We reserved a table on a Friday night and were seated instantly when we arrived. Great! The servers/host/helpers were very nice! The service was very slow. From the time we sat down to the time we received the first dish was over 1 hour. Even assuming it took 15min to decide what to order (it did not), that's 45min to put out one part of a meal. The other parts came out separately; two dishes here, one dish there, etc, over the course of 20 minutes or more. We ordered no appetizers, so I'm unsure why everything came out at different times. The food was good. I would say it's above average, but not great. I've had better Italian food, but it was not bad at all! Waitress service, overall, was pretty slow. They appeared to be busy, so I'm not sure if she was the only waitress or what, but she only checked on us for the order placement and we had to flag her down to ask for the check. I had to ask the helper(?) for a refill on my drink because the waitress never checked in with us. Again, everyone was very nice! The food was good! But for the price, I was expecting more and I am certainly disappointed with the very long wait and the waits between dishes.
Linda Craft
Feb 7, 2023
5
As a longtime resident of the Triangle area, I always recommend Gocciolina to my clients when they are looking for a great Italian restaurant. The popular spot offers house-made pastas, homemade bread, mouth-watering appetizers (don’t forget to try the anti-pasti), and delicious desserts such as chocolate almond torte and tiramisu cannoli. The ambiance is amazing, they offer indoor or outdoor seating, and the servers are always knowledgeable, helpful, and attentive. The Italian eatery is a great place to celebrate an anniversary, a special day, or just to get a great meal.
Kaila Pianalto
Nov 8, 2022
5
Lovely little Italian place. The food was fantastic. It seemed like maybe a daily menu, written up on a board. We got the fried eggplant appetizer, I got the eggplant ravioli and my partner got the seafood ragu. Ambience was really nice, even out on the patio. Service was wonderful. We will definitely be back!
DP Smallwood
Oct 28, 2022
3
Our experience here was a little disappointing after all the good things we'd heard about the place.
But first, the good: The meatballs were delicious, as was the eggplant ravioli. The atmosphere was cozy and pleasant. The drinks were good.
BUT... Portion size, for the price, was pretty small. We understand that this is a tapas style place and some dishes are going to be appetizer sized. However, three ravioli for the main course was pretty minimal, as was the serving size of the seafood pasta. (Come on, guys, we all know the noodles are cheap -- can you at least toss in enough of those to touch the sides of the bowl?) A green salad was lettuce with balsamic vinegar. PERIOD. The ($38) pork chop was pretty big, but it looked lonely sitting on a naked plate without even a sprig of garnish. (Presentation?) Bottled wine prices were excessive even though we expect 100% mark-up on alcohol in restaurants.
Service was spotty: everyone's dishes didn't come out together, we were told we had to wait for bread to bake, and then we had to ask for it again (finally got 4 slices for 4 people).
Overall, tasty food, but there are better options in Durham.
J D
Aug 24, 2022
5
Outstanding small plate menu with locally sourced ingredients. They always have great specials. Great idea to have bar/waiting area next door. Very reasonable prices just do not expect olive garden sized portions. Quality over quantity is what to expect and is totally fine with me.
Parker Luna
Jul 27, 2022
5
the food was absolutely amazing, and the pace of the food being brought was excellent. it was the perfect amount of food, too. I had an americano and it was delicious. Everything was just so fresh and prepared lovingly. thank you，❤️
Ted Barila
Jul 12, 2022
5
What wonderful attention and the ambiance fully enhanced our dinner. The kids were celebrating Grandma's 92nd birthday and the dinner was perfect. Dinner, drinks, dessert, wonderful dining experience.
John
Jul 3, 2022
3
Food and drinks: 12/10
Service: 4/10
The food and drink are absolutely great. Some of the best food in the Triangle honestly. You can definitely go wild just on appetizers alone and keep it cheap. Fair prices on everything!
But there were VERY extended periods between when our server checked in with us in between each 'event' from putting in orders to even getting our card back after paying the bill. 5-10 minutes on average. Would be nice if you offered fresh cracked pepper or grated Parmesan on the entrées but when the helper gave us our food there was no follow up for a long time
Had an 8pm reservation and wasn't seated until 8:40pm last night, due to the table before us 'taking 2 hours to pay their bill'. Once we were seated we understood why they were there 2 hours. Food and drinks come out slow.
The amazing kitchen needs better support with Organization / Front of House to truly unlock this place's 5 star potential
John
Jun 9, 2022
4
Food and drinks: 12/10
Service: 6/10
The food and drink are absolutely great. Some of the best food in the Triangle honestly. You can definitely go wild just on appetizers alone. Fair prices on everything! But there were VERY extended periods between when our server checked in with us in between each 'event' from putting in orders to even getting our card back after paying the bill. 5-10 minutes on average. Would be nice if you offered fresh cracked pepper or grated Parmesan on the entrées but when the helper gave us our food there was no follow up for a long time
Place would be perfect with a second server honestly
Claudia Alberico
Jun 2, 2022
5
I love this restaurant so much! We come here for celebrations or anytime we feel like a fancier meal. The ingredients are locally sourced and the chef prepares everything fresh, never had a dish I didn't like. The menu rotates so there's always a new surprise.
Joseph H. Vilas
Apr 20, 2022
5
Always very good. Really nice folks. One of my favorite places to go out to dinner at. Please do give it a try. Northern Durham, just off Carver on Guess. Very near Hillandale Road. Enjoy! ;)
Chris Cormier
Mar 24, 2022
5
This place is always 5 star, the staff is always attentive, the ingredients are amazing and the preparation is always unique and delicious. It's crowded early so check later in the evening. You may need to book through Resy or call
