We had a wonderful Monday Happy Hour! The food and drinks were delicious and we had a lovely waitperson named Emma who was absolutely wonderful! Highly recommended! read more

1. Ample covered parking. 2. Great location in Del Mar. 3. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Spacious restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 4. Solid food and quick service. 5. Prices are fair for Del Mar, especially considering the quality of the food and the restaurant's prime location. 6. SERVICE: Our server, Emigerta, was wonderful. A couple with a young child was seated next to our table. Both adults were rude from the get go, seemed upset before they even arrived at the restaurant, and were very demanding. Their child was also extremely active. Despite the challenging situation, Emigerta never lost her composure. On the contrary, she remained calm, patient, professional, and attentive throughout. I left the restaurant genuinely admiring her poise and outstanding customer service. When you visit, ask for Emigerta--you won't be disappointed. read more

Il Fornaio is currently offering a pasta trio as a Tuesday special. My husband and I tried it at lunchtime yesterday. What a lovely experience! [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated immediately on arrival, and were seated at a prime table on their glass-enclosed terrace which offers a limited but nice view of the water and surf at Del Mar.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was prompt, attentive, and knowledgeable. And the pastas-- wonderful! Cooked to perfection (al dente), and cloaked in three masterfully done sauces. The trio comprised rigatoni in vodka sauce with bacon, corkscrews with pesto and shrimp, and tagliatelle Bolognese. Delicious! Great job, Il Fornaio! read more

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I tried this place for the first time on 4/12/26. Food was good but not spectacular, in my opinion. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The view and ambience on the covered patio, on the other hand, were beautiful. You get a great view of the ocean, which was breathtaking.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is within walking distance of the ocean, which is an added plus if you come here for a date.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was good too. My partner and I ordered the AGNELLO AL LIMONE, LINGUINE CON FIORI DI ZUCCHINE, and CESTINO DEL PANE. We liked the Agnello al limone. The lamb shank was soft and flavorful. The linguine was okay. Portion sizes were kind of small for the price, especially with the additional surcharge of 3% that is separate from gratuity. I was not a fan of the cestino del pane either. The olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette were fresh and very good, but the bread itself was hard and did not stand out in flavor. read more

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Absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. I had the bolognese and my fiancé ordered the vodka pasta--both dishes were rich, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. You can really tell the kitchen puts care into every detail. What made the night truly special was the service. Gilbert went above and beyond to make our evening memorable. We were celebrating our 5-year anniversary, and he surprised us with a delicious strawberry ice cream dessert, which was such a thoughtful touch. Between the amazing food and outstanding service, this place exceeded all expectations. Highly recommend and we'll definitely be coming back! read more

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It was my first time dining at Il Fornaio Del Mar for dinner, as I had only visited previously for happy hour. Tonight, Franco provided outstanding service to our group of more than 15 guests in a private dining room. He was the perfect combination of professional and personable. His tone was mellow and genuine, and he handled the evening with ease. Despite managing a large group, he was attentive to every single guest, always with a warm smile. His hard work and positive attitude truly elevated the entire experience. While the food was exceptional, the service was what truly stood out. I highly recommend the Chicken Marsala or the salmon. Both were beautifully prepared and full of flavor. We ended the evening with tiramisu (which I took to go), and I'm already looking forward to enjoying it tomorrow read more

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I've dined here twice and have enjoyed both visits. The first time was for dinner awhile back and I had the following: -Margarita Italiano -Spiced spritz -Polpettine -Fiori di zucca -Rigatoni vodka -Spumone gelato Our server gave meh service, which was a bummer because everything else was really good. More recently I returned and dined outside by the bar. I love frequenting their location in Las Vegas, so was looking forward to giving them another shot. I had their pizza which was scrumptious and familiar along with their cocktails. For drinks I tried their Margarita Italiano and the Milano Mule subbing tequila. The ambiance was gorgeous on the warm evening I dined here! It was after sunset and the service was wonderful with the rooftop bustling with many folks around from most likely the nearby Farmer's Open, but overall much more better than my previous trip. I look forward to returning again soon. 4.5 Stars! read more

