Our celebratory dinner at Il Bel Lago was fabulous. First the ambiance is upscale and inviting, but not pretentious. Shortly after I sat down, we started with cocktails, I went with an old standard, but my husband and son tried signature drinks, and I highly recommend the Milk dud martini (it's almost dessert). We had Mark as our server (who was extremely attentive and helpful in making selections), he suggested a sample appetizer of tortellini and lobster ravioli (just a sample of each) and it was the perfect start to dinner. We then moved on to salads, some had the Italian salad and some had the Caesar - both were good, but the Caesar was served in a tortilla shell.... would have been better in a parmesan crisp cup. I selected the Sea Bass special - it was perfectly cooked and was in a perfect sauce. My husband and son had the Reagan pasta and my daughter in law had the Busch chicken all cooked to perfection. My other 2 sons had steak, one had the filet and one had the strip - both very generous cuts of beef and cooked perfectly....all in all a good night. Only curious item was when I asked for one of the small rooms I was told they had reservations for them....but we did not see it read more

Il Bel Lago - This is the picture of my Italian salad - Italian Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Delicious. We came here on a whim while driving through the neighborhood and were pleasantly surprised to learn that the restaurant has its origins in the Hill. We arrived on a quiet, cold night and were seated right away. There were plenty of tempting menu options and specials, which made choosing difficult. We started with Nonna's meatball and each ordered a pasta dish. My wife chose the pistachio pasta, and I ordered the pappardelle. The meatball was excellent, and the sauce had an almost barbecue-like tang. My pappardelle was incredibly satisfying and easy to finish despite the generous portion. That said, my wife's dish was the clear winner. The chili brought a piquancy that read as a pleasant smoky note, perfectly complementing the tomato base. The tiramisu was unique and truly one of a kind. We will definitely be back. read more

such a great spot with the sweetest staff. Loved the ambiance and the gorgeous art on each wall. The vegetable penne was delicious and my boyfriend loved the steak and potatoes. They brought me a piece of tiramisu for my birthday that I will say oddly tasted more like cheesecake, but I like both so it didn't deter me one bit! read more

Il Bel Lago - Short stack Salad - Italian Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Came for lunch on a Wednesday, it seemed fairly busy. The five of us stood for several minutes with no one at the host stand or in the bar. An older gentleman came from the dining room, greeted us and took us to a table. Waitress was pleasant and attentive. It was all of our first time dining in the restaurant with all but myself from out of town. I was excited when corn chowder with crispy prosciutto was given for the soup, so I ordered that with a side salad and the waitress indicated she would give me the soup and salad lunch special. I was good with that. No cheese on the salad, please. Bread and drinks brought for the table. Bread was great, warm with flaked salt on the crust. Meals came out in a timely fashion. I was a little surprised by the portion I received, the salad was quite small and the small crock of soup was only about 3/4 full. Salad was good there just wasn't enough of it, correctly came to the table without cheese. The corn chowder was a big disappointment, aside from the size, I expected a thick, creamy chowder and what I received was thin and soupy. It also had cheese layered on the top that even though I was able to spoon it off, the whole thing tasted like cheese, had I known it was made with cheese, I would have gone with something different. The space is beautiful, and the server was pleasant read more

Il Bel Lago - Soup and salad lunch special. $16.95. Soup was called Corn Chowder - Italian Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Tried this out for Christmas Eve with the family, was one of the few places available to seat a party of nine, solid choice. Located in strip mall, so quite a surprise overall with the classy vibe...the patio appears to be a cool place when warm. Overall great vibe, lively, superb hostess and servers. Sat in what felt like a semi-private area, off to the side...very nice with a large party. Excellent wine list...a ton of variety and not crazy priced for bottles of Prisoner, Caymus or Silver Oak you find at other places. The bread is fabulous...hot out of the oven, both crunchy and soft. Nice touch with the olive oil & balsamic vinegar on the table. The big downside was they were in-between cocktail menu's, so had to order what you might remember, versus some crafty concoction I've grown to love when eating out. Had the meatball app, wifey tried the chef special (sea bass), others had the lamb and I decided on the filet myself. All were solid...definitely 4 star worthy, but not quite 5 star. My wife asked "would you come back?" I think I would, I would like to try some of other menu options and I hope the cocktail menu will be available the next time around. Thanks for a great Xmas Eve Dinner Il Bel Lago!! read more

