I did not get a chance to look and see what sort of featured drinks they had. However several of the desserts had some alcoholic versions that looked interesting. Also, there was an area that it looks like they serve pastries and such to go. I would like to come earlier in the day to see what kind of atmosphere it is. It is a nice restaurant in the evening.

Had a nice meal with my husband on a Friday night. We had a little trouble finding the restaurant, it’s in a strip mall in a part of town I’m not to familiar with. The ambulance is lovely, live music on friday night. The menu is affordable, and has all the usual items that you would expect on a good italian menu.
We started with a portabello mushroom appitizer, delicious. The server brought and the same time, two small cups of basil split pea soup. (It would have been nice to have it served to us after our appitzer.)
Our entrees came, I had the lasagna. It was served in a stainless steel boat, a beautiful presentation. Hot, flavorful, right on point. My husband had a special, the ciopinno. It looked beautiful. He was not impressed. He expressed a lack of seasoning, garlic in particular. He kept picking out slivers of shells, out of his mouth.
The wait staff was efficient and not obtrusive. Seemed to be enough staff for the amount of business.
The reason for the 3 stars. That evening when we got home, severe indigestion. A recurring problem with my husband. I never have that problem.
We probably will give it another chance, maybe for lunch.

2^nd time to Reno and 2^nd time here. Food and service are really fantastic. If you want Italian outside of Italy, this is a pretty great option. The Calamari appetizer is unbelievable!

We’d passed by at lunch time one day and decided to try it. We had a great lunch so we tried it for dinner with another couple. Two of us had the Scampi shrimp ravioli, hand-​made raviolis with a shrimp filling and Scampi Prawns on top. A big hit. The Fettuccine Alfredo was very good, too; rice –paper wrapped shrimp and deep fried artichoke hearts appetizers were also excellent tho I would have liked the artichokes cooked a little crispier.
A somewhat limited menu, all main courses are pasta based, no meat, fowl or seafood separately. I believe all the pasta is homemade but am not certain.
Very tasty Limocello Cake that we split four ways as we were pretty full without it.
There was an excellent guitarist playing background music, quite a range from classical, to folk to rock.
Service was excellent and friendly. This place is now on our favorites list.

I’ve been several times since my review and I just wanted to note that this place is consistent in quality. Food is always top notch and the wait staff is awesome. I just love Un Caffe!

I made a lunch date with my mother to take her, but when we got there (40 min drive) we were told that they were closed for lunch that day. There was no posting on their website and no warning. We might try it again, then again we may just opt for a more reliable option.

Upon walking in the establishment was very classy yet modern, which is a plus. Being the only table during lunch you’d think we’d have excellent service. On the contrary our waitress not only forgot about us but was not so educated on the lunch menu nor the wine that they had to offer. We noticed the owner kept walking by not once were we greeted or asked if our lunch was delicious. The way the panini was plated, I was not impressed at all. It was a huge plate with a little panini on the side. A side salad would of given the plate color and would of filled the plate 90% giving it that desired pop. Being in the food industry myself everyone should know you eat with 90% of your eyes. Hands down not impressed not willing to give it a second chance. It’s a shame such a lovely place yet the service is what brings it all down.

Worst service I’ve ever had in Reno. We had a reservation. Came in and out table was not available. They placed us at the bar but did not offer us a menu or beverage or anything. After ten minutes told us that their reserved dining area was too busy so they asked if we wouldn’t mind eating in the bar area. Ok, these things happen. We sat unattended at our table for another 15 minutes (ready to spend lots of money on what may have been a great dinner, mind you!) and finally left after no one came to even speak with us. The bar table next to us received two visits from their waitstaff during this time. This is the last time we’ll head here for sure, better off eating in midtown where the restaurants are more likely to be fully staffed and more engaging.

We made a reservation for a Friday night. Showed up 10 minutes early and were asked to wait at the bar. No bartender to speak of so we just sat there. Then we were informed that since there were only two of us, they wouldn’t be giving us a proper table. Instead we got crammed into a high top next to the window and another couple where we sat 20 minutes without ever talking to the wait staff. We finally had to tell the bus boy we were leaving because there was no wait staff in sight. The place was not full. The staff was just inconsiderate. No second chances with this place, especially with a couple of Reno Italian options with great service and food. I strongly advocate staying away from Un Caffe… you may starve before you get any service.

Wine tasting came with some wonderful appetizers and the pours were probably 4 oz each, with 3 different wines. The appetizers may have been enough for a small person’s meal, but we stayed for dinner. Ya we love to eat.
Awesome service: the waitress was very friendly and the chef was out talking with us, too. The wait for the food was average, not long at all. This is a very relaxing restaurant. Terrific food. Fresh pretzel bread at the table was soft and tasty. I had the lasagna with freshly made pasta and fresh tomato sauce. My husband had the chicken fettucini and still had leftovers for lunch.. Some of the appetizers from the tasting even came to the table. We loved dinner.
The atmosphere is strictly mediterranean. The décor is lovely. There is attention to detail in the table cloths and even the handing over of the check. The bathrooms are very clean with actual hand cloths that made me think twice when «throwing» them in the basket.
People here take pride in the restaurant and it really shows. Un Caffe is the place for real Italian food and real people. Forget about the franchise garden place.