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Been coming here for years. They're always consistent and great value for the amount of food you receive. Their service has always been impeccable from the 13 years I've been dining here. Tonight, I decided to order take-out. Mario I believe was his name is who took my order and he was soooo friendly! When I arrived, my food (ordered Rigatoni Alla Vodka - sub Penne instead for gluten free pasta) and it was delicious. The restaurant is clean and maintained very well. They have an outdoor patio & plenty of indoor seating as well. Great bar area. Great staff. Great food. read more

Il Fornaio - Rigatoni alla Vodka but I subbed it w Penne (gluten free pasta avail) and added chicken (extra charge) - Italian Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Came here for date night I would definitely say the ambiance and service is great. A busy plaza with a nice view overlooking the ocean (even thought it was dark haha). I would say that is the main attraction of this place as opposed to the quality of food. The pizza would be a 4/5. The crust was chewy and the toppings flavorful. The calamari and pasta were average. Nothing too special. The chicken in the pasta was overcooked. read more

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Had such a great experience here. The food was honestly amazing. Everything we ordered came out fresh, flavorful, and just really well done. You can tell they put care into what they serve. What really stood out though was the service. Bernardo was exceptional from start to finish. He was super attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed without being overbearing. It made the whole experience even better. Definitely coming back and would recommend to anyone looking for good food and great service. read more

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Birthday celebration with friends and Il Fornaio saved us!! I had planned to be at Monarch with a party of 10 and was told 3 1/2 hour wait! I was shocked and didnt know what to do... headed to other options like bar top area or ??? I'd never been here, they were very busy too but I explained my situation and after clearing some tables II Fornaio took us right in and saved the day... the food was delicious, the service was great, ambiance was perfect and we caught the sunset, and they brought ice cream to sing happy birthday. Thank you!! read more

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I think the last time I ate at an I'll Fornaio was back in the '90s in Manhattan Beach (on Rosecrans)! I came here Monday for a business dinner and I was at first surprised that my client picked it. Il Formaio, for some reason or other, just wasn't what I pictured as a fine Italian eatery. Maybe because it's a chain...maybe because, despite it standing the test of time, it just seemed like a worn out option or maybe it's because when my friends chose to meet here for dinner in the 90's I was either dieting or broke and ordered only water! Seriously, I know I'd been a few times because it was fresh and new back then, but I was a weirdo and never actually ordered the food! Well, I now know what I was missing! The location in Del Mar is quite nice inside and the patio on the side is lovely, affording a nice view of the ocean, especially to the north. It wasn't crowded at all on a Monday at 5:15pm & we were seated quickly. Bernardo was our very nice, professional and attentive waiter. We ordered & enjoyed a couple of rounds of cocktails ($16/each). My client had ordered and really enjoyed the rigatoni a la vodka (with bacon / $23) there earlier in the week so I couldn't resist ordering the same. My client ordered the Caesar Salad ($15) and I ordered the grilled octopus starter ($22). The octopus was amazing and had a lot of flavor accompanying it. The Rigatoni was as promised; cooked perfectly al dente with lots of yummy flavor...the bacon was amazing. My only comment would be to change the description from "bacon" to like "speck" because this wasn't any old BLT or breakfast bacon! Highly recommend...and ask for Bernardo; he was fantastic! read more

Il Fornaio - Polipo Starter $22 (Octopus) - Delish and very flavorful - Italian Near Me - Del Mar, California

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]We had an excellent lunch with a million dollar view.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I had the Linguini Mare Chilaro. A very generous portion of pasta, 3 Shrimp, 3 scallops, mussels and clams in a delicious red wine sauce. Others had the Chicken Fungi and Polo Parmesan. All excellent. Our server, Rafael, was very informative about the specials, engaging and attentive. All to say, a wonderful experience. read more

