Pretty disappointed in my visit to Bella Vita. Â Although the server was nice and pleasant, the service itself was slow and spotty. Â The server was not knowledgeable on the food when we asked her questions about it. Â The server was very slow in taking away unused plates and I had to ask several times to take items away because our table was getting too crowded with unused and finished plates. Â I put my order in for a particular item, and then she told me that the item was unavailable AFTER she brought out appetizers for other people instead of telling me on the spot or telling us in the beginning so that I could have selected something else right away. Â The food itself was just meh. Â I had much higher expectations for this place.
Review Source:Wonderful little ristorante with a patio overlooking the lake. Â I suggest the Salmone grille it is divine. Â We enjoyed the restaurant and had wonderful service but was turned off when they automatically added 20% gratuity and the waiter stated he would be upset if we didn't add to it. Â Well buddy you would have gotten much more than 20% if you would have not added the gratuity automatically.
Review Source:First thing first. The restaurant manager obviously was educated in the public school system. The first menu thrust into my hands featured: Â Martini's.
Was that in the possessive or a contraction of the verb "is"?
Real sophisticated. Which is the image Bella Vita is trying to project. The parking lot is full of high-end German and Japanese imports, and the Yacht club on the water is populated with pleasure cruisers and professional ski boats. Most tables feature very made-up women drinking wine with fashionably shabby husbands drinking imported beer from bottles. I prefer mine from tap.
There's usually live music on weekends and a small dance floor that populates occasionally when the band hits a chord. The outdoor bar is endlessly fascinating, with the Indiana Sophisticates at the bar acting sophisticated. What am I to say? It must work, because when they're finished, they head down to their yachts and play their radios loudly.
The food is some of the best within a five mile radius. Sure, Peterson's is top-shelf, but it costs $100/person and is on the other side of I69. And it doesn't have a lake. Order almost anything at Bella Vita, and it'll be good, especially the appetizers. Decent wine selection, but I'd like to see a better selection of beers, especially on tap. The cappuccino machine has been broken for MONTHS. Please fix it.
The waitstaff is spotty. I've had good service. Other times, I've had the type of waiter you had to chase around the premises trying to get eye contact to fill your water glass. If you get one of these, ask for your check at the same time when ordering your food, because it may be your only chance.
I've dined at Bella Vita numerous times over the years and the quality has gone down consistently.
Years ago Bella Vita was a great restaurant, with good food, great service and at a truly wonderful location. These days (2012) the only thing that remains is the location.
The thing I have the biggest issue with is the food. Everything tastes the same. The whole menu is built using three ingredients: cheese, marinara sauce and bread. Yikes, not good. For example, there isn't a single appetizer in the menu that is worth ordering. Also, the pasta dishes used to be very good, but now the complete opposite.
Since the quality of the food has gone down, there has also been a significant change in the clientele of the restaurant. Before many of the diners were from the more affluent households around Geist, but now all of those people are gone. I'm sure this has affected the tips of the waiters and now the restaurant cannot keep a good staff.
It is sad what has happened to Bella Vita. Unfortunately I have to say that I won't be back.
Tried Bella V again as it was a wonderful Sunday evening for a boat ride. Â Hated it.
The most terrible cocky waiter I've enter encountered. Â Want to know anything in the world? Â The formula for cold fusion? Â How about the origin of the universe. Â Just ask the waiter James because he knows anything from the creation of time. Â This guy is the biggest cocky excuse maker ever. Â What a showman to work a tip. Â Fial. Â Want to have to ask for shredded parm on your pasta 5 times before he brings it and then he blames the kitchen? Â How about bringing the wrong bottle of wine and blaming it on the bar. Â Or the sauce he forgot....or talking badly about his place of employment or having to ask for a steak knife w your steak, or a spoon with your pasta dish or....... Â get the picture. Â Biggest excuse maker in the world and ruined what is normally some pretty good food. Â Food should get 3.5-4.0 stars but the horrible service takes the entire visit down to a 1 star. Â Oh, and he got our bill wrong at the end of the meal after apologizing for apologizing. Â Tonight was slow so the excuse of being in the weeds doesnt apply.
