Emma B was so sweet and attentive! she got the heater set up for us on the patio and the food was delicious!

We had a great experience with Bernardo! He was very friendly and service was very efficient.

I tried this place for the first time on 4/12/26. Food was good but not spectacular, in my opinion. 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. The restaurant is within walking distance of the ocean, which is an added plus if you come here for a date. 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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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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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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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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We had an excellent lunch with a million dollar view. 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

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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Came here with a family friend, my Mom, and brother. We had a fantastic server tonight. Gilbert was very knowledgeable about the menu and made fantastic recommendations. He suggested wine pairings that proved to be spot on. He even offered a second round of cheese on our pastas! If you decide to visit Il Fornaio, make sure to request Gilbert. 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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Ambiance is amazing, food is mid though. 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. 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) 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

Very disappointed, Monday night, very quiet, sat at the bar with only 2 other patrons there and the bartender ignored us, it took 20 minutes to get a drink! Went into the restaurant, again fairly quiet, waiter took another 15 minutes for menu, I kept hearing loud noises and a big racket in the open kitchen with the cooks and staff laughing at each other and banging plates to a point where several customers were looking over there because of the noise and disruption, I finally complained to the waiter and he agreed and apologized but nothing changed! The food was okay, service marginal so I asked for the manager and explained our frustration and disappointment, as we spoke she agreed and the noise continued, nothing changed and no one seemed to be notified in the kitchen? The manager did nothing for our inconvenience and just agreed with us! Long time customer who will never go back! read more

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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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

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

They used to be a 5/5 but the new management has no idea what they are doing. Service is so slow and the workers are obviously stressed out of their minds. It took us 20 minutes of asking to get salt and pepper to actually get it. We tried taking it from other tables but there's were all empty too. read more

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 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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Such amazing food and emma took great care of us. Server made the experience, super funny and kind.

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

We left still hungry after spending over $100 on wine, apps, & 2 entrees. Food portions were small, but tasted great. Service & ambience was nice. read more

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

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

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - Del Mar, California

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. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for excellent food with a great ocean view! read more

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

Bernardo is the MAN! Love this place...delicious food, superb service and stunning scenery. He made my best friend's bachelorette dinner so fun and memorable!! read more

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 used to come here frequently. Arrived a few minutes early for Mother's Day 6 pm reservation. There were so many empty tables when we arrived & left. Told we couldn't be seated for 20 or more minutes??? Drink order taken Ok. Had to flag down served for appetizers. Ate then waited for 15-20 minutes. Table not cleared. Flagged down server again to place food order, it arrived after a long wait barely warm. Dismal in every way 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

Bernardo was our server and he was so kind and attentive. It was my first time here and I had a wonderful experience. The bartenders were great and the service and food was quick and delicious. I'll definitely be back. I usually don't leave reviews for bare minimum service but Bernardo deserves a shout out. read more

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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Our server Fernando was the best He also is the bartender and it was so entertaining to watch him prepare drinks ..one after another spinning bottles ...it is amazing to watch...so much knowledge on any and all Drink requests He is the star at IIFornaio Wonderful Happy Hour...we will definitely be back as the entire staff is so welcoming read more

I brought my client to Il Fornaio to celebrate the closing of her house. I love the location overlooking the water and the food is always excellent. Bernardo gave us a superb service. Always a great experience!! read more

Our first time visiting was for our anniversary and we had a phenomenal time. The atmosphere was amazing, the food was incredibly fresh and the flavors were outstanding. The highlight of it all had to be the service we received from Andrea though, she had thoughtful suggestions and recommendations that hit all night. She made our visit more than worth the trip! read more