DiVino Restaurant

I love this place. They make their own pasta and it’s good. Very good.
The owner is friendly and they have a good wine selection.

I like to go to di Vino and sit at the bar to enjoy a glass of wine and a (smallish) plate of food — I have fond memories of the fritto misto and the handmade pasta.
The owner is great — my husband and I discovered an amazing white wine (Ronco Broilo I think it’s called???) at his recommendation. We only ever tend to dine here at the beginning of an evening, so I’ve never experienced the large late night crowds — we sit at the bar and have gotten good service from the bartender.
My husband hates the mod décor. I’m neutral about it — at least the seats at the bar are more comfortable than they look.

I went here to try something a different and was in need of a good red wine so i figured we try something a little different. Well the service felt indifferent (almost condescending) and for some reason i just felt really uncomfortable in there and we left really quick after downing our drinks.
The whole plastic/​ultra lounge thing doesn’t really do it for me i guess.

Some of my friends call this place «Moonraker» because of its slick futuristic décor, but I call it Hell’s Kitchen. It was a disaster all the way around.
Came in with five friends on a Thursday night. There were only two other two tops, but it took 15 minutes for our waitress to show up at our table. She opened the wine for the table next to us while she told us about the specials… wanted to «kill two birds with one stone.» Yeah, because it was so busy in there. We got the feeling she was new at serving.
She came back 10 minutes later to take our drink orders, but I told her we’d like to order our food as well. After we ordered, she came back twice to ask my friends what they had ordered again…
My bottle of wine came and the bottle of prosecco my friends ordered sat on the bar for a good 10 minutes getting warm before being served.
The food… oh lordy. The giant antipasto platter was amazing! It was filled with meats, cheeses and grilled veggies. That’s the good part. The pasta dishes ordered were dry with scant amounts of sauce. The wild boar noodle dish was ok except for the lack of boar. My salad was good and my fried seafood platter was almost all calamari with a couple of small squares of salmon and halibut and a big prawn. NO dipping sauce, however. I asked for some aoli or SOMETHING to dip my fried goods in. 15 minutes later I got a large square bowl of «plum tomatoes and white wine reduction sauce» but in reality it was pureed tomatoes at room temp, with no seasoning. By that time my fried captains platter was cold, so I was going to try a bite of my friend’s halibut but alas, it was nowhere to be found! The waitress apologized and came back 5 minutes later with a shipwreck. I’d guess the halibut was frozen because it looked like they threw it in hot oil and fried the bejezus out of it to warm it up. The sides were all curled up and dry. It was actually comical that it even allowed to come out of the kitchen that way.
By that time, we were ready to get out of there. The bartender was sweet and gave us a delicous chocolate martini to try, but that couldnt even save the day.
The bill came with gratuity added in (for six people? really?) and we paid it all.
As we left, the three staff members were looking at the bill and at us and were shaking their heads… We were wondering if they didnt realize that they added the gratuity in and that we were «stiffing» them or what the problem was.
I really wanted to like this place, but as one reviewer said, maybe they are on the tail end of a sinking ship. Too bad ’cause it’s a cool space. I wish ‘em luck.

There are better Wine bars out there, but DiVino has its place. The owner guy is indeed Italian and offered some great vacation tips (+ 1 star for that)… Gotta get to Italy (can you Unilocal Italy?)
The bar stools have a pogo stick like quality which I suppose is fine.
It is very WHITE, NYC club like inside. Have you been to Spa in NYC? Is it even still open?
It closed at midnight on a Tuesday.

Attention all attractive females! ATTENTION!
If you are hot, and preferably with a group of similarly hot friends, you will get *amazing* service at this establishment. The owner, who is pretty cute by way of his thick euro-​glasses and Italian accent, looooves the ladies, I have to say. I watched as the cute girl at the end of the bar got the «oops» glass of wine, you know, that was accidentally poured and had no one to drink it, so I guess I’ll give it to you (but not your slightly less attractive friend). You know what I’m talking about, right? I profess that I was there with my bf and was not given any special attention… actually, the owner ignored us. We are pretty unattractive, so… I guess it was warranted (she says wryly). :)
The gal who was working behind the bar was friendly. The space age bar stools are more comfortable than they appear, although if you got a bit tipsy they might spell trouble for those with inner ear imbalances. Honestly, my wine (Nebbiolo) was not that great — but I also realize it would have been better to have eaten a meal with it instead of partaken of it on its own. The vibe is minorly better than it appears from the outside, but just barely. I do like places that make me feel like I’m not actually in Seattle, hipster central.
There is weirdness here, and I think I’m not the only one who senses it. I don’t think I’m going to be hanging out here much to get my wine fix.

