Reasonably priced and quality food! The staff are very friendly and welcoming. It was so busy when we went there and I am glad we had a reservation! read more

Finally, we ate all. No food left over. They were my our belly happy. Food were good as sane as the services. read more

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I had heard that Il Davide was the best place to get Italian in our area, and it did not disappoint. For me, what really makes a great Italian spot is the incredible, warm- make you feel like you're in an Italian grandmother's kitchen- type of service. And of course the food. This place had both. Our server was warm, attentive and had great suggestions for us. I had the veal piccata and my husband had the gnocchi, and we loved both dishes. I love that they have a great variety of wines and in all price ranges. We landed on a delicious bottle of Nero d'Avola for around $50- they didn't have the year we ordered but gave us the pricier bottle for the original price. My only suggestion is to not make the mistake that I did filling up on the bread because the dessert menu looked incredible. I can't wait to come back. read more

Il Davide - Vttello Piccata in front, Oxtail Gnocchi in back - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

one of my new favorite Italian restaurant in Marin. we loved everything in the menu! great job! read more

Il Davide - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

Absolutely love their clam chowder on Fridays... Oh the rest of their food is top rate too

Well, here I am again visiting my beloved northern California and Il Davide. It was so great to see the staff again last night. It's like coming home! Last night I ordered where my top favorites the sole in white wine butter sauce. Before l leave, I'm going back and order something different. I promise. There are so many excellent things to choose from that it is actually very hard. What a wonderful dilemma to face every time I am blessed to come here. read more

A disappointing evening. Brother and SIL were in town for a visit and asked about dining here. In the past, when I've eaten here, it was brilliant. Not sure if they have slipped or just happened to be an off night. Service was awful. We had a reservation and were seated timely. Took the server over 1/2 hour to acknowledge us. They screwed up my brother and SIL's order and it took another 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to replace it. My salmon was fine but not great. Lasagna was decent, but not great. Son really did not care for the salad with beets. I was never asked again if I wanted a refill on my drink. We were there three hours and 7 people cost $57 each for mediocre food and lousy service, no starters, 1 bottle of vino and no desserts. Not sure I'll gamble with a visit here again. read more

Outstanding service. The owner has a big heart and is always donating his time and service to worthy charities. This is the BEST restaurant by far in Marin County. The Best Chef, Best food. Lovely setting. Great for lunch, romantic dinner, celebrations, business meetings lunches. Great wine list too. read more

For the price, we honestly were not impressed. I came here years ago and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Maybe I ordered the wrong items but, 3/4 people at your table were disappointed. We had the raviolis and they were lackluster. Maybe they specialize better in their other pasta dishes or their meat dishes. I'm unsure. Also be aware, we ordered the vegan risotto dish with mushrooms for one of our friends and were charged $32!! It was the most expensive dish of the night and it was a simple dish of rice and mushrooms. Couldn't believe it. read more

Good food, professionally prepared and served is fairly priced and well worth a visit if you haven't been there. The pastas are made there and are served mildly Al denté-perfect. The seafood is fresh and not overcooked. Servings are generous and the locally baked French bread is served with fresh and wonderfully tasty olive oil. Lots of available outside eating on the sidewalk on A Street in San Rafael. We last went on a hot evening and were delighted to find that the air conditioning was absolutely comfortable! Truly, a local treasure in San Rafael. read more

Great service on a packed restaurant on a rainy night. Five of us enjoyed the ambiance and delicious food at this long time local favorite dining spot. We started with drinks and then enjoyed Caesar and house special salads dressed just right. Of course, we also enjoyed the complimentary French bread and olive oil with our salads. It was then on to grilled halibut (for three in our group) that sat on a polenta wedge and perfectly cooked vegetables. One guest had a large delicious order of lasagna and my butter squash raviolis were the best I've been served in a restaurant. The sauce was what put it over the top! We ended our dinner splitting the special chocolate brownie topped with ice cream and swimming in a tasty kahlua topping. The second dessert was an outstanding lemon tart that was a huge hit with everyone. Yes, it was a great evening and one that filled our stomachs!!! read more

