My son was in the mood for Italian food, so I do search for Italian restaurants near us. Dave's Italian Eatery popped up. The menu online looks promising, and it's very close to our home, so we decided to give it a try. This place is very bright and fresh looking, for lack of a better description. There's a bar, and a really great mural. There's an entire wall of banqettes, and some tables in the second room which is divided only by a half wall. There are some walls which I thought had exposed brick, but later noticed were wall boards. Either way, I love the look. We were seated right away and the nicest server came over. He really seems to love the restaurant and love the food, which is always a plus in my book. The boys each got a beer, and I got the Italian margarita. It was a sweet drink that kind of tasted like an Amaretto Sour, which makes sense since there's Amaretto in it. I liked it. They brought gigantic rolls with butter to the table. I really liked it because most places serve sourdough bread, and I don't really like sourdough bread. These large white rolls were yummy. I wasn't very hungry so I just ordered two meatballs, but I asked if I could have the meat sauce instead of the marinara that it usually comes with. Our server said there would be no problem with that, and there wasn't. Hubby got the spaghetti and meatballs, and son got eggplant parmesan. All of it was delicious and I give kudos for a really yummy meat sauce. For me, the meat sauce can make or break an Italian restaurant. They seem to do a pretty brisk take out business, and there were quite a few people by the time we left. I would love to come back and try the pizza, because pizzas that we saw coming out looked fantastic. read more

See all

What a huge disappointment this place was. I suppose I should know better than to get Italian food from a place called Dave's. I mean that's like expecting authentic Mexican food from a place called Steve's Taco Truck. When you walk in the first thing you will notice is the contemporary look. It feels more like a college cafeteria than an Italian restaurant; warm but devoid of any personality aside from the huge 'Welcome To Gilbert' mural on the wall. They do have a well stocked bar, but when we arrived at 12:30 every table was vacant save one. Despite the great reviews this should have been our second warning. I did see in the Yelp photo's that the garlic bread was captioned as terrible, but my daughter wanted to try it so we gave it a shot. One bite and she was like "Nope". It had the thinnest layer on cheese on top and was super dense and unyielding. Moving on to the spaghetti and meatballs. My Munchkin immediate identified the meatballs as Sysco or some similar food service fare. The sauce was okay but not fresh by any measurable degree. I had the thinnest Chicken Parm ever, covered in sauce and mozzarella cheese which couldn't disguise the blandness of the chicken no matter hard it tried. Nothing about the food said fresh ingredients. We both ate about four bites and decided we were done and would head over to Oregano's. To be fair, the waitress (no personality) did take the garlic bread off the bill, but when I asked for the bill and said we didn't want to go containers for the full plates of food didn't even bat an eye like she expected as much. This place lured us in with good reviews and how busy it looks on the weekends. If our experience is any indication I give it six months tops before going under unless they do a complete overhaul from the top down. read more

See all

My replacement for Dunkin for the same price while supporting a local restaurant!! Got just the morning special breakfast sandwich with added bacon and a larger coffee. My favorite breakfast morning routine before hitting the road for work. read more

Dave's Italian Eatery - At the bar view - Italian Near Me - Gilbert, Arizona

Who said nothing is for free? Not Dave's! Their Grand Opening event was yesterday from 12-4 offering Free Pasta!! This is the second Italian Spot in Gilbert from restaurateur David Bhatti, who also owns Eatalio Pasta & Wine. His beautiful family was there in support of this event and we even meet most of them. Additionally, Dave's father is the owner of an Italian eatery in Southern California that's been in business over 40 years! It was fairly busy when we arrived. A line had formed down the sidewalk. However, it went pretty quickly as the food was set up buffet style- outside. They had seating inside and out as well as a DJ, face painting, raffle and prizes. They served their spaghetti, fried ravioli's & penne alla vodka. All of it was tasty! We were not able to sit inside as it was packed, but we were able to get a table out front near the music. We stayed a few hours and waited for the raffle that was held at 2 PM. Well worth the wait as we ended up winning a nice Soundcore boom box! The menu consists of more great italian dishes. Numerous pastas, chicken entrées and firestone pizza such as the unique combination of their "fig and pig" pie. Look forward to coming back and exploring more of their Italian cuisine. read more

See all

Small little place and great little bar for guest that like sitting at the bar , had a modelo and Pinot noir . We had the arancini for appetizer and it was pretty good. I'll give it about 7/10 and had chicken parm with vodka sauce and I'd give that about 8/10 . Over all good local spot where you don't have to travel to Scottsdale . Service was quick and food came out fast as well , our bartender was very kind and directed us in right direction with the recommendations read more

Dave's Italian Eatery - Chicken parm with vodka sauce - Italian Near Me - Gilbert, Arizona

