Ristorante Donatello, Brighton

plenty of space for groups, but not ideal for xmas-
I felt like a sardine, last time i went. they were literally cramming them in (surely not safe, if there was a fire, etc..?)

fare value, though rather bog standard Italiano fare.

I feel Al Duomo is far better, across the road..

And I HATE having to wait at the (expensive) bar, for a PRE-BOOKED table!!

Visited on the recommendation on my Mum. The food was cheap and cheerful. A bargain... but it tasted better than the price suggests.

The decor is a little dated... apart from that strongly recommended.

I've been here a couple of times for our Christmas meal with work. It's probably not the best time to get a feel for the place as it is always so busy and loud. The food and menu is good and presentation and cleanliness is good too! And all for a reasonable price.

I've been here many times..... I like the minimalistic décor, good choice of menu and the food quality..... best of all, I love the 3 course meal deal they do which works out a great deal.

It's like stepping back in time ....

Prawn cocktails, garlic mushrooms and HUGE pepper grinders.

The food is terrible but it is cheap. And it is fun; think of it as an Italian restaurant that has been themed to operate like an Italian restaurant circa 1981.

Don't come expecting a gourmet experience, just an experience. It's all worth it just to have a waiter waft his 2-foot long pepper grinder of your food with a flourish.

So retro, so cool, such poor quality food, so much fun.

It does seem to have become a running joke amongst my friends regarding my love of Donatello's; mainly because I love their calamari. I think of the many times I have been there I have not had it only once or twice. It's very good calamari, and they are not stingy with the tartare sauce which is a plus in my books.

It is true that this tends to be my choice of restaurant for group dinners, but it is not just for selfish calamari-craving-based reasons. The menu here is massive. Seriously, both sides are covered in food in small print. With options for style of pasta to be interchanged with different sauces, as well as pizza, meat, fish, and a range of starters and desserts. Therefore, it tends to be a safe bet because there is something to suit everyone; they even do gluten free pasta! It is also remarkably cheap: £6.95 for two courses, £8.95 for three from a fixed-ish menu and £15.95 for three courses of a wider variety. Therefore as someone whose friends include cash strapped students it further proves the point that there is something here for everyone!

The food is good and tasty. It's nothing particularly fancy but better than would be expected from the price tag. The portions are also big, with the option of making them bigger for £1.50, though this is something I have never done as I can barely finish my carbonara.

Donatello's downside is it's service. I've never had anyone particularly rude, but it is always slow. It also does not seem to be very well organised, which doesn't make things any more efficient. Although, if you tell them you have to be somewhere that can normally help speed the bill along.

Donatello's seems to be the restaurant equivalent of the phrase 'cheap and cheerful'! And their calamari rocks.

Having read through the reviews before I wrote this; the same comments come up: cheap, good for groups, touristy, corporate style.

That’s really a good indication of what this place is about. It’s kind of Italian food by numbers in a very similar way to ASK or Pizza Express but with not nearly the same level of service.

I always think restaurants do the Italian thing because it’s easy to copy. To do it well you need the whole vibe of Italy with lots of people and a bit of chaos thrown in, and this place kind of has that. You also need good attentive service and to be fair the service isn’t terrible but it’s often slow and the staff are a bit hit and miss.

The main problem is the food; it’s aimed at a certain market segment, its Italian food for the masses. If anybody really thinks this is anywhere near classic Italian they really need to get on a plane to Italy or even take a trip to some of the Italian restaurants around Notting Hill.

It’s not Brighton’s worst Italian, that accolade probably goes to Opposition and if you are looking for a cheap place to eat or you are part of a big group then this will work for you. However, anyone with a little money in their pocket should avoid this place.

The disparity in these reviews is hilarious!

We've been going to Donatello's for years...which shows in itself that it must have something going for it! I've never been disappointed with the food - more classic Italian than what you get in the chains and also it's just nice to see a different menu and CHEAP, obviously.

I've always found the service to be good - a bit slow, but very friendly. Last time we went there a waiter dropped a glass of red wine on my Mum's brand new that-day Karen Millen handbag (which I had bought, in case you can't sense the RAGE) and they were so nice - asked for the receipt and sent a cheque for the full amount. Can't argue with that.

Lovely to sit outside in particular, so go for lunch in the summer.

The fact that Donatello is always so busy is an indication of how popular it is. It serves good Italian food and is cheap - you can get a two-course meal for £6-35 or a three course for £8-35. Their soups are very taasty and they do some delicious ice-creams. They also cater well for Vegetarians - my own favourite is the Tortelini al Funghetto - a delicious mushroom dish. The restaurant is family-run and family-friendly - it is particularly popular for parties of people celabrating birthdays etc. dDonatellos is also idisability friendly - there is a ramp at the entrance on one side of the building and a disabled loo. There is also disabled parking facilities close nearby.