Whoever is in charge of the wait staff should be fired or shot or both.
We came here for a wedding rehearsal dinner and had a blast. Granted we had a limited menu, the steak was delicious. My girlfriend had the chicken with asiago topping which was even better than my steak! I'm not sure what it cost but the bar was extentive, the view was great and the small band they had did a good job as well. If I'm ever in Fishers again, I will definitely stop by.
Review Source:Wow! WIsh I could give this place a 0 star rating! I have never had a such a horrible time at a restaurant! I have been in the hospitality industry for many years and normally would chalk this up to someones bad day, but the manager (overheard the name Kelly or Shelly) was so incredibly rude to her employees! I could NOT believe it when I heard her cuss at a server right in front of me. The food was severely over priced and mediocre especially due to the hostile atmosphere. I will not be returning! And you should save your self the trip, or at least until they get new management.
Review Source:What has happened to the food? 21/2 in sq of gray tuna when we ask for rare..my heart is broken Henry, I know this could not be your standards! I am done, we have ate there for 8 yrs..and spend alot of money there, But it is time to move on..it is so sad.maybe in a month or 2 will try again. Bar service was great, Diana is the BEST
Review Source:Service is always a little spotty but the pasta dishes are phenomenal. Â I always get the pane granchio and the tortellini Michelangelo, except for this last time. Â They had a filet stroganoff and so I switched it up a bit. Â It was amazing. Â The filet was cooked medium rare and the stroganoff sauce was creamy and not too heavy. Â Add some fresh, cracked pepper and it was perfection!
We were undecided on a couple of wines, so they let us sample a couple before we settled on a bottle of pinot noir. Â They have a pretty decent wine list, however nothing on draft and really no craft beers. Â
Ended the meal with the key lime pie and it was one of the best I've eaten. Â
They have made their outdoor patio into a all seasons room for the winter and that is where we sat. Â A little drafty by the windows, but when we moved toward the middle and the gorgeous, modern fireplace we were just fine.
An absolutely stunning late summer evening-sundown meal coupled with well timed and delicious food made my trip to Bella Vita one of the most enjoyable I have had on the planet.
All the more impressive since this was a business dinner.
I heartily suggest dinner on the deck/patio.  At times the vigorous conversation plus music can be a bit loud.  But then I also take that as a sign everyone is happy they came.   Much better than going to a place where people come to watch other people in near silence, or just to ogle the  food and the way it was prepared. Â
In coming to Bella Vita you will be arriving at a place that that presents life and eating in a way that will leave you wanting return to enjoy more good company and more good food.
For the record my meal consisted of
Insalata Mediterrano Â
(As described from from their web site) "Our version of chopped salad includes feta cheese,red onions, kalamata olives, cucumbers, sliced salami,shrimp, diced pancetta, banana peppers, roasted red peppers and pinenuts tossed in our house dressing"
And for the main course was
Farfalle Primavera Â
(As described from from their web site) "Fresh cut vegetables sautéed in a olive oil and garlic tossed with Parmesan and bowtie pasta"
Â
All of this was paired with my favorite type of wine, a pure and delicious ruby-purple-red  Zinfandel.  I wish I could remember the name of vineyard to relay it on you.  Just having a straight Zin on site was blessing enough.  But to have a  good one as even better!
Service was excellent!
As stated by others the view when sitting outside is the best and can be romantic as the sun creates warm tones and feeling when dipping into the horizon in the evening.
Just remember Bella Vita is to be experienced with a casual attitude and not rushed through. Â You'll have a great time. Â Reservations are mandatory in my opinion. Â But there is a bar area for the quick minded fools. Â I would say bringing your kids to this place may be better for lunch than dinner. Â Dinner looked to be for the adults. Â Even during the weekdays.
I will be coming back here the next time I am in the area when a summer or fall evening beckons......
I have very divided feelings about Bella Vita. Â I have had some wonderful experiences here, and some terrible experiences here. Â
First, the view on the patio is killer, and IF you can get a table outside when the weather is nice (without being upset about waiting an hour or more), it's divine.