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My friend and I decided to have a girls night here because both of us love a good home cooked style Italian food. We were the only young people over there and it's mostly Italian Nonnas eating there. Did we have an issue with that? Absolutely not. Nonnas are the best. We made reservations in advance. The service was excellent! For appetizers, we got the lobster ravioli with the cream sauce. The cream was rich, savory, and had a nice tart taste to it in the end. I got the veal chop, whereas my friend got the chicken for the entree. Both were delicious. We got the "Birthday Tiramisu" - people who went there will get it ;) A solid 4/5. Good food! Good time! read more

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Came here this year for my 36th birthday. When we arrived, we were greeted immediately and the man at the host stand said "oh we're celebrating a birthday." I reply. "Yep, it's my birthday." We were seated directly behind the hostess stand. Our server came over and she was super pleasant and helpful. She made great recommendations and was awesome the entire night. We started with the appetizer meatball. It was pretty big definitely enough to share with another person or two. It was also really delicious and authentic. I ended up ordering the smoked salmon pasta, and my husband got chicken with a side of potatoes. My pasta was good. Flavorful and the sauce was really rich, which I didn't mind. Throughout the night, there would be service staff coming to take off decorative plates, replace and replenish drinks, etc. Before our food came, the same service staff came over to take away our unfinished meatball. We tried to tell her that we wanted to keep it, but there was a language barrier. She ended up taking the rest of the meatball, and we'd hoped she understood and wrapped it up for us. Come to find out she threw it away. We brought it to our servers attention and she was apologetic and let us know she would see what she could do. The owner came over and sat down a bag of something on our table. No apology, no interaction, Nothing. Literally sat the bag down and walked away. I open the bag and there were two tiny meatballs inside! I guess that was the replacement for half the meatball that the server threw away??? Then, I asked our server did they do anything special for birthdays and she goes "oh, it's your birthday?" I'm like "yes, I told the host that and he mentioned it when I walked in!" and she goes. "Oh, that's the owner. He didn't even tell me!" Like.... Why did the owner not feel inclined to apologize about the mishap, gave us two small meatballs AND neglect to tell the server it was my birthday? Forgetting to tell her it was my birthday could've been an honest mistake but I really don't think it was. In all, I don't think I'll be back. read more

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I had an incredible lunch at Il Bella Lago in Creve Coeur Missouri. I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a long time and I was very impressed with the high-quality of the pasta dish I ordered. The pasta dish was rigatoni with Italian sausage in a vodka, cream sauce that was the special of the day for lunch. The rigatoni was filling and the spicy vodka cream sauce had to be one of the best vodka, cream sauces I've ever tried. That alone made it worth returning for. The small house salad was very good, but I don't think I will order it again since it's not cheap at nine dollars and wasn't very big but the bread and olive oil they provided went well with it and was tasty. I've dined at many St. Louis area Italian restaurants in St. Louis and this was one of the best pasta dishes I've had to date. It was pricey but I expected that and the service was excellent, and the decor was quite elegant. read more

Il Bel Lago - Lunch special - rigatoni with Italian sausage in a vodka cream sauce - wonderful! - Italian Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This was a surprise elegant dining experience. We've been looking at this restaurant for years but never ate here. As soon as we walked in I was struck by the elegant decor. The wait staff was attentive and friendly. The menu was unique with lots of daily specials. I was particularly excited about the daily risotto. I find it very difficult to eat low gluten when eating Italian but the risotto was spectacular! I didn't feel my meal was compromised in my attempt to avoid gluten. Excellent outdoor dining complemented by a beautiful fountain. Separate bar area and a small party room that seats 18 comfortably. I was impressed by the spacious dining area. I hate feeling cramped. Lots of large tables with privacy for large groups and special events. The only criticism I have is that the booth we were seated in was in need of repair. The bench seats were torn and had been taped leavings sticky residue that stuck to me. Minor inconvenience except that it was on both sides of the booth and it stuck to my clothes. If you're going to charge $30-$50 an entree seating us in a sticky booth should have been avoided. When the maître de noticed the sticky benches we should have been put in a different booth. Despite the booth bother I would recommend. Will definitely dine again! read more