Let’s try not getting high before you come to work, okay? The bartender may be od-​ing now, we don’t know.
We walked in to the place and it was smelling sour. Just rancid, like spoilt milk. We found ourselves saying– «Are they baking sour bread or something? Subway smells like this when they are baking bread.» Me– «No, it’s too rancid. Maybe it’s ultra sourdough.» Fine, enough said. It smells like indistinguishable sour yeast and there is no sign of the source.
We have seated ourselves in the only polite place to seat two people in a crowded seat-​yourself venue: the bar. It’s a nice one, the seats are modern and comfortable. We each order a glass of the Prosecco.
We chat, and my friend stops mid sentence as she notices the bartender. I follow her gaze. Shaggy black hair, unkempt look. He’s emaciated and looks like he needs a serious meal. His one hand is over his face, lightly tracing his eyelid, with his head hanging down, rocking gently from side to side in his hand. He’s leaning heavily on the counter with his other hand, keeping him from falling over.
«Are you okay?» she said. He looked up with a start like he’d just been interrupted in deep thought, then floated off to a less visible part of the restaurant. It was so obvious, almost sad, but not quite. Whatever you want to do with you life… just don’t put it on display please.
Putting the reviewer’s hat on and getting off the soapbox, the place is fine, it’s decorated in minimalist modernist white décor, kind of like See Sound. It’s long and narrow.
That’s all for now, I might go again to try the food. Hopefully that guy is alright…

Not that impressed Divino. Which is disappointing too, after reading all your other glowing reviews. Went here the other night in search of a homemade cannoli for my boyfriend who has been craving one ever since he had some in New York that sounded like they fell out of heaven the way he described them. We stopped in just for dessert and from the beginning had to wait eons just to get menus, orders, etc. The waiter brought over two wines for us to taste, which was nice… and we chose to get a glass of one, can’t remember the name though. I gotta say he was a little pushy… he pushed me to order another dessert as well even though we would have been fine with just one.
Cannoli was just alright, too crispy according to the bf. Gelato was very creamy… I was just too full from dinner to enjoy it (hence the fact that I didn’t want to order it that badly). Literally took 20 minutes to get our check and then we had to wait again for him to pick it up. *Someone* was a little too busy chatting with a single woman at the bar to run our bill even though there were about five other people in the restaurant, including at least two other waiters. I could see someone coming here for the wine but you’d have to convince me to go back.

I went here last night and was thoroughly underwhelmed. I am all about the wine bars, but this place was super fake feeling. Plastic space age chairs and some kind of video projected on the white wall across from the bar.
The wine list was pretty damn depressing and my glass of Prosecco was like drinking liquid candy.
The service was actually pretty good, but unfortunately it did not make up for the rest of the «experience.» I think if they 86’d the mod décor and warmed it up a bit it would be a much more comforting wine bar atmosphere.

Nice enough place to have a glass of wine. Although I was surprised at how much the atmosphere changed as the night went on. I went on a Wednesday night and it quickly went from quiet romantic wine bar to house music thumping venue for yuppy-​types to show off their expensive sneakers and fancy haircuts.
The pasta was good. Very traditional. Seafood was fresh.
The wine was good, with a fine selection as long as you want an Italian. Got to try a few before making our selection. Server knew enough to help us pair with our meal.
The food took forever. Like an hour. For some reason they waited until after serving our pasta to bring the bruschetta and salad. Once the mood shifted the service went totally to shit too. At one point I went to the bathroom and came back to find the bartender sitting in my stool. «Oh sorry, man,» he says. «I didn’t know you were sitting here.» Very polite and he moved right away but come on. Seriously? No shit you didn’t know I was sitting here? Isn’t that your job? Oh and by the way my water glass has been empty for an hour. You haven’t had much problem refilling your own wine glass though, have you?
The décor was interesting in that modern Ikea kinda way but uncomfortable and didn’t suit the Italian thing at all.