Take this review with a grain of salt. I feel compelled by yelp more than anything to write this review because they keep pester me and I only have gotten take out from Il Davide. That being said the take out I did get was horrible it was actually inedible. My girlfriend, her sister and I threw out the food and cooked something else at home. The people seemed nice but nothing specially general fine service but again we were just picking up and the restaurant itself seemed to have a cute romantic atmosphere and maybe it is better when you eat there so again take this with a grain of salt and I would be willing to try a meal there but never again take out! read more

It was late, we were tired, and there isn't much open in Marin on a weekday evening. Fortunately Yelp led us to Il Davide. Everything we ate was excellent. Portions were not huge, but with the richness of the food they were more than adequate. I was a bit taken aback by the creamy sauce on my sole, but it was so good that I quickly adapted. This isn't not your average spaghetti and meatballs type of place. For us this seems like more of an "occasion" type of place. (And we are planning many occasions.) The service was excellent. We're looking forward to future visits. read more

It's in a super convenient location right in the heart of downtown San Rafael but still is able to maintain a lively atmosphere and relatively easy parking. I have been going here for decades and never have had a bad meal. Highly recommend! read more

The food is very good - calamari is so crispy. Clam linguine is flavorful with lots of clam. Salad is refreshing. Atmosphere is very good. It has a relax vibe to feel cozy. The service is very good too. read more

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Delicious! Great service, kind personnel. Owner definitely attentive to the service and care of customers. It's one of our favorites!

Never disappoints. Excellent food. Maybe the table for two could be a bit larger but intimate is good?!

Reserved a table for a friends birthday and as we're sitting the owner stops by to greet us and starts the celebration with a complimentary appetizer. A very classy move which can be said about this whole establishment. The low lighting ambiance is charming and pleasant with sitting outside available. The main courses are truly worth every bite. A top tier dining experience in Marin County. read more

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We have now gone back to Il Davide twice, and has absolutely spectacular experiences both times. The food is amazing (and their clam chowder is best in the county) and the service was wonderful and inviting and just a great time. We now consider this our "special occasion" restaurant when we need a special place to celebrate something special. read more

I use to love this place. Have been there twice in the last few months and both times there was a really long wait between the salad and main course. Tables that sat down after us were served their meals before us. When we got the food it was cold. The waiter did take off 2 dishes from the bill. Am a bit leery to go back. On a positive note the food is very good. read more

Favorite Italian restaurant in SR. Good cocktails and pasta. Solid spot and nice outdoor dining in the warmer months read more

Il Davide - Gnocchi dl Manzo - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Do not get the Cacio e Pepe if you are expecting a rich, creamy cheese sauce (how it is supposed to be). Unfortunately it was more like melted butter sprinkled with pepper and pecorino. Very disappointing for an almost $30 plate. And I was expecting actual roasted beets on the Mediterranean salad like the menu stated, but clearly received canned beets. read more

II Davide is a rare gem. Rare. Here me out: The the food/menu is decidedly 5 star, however the ambiance is friendly and whatever the antonym is for stuffy (?). Dare I say it? Dare I even think that a high end restaurant in Marin could be, gasp, neighborly? Lovely patrons and a refreshing staff who actually seem interested in making sure its patrons enjoy their experience. Highly professional, efficient and engaging. Food was exceptional -I had the sea bass special and he had the short ribs over gnocchi. Delicious. A special shout out to Matthew who managed to address about seven people talking at him while he was trying to seat those with reservations and answering the phone. I was one of those extra seven lingering about, thinking that surely somehow he would manifest a table for me. That did not happen. However, he handled the chaos with such aplomb that it was hard not to notice Will definitely be back. Highly recommend. read more

Incredible Italian food! Their house made pasta is delicious every time. Il Davide has definitely become one of our favorite restaurants in Marin. read more

Il Davide - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

The best Italian restaurant in Main and a top pick in the North Bay. David is not only a stellar chef/owner but a community champion.