Amazing food & service by Franco. Highly recommend vodka rigatoni pasta. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Pretty sunset view & golden hour.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Absolutely amazing service from Emma. She was so positive and helpful. She went above and beyond by helping my friend get a stain out of her dress. Great drinks and food and even better service. The fried zucchini was amazing. read more

Beautiful view and great service, but the food itself as just mid. The highlight of this restaurant is definitely the view. If you're able to sit outside on the patio around sunset, it's absolutely stunning and makes the whole experience worth it. The atmosphere is really relaxing and scenic, and the staff were attentive, friendly, and provided excellent service throughout the meal. The food portions were generous, but the dishes themselves were a bit under seasoned and didn't fully live up to the price point. It felt slightly overpriced for the overall quality, especially considering how many amazing Italian restaurants there are in San Diego. I would definitely recommend making a reservation in advance to secure an outdoor patio table for sunset. Overall, I'd recommend it if you're in the area and want a beautiful view and good service, but if you're prioritizing the best Italian food, there are better options in SD. read more

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Nice ambiance. Good service and friendly staff. Food was alright. We attended a holiday party so food was buffet style and was ok. Will have to come back to try a meal. read more

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AMAZING SERVICE! Bartender was very friendly. Made great drinks and had awesome suggestions. Tried Pizza Fradiavola with no sausage and it was great! Also tried the pistachio pesto pasta and it was ok, kinda dry but with shrimp it was good. Great spot for nice views, good drinks/food and service. read more

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Emma! Thank you so much for the best service! We had a great time with our family and friends from GCU visiting. Your service was top notch. Thank you so much, Emma read more

Went for lunch. I got the fusilloni. I really like alfredo with individual pastas so I was biased to like this. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The views were absolutely beautiful with the ocean in the background.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was a bit slow. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I liked the diner layout of the interior.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]There was also an outdoor patio area to sit with shade and heating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Emma is the best waitress/bartender ener. Love the place and their great happy hour. The food is great and the service, including the manager, is fantastic. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance is amazing, food is mid though.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The ONLY thing that was worth eating again was the gnocchi appetizer. That alone could be an entrée. It's so good. Very creamy, the cheese is high-quality, the pasta is cooked to perfection, and the mushrooms had a nice flavor. My friend got the pizza and one of their pasta entrée dishes..the pizza was dry and felt very thrown together as if I went to pieology or blaze. The pasta was OK, you could easily make the same at home or even go to Olive Garden and probably get a more satisfying dish. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is definitely a place you book for special occasions because of the ambience, rather than the food (4 tables around me were celebrating birthdays, and one was celebrating a graduation)[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Bernardo gave us great service! We enjoyed the time and he was very professional, kind and helpful. Beautiful ocean view. read more

Fernando was the best bartender/server we could have ever imagined. He was gentle, extremely polite and attentive. Our experience here was 10/10. Food was ehh...ok! However, we will recommend based on service. TY' read more

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We enjoyed an afternoon having a couple of glasses of wine, an amazing view and excellent service! We had a lovely happy hour appetizer and loved a leisurely afternoon! read more

We had an amazing evening at I'll Fornaio. We had two servers, Emma and Yao they were fabulous! Both were so friendly they helped create a fabulous night for us! read more

Terrible service. Reserved before arrival and got seated right away but server did not care to attend us besides to take our order. Got our food cold. read more

What a beautiful place to celebrate my birthday! And Emma's service was amazing! Thanks so much!

We ordered the food from grab hub and it was ready on 7:22pm ( it says on the receipt) and we got there 7:30 and asked the server 2 times but the foods is not ready and finally we asked different server at 8:00, he grabbed the pizza boxes which are already cold. Worse experience. Pizza was good but never go there again. read more

Il Fornaio - It says food was ready 7:22 - Italian Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Emma our waitress was amazing!!! She went above and beyond for our group. So sweet. Excellent food and excellent service!

