My friend and I had such a wonderful experience at Firenze, and what made it truly special was not only the food, but the kindness and care from everyone there. Before we even arrived, Jeff was incredibly kind and helpful on the phone. Jeff took the time to answer questions patiently and made us feel genuinely welcomed and cared for. That level of kindness set the tone for the entire evening. When we arrived, Raquel was absolutely amazing both on the phone and in person. Raquel was so understanding, supportive, patient, and accommodating throughout our visit and helped us find a table that worked for us. Raquel was patient as we tried 3 different tables. Raquel made us feel comfortable and relaxed, and her warmth and attentiveness truly shun through. Sandra was also incredible -- Sandra's knowledge and expertise were so appreciated. Sandra thoughtfully helped identify dishes that would be safer for me to eat, and somehow still managed to recommend something absolutely delicious. That level of care means so much. Sandra was kind, compassionate and supportive to making us feel safer and comfortable to eat. They graciously seated us outside next to the fountain, away from the crowd, which created such a peaceful and beautiful atmosphere. The sound of the water made the evening feel calm and intimate, and everyone was so accommodating about making sure we were comfortable. The food itself was outstanding. The crisp thin breadsticks were addictive -- light, delicate, and perfectly crunchy with that satisfying snap when you bite into them. Dipping the warm bread into the olive oil and balsamic vinegar was incredible. The olive oil was smooth, rich, and slightly peppery, while the balsamic added the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess. Together, they soaked beautifully into the bread and made such a simple starter feel luxurious. The bread was soft and airy on the inside and crisp on the outside. I also loved the pasta. The shape held onto the sauce perfectly, giving every bite a wonderful balance of texture and flavor. The pasta itself tasted fresh and tender with just the right firmness. Every forkful felt comforting and thoughtfully prepared. My friend absolutely loved the chicken parm. It was beautifully done in a true Italian style -- thin, tender chicken with a perfectly crisp coating that wasn't heavy or greasy. The sauce tasted vibrant and fresh with rich tomato flavor, and the melted cheese on top added just the right creamy finish without overpowering the dish. Every bite was balanced, flavorful, and delicious. This was one of those dining experiences where you can truly feel the care from the staff in every detail. Thank you to Jeff, Raquel, Sandra, and everyone at Firenze for such a memorable evening. We cannot wait to come back. read more

This is a tough one to write because there were good and bad elements to the experience. Went with 5 people on a Monday night. It wasn't busy in there so getting seated was not a problem. It was 1/2 price wine night so we took advantage of that. We ordered the fried ravioli appetizer and between that, the wine, and the bread, we were all full. (The dinners take awhile to appear.) That said, we all tasted our meals and then bagged them up to take home. On the Plus side: Everyone said their food was wonderful. We ordered the nightly Lasagna (which is HUGE), the Portabello Ravioli, the Vodka Rigatoni, and I had the Shrimp Salad. Our server Brett was excellent. He said he'd been there for about 6 months. He knew the menu, made recommendations, and was attentive but not overbearing. On the Negative side: As people keep saying, it's WAY too expensive for what you get. When I went to eat my salad today for lunch, I noticed not all of it made it into the doggy bag? Really strange, and disappointing since it was $19.99. The worst of it was, one of the people I was with ordered a few Coors Lights. She said the first one was okay, but the 2nd one tasted funny. She examined the bottle and noticed it expired a YEAR ago! Pointed that out to the server, and he took it away and she got a draft instead. The draft was flat and tasted like they don't clean the lines for the taps. Guess what? We were charged for all of the beers. Come on now, you serve expired items, you should take that off the bill, and a manager should have come over to apologize about it. She called the manager today to complain and all he did was offer her a free beer. I really think that after serving her 2 expired beers and a bad one, the least the manager could do was offer her a free lunch or something. We did spend $300 at the place. Bottom line: The food is good, but way too expensive. The service was good, but the lack of concern for the customer is not. read more

Excellent! I've been here twice now in the past month, and both times came away completely satisfied. Came one Friday night a couple of weeks ago, and the place was packed. Luckily, my girlfriend and I had a reservation and were seated pretty quickly. We shared a caesar to start - the dressing was great (and I can be a real snob about that). Portion was enough for 2 to share comfortably. I had the canneloni and she had the butternut squash ravioli. I really enjoyed my dish, but hers was absolutely incredible. On the second time around, she ordered the same but I elected to try the Lasagna Firenze (one of their specialties, our server told me). I was estatic. Too many places cake on so much cheese in a lasagna, it overpowers the natural flavor of the meats and noodles. Not so here, it was a perfect blend of flavors. We finished things off with the tiramisu, which was very light and tasty. I will definitely be back! (hopefully soon) I saw a lot of posts complaining about the price here, but both times our total bill was around $60-70 (not including tip), which to me seemed very reasonable for the quality of meals we had. One final note: if you have the chance to dine out on the patio in the summer, do it! Great ambiance! read more