Next, the food and drink. Â I have had a few things I really, really liked. Â I would go back again for the lobster ravioli, pizzas, and wide noodles with meatballs and tomato basil sauce. Â However, some of the other foods (ahem spinach bruschetta appetizer, truffle fries and salads) were less than stellar. Â Also, their selection of wines by the glass is very limited, especially for an "Italian" place.
I have also had issues here occasionally, like some of the other reviewers, where we have put our name in with the server and been told it will be 10 minutes, only to still be sitting in the lobby 45 minutes later, wondering if they had forgotten about us. Â This was especially annoying one time when we came in for a special occasion and had to wait almost an hour for a table inside. Â This didn't count the wait for our food, which was another hour to get our SALADS. Â At one point, the owner breezed by, asking "how is everything tonight?" and then did not even bother to wait for our response, which needless to say, would have been an unhappy one. Â During off-peak times and especially during off-peak months, I've had no problem getting in and getting seated right away, however.
So if you come at the right time and order the right food, this place can be wonderful. Â But beware those warm summer nights where you want to sit and enjoy the water and relax, because it can be quite a hassle to make that dream a reality at this place.
The food quality was marginal at best and presentation was nonexistent. Not worth the price. Â Olive Garden probably has a better menu.
We took our kids to take up their offer of kids eating free and getting a prize by spinning a wheel. My wife needed to change a diaper and went to their restroom to make the change. Unfortunately, they didn't have a changing table or station.
Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else for a water view.
There's a reality of living in Indiana: outdoor dining is a commodity. And, outdoor dining on a patio overlooking water... is simply a rare thing, and we wanted it. We drove up to Geist under the assumption that Scotty's Lakehouse was indeed a Lakehouse... Welp... it's in a strip mall and nowhere near water. So our journey carries forth... what's that o'er yonder... there's a grill... there's people... oh wait... that's a wedding at a private Yacht Club. So Belle Vita it is.
I read Marcie M's review in the past & knew it's going to be interesting. And it was! I didn't have much expectations though... I mean... we got a good laugh of the neon fake palm trees and Palm Beach Spring Break pool thing... I mean no one was down there and the DJ was spinning Jacko. Works for me.
The service was awful. I'm on water though; whatever. I'll just create a little pile here below my feet of everything they won't clear from our table and they can deal with it later. The wait for drinks wasn't that bad, so the rest of the service was manageable considering we have our beer & wine.
The food... well... don't order the Truffle fries! I'm a bit of a frites affic' and this was a joke... there were maybe 12 fries laid out on a plate and melted in truffle cheese that was more fried than truffle and um, 12 fries laid out not like 50 fries in a basket? Do you think we're uneducated time travelers from 19th century Ireland? Um, no. Oh, and no beer on tap? Que? Why? How? Lame to the core.
The menu is Italian... and well... the servings are large and totally par for the course, which means doable but expensive yet enough flavor to not haggle too much over cost.
The crowd on the patio was lively. A double-dating baby-booming quartet showed up to rile the night... when he realized it was mi compadre mi amor's birthday... he orchestrated a full patio singing of Happy Birthday! Good form Geistites!
The location is great! Â The patio is the place to sit but if you are impatient like me then you might want to settle for the dining room. Â The cocktails are strong! Â I could not even finish my apple martini. I would recommend it for people that are looking for a nice place to enjoy a laid back evening.
Review Source:Have to agree with most of these reviews. You are paying for being on the water. The food is okay, but not what brings you back. Â We tend to go during an afternoon, but never during busy times. And we have seen barefooted boaters go in to use the restroom, so no matter what you wear, you should fit right in.
Review Source:Well, I just could not wait to get home and explain how ridiculous I think this place has become. Â I have been here every summer since I moved to Indy. Â It has consistently been terrible in the service arena. Â They only hire great looking people who are forced to work by their mommies and daddies to ensure they get SOME work experience before graduating college. Â If you don't have a nice ass, you can't work here.