David catered our wedding several weeks ago at the Outdoor Art Club and it was better than we could have expected. The entire process was so thorough. He offered a free food and cocktail tasting before we committed to anything, and three bites in we knew he was our pick. He took care of all of our rentals and got a fabulous price. The actual wedding was flawless. His staff was professional and took care of everything. We got more compliments on the food from our guests than anyone at our wedding and almost everyone went back for seconds! I would absolutely recommend David & Il Davide if you're looking for a wedding caterer. read more

WORK LUNCHES: truly a gem in San Rafael. A lovely Italian restaurant .They have the white linen the service and the menu . I ordered the Sole lightly battered with mixed veggies . This was a to go order and it was served was served with bread rolls. Yummy moist fish was moist and veggies were crisp! Can I add that service was great ! Now I can't wait to go back for inside or outside dinning for the full experience read more

Il Davide - SoglIola Dorata - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

Couldn't recommend a restaurant more! the food and drinks were absolutely delicious, the atmosphere was lively, our server was on point & the owner himself showed the upmost hospitality. 10/10 highly recommend! read more

Absolutely delicious! I highly recommend the sweet corn ravioli. Beautiful restaurant with very friendly staff.

Stopped by Il Davide for dinner while driving through San Rafael. It had great reviews and we wanted something comforting, so Italian sounded perfect. The atmosphere is a bit more traditional with white tablecloths, and it seemed like many parties were there for special occasions, but we didn't feel super out of place with our casual clothes. They have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. They brought out free bread for our table, which was nice - I feel like you don't see that a lot these days, but this restaurant seemed very traditional. We ordered the short rib ragu gnocchi and the ravioli combinara. Out of the two dishes, the gnocchi was definitely my favorite. The short rib ragú was super flavorful with plenty of chunks of meat, and the gnocchi was soft and pillowy. It's a very generous portion too, I had to get a box to take home. Great service as well, the staff was all very attentive. I'd definitely come back for the gnocchi! read more

Il Davide - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Hope you like polenta -- and lotsof it! A disappointing meal with quantity of food over finesse or quality of preparation. Not what we expected at this restaurant. The waiter was cheerful, but provided poor guidance on the preparation and ingredients in our dishes , and he became irritating during the meal, asking us four times "how we liked the food. " Panvetta Wrapped shrimp sounded good, but came covered in a heavy cream sauce, and on a bed of polenta. It had good flavor, but a very heavy preparation that overwhelmed the shrimp. Spare ribs also sounded good, we had had them recently at a catered event. This restaurant had catered. here it also came on another bed of polenta, with way too much of a decent red wine based sauce. Grilled salmon sounded good, but was overwhelmed with garnishes on top, and came-- yes again-- another bed of polenta, which was then covered with a cream sauce and olive oil, which in turn sat on top of the fresh, steamed vegetables. it was a mess altogether, very heavy and almost impossible to eat. Would've been really nice if the waiter had said to us "every dish we're ordering is coming with with Polenta", and when we ordered a side of vegetables if he had said, "those exact vegetables are being served with your salmon. " Just the basic menu guidance from a waiter is needed and expected -- so you don't have to ask 20 questions to find out what each dish is like and whether your selections go together well, or are repetitive, or are based on cream sauces that you would never choose if you were aware, especially with poor menu descriptions. 0verall The food quality was moderate, in every case. the pasta dish with seafood was overwhelmingly large. It appeared to be about three servings of pasta with mixed seafood piled on top, and the tomato sauce, was a tomato sauce based on cream. Rather heavy. We had to ask for an extra bowl to unload half the pasta before eating. Very heavy-handed treatment. More is not always better. Wish they focused a little bit more on finesse and quality of preparation. It's a nice atmosphere, but much of the food, especially the pasta, is exactly what you might prepare at home or if you're even a moderately good cook. Appetizers $18 each, entrées, $37 each, and at those prices, in san Rafael, we really expect better quality and higher end cuisine. The restaurant was very crowded by 6:30 so obviously a lot of people liked this, you just need to decide whether it's really what you want, or not. Marin county is a bit of a culinary wasteland .......But shouldn't have to settle for this at these prices. I would not return. read more