Average Italian place. Got bruschetta appetizer and a Hugo spritz for happy hour for $20. Not worth coming back for. Food is very basic and doesn't have a ton of flavor. Service was lacking and the place is nice and clean but does not give off authentic Italian vibes. read more

Hubby & I had dinner here last night. We were seated right away. They brought out 2 rolls with butter. Neither one of us liked the rolls. They were crusty on the outside, but softer in the middle. They were dry even with butter. Hubby ordered a beer on draft. I had red Sangria. The sangria was good. We ordered garlic bread. Hubby got a house salad & spaghetti & meatballs. I got chicken par, but Alfredo on the pene noodles. Our server let us know the kitchen missed the garlic bread. She asked if it was okay to bring it out with our food, which we were fine with. The garlic bread ended up coming out after our meals. It was not good. It didn't seem cooked at all. The bottom pieces were dense & just off. Hubby did not like his spaghetti & meatballs. He said the sauce was watery (maybe from the noodles) & was flavor less. I did not like my dinner either. It was not hot. The chicken was dry & the sauces did not have flavor. The Alfredo was very bland. We had a lot of food left because neither one of us ate much. Our server asked us twice if we wanted to go containers & we declined both times. She ask if we liked our dinner. Hubby told her no. She was very concerned. She offered us a free dessert, but we declined. She apologized multiple times. I told her it was not her fault. She had us write our name & phone number on the receipt. She said she w give it to the owners in hopes they would do something for us. We have not heard from them yet. They seem to do pretty good business, but it was not for us. read more

See all

How refreshing it was to go to Dave Italian Eatery today for dinner. We were greeted as soon as we entered, seated and our waitress was wonderful. Very attentive. So nice to get a dinner salad in a cold bowl and real salad greens. Bruchetta was very good. Both our dinners were delicious. We will definitely be back for dinner and bring friends with us. Just a wonderful place to eat. Great place to eat Italian food. read more

Tried Dave's for lunch after hearing good things. Unfortunately, I couldn't find many positive things to say about Dave's. To me, it felt like Dave's wasn't making much of an effort. We had the Caesar salad, fried mozzarella, Cajun chicken pasta, and pepperoni pizza. Nothing was particularly good or memorable. My biggest pain point is the Cajun pasta. The alfredo sauce lacked any richness or seasoning whatsoever. It was watery and bland. The chicken was way overcooked. Overall, for a "Cajun" dish, the entire thing was wholly under seasoned, disappointing, and damn near $20. 2.5/5, I won't be returning anytime soon. read more

See all

Grand opening today.Free Italian buffet, live DJ, raffle, and prizes, The food is all very good. It came out hot and fresh. Staff is friendly. The restaurant is very busy with a huge turnout of people to celebrate the opening. The inside is very spacious with plenty of seating. read more

See all

We stopped in for the soft opening and couldn't be happier to finally have a great Italian spot so close to home! The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with super comfortable seating and a beautiful bar. I went with the homemade gnocchi--absolutely outstanding, some of the best I've ever had. My wife ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, and those homemade meatballs were incredible. We also shared a pizza and were blown away by the crust and the perfectly balanced sauce. Whatever you do, save room for the cannoli--they're phenomenal. Service was top-notch from start to finish. Jaz and David were genuinely welcoming and made the whole experience even better. We're already counting down the days until we go back! Highly recommend. read more

See all

Small, casual neighborhood joint serving very good Italian dishes. The staff are really friendly and accommodating!!! The music that is playing adds to the Italian vibe. The pizza was cooked properly and the ingredients were fresh. The pasta was cooked perfectly and seasoned very well. They have a little bar and happy hour which is nice and some great appetizers. The arancini were very good too!!! We spoke to the two of the owner brothers, Harvey and Jazz and they were very nice! Our bartender Tricia was awesome!! Definitely a new dinner option in our area!!! read more

Dave's Italian Eatery - Fettuccine! - Italian Near Me - Gilbert, Arizona

See all

If you know me, you know, I love to check out a new local Mom and pop shop. I stopped into Dave's Italian eatery to check out their menu and pick up a couple items to go. I ordered a caprese salad and a kids spaghetti. Absolutely delicious. I must come back and try the gnocchi Happy Hour will be starting after Thanksgiving on drinks and appetizers read more

See all

Found this spot because it came highly recommended by another store employee in the shopping center, and we are so glad we listened! Family-owned (my favorite) and truly authentic Italian food. The menu is huge with so many options to choose from. They also offer tons of gluten-free options I almost any dish can be made gluten free, which is such a win. All three of us loved our meals and they were all so different! The flavors, the garlic...everything did a happy dance in our mouths. Even though our server mentioned she was new, the service was outstanding. She made great recommendations and helped us understand portion sizes and flavor profiles, which made ordering easy and fun. Such a great experience we will definitely be frequenting this place. And next time, we're absolutely saving room for dessert because the ones we saw at the table next to us looked amazing! read more

