About Domenico’s on the Lake
Beyond their size, small businesses are defined by their spirit. And at the helm are their intrepid founders—scrappy, ambitious, and resilient. They invent and build things despite uncertainty, because it’s what drives them. Their risks lead to innovation that moves the world forward. And we need them.
A fantastic place to dine. I bring a tour group up from San Diego to LA once a month and this is our go to spot for dinner. It's a great atmosphere and the location of the lake is wonderful. Reservations are suggested because it can get crowded. But it's much worth the wait if needed. I love the lasagna and the shrimp scampi. But everything on the menu is wonderful. It's not a super large place but the management was very accommodating of our group of 12. Our server was wonderful. I wish I could remember her name.
Food is always amazing, we ordered lobster spaghetti, the pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauces were rich and well-balanced, and the presentation was beautiful. We also ordered lamb chops which was amazing as well Can not wait to go back & try more dishes.
Our recent visit to Domenico's on the Lake was a tale of two halves. The atmosphere and service were absolutely excellent. Our waiter was incredibly helpful and responsive, and both the beautiful view from the outdoor dining area and the pleasant interior truly set a high bar. However, the food was good, but definitely didn't live up to expectations. Most notably, the prices felt way overblown for the quality. We found many dishes to be over-salted, and the sauces were surprisingly bland. For example, the balsamic glaze on the bruschetta had a faint, almost flavorless taste reminiscent of grape jelly, and the salad dressing was so salty it was inedible. We genuinely wanted to fall in love with Domenico's on the Lake, but unfortunately, the culinary experience just didn't align with the wonderful ambiance and service we received.
I took a friend out for dinner at this Italian restaurant expecting a great experience, but unfortunately it fell short in several ways. We ordered the filet mignon well done and the lamb ribs medium rare. Instead, both dishes came out rare. We sent the lamb ribs back to be corrected, and I ended up eating the filet mignon at medium rather than sending it back again. While mistakes in the kitchen can happen, attention to requested temperatures is basic, especially for premium cuts of meat. What truly disappointed me, however, was what happened at the end of the meal. When it was time to pay, the waiter loudly stated that my card had been declined, claiming he tried swiping, tapping, and inserting the chip multiple times and that it kept returning declined. This was said in front of my friend and nearby diners, which was unnecessarily embarrassing. I calmly handed him a different card and asked him to charge that one instead. That transaction went through immediately without issue. After leaving, I called my bank regarding the first card, and they confirmed there had been no attempted transaction at all and that my card was in good standing with no problems. It’s very concerning that the waiter stated my card was declined when, according to my bank, no attempt was ever made. Whether this was carelessness or something else, it created an uncomfortable and avoidable scene that overshadowed the entire evening. Between the incorrect food temperatures and the payment incident, the experience was disappointing. I hope management takes this feedback seriously, as honesty and professionalism at checkout are just as important as the quality of the food.
It was a disappointment after all the noises heard about this restaurant. 1. The ground pepperoni pizza was salty and dry. The crust was more like a flatbread than "pizza" itself. It didn't have a puffy rim crust, sort of flat across the pie. However, it was crispy and didn't feel doughy. $27. 2. The build your own pizza was better because of toppings we picked out. The meatballs were so average, dried texture, not much flavors. Again, It was like a flatbread. $36 for medium size, Domino's pizza would taste better for less. 3. Lasagna was salty and not much flavors. 4. Shortribs with lemon Risotto was so so. The shortribs was tender and got a good flavor but was on the edge of being salty. The lemon Risotto was kinda mushy and seemed not lemony at all, off flavored, more like saffron Risotto... 5. Chicken Parmesan: i didnt get to taste but my husband tasted it and said the melted cheese was pretty salty. 6. Jumbo prawns scampi: didn't taste it. 7. Cream chicken basil was the best of the bunch. Thanks God it was not salty. Not much chicken pieces and they were small. 8. The butter cake was good. The service was spotty. The waiter was attentive in the first 1/3 and kinda slow after that, 2 hrs lunch... I was on my way to the restroom so passing by the bar, said Good Morning to the lady behind it, she looked up and didn't even acknowledge my greeting... So 7 of us, just water all around with 2 coffee, our bill was $260 for so average at best food. Not come back or recommend for sure.