Reviewing Felix Trattoria: Traditional Italian cuisine by Chef Evan Funke in Los Angeles.

After seeing Felix Trattoria in articles about the best restaurants in L.A., various Instagram posts, and TikTok videos, I knew I had to try it out. Chef Evan Funke brings two decades of experience training in Italy to his menu at Felix Trattoria. Abbot Kinney is one of my favorite streets to walk down on a Friday or Saturday night because of how lively it is. There are so many great shopping stores and restaurants, and Felix Trattoria is undoubtedly one of the best to dine at.

Upon walking in, the first room is the bar, and then you head over to another room to check in with the hostess. While the inside tables had lovely vibes for a date night or formal dinner, our party wanted to sit on the back patio with a bit more light and for a less formal vibe. The back patio is decorated with small plants along the wall and there are heaters by each table. We were extremely happy with where we were seated.

All of us are foodies, so we did some prior research about what is good and what is a must-order here. Our server gave us the first-timer rundown of the menu, explaining the various sections of the menu. What fascinated me the most was how the pasta dishes were split up into the four regions of Italy depending on where the chef learned how to make the dish, as well as included what ingredients are used in them.

We ordered the sfincione bread to start, which is a focaccia siciliana with origano selvatico, sea salt, and olive oil. We also got the misticanza salad from the antipasti section. This salad was market lettuces with herbs and condimento di lambrusco. The focaccia bread had great flavor and was perfectly fluffy making it not too heavy. The salad wasn’t anything too special, and honestly, the vinaigrette dressing was a tad too sour for our liking. We could’ve gone without the salad.

As for pasta, we ordered the tagliatelle from le paste del nord section, tonnarelli cacio e pepe from le paste del centro section, and linguine al limone from le paste de mezzogiorno section. The tagliatelle was a ragú Bolognese “vecchia scuola” and parmigiano reggiano vacche rosse. This was my personal favorite pasta dish because the meat had such amazing flavor, the pasta was cooked to perfection, and each bite had me wanting more.

The cacio e pepe was a black pepper and pecorino romano DOP. While I am normally a big fan of this dish, I wasn’t particularly a fan of how it was prepared at Felix. The pasta was too undercooked, or al dente, for my liking. The flavoring was delightful, and there was an excellent contrast between the pepper and the cheeses in the sauce, but the undercooked pasta had me disappointed.

The linguine limone was the most unique pasta dish of the three we tried. I love ordering something I typically wouldn’t on a daily basis, and this dish was that for me. The dish was extremely fresh and not too creamy or heavy, which lemon pasta dishes often are.

As I mentioned, the Bolognese was my personal favorite and I would go back to Felix Trattoria just order that again! The cacio e pepe I would give another try because it might have been an off night since I have heard stellar things about this dish. The lemon pasta I wouldn’t order again, but it was good to try.

The staff at Felix Trattoria was extremely helpful and on top of cleaning the table. For each course, we received new plates and cutlery, which made us feel very well taken care of. Throughout our meal, we had several different people waiting on our table. Our table was brought a fresh pitcher of water frequently, and we were never left waiting to order or to receive the check. The ambiance of this place teleports you to Italy for the night! The authenticity of the food, as well as some of the decorations, represent what you might see in Italy.

Although my wallet is crying after dining here, I definitely think it was worth it. This spot is ideal for special occasions, celebrations, or date nights because it is such a treat and the customer service is awesome. It isn’t easy to get a reservation, so I recommend looking to book a few weeks ahead online. In conclusion, the term “felix” means happy or lucky in Latin, and that is exactly how I am feeling after dining there! I can’t wait for another opportunity to dine at Felix Trattoria in Venice.