We came here recently for my gf's birthday. It was a nice Saturday night, and the weather was brisk. This plaza is crowded, so I had to park near Barnes. My gf had a large reservation for 7 at the high tops near the bar. It was clean and the ambiance was sweet. We ordered a bunch of drinks, appetizers, and entrees. Delicious! I enjoyed it. I was pleasantly surprised by the good flavors. read more

Ended up here on a spur of the moment. Had plans to go elsewhere but when I dropped GPS coordinates to navigate to - message read - closed until (the next day). So, it was Il Fornaio. Not unhappy about it. Just sharing for those who might be wondering why ... Parking is free and easy. In a shopping plaza which was busy towards the anchors, but wide open next to the restaurant. the restaurant is on the street side of the parking lot. Did I mention free? Service was decent. It seemed to only be a few servers and the gentleman whose station my friend and I were seated in, was fine - but seemed a little rushed. Not in a bad way - but I know some might be offended as they might feel like he was trying to turn tables over. I'd have no problems sitting in his section again. DineLA. Opted for the Salad, Spaghetti and Cannoli. Tossed in a Sorrento King which definitely didn't go with the meal but it's what I wanted. I did choose the red wine to go with the meal. It was a good meal. I'm not complaining, nor am I raving - met my expectations as the food was served quickly - dishes were good - nothing overpowering or undercooked. And decent portion sizes for DineLA. Especially when you toss in the breadbasket. It's a beautiful space - that I could definitely see myself making a return visit for the Monday all day Happy Hour. There are two TV's (that I saw) so maybe it might be a decent, hidden spot for me to catch a game at. For now, it's on my I really like, but don't love it. read more

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I made a weekday lunch reservation for five to celebrate a co-worker's retirement. It happened to be LA Dine Week, so I decided to try the $25 lunch special. I ordered the bolognese, which came with a Caesar salad. The special also included bread, although bread was already complimentary. The pasta itself was good. I could tell it was homemade, but the bolognese sauce was underwhelming. It was on the dry side and needed more sauce and seasoning. The Caesar salad was pretty standard and could have used a little more dressing. The bread was good, especially dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We also shared a tiramisu for dessert, which ended up being the best part of the meal. It wasn't overly sweet and tasted authentic. Service was great and our waiter was friendly, attentive, and made the experience pleasant overall. Maybe I just ordered the wrong dish, but I'd be open to giving them another try. read more

Il Fornaio - Caesar salad - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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What a wonderful Thanksgiving Day feast at Il Fornaio! This was my first time ever dining out on Thanksgiving, so choosing a place I trusted was important, and Il Fornaio absolutely delivered. My history with the restaurant goes back to Palo Alto in 1991, and over the years I've visited locations in Carmel, San Jose, and Walnut Creek. This Thanksgiving, we tried Manhattan Beach, and I loved it just as much as ever. The restaurant was warm, welcoming, and beautifully decorated for the holiday. Our server, who has been with Il Fornaio for many years, was fantastic: warm, friendly, and wonderfully efficient (in fact, the entire staff was great - all working really hard to deliver a great holiday experience to their guests!) Our party of three started with a bottle of bubbly and chose the fixed-price Thanksgiving menu. Great decision! Everything was well-paced and delicious: $59 adults Thanksgiving Feast Zuppa di Zucca: butternut squash and potato soup with sage and onions, topped with a grana padano crouton Insalata Invernale: frisée, radicchio and endive with toasted walnuts, red grapes, gorgonzola, and champagne vinaigrette Tacchino Arrosto Tradizionale: roasted turkey breast with traditional stuffing, cranberry sauce, turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, baked yams and haricots verts Torta di Zucca con Gelato: pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce Portions were generous, and we even took home leftovers. I noticed even larger plates being served to nearby tables later in the evening. We dined for about two hours in the popular restaurant, and it was festive and very enjoyable. It had been a while since I'd dined at Il Fornaio, and this visit reminded me why I've always loved it: great ambiance, excellent service, and consistently good food. Thanksgiving 2025 was a hit. This might become a new tradition. 5 stars! read more