So, imagine my surprise when our service from Kevin last night for 20 Hip Mamas was outstanding! Â He was the best part of the meal - and cutie patootie to boot. Â The food in my opinion is OK. Â It's not over the top, and it's not horrible. Â People go here for the atmosphere, which used to be a more laid back, relaxing and even romantic place...
Um, not so much now. Â I was shocked and appalled to see they have put in a POOL about two feet deep with a smallish beach and created a VERY TACKILICIOUS hooters-esque bar area for those looking for a "girls gone wild" scene. Â They have actually installed several plastic neon fake palm trees! I could not believe how you could go from a low lighting, relaxing, reggae music inspiring place to this spring break-esque nastiness!!
We were also treated like teen-agers sneaking into a concert when we arrived through the outdoor entrance. Â My friend and I were carded (which is fine - thank you very much!) but then asked to open our bags to search for ....wait for it....beer!! Yes, I was shocked that this an issue. Â Forgive me, but this is Bella Vita on Geist, right? Â One of the most high class places in Indy, right? Â Well, since they put in this god-awful pool area, I suppose they would have a problem with people SNEAKING IN BEER!!!! WTF. Â Seriously, people. Â Nothing like bringing the WT into Geist.
Anyway, beyond that, appetizers came out SUPER fast and wine/beer orders were also fast...however, drink orders and entrees were horrendously painfully awfully slow. Â This was not Kevin's fault and he was always around to take more orders to the bar, but it was frustrating. Â We ordered food at 8:30 and it had still not arrived at 9:15. Â I left at 9:30 with my salad (yes, salad) in a bag to go....I couldn't be there all night waiting for the upcoming wet t-shirt contest that I heard was almost nightly. Â Sorry, just not my cup of tea anymore. Â UGH.
My girlfriend and I stopped in for brunch. We got lobster mac n cheese for an appetizer. Â It sounded a little weird, but it tasted amazing. Â That was where the good experience ended. Â We each ordered a drink and got them 15 minutes later. Â They either had no alcohol in them or were the weakest drinks ever made. Â My girflfriend's "lemon freeze" tasted like watered down lemonade rather than lemonade with any alcohol. Â 30 minutes after we ordered we got our salads. Â About 60 minutes after ordering we got our entree...the place was not that busy. We weren't very hungry when we ordered (but were pretty hungry by this time) so we split an entree. The server said they could split it for us in the kitchen. Â Unbeknownst to us, this came with an extra $2 charge. Â I'm not broke because of it, but it was just a bit ridiculous. Â The cheese and sauce was good (and was the same as was used to make the lobster mac n cheese), but the ravioli was not great. Â Below average service, decent food, terrible drinks, and prices that don't get you much in return in the way of taste or service---I doubt I'll return.
Review Source:I have been to Bella Vita several times. Â It's nice to sit by the water of Geist Reservoir during the summer time. Â During the off-season the place is very slow, like other outdoor restaurants. Â In February, I stopped by there on a Saturday night and there were only two people upstairs with the DJ.
The food is satisfactory, I have had a pasta dish that was good as well as a low-priced pizza. Â The pizza was a little dry and slightly burned on the edges. Â The beer selection is so-so, I am a conosieur of beer and the only beer on their list that caught my eye was the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Â For the service, I had a bartender upstairs that was awesome but also had a waitress while dining outside who looked like she was 16. Â I had to scratch my head wondering if she was old enough to serve me alcohol. Â The traffic should be considered as well, I was there last summer and the friend I was meeting was 25 minutes late due to the traffic. Â This is a consideration for dinner during the work week.
I enjoy the nightlife at Bella Vita, the small sand beach and electric palm trees are cool. Â Also, I saw Andrew Young play upstairs on a Saturday night. Â These are good times.
This place continues to disappoint. Â I live in the Geist area and the restaurant selection is limited. Â My husband and I have been here numerous times because of the convenience. Â It is a great place to go and get a glass of wine or a beer (nothing that the bartender has to mix) and sit outside. Â However, if you are paying over $12 for a martini, it better have some alcohol in it! Â They taste like water. Â After complaining to the server, he just brushed it off and said if the right manager was there, he would have been able to help us out. Â It should not matter who the manager is on duty, the service should be consistent. Â
The food is just so-so, and a bit over priced for the quality of some of the entrees.
