La Traviata - Long Beach, Long Beach

I HAD BEEN TO LA TRAVIATA YEARS AGO AND REMEMBERED THAT IT WAS A GREAT DINNING EXPERIENCE, AND WHEN I HEARD MARIO THE OWNER WAS BACK, I FIGURED IT WAS A SLAM DUNK....WRONG!! I ORDERED A COCKTAIL, BOMBAY ON THE ROCKS THAT WAS SERVED IN A GLASS THE SAID JACK DANIELS ON IT .... VERY TACKEY, DOESN'T COST THAT MUCH FOR THE PROPER ROCKS GLASSES.. THE AMBIANCE WAS A 9,, THE MOST ENJOYABLE PIANO PLAYER, WAS NO LONGER THERE THOUGH..... THE MENU WAS DONE VERY NICELY, AND OFFERED A NICE SELECTION APPITIZERS,SALADS, PASTAS AND ENTREES.... WAIT STAFF WAS TERRIFFC ECCEPT THE WAITER SMOKED, AND EVERY TIME HE CAME BACK TO TABLE HE SMELLED FROM SMOKE...TERRIBLY OFFENSIVE ... I ORDERED A CEASAR SALAD, NO DRESSING ON THE SALAD THAT WAS REMOTELY LIKE ANY CEASAR I'VE EVER HAD, LESS THAN MEDIOCRE, SERVED WITH TOMATOES AND THE ANCHOVIES, EXTRA SALTY, I LOVE VEAL SO NATURALLY I ORDER THE VEAL CHOP....THE WAITER ASKED HOW I WOULD LIKE IT COOKED, I SAID SLIGHT PINK INSIDE, NOT RARE..... WHEN DINNER WAS SERVED, NICE PRESENTATION ON THE PLATE...FIRST BITE WAS OF LUKE WARM POTATOE AND THEN COLD VEGATABLES AND THE THE PIECE DERESISTANCE, A RARE VEAL CHOP...I ASKED THE WAITER IF THEY WOULD PLEASE COOK IT A LITTLE MORE....WHEN HE RETURNED WITH THE NEWLEY REHEATED VEAL CHOP, IT WAS LIKE IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN A PIECE OF PRIME RIB WAS TOO RARE, JUST STICK IN THE AU JUS FOR A LITTLE WHILE...IT WAS FLOATING IN A MUSHROOM SAUCE AND HAD BALSAMIC VINEGAR DECORATIONS ON IT...THOUGHROULY DISGUSTING, AND STILL RARISH....DID NOT FINISH IT... ORDERED FOR DESSERT CREAM BRULEE ANOTHER FAVORITE, WELL WHAT CAN I SAY, I'VE NEVER HAD A TASTELESS BRULEE WITH NO BODY, BUT, THE SUGAR WAS CRYSTALIZED PERFECT....ALL IN ALL THE BEST PART OF THE MEAL WERE THE DINNER ROLLS.... EXTREMELY OVER PRICED ....WILL NEVER GO BACK.. GOOD LUCK TO ALL YOU ADVENTUROUS FOODIES....

great ambiance, food is good and an excellent wine list. It is just missing that umph!

For quality dining, this is one of Long Beach's best. Too bad your dinner conversation is often interrupted by loud opera singers trying to entertain the clientele.

My love took me to La Traviata in Long Beach on a Friday night. We had such a great time listening to beautiful music by a live Opera singer with pianist. The food was deliciously Italian with the right amount to fill you plus a great wine list. A beautiful setting, elegant and soft. The attendants were there when we needed them and weren't overly attending.

the place is romantic and elegant. i called to make reservations and told them what i was planning and they went the extra mile for me. it was my first date with the most beautiful girl in the world and i needed it to be romantic, so they squeezed in my reservation and saved the most romantic table in the whole restaurant for us, the owner even greeted us at the door and complimented my date and led us to our table, and as we were dining he stopped a woman that was vending roses and gave my date a rose to make her feel like the most special girl in the whole world, i loved the place it was romantic, the service wasn't pushy and all the little touches made it a wonderful place.. and as i was leaving i went out of my way to thank the owner for such a wonderful experience...

I visited on a weekday. Must have been a wednesday. It wasn't busy, so we had the hostess/waitress' full attention. I think that's the only thing that bothered me...she wasn't busy enough and was constantly interrupting our conversation. Other than that minor dislike, i loved the place. I will definitely try again....but next time on a weekend :D