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Happy Hour was excellent! Great menu of drinks and bites, with great prices. Lots of tables in yhe Bar area to enjoy Happy Hour. Our Bartender Timothy, very friendly and made the best drinks! We both Margarita Italiano! Definitely going back for those! We also ordered Bruscetta, definitely a great choice. After our drinks we moved on to a private dinner. Appetizers and service were great. Ficaccia bread always a hit! Dinner was a bit of a disaapointed but if I was the host, I would have offered pastas and Italian dishes they are known for. I started with the Minestrone soup, a bit bland and definitely needed Parmesan cheese (but none offered). Most of us ordered the steak and were told with our large group would be done medium rate, which is fine. Steaks came out medium well to well and very tough. The veggies were perfect, al dente. We used to live in Manhattan Beach and routinely visited Il Fornao. Pasta and Italian dishes ate great. read more

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Came here with a friend to celebrate the end of my birthday month. We came on a weekday around 7ish. The place was not packed but they do close around 9, so we got in just in time. The waiter was nice but disappeared often, the service was not consistent. We saw other tables with bread and had to ask for it because it wasn't offered. The appetizer was a gnocchi dip which lacked flavor and was a bit dry. I ordered the seafood pasta and the mussels were grainy and taste like they just came out the ocean water, yuck! Pasta lacked flavor as well. My friend ordered the lasagna which was really good. The ambiance was quiet and we were able to chat privately which was nice. I would only say the lack of flavor in dishes and having to flagged down the server several times was not the best. Maybe it was an off night read more

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Paid a final and respectful visit to this spot that we've had casual and business dinners and celebrated occasions at over the years. We are sad to see this place close both for the menu favorites we've enjoyed and the gorgeous room. We ordered a few of our favorite appetizers: carpaccio, meatballs, and cauliflower and Chicken Toscano. Everything was delicious, served timely, with quality consistent with our past visits. We will miss this spot and hope whatever follows will be as worthy of our ongoing patronage. read more

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We have been to the Pasadena location several times. It was our first time here at this location for Christmas Eve, dinner. Had a fabulous time, with food drinks and the service. It was very busy but had reservation, it was only my wife and I. We started with beet arugula salad, hamachi citrus crudo and then seafood misto, and pistachio pesto shrimp pasta, entrees. We finished with a cup of coffee and tiramisu. The service was great with the timing of all the dishes and with it being busy. It was a great experience seeing all the people enjoying Christmas eve together with their friends and families. Thank you! Enjoy. read more

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The night before, we tried to obtain a dinner reservation for Christmas Eve, but all of the tables were reserved. The nest day, we happened to be in the same shopping center and decided to walk to the restaurant to see if any openings for tables had opened up due to a cancelation. None had. Since we were at the restaurant and it was lunch time, we chose to dine there. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful. We sat by the fireplace. The waiter, Josue, was very gracious and did not rush us. The restaurant had only a few people dining there, but it was Christmas Eve. Both my wife and I had salads and added salmon to it. Delicious. For dessert we split an order of the Tiramisu. It was fabulous. I would give it an A+ rating. It was sizeable and tasty. I was surprised they charged us for the bread. We would eat lunch here again, although it is expensive. For the two of us, our bill came to $106 and that is without alcohol and a tip. read more

Il Fornaio in Manhattan Beach delivered pure magic on a plate. I had the ravioli, and every bite was rich, creamy, and perfectly balanced with earthy depth. The sauce? Silky and indulgent. The ravioli was cooked to perfection with just the right bite. Pair that with the cozy coastal atmosphere and top-tier service, and this was an unforgettable experience. Can't wait to come back and dive into more of the menu. Highly recommend for a date night or just a well-deserved solo treat. read more

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

The Baseline: For an Italian sit down restaurant the food must use of prime Italian ingredients (garlic, tomatoes, cheese, basil), preparation of sauces and al dente pasta, the meal portion size must leave me feeling full, and the service needs me feeling like I am part of the family. Food: The pasta was al dente and well sauced. The sauces were tasty and well bodied and clung to the pasta well. The calamari was crisp and hot with a nice marinara dipping sauce. The cocktails were effervescent and took the edge off. Overall it is a good Italian meal. Service: Had a bit of a rough start waiting for water, but it ended up being good service. Water glasses were kept full after getting them and the used plates were taken care of quickly. Ambiance: This is a great, large Italian themed restaurant. Really good for large groups and the decor fits the theme of a Mediterranean Italian home with high ceilings and open concept dining area. read more