I've eaten at Donatello countless times, mainly because it's seriously cheap (£6.95 for two courses or £8.95 for three) but also because it's one of the few places I can actually go out for pasta, as their rigatoni dishes all come in a gluten-free option. They also do a mean risotto marinara.

However, if you expect no less than gourmet food and excellent service from a place, Donatello's is most definitely not for you. The food is very edible, but I do find that a lot of their main dishes are too strongly flavoured (particularly the cheese-based ones, which can be a little sickly). Their starters are wonderful though – particularly the mix 'n' match salad bar and the insalata tricoloure (which has an ENTIRE ball of mozzarella on the plate).

The service really isn't great either. I always end up waiting absolutely ages for drinks, then ages for them to take a food order, then ages between the starter and main course. But if you're out in a big group and you've had a few drinks beforehand, then it doesn't really matter too much – you definitely don't feel like you're being rushed!

Despite all this though, this is a good, dependable place to eat. You know the service is going to be slow, but you know the food is going to be OK. If you're a bit strapped for cash, then it's a perfectly nice evening out.

I wasn’t very impressed with Donatello. It’s like a poor man’s Pizza Express, filled to the brim with hen parties and drunks.

The food may be cheap, but it’s not exactly edible. Each pasta dish ordered on my table looked exactly the same - brown slop over cold pasta, it didn’t matter whether the sauce was meant to be cream or tomato-based, it all looked the same.

The pizzas, whilst big, with plentiful toppings, felt like they’d been frozen. They weren’t fresh, and weren’t cooked long enough either. I barely ate half, I was quite disappointed.

It’s cheap, you can expect to pay under £10 a head, but personally, I’d rather spend a few quid more for Pizza Express of ASK.

my all time favourites. have tried many other italian restaurants, but this one beats everyone else by a mile. lovely food. great people. unfortunately i can’t find any decent italian restaurants in kemptown, can anyone suggest me????

This is an Italian food restaurant with waitress service and a relaxed atmosphere . It is family and couple friendly and also accommodates groups. There are a good range of dishes available on the menu - starters mains and puddings. They also serve alcohol. I love the pizza here, it definitely has a ring of authenticity to it in my opinion! Most of my friends and family who have eaten here agree with me that it’s a great place which serves good flavoursome food at purse friendly prices and the staff are very friendly and helpful. If you are out and about shopping or whatever in Brighton and need to take a lunch break, i recommend you pop in here, you won’t be left disappointed or skint!

I go to this place quite often for two reasons; The prices are more than reasonable, which means you can go for a quick lunch or even a nice, middle of the week dinner, without severe economic backlash. The second reason is that the food is consistently good. It’s nice to go to a place where you are almost guaranteed decent food. The staff are always friendly and professional.

This restaurant is just too big. Everything takes ages, being seated, having your order taken, having the food delivered and by the time it is it’s normally cold. The food is also, although the same as it’s sister restaurant Pinocchio’s, isn’t nearly as good.

This is one of the biggest Italian restaurants in Brighton. It is cheap and cheerful. Probably quite a good choice for fussy eaters as the food is quite bland. The service is fast and copes well with large bookings. Large groups like a work night out is probably what it does best. I have been here in a small group and on a work night. Don’t expect a romantic little place with lots of Italian delicacies, but it serves a time and place. It’s good for a fast lunch or as I said a big group, or a night on a budget. It’s better than a take away!

A very large Italian eaterie, which sometimes seems to almost border on being corporate. Located in a lovely spot though, and ideal for watching the world go by if you’re eating outside on a sunny day. Food experience has ranged from very good to average, but this seems to have a correlationship with how busy they are, so bigger isn’t always necessarilly better.

If you’re looking for fancy, michelin starred restaurant quality, look elsewhere, however if you and a group of mates want a decent satisfying meal washed down with good drink or two in a great party like atmosphere, then this is for you. Yes the servers don’t really know what they’re doing, and yes the food is basic, but this place is all about socialising and meeting people and this it caters for brilliantly.

This is a dreadful, tourist-focussed, pseudo-Italian venue at the bottom of the Lanes in Brighton.

It seems to exist solely to grab the attention of rowdy hen and stag parties who care little for good food or service and want only to get as drunk as possible as quickly as possible!

We had the misfortune of sitting outside this place last summer (it looks OK from the outside!), and dealing with the appalling service and worse food. The only thing in its favour is its location, and it could be a great restaurant, sadly that is not the case at the moment.

Don’t waste your money on this over-priced, tasteless, poorly cooked mess!

This place is the lowest common denominator in Italian food. Sprawling randomly over what feels like a city block, its always jam packed, expensive and the food is never far above mediocre. The menu is confusing and bland and the staff are surley, all of them, all the time. It completely misses the point of an italian restaurant.