Bella Vita has a view that is second to none in Indianapolis. Â Eating dinner overlooking geist resevoir on a summer afternoon really cant be beat. Â When it comes to the food, they have a large selection of fresh seafood that is sure to fit the bill if youre looking for something that was swimming a day ago. Â The servers are usually younger, and it seems as though its sort of a trendy hangout for high school age geist kids and their trying-to-hard-to-be young parents. Â Its kind of a place to see and be seen on giest which kind of turns me off about it. Â The food is decent although a little overpriced but if you want ambiance you cant do much better than Bella Vita
Review Source:This place isn't my cup of tea...if you are coming here you are coming and paying for the atmosphere and view. The food is not good. I've eaten here for dinner a couple of times and most recently for lunch. Why do restaurants think that toasted bread can be called a panini? Steer clear of the paninis. It's a $4 sandwich with a $12 price tag ... $8 of that is for your view of Geist Reservoir. They do, though, have weeknight jazz musicians. The weekend crowd tends to be a bit of "see and be seen" down by the beach and bands, etc. If that's your thing, skip the food and focus on their drink menu.
Review Source:It has been at least a year when I went and don't know if it has changed that badly according to all the reviews I'm reading. Â We had a bachelorette/bridal shower reserved there for about 16 people. Â I thought the service was awesome considering we have a huge group of women all hungry and thirsty. Â The servers all came out to greet us and even the head something or rather came out to greet us and see if we had everything we needed. Â They were all very charming and nice to all of us. Â I remember the food being pretty good and the drinks were awesome. Â They even took a picture of us in front of the waterfall thing. Â We were a rowdy bunch and the guy in charge invited us upstairs and gave us complimentary champagne and strawberries if we stay and hang out at the bar upstairs. Â OF COURSE we agreed. Â It was awesome. Â champagne wasn't my thing but the strawberries dipped in chocolate was hard to resist. Â We all had a blast...in our private booth/room. Â A few of our girls were flirting with the server. Â Very embarrassing but all in all it was a good time. Â Oh the band even sang a song for our bride to be.
Review Source:You need to have proper expectations if you decide to go to Bella Vita. If you are looking for outside dining with a beautiful view and your willing to overlook most other facets of your dining experience, then you might be satisfied. It's not a coincidence that our local paper panned this restaurant. The food is mediocre and overpriced, the service is worse. The servers are usually pretty young and inexperienced, at least the staff in the summer. I can deal with the fact that the restaurant is often busy, but it's not uncommon to wait 10-20 minutes between being seated and receiving your drink order.
You may wonder why a restaurant that has mediocre, overpriced food and poor service is always busy? Well, it really is a beautiful place to eat (outdoors) in the summer. However, I can't imagine why anyone would eat there in the winter. Note - some people suggested that this is a dressy restaurant, but if you're eating outside in the summer, don't worry about dressing up. Boaters are always dining with very casual clothes.
I haven't went to Bella Vita for dinner so I can't say I have had bad experiences with the food there like the other reviewers, but... it is a great place to go for drinks on a sunny afternoon. Sit on the patio & sip a mojito! The atmosphere is perfect for casual afternoon drinks with friends!
Review Source:I have to totally agree with another reviewer on this one. I didn't know if I should give it another try before basing a review on my experience, but since my experience was so SIMILAR to the other person's, I'll go with it.
Bella Vita WAY missed the mark on what I was expecting.
My husband and I supposedly had a reservation or had our name on the list or something, but then we got there and waited forever. The place was packed. We sat in this teeny, tiny table along a long wall that was next to a pillar in a high-traffic spot. I looked at my husband as if we were just stuck in a spot that wasn't even supposed to be a table. He was going to complain but I wouldn't let him, since it took so long to get seated.
Then we had a couple drinks, which were fine.
Then we got the food. I must agree that the food was NOT what we expected, especially for the price. I won't get into detail about how bad the rest of the night was after eating here, but let's just say my husband will NEVER eat mussels again.
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