Risibisi Restaurant

Looking from sidewalk in, the bar area caught my eye I've been wanting to try this place out and finally got my opportunity the other night.

The place isn't all that big though apparently there is seating in the back and outside seating along the river. My choice was the bar area, which I like because it had a modern style, mixed with the brick walls and quaint size.

The menu was typical of most Italian places. I had plans on going with a pasta dish but somehow I ended up going with the filet. I think the lure that caught me was the price for a filet was so good compared to what I see in SF.

I started with the Mushroom Bruschetta, 2 pcs, that was composed of Trumpet royale & oyster mushrooms, & house ricotta cheese. Normally I'm not a big fan of buschetta's but I thought it was better than alright. I'd say 3.5 stars.

My main entree which was a Filet Mignon 8oz, Brandy peppercorn sauce, scalloped potatoes, & sautéed spinach. I ordered it medium rare and came as requested. The meal tasted way better than the presentation, and what I really like outside of the filet was the scalloped potatoes. They must have had them soaking in butter for a week, because boy did they taste so good! I thought for sure a 5 star dish.

Service at the bar was great, ambience was also great. I like the quaintness of the place and look forward to coming back again. The next time i'll go with a pasta dish.

Really great. We started with Mussels and Clams. Loved the broth!

For mains, there was Eggplant Parmigiana- excellent though I would have liked more cheese, and a dinner salad - delicious- and a Pasta Vongale - delicious and lots of clams.

I'd like to mention they have a really good gluten free pasta substitute for any pasta dish!
That's hard to find. This one is perfect.

Service was a tad slow, though the delightful ambience and good food more than made up for it. Highly recommended!

This normally packed restaurant was fairly quiet from 5 to 6 PM on a Thursday night. A few other tables of couples came in around six-ish, but amazingly, we practically had the place to ourselves.

The ambience here is cozy and borderline elegant, balanced with a lovely rusticness that makes one feel like they're in an authentic Italian restaurant

My friend had the filet mignon and I had the Pappardelle Bolognese. (Sorry, didn't bring phone for pics!) both dishes were five star delicious!
The filet mignon had a delicate sauce, that enhanced the rich flavor of the tender meat. It came on an oval shaped dish with with two kinds of vegetables. The Bolognese was a combination of pork and beef in a rich wine sauce that was fantastic. Net:net: the food is excellent!

Service was swift, mindful, and friendly. A full bar in the back provides pretty much any concoction you would like.

There is a limited amount of outdoor seating facing the Petaluma river. parking within a block or two should be expected.

Overall, an excellent experience !

The restaurant had a good ambiance and decor. The food is amazing and flavorful, and the waitstaff were very attentive and prompt. Highly recommend getting the gnocchi, so delicious!

Excellent food, service, and ambiance. Our party of 6 was able to walk in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon.

The food was all phenomenal. For the table we ordered calamari and prosciutto bruschetta. Both were delicious! It was the best calamari I've ever had, so light and crispy. The bruschetta was amazing as well, tasted great with the balsamic glaze on top. For my meal I ordered the risotto with mushroom, spinach, and scallops. It was delicious, I would order this again. They also served good size portions for the appetizers and meals.

The service was great! The staff were very friendly and checked on our table often. The food was served quickly and everything was accurate when it arrived to the table.

This restaurant in Petaluma offers a romantic ambiance with low lighting and cozy front room seating, perfect for intimate dinners. The menu is full of flavorful dishes and enticing specials, showcasing traditional Italian flavors with innovative twists. The wine selection complements the cuisine perfectly. It's the ideal spot for a memorable evening out or a special celebration. Whether you're looking for a romantic evening out or a special celebration with loved ones, this charming restaurant is sure to impress.

*Request to be seated in the front room vs. the backroom. Much more cozy in the front of the restaurant*

Love that this was a great space, nicely designed interiors, elegant but not overbearing for lunch. I don't want white table cloths for lunch. The server was lovely and the food was delicious. I got the special crostini (prosciutto, burrata , grilled peaches and a balsamic reduction). I'd give that 5 stars. My son had the tagliatelle bolognese and my husband had the spaghetti alla vongole. They gave their fishes 4 stars. A solid place.