Always a good time with food, people watching, and good service and drinks. I've only sat outdoor and sometimes the other restaurant would have live music. My fur baby love this place read more

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We ate here for my daughters birthday early June. The hostess sat us in a section where the server had gone on break apparently. we sat there for 20 minutes while I tried to casually get the attention of a server, buser or other staff member. No one made eye contact, addressed that we had no water etc. finally I had to get up and track down someone to help. I found a waitress, Emma, who brought us water and was able to find a server. It was at least 25 minutes before we got water or a server. It was hands down the worst dining experience I've had simply being ignored. I asked to speak to the manager to tell him what happened to ensure it did not happen to another unsuspecting family. He was arrogant and unhelpful describing the 30 minute delay, while folks seated after us had their food, as a "rough start." The food was very mediocre for the price but the service was atrocious. I will never eat here again. Emma, you were great. get a job at a better restaurant! read more

5 Stars for an Amazing Experience at Il Fornaio Del Mar! Our work group last month had the pleasure of gathering at Il Fornaio in Del Mar, and it was an absolute hit! With about 30 people in our group, we started out on the beautiful patio, enjoying the fresh air, but as luck would have it, the rain rolled in. No worries--thanks to their accommodating staff, we seamlessly moved inside, where the vibe was just as great. But what really stood out was Bernardo, our waiter. From start to finish, he went above and beyond, checking in with everyone in our group and making sure all our needs were met. His energy and enthusiasm were contagious, and he truly worked his tail off the entire night. Bernardo was not only incredibly attentive but also super patient, friendly, and always ready with a suggestion when we couldn't decide. You could tell he was genuinely invested in making sure we had an exceptional experience. Huge kudos to Bernardo for being such an incredible asset to the team! He's the kind of person who makes you feel welcome and valued, and he's a big reason we'll definitely be back. If you're looking for a place with great food, a welcoming atmosphere, and service that truly stands out, Il Fornaio in Del Mar is the place to be! read more

Listen this place is amazing! The service was incredible and the vibes were fantastic. Our server Franco was so so amazing!! He literally made our night! We will be back he is amazing!! read more

Emma, thank you so much for the great service. You are amazing!!! we will definitely recommend our friends and family. Bon appétit.

We had a great time on a double date. The food was delicious, [[HIGHLIGHT]]the sunset spectacular[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and the wonderful evening was locked in by the great service by Franco! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great view and ambience[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] but very average food. Pasta was cold and rather bland, sauce was watery. read more

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - Del Mar, California

My family and I used to love this place and it was our go-to spot, but it's gone down hill...sadly. Food: They used to have complimentary bread that came out before the main, but apparently, now, you have to pay for it. They don't have the complimentary bread anymore which I was shocked about! Then the pasta lacked flavour and the Margherita pizza was VERY oily and greasy. I used to get their Margherita pizza all the time and it used to be my favourite, but this time, it felt like a $10 Dominos pizza. Disappointed. Ambiance: I've always liked the interior of this restaurant and the vibes. It's quiet so you can have a nice conversation with the people you're with. Also, if you go during the weekday, they're not busy at all, so you can get a table you want with lots of space which I love! Always clean and great environment! Staff: 5/10. Our server kept coming every 5 minutes which I thought was too much (as if he was rushing us). He also came to clear our food really quick, so I wasn't too happy about that (especially since the restaurant was empty and it wasn't like they needed to clear tables to seat people who were waiting). Other than that, they were polite. I'm not sure what happened within the span of a few months, but I was disappointed. Between them taking the complimentary bread away and the quality of the food going down, I'm not sure if it's time for me and my family to find a new Italian restaurant nearby. read more

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - Del Mar, California

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great view of the ocean and atmosphere but the food was very disappointing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered a variety of things and we were very disappointed. The quality of food does not live up anywhere near the atmosphere or quality of the service. The waiter we had was great but I could find better food at a food truck for a 5th of the price..... read more

I've been to this restaurant before but Bernardo made the experience so enjoyable! We never had to ask for refills on either our drinks or bread. He was very attentive and gave excellent customer service. The food was so fresh and felt very authentic. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for excellent food with a great ocean view![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Il Fornaio - Cristina pizza - Italian Near Me - Del Mar, California