I came here for Valentine's Day a few years ago and it's been hard to top this restaurant since then. Five star service, five star food, and you'll feel like you're in an episode of The Sopranos with the decor and incredible ambiance around the restaurant. This is definitely a place you come to once and take in the experience and all of it's history.

Despite living in St. Petersburg all my life, I'd never been to Donatello's. I just can't say enough about the food, the service, the ambience. You are greeted at the door by Gino Owner), devilishly handsome, impeccably dressed, exuding old world charm. He even came by the table during the meal to make sure everything was to our satisfaction. Much of the food is prepared table side and everything we had was absolutely delicious. So fresh, tasty, and well-prepared. Our table had three pasta dishes, and a veal a limone. Caesar salad and bread preceded the. Everything was just out of this world. It could very well be the best Italian restaurant I've ever been to. Five stars aren't enough. By the way, I should also mention that the night we were there was graduation night in the area and the place was packed... Every table was occupied and it's a very large place. But neither the food nor the service suffered because of it The lighting is great for dining, but horrible for pictures because everything is bathed in red light. I must admit that at first I looked at the menu and was somewhat put off by the fact it was so expensive. The least expensive entrée is about $34. But it is absolutely worth it...every penny. And we will definitely be going back, and will be a place that we will be delighted to take out-of-town guests to show off the best of Tampa Bay.

This place is AMAZING! I went here for the first time with my little sister and the service was wonderful! The owner came by to check on us a couple of times and making sure things are going smoothly! The food there is super delicious especially the bruschetta! It’s well worth the price! Their steak melts like butter and no sauce needed because they put a little truffle butter on top. Such an amazing experience. The price is a bit high, but it is well worth it! I recommend everyone to come here and check it out. Absolutely the best Italian restaurant in Tampa, hands down.

Never been here before and was pleasantly surprised to walk in to such a beautifully decorated and welcoming atmosphere. The food was outrageously good and the presentation spectacular. Everything is delicious and the service is superb. Can’t wait to come back !

I enjoyed the experience to a degree. The food was fine but pricey for pasta dishes. The seafood seemed fresh. The decor is dingy and outdated. I appreciated the rose upon arrival. The waitstaff was fairly attentive but nothing to write home about. I didn't have a negative experience but for what we spent and the occasion we were celebrating i would not ask to go back unfortunately. There are better options in tampa for high end Italian

First time coming here and to be honest we weren’t really planning on dining here. We had an appointment nearby, felt like eating Italian and this place had reservations available. My sister and I came here, our food was great. The server was also good, nothing bad to say about the server and food. I appreciate the nice environment. My issue came to the valet, one of the valet men was very aggressive and felt entitled to be so. If you have “complimentary valet”, but your valet men act hostile when not getting a tip, might as well avoid ruining the customer’s night by just charging a fee for valet. As I said, I wasn’t even planning on dining outside. I made the reservation last minute, and that’s enough to guess I didn’t even know they had valet for which I should prepare cash for. Because obviously, like any decent human, I do tip. When the valet worker handed me my car, he left the door wide open and kept staring at me and I was very uncomfortable. I asked if everything was okay and he gave me a sarcastic “yup”, and then I got the message and apologized that I didn’t have any cash on me, I paid my bill with a card. He was so rude and felt it was fine to slam my car door on me. If you were a tiny bit less aggressive, I would’ve asked my sister next to me if she had any cash on her so that I can sort this situation out. But because you were so aggressive, I drove off feeling humiliated as if I hadn’t just paid 200 dollars for a dinner for 2 at some restaurant I don’t even know to be frank. I come from Dubai, so I am just trying restaurants as of now. Would I come here again? Probably not but the food was good, I’m going to try other restaurants. The hostility and sense of entitlement by your staff is enough for me to skip your restaurant unless no other Italian place has reservation available at the time I want. You lost a customer that would come here for dining regularly. As a woman, I felt unsafe and literally attacked by a random man with anger issues. My advice to you is just charge all customers $5 for valet or something because what happened to me was ridiculous, staff acting as if I had just dined at a McDonald’s or something.

As a person who travels the world and blogs about good food, this place was ridiculous last night. They couldn't come close to managing a large party. Salads took over an hour to come out and that's only after asking three or four times where they were. Entrees were extremely slow in it totally disappointing in terms of presentation and food quality. One of the chicken dishes had to go back. The black grouper was beyond terrible. Paper thin, chewy and smelly. The veal specialty was just as bad. Never even got an apology from the owner. I will never go back again.

Best Italian Food in The Tampa Bay Area! EXCELLENT restaurant for special occasions. Not inexpensive, but great things aren't. Authentic Italian, and been in business for decades. Romantic and relaxing with live music. Everything is Superb! Wide variety. Plan on enjoying a nice couple hours enjoying this hidden secret, where us locals go.

