We enjoyed trying authentic Italian cuisine at Balsamico Italian Kitchen in Imperial Beach, CA. The first time I had a taste of this restaurant was during a Yelp Elite Week event and so glad we finally had a chance to try it because everything we ordered was excellent 5/5 stars!! The owners are from Modena, Italy sharing their delicious recipes from back home. I had to do a little research on Modena because I had never heard of this city. It's north of Tuscany. Modena is a city in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, famous for its UNESCO World Heritage historic center, luxury car industry (Ferrari & Maserati), and world-renowned gastronomy, particularly traditional balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and Lambrusco wine. The restaurant provided complimentary bread with their homemade balsamic vinaigrette, which was excellent!! We recommend trying the following dishes: *Lobster Ravioli (MY FAVORITE) *Bolognese Lasagna *Mushroom Ravioli *Calamari Appetizer -w/restaurant made marinara The restaurant makes their own pasta. For dessert, we recommend trying their restaurant made: * Tiramisu *Crème brûlée (MY FAVORITE) The restaurant offers cooking classes for adults and children (6+) so be sure to check out their instagram page for workshop dates and times. There's indoor and outdoor seating with enough room for large groups. We had excellent customer service by server Jacob and are definitely coming back soon; check it out!! Happy Yelping :) read more

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Best Lobster ravioli! In a delicious pink sauce! Kids pasta was delicious my three year old wanted the pasta over dessert! Beautiful atmosphere and great service. read more

Finally had a chance to stop here and the service and food was excellent! Very cute little place for date night or even a girls night! They had you in and out in no time. The food was very authentic, I got the wine flight and it was delicious. The restaurant was very clean and smelled yummy! Would definitely recommend trying this place out! read more

Balsamico Italian Kitchen - Taste of Italy Flight - Italian Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Easy ordering online. Ordered two pizza and were highly satisfied with them. Perfect amt of sauce and crisp to the crust, just the way I like it. Reasonably priced. Would def recommend the pizzas. Can't wait to come back and try other items on the menu. read more

Balsamico Italian Kitchen - Pepperoni - Italian Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

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That's amore! @balsamicoitaliankitchen in IB has the pizza, pasta, and salads that stole my heart. Chef Michelle is serving true Italian perfection -- come check them out! Love the shrimp linguine, the signature pizza with burrata, prosciutto and truffles, also love the salad so refreshing and the staff was truly nice!!! Carlo is so sweet and caring and been there from the beginning !!! read more

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Unbelievably good, absolutely amazing pizza here. I stayed at the Hampton right by the restaurant and was recommend by multiple staff there to eat here. I was not disappointed. Great beer in a frosted mug and amazing food. I will miss this place when I head home. Try it, I promise you will leave full and happy. The service was also very good and attentive. Update: came back the following night, absolutely amazing pasta. Another amazing meal and amazing service. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Balsamico Italian Kitchen - Italian Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Food quality: 5/5 Service: 3/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Value: 5/5 We first discovered Balsamico at a Yelp event earlier this week where we met the owners, who were incredibly kind and informative. We were so impressed by their raspberry balsamic sample that we immediately booked a reservation for Friday night. Our reservation was at 6 PM and while the restaurant wasn't too busy when we arrived, the service unfortunately fell short. It seemed they may have been understaffed. Our order was taken by someone who wasn't our actual server and other tables around us experienced the same long waits just to place orders. I could tell the wait staff appeared stressed. Our server, who was also bartending, would disappear for stretches, which slowed things down further and the other staff tried to keep things moving. It would seem like having more people take orders would have moved things along but I don't know the full story. I truly hope this was just a one-off situation because the food itself was good. What we ordered: * Garlic bread (5/5) * Complimentary bread (5/5) * Mediterranean salad (4/5) * Non-alcoholic prosecco (5/5) * Mushroom Ravioli (4/5 * Chicken Valstrodel (3/5 too much butter) I also bought the raspberry balsamic to take home and out in vanilla ice cream, like the owner suggested previously. We skipped dessert only because the wait had gotten too long. Overall, while the service was unexpectedly rough, the food and hospitality from the owners earlier this week really stood out. We're hopeful this was just an off night and plan to give Balsamico another try. read more