We had lunch at Un Café last week. It was our first visit and I’m sorry to say I can’t give it a glowing review.
The place is very nicely done except I found the bench seat a little low and our table was wobbly. There were no daily specials we were told about. I order the Italian Cobb Salad that came with pancetta, blue cheese and an egg for 12.00. You can add chicken or shrimp I believe for around 3 or 5 dollars. The salad was very good and the basil ranch dressing delicious. However it’s not a bargain if compared to other excellent Cobbs around town for the same price that include chicken etc. Also unlike the picture of this salad on the website no bread accompanied it.
The gnocchi with pesto was a miss. Not uneatable just lacking in flavor. The gnocchi had a gummy mouth feel and there was no discernible hint of pine nuts or parmesan and no extra parmesan was offered. It came with 2 little pieces of bread. No olive oil or balsamic for dipping. No butter. No salt or pepper on the table.
Our waitress was very nice but she was the only one waiting and cleaning and resetting tables. We didn’t have the heart to ask her for this or that, nor did we feel that we should of had too.
If we go back and we will because I always have to give a place a second chance I will sit at a table or one of the high tables and try something else. My first impression however is UnCafe is not in the same league as LaVecchia, Zozos, or Sardinia when it comes to local Italian.

Very nice décor, very clean & sanitary. Service was very good, waitress had good customer service skills. My Pasta seemed freshly made, could have been more Ala Dente for me, but it was good. Sauce was very good also. My wife Penne with chicken I thought was excellent she thought it was a little too spicy. Over all it was very good, little pricey for a casual night out. Will try again and I would recommend.

came here for dinner and the place was empty. We were the only ones in the whole restaurant. My husbands lasagne was just average — nothing special. I had linguine with clams. It was overly salty and sandy. We also had the tiramisu for dessert and it was good but not fantastic.
We probably won’t return because it was so pricey.

Just found this little gem! Darling tiny restaurant with unique food! They make a good spaghetti and their wood fired pizzas are lovely! The service was friendly and attentive.

This is a cute little Italian bistro tucked away in a little building complex with parking. From the outside, you would never guess that inside lay a charming café and restaurant serving Italian cuisine. Their coffee is pretty delicious.
We sat down and ordered a Caprese salad to share, which was absolutely delicious. Next time, I’m probably getting my own. We also ordered a Pizza Margherita. It was fine, but I think I’ve had better pizza. Maybe it was the sauce? The flavor balance just wasn’t there and I can’t quite put my finger on why.
I also had the soup of the day (Caramelized Onion Velouté), and that was pretty good too. I think next time I’ll order it all again and see if I change my mind about the pizza. I might have to order a different main entrée instead.
The service was great though, we had a very friendly host/​waitress. Thank you!

I got to visit Un Caffe a few times over the weekend while I was in Reno. We were very close to this bistro, having to be at the clinic nearby. Here’s my experiences:
#1: Ordering take out pizzas for Dinner…
— We ordered 3 pizzas, gluten free, with toppings, etc.
— Forgot to leave a phone #, so when I arrived, they had to inform me they had not made them yet, due to being out of GF crusts.
— After some level of phone confusion w/​the family Un Caffe’ made regular pizzas instead and we worked around w/​the one GF diet needing person.
— Pizzas were good, albeit small for the price (about $ 16 ea).
— We had ample leftovers which were nice for snacks later on.
— Employees were nice, helpful, and even made me a chai while I waited for the pies.
#2: Breakfast, grabbing a coffee…
— Since I got to try the SF Vanilla Chai the night before during the pizza experience, I decided on the way into the clinic to stop for a Chai… good decision.
— They have dozens of coffee, espresso, chai, tea options… and ALMOND MILK… yay!
— Chai was good… right temp… creamy and not chalky like some powdered mixes.
#3: Another dinner… this time sit down…
— So… we wanted some Italian take out for back at the hotel, but Friday nights Un Caffe’ doesn’t do takeaway orders due to the «busy kitchen» so we made a 7pm reservation and dined-in…(girlfriend being a trooper despite her health).
— She got a simple spaghetti and meat balls and it was good, hearty, sweet sauce, and very robust meatballs (can taste the beef, pork, sausage mix they use). Very good.
— I got penne in a vodka pink sauce with shrimp… and it was good (good, not great). It could have used more sauce and the pasta was a bit overdone… but I ate it all since I was hungry.
— We had fried risotto balls for the appetizer and they were delicious and done right.
— Friday night they had an acoustic guitarist… and we had been laughing because during the day we watched Old School for the millionth time and the scene where Will Ferrell sings Dust in the Wind after «Blue» dies… well, when we were eating our apps, the acoustic guitar guy breaks out into Dust in the Wind… and I almost spit my risotto ball across the restaurant… I was laughing so hard I had to go pee. It was beyond funny… so well played Un Caffe’…well played…
I was impressed overall with the nicely appointed, clean, well-​staffed, and well-​executed visits to Un Caffe’…another surprise while in sleepy Reno.
ENJOY!