See all

We ordered pizza with pepperoni & jalapeños and chicken Alfredo. Pizza was excellent with lots of cheese and nice thin crispy crust. Alfredo was just okay noodles & sauce were good, chicken wasn't good. No flavor. We had to wait almost 20 minutes before we were seated. Only 2 ladies working (except for kitchen staff) and it was obvious they were overwhelmed. Maybe we went on a bad night. I'd try again just for more pizza. read more

See all

The family tried this place out tonight and boy was it delicious. What a great price for the amount of food you get. We have the fried mozzarella, Caesar salad, chicken fettuccine and baked ziti. All was good and had leftovers! Would definitely recommend this place and glad to see they were busy! read more

Dave's Italian Eatery - Fettuccine Con Pollo - Italian Near Me - Gilbert, Arizona

I was very excited to hear that a small Italian restaurant was just around the corner from our house. Unfortunately, the flavors didn't match my excitement level. Everything I enjoyed was just average. Bread and butter at the table was soft, but nothing special. Fettuccine Alfredo was lackluster. They did offer to bring out the kids meal prior to the main meals if desired, which was much appreciated for our impatient and slow-eating toddler. Nothing negative, but also nothing special in my opinion. read more

Food is great and definitely a place to keep returning to! Arancini weren't like I am used to, but I really enjoyed the Bolognese sauce inside. The chicken parmesan was delicious - chicken was tender and moist. Would definitely recommend getting the fettuccine alfredo as the side pasta. We also had the linguine and clams - delicious meal, just needs more clams. All around, Dave's was great and a wonderful addition in Gilbert. Our waitress, Stephanie, was wonderful, too! Their grand opening is soon and is a can't miss! read more

See all

The food was very delicious! The service was great and food came out shortly after ordering. The restaurant itself is very clean and had a nice ambience. The free bread was warm and very good. Would recommend! The portions are huge so come hungry or be ready to take home leftovers. read more

Dave's Italian Eatery - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Gilbert, Arizona

Was disappointed we had high hopes when we walked in. Sauce was bland and meatballs tasted store bought.

Everything is made fresh daily. I had the spaghetti & meatballs it was delicious! Bread was also yummy! We ordered a bottle of wine with dinner it was reasonably priced. Service was attentive! We will be coming back highly recommended. read more

I'm hoping the feedback provided here is taken into consideration to improve service for this newer establishment. I've been here three times. Each time the service had gotten progressively worse. I must say the hostess and server were friendly but service goes beyond friendliness. We were asked what we wanted to drink at the very beginning. We placed our order and midway the server came over to apologize that the drinks weren't ready yet because the bar tender was busy with serving tables, as well. At that point we had to ask for water. This is what the server should have asked us. This is close to 30 minutes in. Then the buns that we received the first time, we had to ask for the 2nd time, and this third time we noticed it was given to some customers and we were ones that didn't receive it at all. Let's be consistent in our service so no one feels slighted. Our drink orders came out after our meals. So we had appetizers and our meal and then our drinks. Let the bar tender do what they are hired to do - make the drinks. Unfortunately, we'll have to find another Italian restaurant as the frustrations associated with this place isn't worth it. P.S. I don't know if this place wants to be considered a pizza joint or a fine establishment. If it's a pizza joint, keep the paper napkins. If not, let's level up to actual cloth napkins. Food was good. Can't complain about that at all! read more

Very good service and food. The plates came out piping hot! The arancini was amazing. Really enjoyed our dinner there.

Maybe it was an off day for them? I called and placed a pick up order for one singular entree at 6:40 PM, the woman on the phone wasn't even sure if they served the entree from the menu I was trying to order but after figuring it out told me it would be no longer than 30 minutes which is standard for a pasta dish. I ran some errands and came back at 7:20 a full 40 minutes later and no sign of my food. Staff was rude and treated my presence like an inconvenience. Finally got my food at 7:50 and it was lukewarm. The eggplant rollatini I ordered was exciting since it's not a common dish in AZ but sadly the quality was just mid. Probably won't be back. read more

Food Eggplant parmesan was okay the Penne was not it tasted bland and my $5 Cesar salad was just a bowl of lettuce and croutons with a side of dressing. The only thing going for the restaurant was the service and the atmosphere. Most likely won't be back. read more

This might be my New favorite Italian spot. Everything was excellent from the appetizers to the pasta quality all the way to the pizza. That fig and prosciutto pizza was amazing. The eggplant Parmesan was perfect. The service was great and I love the casual atmosphere. read more

See all

So good. They had me at the bread! Happy hour wine, large salad, pasta carbonita. The service was friendly and prompt. read more

Excellent food, service and price point. So grateful to have this restaurant near by!