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Had a wonderful lunch with friends. The service and food was great. The only problem was the items on the menu at the restaurant was so much higher than on line. I was told they were unable to change the prices. read more

Food is good not great, service is great, ambiance is dark and can be romantic but is held back by extreme pricing for food that is only good not great. I understand the rent district and impact on pricing, but as an old school American Italian, I can say this is not worth the price. Cut the prices back by 1/3 and it would give it 4.5 stars, for now it's a 2 only because of convenience and service, not the food. BTW portions are small! read more

Not the most accommodating What I have been here a couple of times. I was here for a large dinner work event. The vegan options are very limited. I know I know, it's ilatian... dairy is a must.. I had a couple of seafood dishes and it was decent, not the best. On my dinner entree, I was suppose to have seabass with no dairy but my sides had dairy.. so I couldn't eat it... same with the appetizer platter... Environment Located in a plaza. Lots of parking spaces available. In side is nice, there is booth and also table seating. There is a bar area. Niceness of the staff Not the best especially when it comes to accommodating dietary changes. And in big groups. The water was very careless. I explicitly asked if the dish had dairy and was told no but then it comes out either cheese on top. Dollar Quite expensive but the lunch menu is decent Yes I am not a fan. Especially if avoiding dairy read more

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I came here for a work dinner. They were extremely accommodating for our large group. They fit twenty one of us in their private room. We had one server for the entire room and he did a great job. He recommended that we do a pasta sampler. This was a great way for all of us to try their most popular pastas. The tortellini de vitello was my favorite. The meatballs were enormous. I got the filet with the spinach salad. The filet was great. read more

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The food here is great, and the service seems very personal and friendly. It's a family business that stands tall in St. Louis' offerings of outstanding Italian restaurants. read more

Hubs and i went for Valentine's Day with my sister, BIL & the kids abs had an incredible night! We got a private room which set a perfect stage for the delicious meal we shared. Loved the apps, entrees and desserts we ordered. They really met the taste needs for 8 yo, 13 yo & 4 forty-something's. Only short coming was little to no vegetarian options. Service was on point & warm. Loved Giovani's and il bell ago definitely upholds the reputation! Will def return read more

What a lovely experience! I came here to celebrate with my boyfriend, and everything--from the friendly servers to the cozy atmosphere to the delicious food--brought back such wonderful nostalgia for classic American Italian restaurants. We especially loved the fresh bread at the beginning, and our server was so kind to split our entrées for us. I can't wait to come back! read more

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I wanted to like this place much more than I did, unfortunately. When we arrived, we had to wait a bit for a table so they had us have a seat at the bar. There was only one other couple there, so we felt like we needed to order a drink right away so the bartender didn't have to lose money on the spots we were taking up, so we ordered. After the drink was made we *immediately* were told our table was ready and had to quickly get and pay our bar check to move to table while the host stood by waiting behind us. Felt weird. The dining experience itself reminded me of a fancy cruise ship -- lots of drapery, very dim lights, and nobody under the age of fifty. Our waiter was very passionate about his service and the menu but it felt like he was putting on a lengthy and intense sales pitch/monologue every time he would stop by which made us kinda uncomfy. Support staff like bussers and food runners were very attentive and on top of things. Now the important part: the food! Calamari was great. Hot, crispy, and not rubbery. It normally comes with smelts too which I am not a fan of and our server was able to request the dish be made with just calamari which I really appreciated. The bread they bring to the table was awesome. And both mine and my husband's pasta were good, a bit mushy, but just not anything special. We may have just been in on an off night but with all of the amazing Italian food in the area we will probably skip this one in the future. read more

Be aware. We both ordered a cup of soup and were charged $32. $16 a cup! I asked the waiter to check and he said the price was correct. It was a "soup of the day" and therefore not on the menu so I didn't see a price. I don't ordinarily question a price but I think people should be informed when a cup of soup costs $16. I may ask the price of a meal that's a special but didn't think to do it for a cup of soup; therefore, my mistake in that regard. I would not have had the soup if I had known the price. I wouldn't rush back after this experience. BTW it had no seafood (think lobster). It had a small amount of chicken. read more