We Went IN Here for dessert last night and it was wonderful. The waitress was great, friendly, very helpful. We were visited by the owner who was also very friendly. And the dessert was decadent. The Italian cream cake had wonderful flavor and texture with a rich cream cheese frosting. I got Ashleys seventh heaven and it was fantastic. Smooth, creamy, sweet with the right amount of bitter from the coffee. My fiancé got the tiramisu. It was everything you could want in a tiramisu. For coffee he gotb the mocha, he claimed it to be too sweet, but I really enjoyed the chocolate Ness of it.

I’ve been here for coffee a couple of Saturdays with my man while our daughter was around the corner at her music lessons. The barista was friendly and the coffee was pretty good.
Tonight, we joined a friend and her family and friends for dinner after a music recital. Our waitress was ok, not bad, but not great, either. She seemed nice enough, but she wasn’t on top of everything. She gave us a heads up on menu items that were running low, she did know the soup of the day off hand, and she was able to answer some questions about the menu. But then she had to be reminded several times about drinks that were ordered, but weren’t brought to the table yet. The food came out at all different times. The first person to receive his food waited nearly ten minutes to start because no one else had anything in front of them. By the time the last plate arrived, which belonged to my husband, everybody was essentially done eating. She did seem to do an ok job with refilling the water glasses. And she was able to bring us separate checks, though it is their policy to not do separate checks for parties of six or more. Just a note, it is also their policy to add 18% gratuity to such parties, too.
I ordered the Insalata Caprese, which was a plate of baby greens, sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, topped with balsamic vinegar and large basil leaves. I forgot that I had tried this the last time I came here, a few years ago, and wasn’t fond of the dish because they used just garden tomatoes instead of beef steak or heirlooms. There is nothing exciting about this dish, and I wouldn’t recommend it, especially for $ 10.
My daughter was able to get a kid portion of the fettucine alfredo for $ 8, though they don’t have a kids’ menu. My husband opted for the lasagna, which looked good and actually tasted pretty good. I usually hesitate to try restaurant pastas because of their salt content. This housemade lasagna ($ 16, I think) seemed to have minimal sodium and excellent flavor.
I am not eager to return to this restaurant for dinner any time in the near future. The atmosphere tends to communicate that it is an upper scale venue, but then the service does not seem to match the atmosphere. And the price point is higher without matching what I would expect in ingredients and portion of food.
I may be back for a cappuccino or latte on another Saturday morning.

We stopped in here on a Friday night, without a reservation. The host offered us either a hightop near the entrance to the kitchen, or offered to clear a table for four if we were willing to wait. We’re not picky, so we took the hightop.
The GF really liked the décor — very traditional, with lots of ornate, turned wood, multi-​layered, real table clothes (though still with glass toppers), etc. Looks like they’ve got two spaces in this strip mall, with one third or so dedicated to a carry-​out counter, and the other ²⁄₃ or so for the restaurant. There were maybe a half dozen tables of four and a few other couples dining, and maybe one or two empty tables after we sat.
It took a while for our server to get to us — not a big deal as we were just enjoying the end of the week, though it did cause us to comment to ourselves if we’d been forgotten or something. They did look a little short staffed, with only two or three servers, and the bartender was also handling some tables.
Our server got to us and gave us a token apology for being slow, and we got drink orders in. I thought it was a little strange she didn’t ask right then if we were ready to order, but whatever. Drinks were brought to us (nothing for the GF, a Peroni [$ 3] for me) by the bartender, then the waitress came back — I ordered the clam chowder ($ 6) and the cioppino with linguine ($ 26), while the GF got the lasagna ($ 17).
While waiting for our entrees the host did come over to us, and apologized for the slow service, and offered the GF a complimentary glass of wine, which she gladly took. The bartender checked in with us as well, and I asked him if he could do a negroni, which he said he could, and I mentioned I’d like one after I finished my beer.
Clam chowder was good — nothing special about it, but no complaints either. The mussels in the cioppino were excellent, while the rest of the dish was fine. I’ve really been emjoying the cioppino at ZoZo’s, and I felt that the cioppino here was just fine, while the one at ZoZo’s is something that I’ll be craving and really looking forward to.
The GF’s lasagna was presented in a small, stainless steel baking pan (Calphalon?). Presentation was good, but the pan was cold to the touch. I get that the lasagna wasn’t prepared in the pan, and they just put the rectangle in there, but warming the pan to at least give the appearance of having baked it individually would have been a nice touch.
The negroni ($ 7) was excellent — no orange peel, but a well mixed cocktail none the less.
So, kudos to the host for being attentive and realizing we had been waiting for a bit, as well as the bartender for hustling and keeping track of a few tables, but in general, just an average experience. Prices seem to be inline with most Italian restaurants, and the food was fine — nothing to complain about, but nothing to rave about either.
This is the kind of place I’d go to again if we were meeting someone at the south end of town, but not one that I’d go out of my way to go to again.