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I think this is one of the worst places I've eaten at before. The amount of insanely good reviews on here is absurd. First off, the atmosphere was non existent. There was the faintest music playing in the background that you couldn't hear over the wine taste testing that was going on that you're forced to listen to because the person doing it is just yelling the entire time when the people tasting are right infront of them. Secondly, the front door was open which does give a nice breeze I guess but it's also early evening in summer where it's sunny outside so there isn't any ambiance lighting and your view out the front is a Five Guys. The food was genuinely one of the grossest things I've eaten before. The free bread they bring out when you sit was stale and instead of bringing a dish with oil for oil and balsamic dip it is a cup so you're required to drown your bread in oil to reach any balsamic. Literally never seen an italian place not use a dish/shallow plate. We ordered a garlic bread appetizer which is 6 pieces of tiny tiny smaller than palm sized pieces of bread that's probably the same bread they give for free and every single piece tasted like fish. I don't what it was but there was a distinct fish taste on every piece. Our main dishes, neither of us could finish and it was insanely over priced. The chicken in my boyfriends chicken pizziola was microwaved, it came out about 5 minutes after we ordered and was dry and hot so clearly not freshly cooked. My pasta dish gave me my sodium intake for the month I think. No flavor just salt. For 25 dollars that's a plate of garbage. Dessert was not even considered as we just wanted to get the hell out of that place as we already ran up a 70 dollar bill with one appetizer 2 main entrees (that i could make at home and be better than this place as someone with no cooking experience) and NO drinks. That's actually absurd to me. Lastly the service. We didn't have like a set server, I know some restaurants are like that but 4 different people ended up talking to us at some point for some reason. And they were clearly unorganized as team as i watched people take a drink that had already been served to the table next to us, not bring them the right meal, etc. Not to mention how we watched the owner who was leading the wine tasting down a glass of wine after the group left which i'm pretty sure is illegal. I get everyone's trying to get by and make money but it took like 10 minutes for anyone to come bring us the check or come to clear our plates when we were very clearly done and looking around for someone to assist us (the restaurant was not busy at this time either). I truly don't mean to be rude but i literally downloaded yelp specifically to review this restaurant because it was so bad. The photos on apple maps looked so promising just for it to be in a fast food shopping center trying so hard to be different when it's just over priced junky food. Overall bad service, bad conduct, and 30 dollars for a microwaved dish. read more

Usually we visit this restaurant on the weekend. This is the first time we've gone during the week and we were pleased to see their happy hour offerings. We started off with their Bianca flat bread and their arancini. The flatbread had cheese and some pancetta topped with their balsamic, it was tasty. The arancini was delightful, crispy risotto with Marina filling. Do dinner my hubby had their linguini scampi which I got to try. The shrimp was plentiful and cooked perfectly, also complimented the noodles and sauce well. I ordered the hoppy hour salad, very simple, along with the calamari. Although the calamari was tasty and crispy, I like when I have larger pieces of tentacles in the mix. Lastly, ordered the affogato for dessert and the coffee used was a little bitter but went well with the vanilla ice cream. read more

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Solid family meal! We found this on Yelp and dropped down from a Coronado hotel on a weekday. Welcoming environment. Mixed crowd of couples for a romantic dinner and large families. Portions are big. The kids meals are a great value; for only $4 more than the list kids meal price my kid got a HUGE meaty pasta and was so satisfied. I appreciated that the chef was flexible. My husband wanted gnocchi with meat sauce and the exact combo wasn't on the menu but they whipped it up for him! I overheard two couples mention that they were regulars and I take that as a very good sign. Anyways... especially if you are vacationing this is a nice meal for a very good value in the area. read more