I have been coming here for 30 years or more. It's the very best Italian Restaurant in Tampa or St. Pete. Known for it's romantic atmosphere, it's often the choice for special occasions and a must for a romantic first date! Geno, the owner, is always there to make you feel special and welcome. Most of the staff is Italian, and it's always fun to listen to everyone speaking Italian as the move about the restaurant. The bar area is equally fun with live music most nights of the week. If you are lookin for head banging music this is not the place. Great jazz or popular music played at more modest levels is usually the course. You know the place is great and treats it's staff well when the bartender has been there for nearly 20 years! Dress for men is anything from long pants and a golf shirt to a tux. It's common to see sport coats and suits. For woman this is one place you can dress to the nines! The perfect restaurant for your little black dress. Once you dine here I know one thing for sure. You'll be back! Picture is of myself and my 2 daughters as we celebrate a 21st birthday.

A place that hits the mark well I’m some areas, and other not so much. Bar Service: we were in on a busy night and it took 30 minutes just ti get drinks while waiting on table that delivered 25 minutes late after reservation. Drinks were well done though. Ambiance: Beautiful decor and glow inside the restaurant. Very classy establishment. Service: World class service amongst the staff here. Food: This is where the review is mixed. Steak was unbeatable. They have no idea how to sear or season a steak. Worst I’ve ever had at a restaurant, and for $75 it’s a joke. And presentation was juvenile. I live in South America in a modern city and the food courts there make better steak than I’ve seen at most “fine” restaurants in Tampa including Berns. Appetizers like the Carpaccio were pretty good, nothing amazing or memorable, but decent. Spaghetti was average. Only flavor note was spice. Lobster was very good with rich flavor profile. Lastly, Tiramisu was phenomenal, and the hound was good, just a bit too young. .

Authentic Italian Restaurant, highly the best in Tampa. I used to live in Italy and loved Italian food all in my life, however when I moved to the US, I really missed not just the real, authentic Italian food but the vibes as well. This restaurant is family owned, elegant, staff are excellent, waiters are extremely polite in the best way, they treat you as a king / queen. Food is delicious and the wine selection is exceptional. I’d recommend their bar room on Saturday as well, they are having live music what is awesome.

This place has an old world charm with exceptional service and food to go along with it. If you want a lovely evening out with friends and family or a romantic evening, this is your go to place. The cocktails and wine selection was great and the food was excellent. Many of the dishes are prepared tableside so they are super fresh and hot. We will be back!

First time to this Tampa gem and it immediately went to the top of my list of favorite local restaurants. Cuisine is northern Italian so lighter sauces and delicate homemade pasta. Amazing service and a salutation from the owner made the experience more personal. Celebrated my birthday and received a couple of long stem red roses. Nice touch!

I was accommodated well by the management & staff for a table of 8. Valet is a must & they do get pretty busy. Music was playing & it was a bit noisy but I was in the birthday room so that was expected. Service & Food was great. Wish the bread was fresh & the butter was melted. The oysters are only for 1/2 dozen but they were fresh. Also the raw calamari was better to me than than the fried. I ordered both. I also ordered the special pasta which was an array of seafood. Comes with a white wine sauce but I would substitute it for a Alfredo next time. The wine sauce just doesn't stick the noodles so your pasta has soup at the bottom. Was still very good to eat. Desert & coffee was also fantastic. I like how they give all the ladies a rose. Great touch. Will return.

Donatello’s is the most amazing Italian restaurant. Food is so delicious. Service couldn’t be better. Friendly and authentic. 10/10. Always impressed and beyond satisfied.

Nice looking and cozy. A table for 4 is pretty small and just not enough room for a good 4 person apps and full meal plates. Food was descent. A/C was up pretty high.... the Lamborghini parked out front was a nice highlight!

We were lucky enough to get a reservation later than I normally eat, but we really wanted to dine here. Donatello’s is a Tampa staple serving authentic and fresh Italian cuisine. While we waited to be seated, we checked out the bar area where live music was being played. The food and the wait staff were all exceptional. What I loved the most was that despite the long line of customers waiting to be seated, we were never rushed. We took our time, enjoyed our meal and our wine. It was such a pleasant and excellent experience that it no longer mattered how late I was having dinner. As you're leaving, the women are handed a red rose... a classy touch. Can't wait to come back and have another excellent meal.

I visited this place to celebrate my sister's birthday, and we had a wonderful experience. They graciously accommodated our sizable group of 20, ensuring that everything was served promptly. The food was truly exceptional, with standout dishes like the Agnolotti Freschi Alla Crema (with chicken), Calamari Fritti, Ostriche Gratinate, and the Tiramisu. Everyone really enjoyed their meals and the overall experience was simply fantastic.