When I was growing up, all pasta were referred to as «noodles». There was no variation. Just an over boiled mass of something to pour too much canned sauce on.
Mom’s fave was seafood noodles, where you crack open a can of baby shrimps and some tuna then you take that and dump it into the mass.
(gag) I think there was even mayonnaise in there somewhere. Doesn’t matter, because I’m NEVER, EVER eating like that again. Unless I have to. And then I will. (sorry Scott, hehe)
It doesn’t look like I’m going to have to as long as DiVino is around to save the day.
Their pasta is handmade fresh every day. I didn’t even know it could taste like this! For once, it’s not about the sauce (although the sauce was delicious, and just the right ammount!) it’s about the pasta.
The atmosphere is very clean and modern. Comfy chairs, which is a good thing because you might be there a while. For a small place like this, the service was not very prompt. However, this worked out for the best because it stopped me from inhaling my food, leaving me more time to sip the tasty wine and enjoy the company of my friends.

Go for the pasta, not the service. Once we went for dessert. We wanted their housemade gelato but they were out so we had some frozen alternative.
The next time we returned it was because at the Ballard Famers Market we had a great interaction with one of the owners and we were hoping for that same connection. Well we ordered Bruschetta, thinking we were safe since it was summer, but the tomatoes were totally mealy! It was terrible.
Luckily the pasta was really good and tasted house-​made, but our waiter had no time for us, which was odd considering that there were only three occupied tables. He was more into the blonds at the bar.
Overall I would say go in for the good pasta and the vino but skip appetizers and dessert. Or you can just buy the fresh pasta at the Ballard Farmers Market on Sunday and make a good Sunday dinner at home.

DiVino opened in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle just under a year ago. It took over the prior space of Portalis winebar in an early 1900’s brick-​walled space very characteristic for historic Ballard Ave.
The décor of Divino is striking mid-​century contemporary with white plastic tables, angular clear plastic chairs, and glass walled wine-​cellar/​pasta workroom. The combination of exposed brick and Dwell-​caliber modern design definitely amps up the hip quotient of already hot Ballard Avenue, home to recent notable additions such as okok gallery, King’s Hardware and Vain.
Divino really started off as a wine bar with a few small plates but in a very welcome recent development, the menu has been revamped and now has as its core a carefully conceptualized and expertly executed selection of house made pastas along with a few appetizers, secondi and desserts. I was blown away by the plin di cervo con burro e salvia (Piedmonte style pasta stuffed with venison in brown butter). Other recent pasta selections included papparadelle con sugo di cinghiale (wide pasta with wild boar ragu), strozzepretti all norcina con sale tartufo (twisted pasta with pork sausage and mushoom cream sauce) and the maltagliati alla montanara, uneven cut pasta with braised port in a tomato, eggplant and bell pepper sauce. You may wish to start with antipasti misti or fritto misto (meats, cheeses, bruschetta, vegetables and fried seafood). Main dishes have also impressed me. Try the conglio alla contadina, rabbit on the bone in a tomato & olive sauce. On each of our visits I have found that the kitchen’s timing, the preparation of the dishes, the caliber and amount of sauces and the seasoning of the dishes showed real attention to detail. Desserts include perhaps the best canoli I have had since I lived in Philadelphia, chocolate chile mousse and a semifreddo.
Although I feel the food hangs in there with some top Seattle restaurants that we enjoy, what really sets Divino apart is service. We have visited about 5 – 6 times now and have always had a great experience. I attribute this to the fact that Divino’s manager Samuele is the quintessentially convivial host: warm, approachable, attentive without being overbearing and accomodating. He is thoroughly conversant with the menu and preparations as well as with the wine cellar, and each visit he has come up with different memorable wine recommendations. Just give him a price point or range and take advantage of his expertise.
In short, Divino has it all, from great service to fun design, moderately priced dishes and an excellent Italian-​focused wine cellar.