This was my first time dining at Balsamico, and it definitely won't be my last. The food was outstanding from start to finish. I ordered the Caramelle Vecchia Modena, and it was unlike anything I've had before--rich, flavorful, and incredibly unique. After trying it, I can see exactly why it's one of the chef's favorite dishes. The flavors were perfectly balanced, and every bite was memorable. If you're looking to try something different while still getting an authentic Italian experience, I highly recommend this dish. Great food, great atmosphere, and a fantastic first impression overall. Looking forward to coming back and trying more of the menu! "You can never go wrong with the Caramelle Vecchia Modena." read more

Walking distance Italian restaurant from my hotel, this upscale Italian restaurant presses all the right buttons when it comes to authenticity, taste, experience, and overall satisfaction. Having a server from Astoria, Queens was a major plus in making the experience for me a good one. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the items on the menu and about the cuisine. The item I got, the mushroom truffle ravioli, was one of the three items he recommended, and I am happy I went with it. The portion is generous, and it tastes great. This was something I hope I can find similar in the Italian restaurants I go to back in New York, but I think I can find something like it with some searching, or maybe even a special. This was special. Other than the prices (welcome to San Diego), my only criticism is that the bread (free) is quite soft. A crunchier bread would do better. This is essentially Wonder Bread with olive oil. I did not care for it. Perhaps add some butter to it to give it more flexibility, but this was a letdown for me despite the amazing entree. If you find yourself in Imperial Beach craving Italian, this should do it. read more

Balsamico Italian Kitchen - Mushroom Truffle Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Apparently a popular local spot! A total accidental find when my original plan fell through - the place I wanted to try actually closes at 2PM. Cozy, warm ambiance and an excellent menu selection. The calamari was a bit overcooked, and the carbonara leaned more dry than creamy. Maybe just a busy day with Mother's Day crowds? ‍ Still, a solid 4 stars! PS: Hhhmmm... I did not get that can of bread as the other reviewers mentioned? read more

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I owed it to my teen yelper that we go to an Italian restaurant since the last one we had gone to was a total fail. Then comes Balsamico! We were in the area and the kids couldn't decide that to eat, so I was like heck! I'll search for Italian since I secretly still was craving some good Italian. This place is a GEM! The owners are from a town in Italy call Modena, their food is authentic as well as their balsamic vinegar which is made with the same methods they use in their homeland... hence the name of the restaurant! The restaurant is located in a shopping/business center with plenty of parking space. We got there right as they opened at 5pm and so glad we did because a lot of the tables were reserved. We were greeted promptly and seated straight away. Here comes the first round of bread. In a cute little can OMG so cute! Had some olive oil to dip, so yum. We did order some more bread for appetizer, and there comes the balsamic vinegar. Ok, so not all balsamic vinegar is made the same. The same can be said about olive oil but that one I'll give it a pass. Balsamic vinegar has to be JUST right. Otherwise it's not palpable. The only other place I've had REALLY good balsamic vinegar was from a local processor in Flagstaff and when I ran out, never made my way back there and I've been on an eternal hunt to find good REAL good balsamic vinegar. But this one, this is it! I asked one of the servers if we could sample the different kinds that they have and they do not disappoint! In fact I wanted to get one of each but - freshness! We settled on the classic and their raspberry balsamic vinegars. Both OH SO GOOD! Onto the food. Off the menu and chef's pick, I ordered their lobster ravioli, my mouth is watering just thinking of it! The sauce was creamy! Great consistency with some lobster pieces in there. So so good! My teen yelper #1 ordered the big Luciano pizza, the crust is so yummy and soft! The pizza? Amazing! Teen yelper #2 ordered the fettuccini Raghu which he truly enjoyed! I took a small bite out of it and it was so delicious! Was overall super pleased with the service! The food and just everything about it. The servers are super friendly too which just makes the experience that much better! read more

