Bella Italian Grill

My husband and I ate at Bella on Saturday thinking it would be like its counter-part Bella-Sera in Minneapolis. I've been to Bella-Sera and was very impressed. They had great food, great service and terrific ambiance. Bella in Blaine put their name to shame. \r We arrived and were attended to quickly. We asked to be seated at the bar outside. We were shown the patio, but not seated, apparently that was up to us. We noticed that there were only three stools at the bar and they were all taken. They also looked like they had been brought from inside and didn't even match the decor. Also, it looked like up to 10 seats could have been at the bar, like I said, there were only three. So we sit, we were not given menus either. A bartender or waiter gave us menus (a big bald guy). Menus, and NO WATER. The entire time we were there we were never given or offered water. To me, that's inexcuseable. My husband had a gin and sprite and I had a glass of wine. I will say they were reasonably priced. That's the last good thing about Bella.\r As for the food, which took some time considering the place was half empty, was mediocere at best. We ordered their sausage and mushroom pizza and the crab dip. The pizza was no good. It seemed to be a premade crust, nearly no sauce, PRESHREADED Kraft cheese (which tastes awful), nasty cubic cut sausage that tasted worse than Dominos, and tasteless mushrooms. The artichokecrab dip was also subpar. I tasted almost no crab. It tasted like pasta filling, which is not what I want to dip dry grill bread. The bread was thick cut and there was not enough for the volume of dip.\r As for the service during the meal. We were never checked on after recieving the food. What if it was the wrong thing or something? We couldn't have had a substitute, we would have been stuck with it. And still, no water, not offer to refil our beverages. We left less than a 10% tip. And our server blatantly looked down my top several times\r Bella in Blaine is worth missing Pros: Quickly seated, drink prices, abiance was pleasant Cons: No water given, slow service, No checking after the food came more

My wife and I live in Eagan. I was attending a buisness meeting in the Blaine area and asked my wife to meet me for some dinner. Several co-workers strongly recommended Bella. Considering the sports bars are getting a little too ""college"" friendly, it seemed like a great idea.\r I arrived at Bella before my wife, and even though we did not have reservations, the hostess was more than happy to seat me. The atmosphere is beautiful. Italian art covering the walls, large round romantic booths. \r My wife shortly arrived and was equally impressed with the atmosphere. Our server was friendly, and was happy to explain Bella's surf and turf specials. We chose a bottle of wine off of Bella's outstanding wine list, and were delivered some hot bread until our entrees arrived.\r Both of us decided on the surf and turf specials. The food was remarkable! The steaks were mouth watering, and the scallops never tasted so fresh. My wife and I were very impressed with every single moment of our time spent at Bella.\r Even though my wife and I live in Eagan, we will without a doubt return to Bella frequently. The service, the food, the wine variety, and the atmosphere truly made our night. I highly recommend Bella to everyone. Pros: Atmosphere, Service, Food, Wine, Romantic, Location Cons: None! more

We had a reservation at Bella's for a special occasion Friday night. It was my first time visiting the restaurant, and after having heard about it's upscale dining and beautiful interior, we thought it would be perfect for our celebration. It started out fine, with our table set and waiting for us with only drink and dessert menus, as we had specified a dessert reservation over the phone. But that was the extent of the great service. After our party of 8 was seated, our server asked if we wanted anything to drink. She only went about one third of the way around the table. The other two-thirds were not asked what we wanted to drink, so we just stuck with water. A few minutes later, she took our orders, and about 15 minutes later we got our orders...except mine. She claimed she never heard my order, which may be true -- the order-taking was handled in a very roundabout way, and I don't believe she wrote anything down. So, as everyone else was digging into their desserts, I waited 10-15 minutes for my order to be served. She didn't check back to see how things were until about a 1/2 hour later. All of our glasses were empty. When she did come back, she only filled up a few of the water glasses -- she didn't fill mine. At the end, I ended up having to ask someone else walking by for a box. And, of course, I got charged for my order that she had forgotten. All in all, the worst service experience I've had. I was upset but thought maybe it was a fluke, but my husband had gone there for lunch one day and had poor service then as well. \r \r Bella has the makings of a good restaurant -- the desserts were great and looked very nice on the plate. They just need to get some top-notch servers in there and get rid of the sub-par wait staff. I won't be back. Pros: elegant interior Cons: terrible service more