We celebrated my mother in law’s 94th birthday. She loved coming to Donatello’s years ago when my father-in-law was still alive. The place has not changed much except the food has become so much more expensive. Service is still great. It’s dark inside but the mood was comfortable yet intimate. We ordered Calamari Fritti and Lumache Farcite for appetizers. The calamari was ordinary and heavily breaded. The snails were baked in mushroom caps and the garlic butter sauce was delicious. It was perfect for dunking the bread that came with the meal. Three people in our group ordered the Penne Puttanesca. Again, there was nothing special to it. The Pollo Palermitana was delicious. The chicken breast was tender and moist and the tomato sauce didn’t overwhelmed the dish. The Veal Piccata was delicious. It came with big pieces of tender veal with delicious but a little heavy lemon butter sauce. For dessert, we ordered the Ricotta Cheesecake and Tiramisu. They were both tasty but nothing extraordinary. Since it was a birthday dinner, the waiters sang an Italian birthday song and gave my mother in law a free dessert. Like before, any lady who left the restaurant was given a red rose. This is a tradition that I am so glad had not changed. Parking is valet only but it was free. There was nice music playing and dancing in the lounge .

Fancy and overall nice Italian restaurant right by the new mid town Tampa. Valet parking is complementary and almost required given how few spots out back there are. Atmosphere is nice and upscale but also feels authentic to Tampa. Food is overall tasty but a bit overpriced. Great wine and drink selection. A nice place to have a big dinner with friends and family.

Good experience overall, finally tried this place. Food is good but nothing you can't find anywhere else. NY strip 14oz and grilled grouper with shrimp and scallops were flavorful. Avocado shrimp appetizer was decent with lots of heavy dressing. Best item was strawberry creme brulee 👌 and cappuccino to bring it all together. It's over priced ofcourse but glad I tried it. I might go back for the creme brulee and cappuccino, lol. Great service and a rose 🌹 for the ladies after dinner is a nice touch. P.S. it's red lights and pictures would be red even during the day. Cheers!

This was our first dining experience coming up from Sarasota. Food was first class along with service. Best Espresso Martini ever. Owner came by to check up on the dinner. My only negative was that the wines were somewhat overpriced. We will come back for a special occasion Make Reservations!

Went there for Mom's 90th birthday... The service was great. The staff were wonderful. Great timing with the order and drinks. No pressure at all. Great experience. Food was great, I can't wait until the morning for our leftovers. 😊

Great authentic Italian restaurant. the service was good, and the food was excellent! No reservation needed it, but everyone around was dressed to impress!

It should be rated ( 6 ) 🌟,From the minute you walk in your greeted with smile, The hostess made you feel like family. And the bartender Kaylee's smile just lit up the room..This was just the beginning of a awesome evening, Working today as a professional bartender is very stressful to say the least. Kaylee was just AWESOME especially making those martini's 🍸 .The food & the service were hands down # 1 the BEST IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA! (6) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The staff is super friendly and accommodating. However, the food was just average and the prices were way too high for that. I don’t mind paying high prices for a quality restaurant, but I want the food to knock my taste buds out of my mouth for those prices. Also, for being known as a romantic restaurant, it’s just too loud and packed in. Probably nicer on a quiet weekday.

I recently visited this restaurant and was blown away by the ambiance. The decor was stunning, with beautiful lighting and comfortable seating. The staff was friendly and attentive, making me feel welcome and comfortable. I loved the overall vibe of the place, and it was the perfect setting for a romantic dinner.

We celebrated Father's Day there. From parking, entrance and the dinner with the best waitstaff. They were inviting, made us feel comfortable and made our dinner exceptional. Our waiter had knowledge of wine and recommendations of them. Thank you for a great night. We ended with dessert and had to order a second round of the chocolate mouse cake. Awsome place and will return again.

The food was excellent, the service even better. Our order was remarkably quick, expertly cooked, and the flavors were great. The wine list is impressive as well.

Wow, what a great spot. Impeccable service and food. The owner seats you and shakes your hand upon entry. Great old school eatery where waiters have been there 30 years. Get the beef carpaccio and loosen up the purse strings. Amazing experience at a real iconic place. Definitely come here. Also hey, BIG cocktails.

I've been here before for drinks while enjoying the wonderful duo playing jazz, that's so cool! But I never dining before, so this was a birthday 🎂 party of 6. I was the one to blame - I suggested Donatello - 😆 We sat down for 20 minutes if I can count the time, and no service at all. We were into our conversation and suddenly I look around for a server but everyone looks busy with their own table. I called the Maitre and he got us service. It was just a bottle of wine, simple. It took forever. We order pronto, we don't want to miss again our server 😅 The food was delicious, I order one of their suggestions: Risotto with scallops and lobster, couldn't be more exquisite. By now, we all been pampered for the servers, great job to the Maitre!! Overall it was a great moment for us 🥳 🎂

This Tampa Gem is a classic!!! The ambiance and quality of food is unmatched. Being greeted by the owner, Gino on a busy Friday night was the icing on the cake. This is a great date night spot. Very intimate!!! This place is highly recommended… can you say FLAVOR!!! We will return soon.