okay the below review is now out of date. I returned 2 weeks ago and there has definitely been a CHANGE!!! The food is not good — I’m thinking the chef moved on. Very sad.
— NOW OUT OF DATE REVIEW below from (¹²⁄₂₀₀₇)
yummy hand made pasta in a stylish and sleek modern environment. we visited on a sunday and on a tuesday, both nights were not busy. the bartender helped select ruche for us, chilled red wine — which was perfect and refreshing for us on such a warm evening. we ordered the antipasto platter (which can be a meal on its own), hand made linguine with wild boar (delicious!!!), and a very tasty hand made pasta with truffle something. I don’t remember the exact menu item but I would order it again!!!
bottom line: visit this place before it gets super busy like volterra. I prefer divino to volterra because of the price, the ambiance and that it is very low key, at least on the sunday and tuesday we visited.

Their service is fabulous. I went there with a good friend and two of his friends. I believe it was the owner who selected our wine for us. He asked us what we wanted — we said red. He asked us our tastes — we told him. Perfection. He didn’t take advantage of us with the price point on the bottle, and we were pleased with the results. Another cool point for them: they had an old James Bond movie playing up on one of the blank walls. No sound for the movie, but it worked with the music they had going.
I also came here the other night with my bf and had their gelatto/​crème dessert. It was delicious. It tasted like a thick, vanilla gelatto with butterfinger on top (only way better than what I’m describing). The same guy paired with it a delicious dessert champagne (similar to a framboise, but a little less sweet) that worked magic with the dessert. My tummy is grumbling right now for more!
The only down side: the décor. I mean — really. We’re in Ballard. Not Belltown. It just felt a little off. Fun — but off.

This restaurant/​lounge was amazing. The service was very personal and friendly. They even asked us what our music preference was! The atmosphere was fun, very hip. The owner was there and was personally checking on the quality of everything.
They were out of the wine that I wanted but they easily had three others that were similar and just as good. The food was fantastic. The dishes were very unique and the pasta was made fresh everyday. I loved the antipasto options. Husband had the venison ravioli and I had the boar.
If I lived in this city, I would be a frequent visitor. Unfortunately, I’ll have to find a replacement in S.F.

Love this place! The décor is a little weird at first, but as you have a few glasses of wine served by handsome and attentive waiters after extensive tastings, you begin to feel like you are living in the lap of luxury in the middle of Italy. In the future.
I recommend the appetizer sampler plate to try a little of everything with your wine.

I went on a Tuesday night with the sole intention of drinking wine and nothing else. It was pretty dead on a Tuesday, but not a huge surprise, and it meant we got a lot of attention. The staff wasn’t quite as knowledgeable as I would have wanted in a wine bar, but they treated us pretty well.
On the weekends this place is always packed, and it definitely has the trendy vibe going on. The wine selection isn’t as good as the other Wine Bar in Ballard, so this seems like more a «ready to buy bottles» kind of place than somewhere to go if you just want to try glasses for the night.

I walked in and was swept away by the ammonia smell. So I walked right back out.

Way to go Ballard!!! You have become the neighborhood to be! And this wine bar is no exception. Very minimal décor on the inside with a lighted bar, white futuristic furniture, and red lighting. Who doesn’t look good in red lighting???
The food has been excellent every single time that I’ve been here. The food is delicious and served tapas style. I recommend any of their bruschettas. The bread is very light and the toppings are piled up on top. The steamed bowl of mussels is also very good, plus it’s an aphrodisiac, if you know what I mean that I think that you do.
I’ve always gotten a bottle of wine, as opposed to a glass, coming here since I travel with an entourage (+=. The wait staff is super attentive and will gladly help you pick out any item of food. Please don’t hesitate to ask for a wine recommendation, since the list is long. So far they’re two for to.
P. S. One of the waitresses who works here doesn’t drink wine. Yeah, explain that one to me. Super sweet girl, but you work at a wine bar and you don’t drink wine. Hmmmm…