Via Emilia
| Address: | 5901 Old Shell Rd, Mobile, AL 36608, USA |
| Phone: | +1 251-342-3677 |
| Rating: | 4.6 |
| Working: | 5–9PM 5–9PM 5–9PM 5–9PM 10AM–2PM 5–9:30PM 10PM–12AM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 8
DA
David Zachary
This is a small restaurant with about a dozen tables inside and another half dozen under a covered patio. This place feels a bit close, so be advised if you take the kids. If someone acts the fool (adult or child) then everyone is going to see it and hear it. Do not expect chicken fingers, mac n cheese or burgers. If your kids are finicky, then this might not be the best place to eat. There is no real set menu (which is written on a chalk board), but usually contains about 8 to 12 entries. I think this is fantastic. Why? They do not have an endless supply of whatever stored in a freezer. The food I have received in the past has always been fresh. When they run out of an item, it is taken off the menu. Sometimes they will put something in its place but most of the time it is just erased. If you are looking for an endless menu with tons of frozen product heated and called "fresh"... Via Emilia is not for you. À la carte is the watch word. If you want a soup, salad or desert then expect it to be on the side. The chef is going to include what he thinks fits the entree best. Again, this is a win in my opinion. If you want something substituted ask (they have done it for me in the past) but I have not been disappointed with the combinations that were brought out. There are usually three servers in this restaurant. They are very personable and exceptionally knowledgeable about the food. I am not a wine drinker, but I have taken friends who did drink. All of them were pleased with the pairings the servers suggested. Via Emilia is perfect for a night out, especially if there is a show/concert at South. Gives you a chance to walk off a bit of the indulgences when going to the Performing Arts Center for a show, the Mitchell Center for a basketball game or Stanky Field for baseball. I envy the students and staff who work at University of South Alabama, for this gem that is sitting just off campus. Parking: Poor at best. We park on campus and walk across Old Shell Road to eat. That said, I do not go to a great restaurant for parking. I go for the food and atmosphere. I dont mind walking a bit when I know the food is going to be outstanding. Price: Salad/appetizer run about $4, entree averages $15 and desert around $5.
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L Stovall
We went to Via Emilia because I couldnt find very many Italian restaurants in west mobile and have had some good experience with hole in the wall restaurants. Well lets just say I will rethink ever trying another hole in the wall restaurant after my experience here. We didnt know that the restaurant is mainly by reservations only so we just went there and the waitress/hostess said that we could eat there as long as we were out within an hour and a half so we said yes we had plans anyways so that would be fine. The place is tiny so we thought that must be why. We sit down and the waitress says the menu is on the board (chalkboard) in the front of the restaurant so we look and notice that there are 8 items on the board, only 8 none of which is anything either of us want so we ask for fettuccine which is so easy I make it at home all the time (and I am not a very good cook) so we thought that it would be easy for them. Well needless to say I make better fettuccine then they do it was gross and I only ate about a quarter of it because I was so disgusted. My husband had to use the restroom and came back about to get sick because he said that the bathroom was so unsanitary and disgusting. We almost left then but we decided to stay and see how it was. Well it only got worse there were flies flying around us the entire time and my husbands drink was refilled with a can of soda and the can was left on our table. Well after eating what we ate both of our plates were barely touched we ended up paying $55 for our food for two plates not worth $10. Dont waste your time here. It is horrible and the service is horrible. They barely ever checked on us and would just call that our food was coming or asking how everything was as they would pass checking on other tables.
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Lauren Kowal
Via Emilia is an all-time favorite. While it is pricier, you GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. The entree portions are big and the food is just amazing. Ive tried a few things here and there on the menu and love everything Ive tried. Even came here for a family celebration and we all tried a bite from each others dishes and it was nothing but compliments all around. The wait staff is surprisingly laid back and has always been friendly and accommodating. Youre going to want your glass of wine, because the small-space, candle-lit atmosphere makes you feel like youve found the perfect exclusive dinner for your evening, whether youre with a date or friends and family. Seriously give this tucked away place a try, you will not regret it and you will find yourself coming back again.
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Erika Stuart
Awful! Had always wanted to try this place and then heard great things about it, so decided to give it a shot. Neglected to take a pic but the calamari tasted bad and seemed to have come straight out of the freezer. The bodies tasted fishy and the rings were rubbery. Unfolded my silverware from its cloth napkin and the napkin was filthy; did not even appear it had been washed from the previous user so I requested some paper napkins. Witnessed the cook use his bare hands when plating the calamari. The Caesar salad came out with I guess Sun dried tomatoes on it which caused an orange oily residue on the salad. Needless to say we cut our losses and went else where for our entrees. What a disappointment.
KA
Katherine Pope
It was alright. Food is way too pricey. The service was okay. We were asked that we leave by a certain hour for another group coming in... Kinda unprofessional since for a single person to eat its a $30 average. I ordered an $8 salad, expected to get a decent size salad (like at least a half size that you would get at a deli) and the salad was literally the size of a coffee saucer plate. Wont be back.
MA
Mary Junkin
The dining area of this restaurant is really pretty and looks . The chalkboard menu that changes weekly is a really neat concept. It smelled wonderful in there and the food looked fantastic. The kitchen area seemed dirty though. One example was food was being thawed in buckets of water sitting directly on the floor. The kitchen just looked grimy to me, make your own decision on that, though.
GE
Generic User
Their web site says they are open 5:00p Until... It also says they accept reservations. When I call, it just rings until Im prompted to enter an access code. How do I get reservations that way? I didnt want to score the food & decor, as I havent been there, but... Google made me score those, too.
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Blanchard Griffin
Great food and service .... This is a great date place. Its best to get a bottle of wine and relax.. Everything is made fresh; when ordered. So if you are looking for fast food may not be the place for you. Have a seat read the original chalkboard menu and enjoy your company! A+++++