I had occasion to dine at Bella because it was the venue for a professional event I was attending. Sadly, Bella failed all around.\r \r I can?t speak for everyone?s food, but mine was entirely forgettable. I ordered macaroni and cheese. Although many enthusiasts of mac and cheese, including myself, love it for the texture, we also expect at least a modicum of flavor. This particular rendition featured pasta that was overcooked, and a cheese sauce that was sorely lacking in any flavor that would closely resemble cheese. I sincerely question how much actual real cheese and not cheese product or processed cheese food is used in the dish. Although I hate to admit it, I do have the occasional Stouffer?s entree for dinner due to a hectic work and non-work schedule. But I?d rather admit that the Stouffer?s mac and cheese shoots the Bella mac and cheese away at a fraction of the price. For my dollar, it?s no contest.\r \r Brutal as the food was, it is nothing compared to the indifference of the manager. I have no qualms whatsoever about saying his name is ERIC. First of all, when I had a chance to mention to ERIC that the food was unsatisfactory, he violated the number one rule of customer service. He blamed the customer. He told me that I should?ve mentioned something to my server immediately. When I explained to ERIC that doing so would mean interrupting the speaker of the program I was attending, he seemed unconcerned ? again, not his problem. Then he violated another rule of customer service. He did nothing to recover the business. No apology, no offer of another entree, no comped meal, no refund, no gift card for a future visit. \r \r I?ve shared my displeasure with the professional association that booked the event at Bella, and we likely will not be back. I know I won?t be back as an individual. more

The look of Bella is very nice. I met a friend for appetizers and happy hour and was seated at a table in the bar. No one came to our table for about 25 minutes, there was a very loud and drunk group of Bella employees seated at a booth nearby....one stumbled up explaining she works there and would be willing to take our order since noone was helping us. We smiled and said that we'd wait for our server. The server did not remember our order of two appetizers and one drink. Never came to check on us or bring us our bill. The food was so - so. I was really disappointed. It looks like Bella could have potential, but this restaurant needs to make some big changes in the staff. Pros: Ambience Cons: Service more

Other than a respectable relatively positive opinion from katrinks24, the only other positive reviews are short blasts that elaborate on nothing specific. They sound like they were composed by one of the 21 year old waitresses or from similar that 'borrowed' daddy's credit card. Patronize Bella with caution, if at all, knowing the tab will be large and the high probability that you will be amongst the overwhelming disappointed customer group that will not return. The proof is in the experience. Pros: Not far away from better alternatives. Cons: Sportbar staff in semi-formal attire performing the con. more

Let me start off by saying that the place looks great on the outside. Even the inside is dressed to impress. The food looked good on the plate, but looks can be deceiving. I had Chicken Marsala, which I know, isn't ultra impressive, but I'm somewhat of a snob when it comes to Chicken Marsala. The Marsala 'demi-glaze' was weak, there were a few piceces of 'wild mushrooms' and some waxy potatoes. I've had better wedding reception renditions of Chicken Marsala. Many places to a much better job. One comes to mind - Trattoria da Vinci on Sibley St in St. Paul (prices are actually better). \r
\r The other thing I was amazed about was the fact that there were items on the menu that were upwards of $40-45. Just ate at Muffaletta's last weekend (Como Ave in St. Paul). Again, prices are comparable, but a place like Muffaletta's and bella are not even close to the same category. \r The service was so-so... the server forgot our drinks. They also had a salad (that my wife tried), that was comparable to 'The Salad' at the Vineyard in Anoka - which is not a good thing in my opinion. For the prices on the menu, you'd expect a little more class... torn menus, and generally loud atmosphere just didn't cut it for me.\r
\r I will say this - I know everyone has a bad day - sometimes things just don't turn out. So maybe I can give them a pass - but here's one final thought: They have a HUGE menu. I feel that the more you have on your menu, the harder it is to prepare everything with excellence. While my meal itself wasn't terrible in the dollar amount category, the grill items that the rest ot the party had were much more expensive and no one is talking about it afterwards - which is usually a bad sign. Pros: Ambience is pretty cool - I'll bet the patio outside is great in the summer. Cons: Prices, service, average food. more

This was the best place i have been to in a long time. Im glad someone has brought class to Blaine. Our service and food was great. A must try Pros: Great food Cons: nothing more