Classy little Italian place in downtown Petaluma which my brother and SIL enjoy as one of their favorites when they visit Petaluma. Dear Hubby and I were driving up from Southern California, heading to Santa Rosa. As we were looking forward to having dinner with our hosts for the weekend, and the drive was taking longer than expected, we asked if they'd want to meet in Petaluma to cut some of the time off our drive and we could all eat sooner.

They suggested Risibisi, and the meet-up was on. The hardest part of the meal was finding parking in downtown Petaluma! Saturday night the place was jumping with lots of locals, tourists, cars, and limited parking spots. After a couple of passes, we found the after-hours lot at the BofA across Washington. Smart bank - you can park when they're not open, but you have to pay for the privilege.

Once we got inside the charming historic brick building, we started relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere and good smells coming from the kitchen. We'd been snacking along our drive, so weren't starving. I ended up ordering the bruschetta appetizer, which was plenty of food for me. They did have some non-dairy options on the menu, which I appreciated. I would have loved one of their pasta dishes with pumpkin or butternut squash, but they did have butter or cream.

My sister-in-law shared some of her "brick chicken" with me, which was absolutely delicious. Very well-seasoned and cooked to perfection with a crispy finish.

When the restaurant is full, it's quite noisy inside. There aren't a lot of noise-softening elements, and every bit of conversation crashes together off the old brick walls. Once some of the tables emptied out it became easier to hear each other and converse normally. The server made a few mistakes on the order; likely because she couldn't hear us very well. Otherwise, service was good.

I love the ambiance of the building. Reminded me of several places I've enjoyed dining up in the Gold Country in similar-era surroundings. I can see why my brother and SIL chose this charming spot. It is probably a bit more relaxing on other than a Saturday night at prime time. Prices are mostly fair for this kind of place, but a few items seemed on the high side. Order carefully if you have a budget set for your dining out experience.

My wife and I had taken a break from including Risibisi into our regular restaurant rotation. Our meal last night was changed all that. The key was the front of house manager, Shayla. She was our waiter, probably because everyone else was eating outside. She guided us through the specials and the revised menu (for us anyway).

I told her that the meds I'm taking don't allow alcohol so I would like a mock tail (my first!) that would go with the meal I ordered. She came up with a grapefruit-based drink in a martini glass with a bit of basil and what I think was an orange rind. Killer! I had two. Never thought a mock tail could be as delightful as the Italian wine I normally order, but waaaay above my iced tea no lemon default alternative!

We started with the fried calamari which is designed "for the table". I sure would wish for a small appetizer version when it's just the two of us. I tried the Focaccia Diavola which was on the bread menu.

It was the focaccia bread with Salami Calabrese, marinara, mozzarella, and pecorino Romano. It was less like bread, and a lot more like 4 tiny pizzas. SOO good but too filling. I brought it home and had it for an after dinner snack. Yumm. Then we had the Insalata Caprese which I thought had Burrata on it and it tasted strange. Shayla apologized because the cheese was a local goat cheese that she didn't know the chef had changed for this day, and I didn't see the olive oil or the balsamic vinegar on the plate. I'm used it it on the tomatoes. once I had the info, it was a new, tasty treat that disappeared immediately!

I'm glad we split the butternut squash risotto, because the portion was huge and we still brought some home.

The dessert that Shayla recommended was a strawberry chocolate cake which I was thinking that was going to be like a stone in stomach from past experiences at other italian restaurants but this one was light, had the fruit on the side, and had what looked like vanilla gelato but was probably a flavored whip cream which was SO NICE. We were both full, but this dessert disappeared in a heartbeat!

I'm already thinking about excuses that will allow me to come back earlier in the rotation!

Best eggplant parm ever! This is me and my hubby's "go to" when we want a treat! Salads are delish a little pricey for the size.