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Tasty & big portions of pasta. Nice salads. Salmon was a bit small, but well prepared. GF pizza was nice as an option, although crust was soft and toppings only okay. Mall-type architecture, behind the Hampton Inn & Suites. read more

Heather and I had to run to South Bay and looked for a restaurant experience while there. We were very happy choosing Balsamico. Our server, Carlo, was so attentive and friendly and really knew the menu and made great suggestions. The inside of this place is very clean and cute. Full bar with fantastic drinks. I had the strawberry balsamic reposado and it was great. read more

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Delicious. I was headed to my fave, but decided to try something g new and I was not disappointed. Sat at the bar that Carlo was tending. I asked what he recommend and he said the mushroom truffle ravioli. It was so good! Perfection read more

Balsamico Italian Kitchen - Balsámico Italian Kitchen's organic barrel aged balsamic vinegar. I am not chef but if I were.... Chef's kiss. It is delicious! - Italian Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

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Delicious food. Owners present. We loved it! We will be returning! Free bread with an oil and delicious balsamic dipping sauce. Every table has a bottle of balsamic loved it! We ordered gnocchi 2 types both very good. My Gorgonzola sauce was rich and tasty. Loved the balsamic drizzle. My husband loved his with marinara. Salad was fresh. Dressing was too sweet for my husband he said next time he will ask for another dressing. I like it, very unique. I'd recommend to get it on the side. We loved all the bread types. The restaurant was clean, relaxing, cozy and warm. Owner came by to introduce herself which I loved. Checking for happiness and quality. Her husband is the owner and chef. They have cool cooking classes and wine pairing classes, I need to check one out. Located in a strip mall so lots of parking. Really pretty inside. read more

Very nice atmosphere, attentive service and great food. The special was branzino forno and it was tasty. Wine list was amazing!

Went here for my birthday. Food a service was great. Portion here sized pretty well with the prices. Will come back and try the pizza.'

We are back for more!!! The food is consistently outstanding, the service is excellent, and the ambiance strikes the perfect balance of mellow and welcoming. The Lambrusco has become my favorite wine in town, and the overall experience always feels relaxed and enjoyable, never rushed. This time we came for Restaurant Week, and it did not disappoint. The bruschetta with goat cheese, honey, and tomatoes was absolutely out of this world. Every visit is memorable, and this one was no exception. read more

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Traveling to San Diego for business I was in the mood for Italian. Baldamico Italian kitchen was near to my hotel so I thought I'd give it a try. I ordered the lasagna. I was amazed! This lasagna was superb. I hadn't had lasagna this good for 20 years since my Nona passed. I highly recommended this restaurant and you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be back when I return next year. read more

Excellent food and out waiter was great. my only suggestion is to dim the light for dinner! read more

Balsamico is truly a hidden gem in Imperial Beach. I started off with a mocktail and hubby got a glass of Remole and we were given complimentary bread and olive oil. The bread was presented in a Mutti can, which was really clever. We decided to try items that were their specialty, which I have not seen at other Italian restaurants. We got the Meditteranea salad, which had oranges, black olives, and olives- it was light and refreshing. The Vecchia Modena was stuffed pasta with ricotta and spinach, in a light cream sauce, with crispy bacon, balsamic glaze and shaved Parmesan. This dish was flavorful and very interesting! The Italian Job was a brunch special, featuring an egg frittata stuffed with prosciutto di parma, arugula, and shaved Parmesan. This was light! I wasn't used to having the egg used as replacement of bread slices, but it was tasty! Their lasagna classica had layers of fresh pasta, bolognese, béchamel, and parmesan cheese. It was a yummy classic pasta. He also tried a cocktail that had a splash of balsamic! For dessert, we agreed on the Nutella pizza topped with strawberry slices. It was the perfect ending to our lunch! We loved the balsamic so much that we bought a bottle, They import it from Italy and have different flavors as well! read more