My wife and I took an afternoon off from work to do nothing. We decided to stop into Bella since it looked like more than just a chain. The service was unacceptable. We were seated and were not approached by the wait staff for at least 20 minutes. Okay if the place was full but we got there at 1:00 pm and there were only 2 other parties. Given the manager caught wind of our predicament, he did approach us and apologize. Once we ate the mediocre panini sandwiches, the waitress offered us complimentary dessert. We reluctantly accepted but after waiting an additional 15 minutes with no dessert we felt is was best to leave. Overall, lunch cost us over 2 hours.\r Pros: comfy booths Cons: everthing else more

terrible food, ridiculous prices. Bon Fire is a thousand times better. Gristle in a filet,...yeah, like that was REALLY a filet. No flavors...even the desserts were ridiulously priced. The only reason people rate it high is we want and need better places to eat. Guess what, this isn't one of them. more

\r I was quite excited about trying Bella in Blaine. There are so many chain restaurants in the area that it was a breath of fresh air to finally have a place that was a a little more upscale. Boy, were my hopes dashed. I went with a group of five girlfriends and one had to bring her baby girl. They did fine accommodating our needs (like warm water for a bottle) and the servers were friendly . The ambiance was quite nice but my meal was such a disappointment that I felt very regretful about paying the price for it. \r \r I ordered the Cappellini Primavera and it was plain, plain , plain. The past was slightly over-cooked and there was no sauce to be mentioned. I actually added a pad of butter to my own plate just to make the meal consumable. I am pretty sure they completely omitted the white wine butter sauce described on the menu.\r \r The other main disappointment with the place was the women's restroom. I ended up with diaper duty for my friend's baby and there was absolutely no place to change her. There is no wall station and the bathroom counter also functions as the sink making it unusable. I resorted to putting her changing pad on the floor of the handicapped stall and didn't even bother putting her pants over her onsie because it was such a chore to get her changed. I understand that it's not a kid-friendly establishment but these situations arise and they should accommodate.\r \r If you want to have a dinner worth the money, skip Bella and drive to Minneapolis. Pros: Atmosphere Cons: Entrees more

Unlike the other reviewers, I've had only positive experiences at Bella - six positive visits, to be exact, and I'm a very picky foodie.\r \r The Food: The Napoleon flatbread is delicious, if you like spice, try the suausage & peppers, the Bella salad is great, the Spinaci ravioli is solid, the chicken piccatta is delightful, and any entree that includes the Bella potatoes is sure to be good. Two foodie friends from NYC visited at Thanksgiving, and both had great meals. My parents and boyfriend celebrated my birthday there during brunch on Christmas Eve - everything was exceptional during that visit. It is most definitely NOT is the same eschelon as Olive Garden!\r \r The Service: I've had moderate to fabulous service at each visit. Usually it depends on the day of the week, the time of the visit, etc. I've had some veteran servers, and some that are slightly awkward - I guess I didn't expect anything out of the ordinary - it is the suburbs, after all. As a former server, I saw nothing that raised my ire.\r \r The Ambience: It IS a little loud a times. The DJ has the music a little too high during the dinner hour - I expected it to much quieter at 8PM. The decor is very chic. For a romantic dinner, reserve early and ask for one of the round booths. As for the ""wannabe"" aspect - it is Blaine, after all. Not exactly a hipster stronghold. If you're visiting to ""be seen"", then you picked the wrong part of the metro.\r \r ALl in all, I really have enjoyed Bella, and I will continue to return. Pros: Selected menu items, ambience Cons: Music a little too loud during the dinner hour more

The atomosphere is so WANNA BE...this is NOT your momas Olive Garden. Olive Gardens food is much better. This place cant decide if it wants to be a miteclub or restaurant. Loud music, bad service, and very High price$ make this place not even in the top 100 even for Blaine. Pros: Cool Bathrooms Cons: Loud Music, Bad Service, High Prices, Mediocre Food more