The best Marin has to offer. Food is dependably delicious. Lots of care and talent in preparation. Knowledgeable bar as well. Has a mildly romantic European vibe. You won't be disappointed. read more

I went to this cosy little Italian restaurant in downtown San Rafael yesterday with a few of my colleagues. First of all the location, the lights, the decoration, was so cosy, all Christmassy and it had nice heaters which made the cold evening a beautiful time at the restaurant. We ordered some red wine, medium full, bodied, merlot and had the fried calamari and salad for starters. Then followed it up with their special fried chicken, marinara sauce and spaghetti. My colleagues got some fetucinnie with alfredo cream cheese. With family style and every dish - was something to remember by. We loves all the dishes . Will Definitely come back here. Highly recommended for anybody looking for Italian food in san Rafael, north of San Francisco. read more

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Never disappointing. Food is a little heavy for me, but the Caesar salad with scallops is my favorite. It's a large generous salad with an equally generous serving of perfectly cooked scallops. That and a crisp white wine is heavenly! Next time I'll take a photo. ;) read more

There are many things I love about this place. I have ordered a variety of pasta dishes and enjoyed every one of them. Each has its own character. All are nicely balanced and delicious. We like to eat midday so I don't know what evenings are like but in the afternoon the pacing is relaxed and welcoming. We love the wine list. I have probably drank too much here because the wine is so good. Dessert has always been a very satisfying finish, too. My wife and I have a tradition of ordering the calamari appetizer wherever we go if it is on the menu. Il Davide serves succulent calamari with a light and crispy batter on the outside. It's great. read more

Il Davide - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

Food was delicious! Service was great too. Pasta was cooked to perfection and the vibe of the restaurant is very romantic and cozy

Il Davide is an excellent restaurant, and we were fortunate to have David cater our wedding! From the start David was very accommodating, flexible, and helped put us at ease for our big day and make things easy on us. He brought a team to help us transition our space and set up, and when it unexpectedly decided to rain on us, they worked through the weather and set up beautiful tables for our guests. Now of course the food, delicious as always, guests were very pleased and enjoyed all the dishes. People have definitely brought up the meal in the following weeks and I know a few have had to stop by the restaurant for another round! Il Davide is wonderful to eat at, or to host or cater your event, you will have a fantastic meal to remember! read more

Talk about being late to the party! I have lived in The North Bay for 16 years. Only last week I lunched at Il Davide for the very first time. Oh Ambrosia! Oh delectable delights! Oh Italia! Our entire party was thrilled and delighted with the food, the service, the ambiance, the restaurant. Among my guests was the scion of a Southern Italian restaurant family. She felt whole again. Did I misuse the word scion? read more

Had an early dinner here. Parked across the street, but saw the meter person go around at least twice during our meal. Really enjoyed the restaurant. It's an interesting space - the high ceilings make it feel spacious. We ordered 3 appetizers - bruschetta with butternut squash, meatballs and a mushroom truffle tart and 3 entrees - chicken parmigiana, lamb stew and braised short ribs with polenta. 2 desserts - coconut lemon tart and cherry/pear bread pudding. Everything was very delicious and the service was super attentive. We'll be back in a few weeks for a birthday dinner! read more

Food is great and reasonably priced. They have many menu options but their homemade pasta should be the go to! The texture and flavor is perfect and the ambiance makes you feel at home. We also tried some of the appetizers (burrata, tarta di porri, bruschetta), the salad and the triple chocolate brownie. The service is very friendly and accommodating. read more