We celebrated a birthday this past weekend and the team at IL Bel Lago did not disappoint! From the seafood ravioli to the veal caprese to the tiramisu....everything was wonderful! The staff and service is top notch and a great place for a special occasion but get a reservation! read more

Came for HH last night, and ended up evolving into casual dinner at the bar! Their happy hour is fantastic and goes until 7, great for those who can't typically get off work before 5. You sit in the bar area to take advantage. Last night was especially busy and short staffed, but our waitress was phenomenal despite running around like crazy and also making all the drinks. We were so impressed! She still managed to make recommendations, whip out drinks and refresh our glasses, and squeeze wayyy too many happy hour apps and a giant charcuterie board onto our tiny table. The board was beautiful, the mini crab cakes were delish and made of quality lump crab meat, and the meatballs were perfect. We want to come back to try more, but the portions were so generous we had no more room in our bellies (or on the table). I'll also have to come back for the full menu, so many tasty looking options. read more

Il Bel Lago - Antipasto - Italian Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

We just tried this spot for the first time and really enjoyed it! The food was delicious, we ordered Lobster Ravioli, the house salad, cheese ravioli, surf and turf, and chocolate cake. It is definitely on the expensive side. The service was slow, especially with the restaurant being half empty. read more

Il Bel Lago - Italian Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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My boyfriend and I usually come in on week nights when it's not super busy and we grab seats in the bar. The food is always delicious, I especially love the house salad. They have great happy hour prices and options that can't be beat and the bar is an elevated bar experience. We recently went on a Friday without reservations thinking we could also just grab a seat at the bar or a bar table. When we walked in and told the host how many, the guy was not super nice. He was a little off putting and was sending us away. When we mentioned the bar he just shooed us into that space. It took like 30 minutes for someone to come over to the bar table. We were with my daughter and she was starving. I could tell the bartender was over worked and they were under staffed. It was not our greatest time being there, but we've had many great experiences there. My main point for bringing this up is to tell you this is not a place to wing it for a Friday or Saturday night dinner. But it's a delicious spot and we will be back for a better experience that we're used to here! read more

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As "fancy" as this restaurant is trying to be, it does not succeed. They have white tablecloths, nice silverware, & fabric napkins, but that doesn't make up for the lack of service. My colleague and I visited this restaurant this past Thursday evening for dinner. We ordered drinks to start, and then an appetizer. When we were ready to order our entrees, we each stated which entree, and the waiter said "what kind of salad would you like with your entree - Caesar, Italian, house, etc.". So we ordered a Caesar salad for each of us. Now, we didn't think anything of it because this is typical of an Italian restaurant to offer a side salad when you order an entree. Well, to start, our appetizer never came out, only the salads. We mentioned something to the staff, both during the meal and when the checks came, but the waiter never said anything, and no apology either. When we received our 2 separate checks, we noticed we each were charged $14 for a small/side Caesar salad. Absolutely ridiculous that the salad cost over half of what our entree cost. I wish the waiter hadn't forgotten our appetizer, and I certainly wished he hadn't made it seem like a salad was included with the entree. Be aware of that up charge. I travel a lot for work, and I will make sure to cross this place off my list for good next time I'm in St. Louis. There are far better Italian spots over in The Hill neighborhood, with better service and better prices. read more

I planned a dinner for the Black Women in St. Louis social group at this restaurant. First of all, booking the reservation was simple and painless. When the party arrived we were immediately seated and didn't have to wait for our whole party- this was amazing. Our waiter answered all of our questions about the food and drinks. He was able to make sure that our glasses stayed full all night. The food was aesthetically pleasing but it wasn't great. The customer service was top tier though and I would return for drinks and the ambiance alone. read more

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Attended a surprise birthday celebration here with about 20 others from children to parents and grandparents. The food and service were excellent. read more

I really enjoyed this place. First time here. The pasta was delicious. The $14 Cesar side salad was small and expensive. I will go here again, but will make sure I pay attention to what I'm ordering. read more