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My sister and I wanted to have a little sister date to just catch up on life. We came across this place on yelp and decided to try it, and I am so glad we did! The restaurant is cute, loved the decor...the outside looks new/polished is the best way to describe it. We were greeted right upon entry , the servers were very attentive and friendly. When asked for recommendations or for a better description of certain menu items we were definitely given the rundown. Food was 10/10, I will definitely visit again. Probably my new favorite Italian spot ! Prices aren't bad at all , I honestly don't have anything negative to say, everything we ordered was a 10/10. If you're on the fence about trying this place ...just do it, you won't be disappointed ! read more

Many people say that this is the best food in Imperial Beach. Although I've only eaten here once, I tend to agree. This place is first rate Italian, the real deal. The ambiance at Balsamico is very Italian kitchen with nice decorations and a very friendly and knowledgeable staff. I ordered grilled salmon with mixed grilled veggies and everything was cooked to perfection. Drinks are strong and I know I'll be coming back. Five stars all around! read more

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We found this place while looking for another eatery nearby, and changed our minds quickly. Huge shout-out to Jordan, who never made us feel rushed, even when telling us the kitchen was closing soon. We ordered the risotto di giorno (porcini mushrooms and bacon), the lobster ravioli in pink sauce, and the prosciutto/carciofi pizza. Dessert was tiramisu and cannoli. Everything was marvelous. And the balsamic vinegar--I've not had anything this good in the States. Everyone in our party has been to or lived in Italy, and we all did Food Happy Dances as we were transported back. A delightfully happy accident. Cannot recommend highly enough. When can we come back?! read more

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Balsamico is a consistent delight! A family owned restaurant with attention to seasons, details and creativity. Cozy setting fit for a date night, family dinner or birthday. We love the salmon, the fresh pasta, salads and risottos. Our son loves the pizzas. They offer classes and meal experiences, and sell their balsamic vinegar as well. Don't miss this local favorite! read more

Balsamico exceeded my expectations. I had heard positive reviews, and had the opportunity to attend the "Sips & Bites" party on 10/18/25. The event was wonderful and the drinks and food were outstanding. If you have not checked this place out, you MUST! Great food & drink, all at an extremely reasonable price. Also, the best balsamic I have ever tasted....truly authentic. read more

Balsamico Italian Kitchen - Italian Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Great service and excellent food quality. Servers were kind and attentive. Ambiance was beautiful and great for dining. :) Thanking the chef and great team. read more

Balsamico Italian Kitchen - Our group was thanking the chef and the great staff they have. - Italian Near Me - Imperial Beach, California

Ok, so food here is amazing , service seriously on point, we sat inside which was beautiful, a good size not huge which was nice. All of their pastas are handmade by the owner! Portions are generous, and when I say generous, I'm talking leftovers for the next day and then some I had the tortellini romangnoli, which was a meat filled tortellini with cream sauce. Delicious 10/10 read more