I celebrated my birthday here recently. My husband had made reservations and notified them that it was my birthday. When we arrived, there wasn't anybody at the hostess stand and we waited for a few minutes wondering if we were supposed to grab a waiter. A man at the bar finally turned around and greeted us. I guess he was having a good conversation. We were seated at a booth decorated with confetti and there was a birthday card signed by the staff. I ordered the Lobster Ravioli and my husband had the Linguine and Shrimp. The meal was average and I'd compare it to the Olive Garden, in all honesty. I was surprised that they had dance club music playing in the dining room. Since it was my birthday, I received a free Creme Brulee, which was tasty. It was a Wednesday, so I took advantage of free drinks in the bar, which was fun and lively. Overall, we had an ok evening, but I think we'll only be returning for drinks. The food really isn't worth its price. more

Went to Bella for the first time with some friends on the recommendation of one of them - nice atmosphere, but what's with the service?? Simple questions like do you have a drink/wine or appetizer menu rattled the server. We were given this from the server when we asked about 'speciality drinks' ""Have you every heard of Lemon Drop or a Cosmo??"" Hello - you have nothing more interesting than that to offer us? I'm also unsure of how a flat bread appetier takes over 30 minutes when the place wasn't busy. \r \r So, the appetizer comes (altough I'm pretty sure the order wasn't put in until we inquired as to where it was) and our drink glasses are empty, we were not offered another drink! Then, she comes over with a Happy Hour menu - lo and behold, there are drinks and appetizers on there. We'd asked for that an hour before, but she acted as though we were asking for something out of the norm.\r \r It was her time to clock out and she made that well known with a, ""Can you pay? I""m leaving."" Now, don't get me wrong - we would have paid her regardless, but I didn't need the attitude.\r \r The drinks were good and the appetizers marginal. Would I go back - yes for dinner only and ensure I didn't have the server we had. Was I disappointed - absolutely. Pros: Delicious Drinks, Great Happy Hour prices, Plenty of Parking Cons: Service, Appetizer Size, and Value more

We were seated at a small table but no reservations on a Friday it's expected. Appetizer: Room temp mozzerella wrapped in prosciutto was not too appealing, like trying to eat a stick of butter. My steak and mashed potatoes were excellent. My wife had a seafood pasta dish which also very good. Desert was a strawberry shortcake, cake was stale. Pros: Service, main courses Cons: prices appetizer dessert more

VERY NICE PLACE HAD GREAT SERVICE WOULD REFER TO EVERYONE THE BEST FOOD I HAVE HAD IN YEARS VERY COOL ATMOSPHERE A HAVE TO SEE NICEST PLACE IN THE METRO Pros: AMBIENCE more

Arrived to a lobby as loud as a Sports Bar (Fine Dining???). My wife and I were seated to a 2-top in the middle of a room that wasn't much quieter (ambiance???) . I could almost reach the table next to us - his food looked good. Don't worry about etiquette of putting your elbows on the table - THEY'RE NOT BIG ENOUGH!! table that is. I went to the front desk and inquired about moving to a larger table. 6:15 p.m. Friday. We're fully booked with an attitude of take it or leave it is what the host told me - male bald individual so if he's working don't ask for any extra ... I chose to leave ... notified the attitude guy to cancel our stay ... replied with attitude sorry - I'm not as I'll never go back and you shouldn't either -- not if you're expecting fine dining with a quiet romantic atmosphere Pros: reservations get prompt seating Cons: loud like a sports bar - host had a attitude more

This was literally the worst service I've had in years. First of all, you're located in BLAINE - you're not nearly as posh as you think you are. Secondly, our server was awkward, yet rude all at the same time. We had to practically beg to get some bread...our drinks took forever...and he was MIA for about 15 minutes, as we were looking around for him, ready to order. (Keep in mind - this was over lunch and there were maybe 2 other tables there at the same time as us....so no excuses!)\r Once we finally did get our food, we didn't see the server for a good half hour. Then, he rang everything up wrong - putting all the wrong items on the wrong credit cards, after we very carefully explained it. And THEN he got annoyed with US when we told him it was wrong. To top it off, he hovered over us as we signed the CC slips, so we couldn't discuss who was tipping what and when we gave him a look saying ""back off"" he didn't get the hint. Hopefully he got the hint better when he saw his tip.\r \r The food/drinks were WAY over priced-- just as this pace is WAY over rated. I know I'll never return. more

Love this place. It looks great. Food is terrific. The service unforgetable. Can't wait till the construction around it is DONE!! Pros: Great Ambience. Great food. Close to home. Cons: Construction creates delays and not good for eating outside right now. more