Il Bel Lago - Italian Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

In town on business for a few nights I targeted Il Bel Lago. They had a couple of dishes I could eat (no carbs). First night had the Involtini di Pollo (stuffed chicken) and it was very tasty. It was a late night dinner (8:30) but they were still cooking and I was starving. As I was finishing up my meal, I had trouble cutting my last few bites, found the chicken at the thicker end of the breast raw. I was not able to finish my meal (and I needed it). Tried again a couple nights later at a reasonable time but the place was packed with three large parties. I had the stuffed pork chop - bone on and the order came out in reasonable time. Same stuffing and toppings as the chicken breast so pleased with the taste. As I got to my last couple of bites towards the bone side of the chop, it was raw. Couldn't believe it. I mentioned the chicken to the server and she showed concern but her manager had just left for the night. I didn't bother mentioning it the second time. Wanted to rate this place higher as they do everything right but what a disappointment at the end of each meal. read more

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Came here with my mom and wife last Saturday night to celebrate my mother's 60th birthday. It does get busy so I would recommend making a reservation in advance. There was a short wait for our table but it wasn't too bad and the waitstaff wee friendly. My mom never heard of this place even though she only lives ten minutes away but I do remember my grandfather (her dad) discussing it shortly after it opened. It is run by two sons of the Giovanni's founder who had a restaurant in the Hill that former presidents frequented which included both Bushes (although the younger may have dined here), Ronald Reagan (who they catered to for his inauguration, Clinton, and I think JFK as well. The ambience is fancy so I would recommend dressing at least business casual. They put out plates on the table that they collect upon taking your order which is a Sicilian custom. It was slightly noisy but conversations can still be had. The meal started with tasty bread and oil. We then for our appetizer course had the Margarita Flatbread and the Eggplant "Short Stack" Milanese which were both very delicious. For entrees we shared President Reagan's Bowtie pasta with smoked salmon, and the Fish Special of the Day which was Red Snapper. They were both wonderful but we particularly loved the pasta the pasta the most. They then gave a complimentary slice of Tiramisu for my mom's birthday with a candle which was yummy too. Our server was also amazing. The bill was slightly over 100 which is not bad given we are used to DC prices and we only drank water. We certainly recommend this place for anyone looking for a nice meal in West County. Also, if anyone has not made a list of restaurants where the presidents dined or ordered from or their former locations, I should make one and add Il Bel Lago. read more

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We came here for our company holiday dinner. For an upscale Italian restaurant, we were disappointed. There seems to be a general lack of service and flow to things/courses. Typos on the seasonal drink menu. Drink menu doesn't include all of them, there's a separate dessert menu that has other drinks. We were aware of that until the end. Had to ask for refills on drinks and then waited for them. Had a server tell us that they were board since it was so slow, so it wasn't a staffing issue. Had 2 vegetarians in our party, server was told this, and took our order for appetizers. Ordered the burrata to share. Listed as on a bed of arugula with figs. Missing that it also comes on a plate half covered with ham. Not suitable for vegetarians and not listed on the menu. No manager visit to check and see if everything was ok. I walked to the bar to check on drink options and had to wait for a server and the host to end a conversation and let me pass to get back to our table. Every dessert had sliced berries on it. Cannoli? Berries. Ice cream? Berries. Tiramisu? You guessed it, berries. A bit odd. Food tasted great, but the experience was so off putting that the person taking us out felt embarrassed by it all. Looks like it should be a great fancy date night or business dinner place, but I'm not sure I would go back given the cost, which was substantial. read more

Il Bel Lago - Lobster dish - Italian Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

We came in for New Year's Eve dinner and they had a limited menu. Normally I'd not mind, but they only had one vegetarian option on the entire menu and wouldn't allow us to order anything from the regular menu. Had we known it was limited, we'd have selected a different restaurant. The limited menu was not noted on the website (not updated since July), social media or on Open Table. The server was nice, but he wasn't attentive. He never offered a wine/drink list or the menu; we had to ask for the dinner menus (that's when we discovered the limited foods. Once served, he didn't return to refill waters or check on our needs nor did the support staff. In fact, the server stood looking at our empty glasses and I had to request additional beverages & waters. The restaurant ambiance is pretty and the food presentation was very nice, however the portion of the entree size lobster ravioli was laughable. The bread was so tough you could hardly take a bite. The eggplant dish was served cold and the eggplant slices were extremely thin and rubbery. Our party was extremely disappointed from the moment we were seated until the left. We really wanted to enjoy it, but there was absolutely nothing positive to celebrate, especially on an anticipated holiday evening. Perhaps the experience would have been different if we went at a different time. read more