Through God's grace, our niece graduated from high school and sadly we weren't able to be there for her ceremony because her high school only allowed so many tickets per family. Thankfully, my brother and sister-in-law arranged for our immediate family to get together to celebrate the graduate by having a family dinner in our niece's honor at Balsamico Italian Kitchen. I would rate Balsamico a solid 3.5 stars based on what I ate, our service from our waiter and the staff, and the expensive prices for the food. Balsamico is located in Imperial Beach towards the far east end of Palm Avenue just before you get on the Silver Strand to Coronado. It is located within an outdoor strip mall where you can also find Hampton Inn & Suites, Five Guys, Poke 1-2-3, Starbucks, and Chipotle. Raising Cane's is just across the street from the shopping center. This was my first time visiting Balsamico and as I entered the restaurant, I thought the decor was really nice. There was a brick facade wall with pictures of Modena, Italy; a bar with a covered roof and a stone backsplash; and there were shelves holding a large selection of wine that you can purchase. There was plenty of table top seating with tops looking like large pieces of wood and there was also umbrella covered outdoor seating. Our server and wait staff provided friendly, jovial, and quality customer service. I was looking forward to grubbing on some Italian food after my brother had told us where we were celebrating his daughter's graduation. The complimentary bread they provided was lukewarm, but it did pair well with the oil and balsamic vinegar dipping sauce you mix yourself. At every restaurant I've ordered Shirley Temples at, there were free refills, but not here. My brother ordered Fried Calamari and Bruschetta for all the tables, but the serving size of each appetizer was small for what he paid for them. The calamari was fried just right and it tasted pretty good, but the portion size was really small. For my entree, I ordered one of their specials, which was their Lobster Ravioli. I didn't see the cost of this special, but once again, the portion size was disappointing and I'm sure it wasn't cheap. I didn't feel you got enough lobster in the ravioli, it was okay taste wise, and visually, it really wasn't appealing. I should have ordered something from the menu because everyone else's dish looked more substantial than mine. Luckily, my wife couldn't finish her meal, so I was able to fill up from her leftover. My aunt also shared her pizza and I thought their pizza was so much better than my ravioli. Keep in mind if you dine here, it will be pricey and I didn't feel we got value for our money. We're so proud of our niece for being able to graduate from her high school and for moving onto her next phase in life, which will be continuing her education in college. We're so thankful to my brother and sister for inviting us to celebrate our niece. Next time if we visit Balsamico again, I'll make sure to stay away from their Lobster Ravioli and order from the menu. read more

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Wow. Couldn't have been much worse. Took 25 minutes to order. The $30 salmon was gross and cheap. The vegetables that came with it I'm pretty sure were canned, and very watery. Pizza was ok. We ordered a glass of wine and were charged for a whole bottle. I can't believe the reviews on this place are so positive. So disappointing. read more

Balsamico is absolutely one of our favorites. The wine pairing events are our favorite, enjoying different wines expertly matched to phenomenal food courses will keep us coming back. The family inspired culture with tremendous pride in their heritage gives a small glimpse of what Italian life is like through food and wine. read more

The service was great, thanks Michel. The food was delish ad his recommendations were awesome. Greta food and ambiance.

wonderful food and great service. We have been back many times and are never disappointed. They also offer classes occasionally which is fun! read more

Fantastic local restaurant. Elevated Italian in a friendly environment with fresh ingredients and in-house balsamic that you can but on everything. Delicious wine pairings as well. read more

First let me start by saying, the atmosphere was nice, the server was friendly and accommodating- but- the food? Absolutely awful- I'm so sorry to say. We went to dine in to celebrate my daughter's birthday and everything was just off. I didn't understand how the reviews were so good. We decided to give it another chance- it was worse. I'd say the flavors are too strong perhaps? I'm not sure if the chef is tasting the dishes... they should start. The pasta itself is cooked well it's the sauces and spices that are off. I wish I didn't have to write this but I felt it was the right thing to do with the prices and the reviews. read more

It's a good local spot! I came on a weekday with my mom and there was a decent amount of people it wasn't slow nor crowded. I got the mushroom ravioli and my mom got lasagne. The food was good, neither of us disappointed. The best part was probably the service!! He was quick, friendly, and gave great recommendations. 10/10 service 8.5/10 food and prices read more

Lovely surprising gem of a restaurant in Imperial Beach. Reservation communication was spot on to begin with. Northern Italy (Modena) cuisine was on full display. Delicious and hearty dishes cooked by the owners ( original flavors) refreshing and comforting. Service by Jordan was attentive and fun. Full bar selection plus wines of course. Ambience spacious and modern, clean. Only downside is the closing hours, wish they were longer. Otherwise, solid and positive experience. They also offer cooking classes, and sell wine and delicious balsamic vinegar read more

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