Firenze Trattoria was such a great dinner spot. We went on a Sunday evening and ended up sitting on the patio, which was really nice. The inside of the restaurant is pretty dark, but the patio is large and has a great atmosphere for dinner. We ordered a variety of dishes for the table including burrata, calamari, chicken parmigiana, lasagna, carbonara, and the fish special. I had the chicken parmigiana and it was amazing. The noodles it came with were so fun, and what I loved most was that the sauce on the pasta was different from the sauce on the chicken. The pasta sauce almost reminded me of a vodka sauce and paired perfectly with everything. Everyone else at the table loved their dishes too. Portion sizes were pretty large, so you definitely get a good amount of food. The service was also great -- our server was super attentive, constantly refilling drinks, bringing more bread, and offering great recommendations. Overall it was a really enjoyable dinner and I would absolutely come back read more

The food at Firenze is good italian food - not incredible but pretty good. You won't be disappointed but it's really nothing to write home about - just good basic italian food. The service is usually excellent - they have great servers and a good wine list. With that said, however, the reason I am giving it 3 stars instead of 4 or 5 is the prices - it is really priced too high for what it is. A bowl of past for $18-$25 - at lunch?!??!! In my opinion that is too high. I called in a lunch order one day - one order of pasta with italian sausage and an order of caprese salad - it was almost $50! That's too much in my opinion. I think they cater to the older, wealthy crowd from Rancho Santa Fe next door as that is who I normally see in there. So, I can recommend it for dinner if you want good italian food and don't mind paying a bit of a premium - but it's too pricey for lunch. read more

This place could be little overpriced because it is close to Rancho Santa Fe. However, it offers a vast selection of good italian food and wine. The restaurant is quite well decorated (inside & out), providing a cozy atmosphere. The servers were very attentive and nice. My water glass was never half empty. About the food, it was the best italian meal I had in a while, except for Lobster Ravioli from Vigilucci's. I ordered polenta with mushrooms and gorgonzola for an appetizer and it was amazing!! The texture was just the way I like my polenta and it had a touch of garlic taste to it. Yum!! I also got shrimp and scallop baked in a cream sauce ( forgot the name of the dish) and it was okay. But the eggplant parmagiano, rolled eggplants stuffed with ricotta, was very good. I will definitely go back to this place!! read more

We tried out Firenze during San Diego Restaurant week and got a great deal on our dinner. The entire meal was good overall and the service was decent. I had the lasagna, one of the better ones I've ever had (the Swiss have everyone beat). The chocolate lava cake was the best I have ever experienced. The calamari appetizer was a decent portion and was good for calamari. My wife had the salmon, but we had to look up the menu to remember. The tiramisu for dessert was very good, it reminded my wife of her childhood. Overall the environment is good for both romantic couples or groups. They have a decent wine selection. The food is good, however overpriced for non-restaurant week meals. read more

I am a retired businessman. When I had my company, I demanded excellence from my business, employees, and especially myself. This is why Firenze is my favorite restaurant. Excellent service, fantastic quality, wonderful atmosphere. Great place to relax and enjoy a meal and take as much time as needed, never feeling rushed. The staff remembers me each time I go there. I never concern myself with prices as long as I get the service and quality I expect from a high-end establishment, and Firenze never disappoints! read more

Nice atmosphere in the patio. My favorite so far was the Clam Linguini. Done just right, loads of little clams and not too much sauce, good portion, good for sharing. Service was decent the few times I've been, but usually service in San Diego/north coast is pretty spotty overall, no complaints, just sometimes you have the feeling you are getting the bum's rush. Chairs could be more comfortable too. Perfect place for a warm evening. read more

I had an excellent dining experience at this place. If you are looking for good Italian food right outside of san diego, this place is your destination. Appetizers were awesome, service was quite fast and the fillet was the icing on the cake. Medium rare is the only way to go for a cut of beef that melts in your mouth. read more

Great food and atmosphere. Our favorite is the spaghetti with a giant meatball! The staff has always been attentive and provided great service. Try the homemade tiramisu to top off your meal! read more

Great food and ambiance for a romantic dinner. This is the best Italian restaurant I've been to in San Diego. Fair prices and an amazing wine list. Definitely recommended! read more

This is our 5th visit here and we have enjoyed every meal we have had. I do recommend the salmon, haven't been disappointed yet! Oh and the service is phenomenal! read more

This place is gorgeous and the food is great. Service was good. It's about what I'd expect an upscale Italian restaurant to be.

Don;t bother. Sub-par food, sub-par service and the owner is extremely pompous. Too bad, the atmosphere is otherwise lovely.

Been here at least five times and have yet to be disappointed. Lasagna is fantastic as is the spinach salad!!!

Enjoyed our lunch there a couple of weeks ago. Food was great and the service was excellent!

I would not go back here. Okay taste for the price

Great service awesome food!