I went here with a large group from work. Last minute they were able to accommodate us in a separate room. They took 3 appetizers and plated them so everyone got a plate with a piece of each. Delicious. The red wine was tasty. The 4 cheese pasta was amazing. Great service. read more

First stop after landing in St. Louis for my cousin's wedding - after some very early AM flights, my folks and my brother stopped in for lunch (breakfast for some of us). Ambiance is very nice, elegant...numerous wine racks in plain sight. Broad lunch menu - from panini's to pasta to salads or swordfish, so varying appetites are all accounted for. Thinking that it was going to be an indulgent weekend, I guess we all actually all opted for salads. But did shy away from the table bread basket...delicious...and great for salads. My brother opted for the Grilled Tenderloin Salad with Blue Cheese (Mixed greens, red peppers, red onion and crumbled blue cheese with slices of grilled tenderloin tossed in our house made Balsamic vinaigrette) and he actually said it was one of the best salads he'd had...he was vocally pleased lol. My folks and I went with the Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad (Mixed greens, thinly sliced chicken breast, grapes, spicy pecans, Gorgonzola, with herb vinaigrette) and we were all very pleased with the choice - filling, flavors all worked very well together. All in all, a very solid start to our vacation/wedding weekend. Would definitely go back if in town again. read more

Il Bel Lago - Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad - Italian Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Don't get the sea bass.. my husband asked should he get the bass or a pasta waiter said you can get pasta anytime. It wasn't very exciting. Kinda bland flavor and the crab on top was cold. Oh and it was $58. Definitely up sold us there. Should have asked the price on the special. I got the presidential bow tie and while it was good nothing to write home about. Service kind of slow too. Never came over to check on us while we were eating, sitting around waiting for the check. This was for 2 people. read more

They were packed and still I give high ratings on the noise level. Our service was outstanding. We started with ceasar salads that were on point. The pork loin was recommended and did not disappoint. read more

Outstanding food and 1st class service. It is more than just a great place to have a cocktail during happy hour.

After traveling extensively over the last 35 years of my life for business as well as pleasure, I have had the privilege and opportunity to dine at some of the finest restaurants. Ive been to Il Bel Lago many times, and each and every time is a first class experience! The restaurant is beautifully decorated with a modern and tasteful touch of class. The food is simply amazing. One of my favorite dishes on the Italian menu is Veal Saltimboca, and no one does it better that Chef Gabriele! If you are ever in the mood for something special, just ask...as they will typically accommodate your requests. From pasta to traditional to chicken and seafood....I have tried it all, and this restaurant simply does it well and with class. It is no wonder, as their father is the world renowned Giovanni Gabriele who had Giovanni's on the Hill for many years, serving some of the world's most well known celebrities and politicians alike. If you are looking for a TRUE and AUTHENTIC taste of Italy, Frank & Carmelo Gabriele from Il Bel Lago will make you forget you are in America for the time you are with them. read more

I have to apologize, I have walked past this restaurant probably hundreds of times before I went here, and I should have gone here much sooner. This is a hidden gem! You walk in and you are "in" a fine restaurant on the Hill! Fantastic Italian food start to finish, dedicated, super nice servers, delicious food - you will want to come back! read more

I can't recommend this restaurant enough! If you want authentic Italian food, this is your place! Every dish is perfect and delicious! The staff all are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. The chef is absolutely amazing and makes sure your meal is prepared exactly how you requested. Family owned and run, this is a must try for anyone who loves Italian food! Make sure to get a brown squirrel dessert drink! read more

Recently a colleague mention IBL as their go-to for special occasions. We had never tried it before so we went for lunch. Partaking is definitely a challenge. The kit is small and tight for SUV. However, the food was the reward for our patients in the parking lot. We had the cannelloni, the Caesar salad and the chicken Parmesan. It was all fresh, perfectly cooked and with impeccable flavors. Really something special with obviously higher quality ingredients. Service was fast and helpful at one of the bar tables. We can't wait to return. read more

Great food, great service (waiter). Host (male) seemed a little morose, but perked up when we left!!