Sotto Varalli

Recommends

ddmacsic

Joined 2 years ago

Owner is creepy!. The food here is outstanding and more importantly it is consistently that good. I think they have had the same cook for a long time and it shows. You always get a consistently good meal here. The bartenders and wait staff are good too. The one major negative of this place is the fact that the owner lingers around his staff and patrons. He is almost obtrusive. My wife and I have noticed this on multiple occasions and it is creepy and awkward. We had an interaction with him once and it was extremely uncomfortable. He has horrible people skills and should probably let the restaurant run itself. He is a detriment to the overall experience there. If you can get in there when he is not around, you should have a great experience!

Recommends

NLescaped

Joined 5 years ago

My favorite bar in the city!. I'm a bar person, which mean I am huge lush, but rather when I go out I always sit at the bar. Fine dining resaturants right down to diners. I just always feel relaxed and able to enjoy the atmosphere. Here are some of the reasons that I love Sotto Varalli A. that it's a great place to people watch, B. it's some great yummy food. C. some of the best bartenders in town! Seriously these guys can slam it out! Varalli's is primarily a theatre restaurant, which gets people in and out in time for their shows. The bartenders do it all with such flair and humor! I have gotten a two course dinner and coffee within 45 minutes, it wasn't pretty but they got it done! On Friday and Saturday nights there is a jazz duo that are wonderful. This bar is friendly and unpretentious. really enjoyable.

Doesn't Recommend

car073

Joined 5 years ago

Good food but TINY PORTIONS!!!!!!. I was just in Philly for Memorial Day weekend and went to this restaurant on Saturday night. It seemed like a nice place to enjoy the evening and watch the live jazz musicians who were EXCELLENT.

I ordered a skirt steak and my wife had the free range chicken. These portions were so small that I could have eaten both without a problem and I'm not a big guy!!!

Portions are like appteizers.

If you go here eat before or plan to eat after as I did.

Doesn't Recommend

dlmsimon

Joined 5 years ago

Really slow ... then food poisoned!. - extremely sloooooow for food to come out

- host and servers are courteous

- decent food

- FOOD POISONED!

I took my wife to this restaurant for her birthday.

After being seated and ordering our food, it took 30 minutes for the appetizer to come out.

We thought, no big deal.

We ordered fried calamari, and it turned out to be overcooked, and really tough and dry.

We also ordered salad, but after waiting another hour, nothing comes out, so we canceled our salad and just asked for the entrees.

By the time our entrees came out, we had waited another 1 hour since we received our appetizer.

Although the entrees tasted good, by the time we got home, my wife knew she was food poisoned.

Unless you have 2 1/2 to 3 hours to spare and don't mind being food poisoned, don't come here.

Recommends

annacastro55

Joined 5 years ago

Excellent variety. The food was wonderful, the restaurant was clean and had a soothing decor. We had a great dining experience. The seafood was the freshest I tasted and the fruit was perfectly ripe. I would highly recommend this restaurant to family & friends. I can't wait to go again!

Recommends

karlospluck

Joined 6 years ago

Wonderful service!. Have been coming to this place for years and always love it! here's our routine...Friday nights, get there at around 8 or so, try to skip the Theatre rush, grab a seat at the bar, have one of the bartenders specialities, an Espresso Martini (yum), then get a table near the jazz duo. Have a relaxed dinner listining to the great music, then back to the bar for some coffee and dessert. waddle to a taxi. Our waitress on the last visit, Jennifer is amazing, so sweet! If you haven't been back in a while, go back!

Recommends

lcarrollis

Joined 5 years ago

Great Food, location, and service. Have visited many times just keeps getting better. Great for buisness meetings or just dinner for two. Weekend Jazz is great.

Recommends

margaretdenton

Joined 6 years ago

Best Food, service, and music. We have dined at Sotto Varalli many times and I have to disagree with the previous review. The portions are perfect. Maybe this reviewer is used to the old standard of quantity over quality. But I would say that everything we have ever ordered has been plentiful and satisfying, not to mention excellant quality and freshness. Varalli's has always exceeded our expectations from food to service and beyond. If you want the "never ending pasta bowl" then go to the Olive Garden, but if you want truly creative cuisine at a reasonable price for Center City, then Varalli's is THE place!

Recommends

stevee123

Joined 7 years ago

Not worth it. I went to this restaurant on Nov. 24, 2006 with a party of seven. The food was mediocre at best. The dinners were not hot, the drinks were small even though we asked for tall. We had appetizers, and the so called signature dish (among others). We all have nothing good to say. Find another place... next time I'm going to.

Recommends

gss28

Joined 7 years ago

Great place to eat before a show. After first going to Sotto Varalli on Valentine's Day in 05, it quickly became a favorite of mine for Philadelphia dining. On certain nights they have live jazz which certainly helps the atmosphere. It is perfectly located for those going to see a show across the street at the Kimmel center. The sesame and poppyseed crusted tuna if offered as a special is a must try.