The food was pretty good. I'm just mad that they charged me $1.50 when I asked for extra sauce (see picture)-since I was taking home my pasta leftovers. I had veal Parmesan with a side of pasta, served with 2 enormous rolls, my friend had a spicy shrimp off the appetizer list read more

He came for happy hour and had the epic meatballs and bruschetta. The service was great. The food is delicious. I'll be back.

Just ate here for the first time and it was delicious! Service was outstanding. Prices were reasonable, especially considering the huge portion size. Definitely recommend it!! read more

I had high hopes for this place, but not so much anymore.. when people are mentioning flavorless, they mean it! We ordered two pizzas and a salad. The pizzas should've been cooked longer., we asked for extra sauce ..we did not get any . The salad was OK, but they only gave us a little cup for the dressing Definitely miss the Mark here. I won't be going back. read more

My kids and I stumbled in when we were out shopping in the plaza, and I am so glad we did. I am of Italian roots and love finding good AUTHENTIC Italian food. It smelled amazing as soon as we walked in!! The vibe was super comfortable and cozy. We all shared and ordered the -epic meatballs appetizer -Cheesy garlic bread -Minestrone soup -Spaghetti and meatballs and the -Alfredo pizza (which were ALL sooo gooooood, and flavorful. Everything came out hot and fresh!!! My kids and I loved all of it. I would definitely recommend trying!! And the prices were all very reasonable which was a bonus!! We will definitely be back. read more

If there's another word for wow. ..let me know. this place is what you expect..food is amazing spaghetti and meatballs sure hit the spot... very elegant place staff is amazing. Will be back soon with family read more

Dave's Italian Eatery - All the wonderful food they have on there menu - Italian Near Me - Gilbert, Arizona

Lady over the phone was insanely rude. Asked for a cup of ranch and she said she wouldn't help me because my order was closed. I would've paid for it but she was horribly rude. read more

Dropped in 12/15/25 to a great little Italian spot. Good food, excellent service from Jeniza and a nice vibe! Very clean too! My wife and I split the chicken Marsala, which we would order again, 2 house salads, and a caprese. The chicken was tender, moist, and perfectly cooked. The Marsala wine sauce was very flavorful. Blue cheese and Italian dressings were exceptional on very fresh salads. The Caprese was also very good with one additional ingredient, Kalamata olives, YUM! The lady next to us was having a supreme pizza. She said it was great and it looked like it was. We will try that next time we go. Give it a shot, we think you're going to like it. Happy Hour 2 to 5 with some food and drinks discounted. read more

Dave's Italian Eatery - Menu - Italian Near Me - Gilbert, Arizona

See all

Rolls they served were not fresh, and when we asked them 3 different times, they brought out the same hard rolls saying they were fresh out of the oven. They were rock hard each time. There were 3 of us. We ordered a salad for the table instead of individual salads. They didn't bring any plates or bowls for the salads, we had to ask. When we asked for bowls and got our salads it was just enough for 3 bowls so we should have just gotten individual but they charged for a large table salad for our group. The salad had huge pieces of lettuce, it was awful. My parents ordered manicotti and they were charged extra for meat sauce so it would have come without any sauce at all. There was no meat in the meat sauce. I ordered classic lasagne and it came without any meat in the pasta and two slices of some kind of sliced cheese on the top. That was the only cheese in the lasagne. It was all bland, over priced and just plain awful. The waitress was irritating from the get go. The whole experience was truly awful. It was the one night i could eat meat because of a disorder and there wasn't any meat at all. We just went there because the Mexican restaurant next door was closed. BIG MISTAKE. We will never, ever go there again. My parents were married for over 40 years and they never have complained about food at a restaurant. We spoke to the manager and she offered nothing for the poor food, poor service and the bill. We just threw out our left overs which was pretty much the whole meal. read more

Dave's Italian Eatery - Over priced bill, they charged for meat sauce on the manicotti, no meat anywhere! - Italian Near Me - Gilbert, Arizona

Was in a hurry and they served up some lentil soup and a salad that reminded me of my late grandmother's cooking. So delicious, great service, and beautiful decor. Highly recommend! read more

Not sure if cutting corners or a bad night, but flavor and quality seriously lacking. I let waitress know it was not good, left phone number. Nothing. Probably should give 1 star, but hate to see a small business struggle. This was a waste of 80 + dollars. Objective should be to serve a product that makes a diner want to come back. Missed opportunity. read more

Penne and meat sauce was excellent. Carbonara texture was good but needs a little more smoky flavor for my wife's taste. Restaurant and especially bathrooms are spotless. read more