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Still a great spot in the South Bay for a nice dinner. Excellent service. Plenty of parking in the adjacent lot. Private and semi-private spaces available for special events. Open kitchen so you can see everything being freshly prepared. Lots of seating in the main dining room and bar areas. Kids menu and coloring sheet with crayons available for the littles. Food is always tasty and fresh. read more

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I'm sad to report that this Il Fornaio will close on Monday March 16th after 26 years in Manhattan Beach. We enjoyed many great lunches and dinners here when we lived in Los Angeles. The paneled dining room was always inviting, as were the private rooms. Food, drinks, and service were likewise very good. Grazie mille. read more

Had dinner with a co worker here. Overall lot a bad experience. Very pretty and grand building. The Moscato was so delicious. The lobster ravioli was my favorite. Creamy and rich with chunks of lobster. The pizza was ok, all the mushrooms were piled in the center and the big pieces of meat made it difficult. The appetizer was good but the salami was very wild/gamely tasting. The wild boar sausage was probably the best part of it. The Tiramisu was ok. Service was ok, we did get forgotten a couple of times. read more

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Tucked away inside a shopping center, the location has plenty of open space for parking. Came in with a few colleagues and we had several appetizers that are worth mentioning. The burrata and bruschetta were delicious, but my favorite was the meatballs. They had the perfect balance of sauce and cheese. I personally tried the Rigatoni allá Vodka and it was pretty good. Service was great, considering that we were a large party. Would definitely return. read more

Came here on a whim as it was on the DineLa list, not too sure I'll be back? I state it as a question because I don't know that I would come here to celebrate anything, nothing really popped out to me at this restaurant unfortunately. Inside is nicely lit, one could say it's got that outdated Italian restaurant look. Upon seating there was bread brought to us by our waiter, he was kind but nothing really bonded us through the evening which is important to me; something other than just checking in on the food and such. In addition to the DineLa menu we ordered the arancini on the menu which was fine, I don't think I'd order it again. The marinara that served as the bedding to the appetizer was nice to dip the bread in. We enjoyed the soup on the menu which wasn't very memorable to be frank so I can't even tell you what it tasted like as this was last weekend. I ordered the Caesar and that was just okay, it looked poorly plated and had nothing special to it. We both ordered the Rigatoni alla Vodka pasta and I feel it was bland, I added an abundance of red pepper flakes which really helped the dish, my guest added a generous amount of cheese to help his taste buds. We asked for another basket of bread which was an up charge on the bill and that was nice to dip into the sauce. We enjoyed the cheesecake and the tiramisu on the desert menu and these are what saved the evening. The service was nice but the food and atmosphere was just fine. read more

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Came here multiple times and food is consistently amazing! Chefs are always on point and you can see them make your food since they have an open kitchen. The inside is very pretty, nicely dimmed, romantic setting--really perfect for any occasions! Came here with a friend last time and she and I both enjoyed our cocktails the one we particularly had was called Uva Bella. For food, we got bruschette assortite which was on happy hour, and of course pasta--we got capellini (angel hair) with vodka sauce. They make the pasta perfectly al dente and you can taste the freshness in everything. Service is also great, we sat at the bar and our food came out in a very timely manner even though we could tell that they were busy. read more

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Our last meal here. I can't believe it's the end of the era for them in Manhattan Beach. So sad to see them close. I will definitely miss their happy hour and the bartender Oliver. read more

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1st time eating here the restaurant is super fancy and upscale the food was decent I've had better Italian food but believe it or not it wasn't that pricey but the service was not that good they kinda take long to bring you your drinks so just order again when they bring you your drink by the time your done with it the next one will come a few minutes after the good thing is when they bring you your food they bring it all at once we came for Mother's Day with a party of 8 and we got our food together that was the best part of it . read more

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Visiting this place for happy hour and the bar tender brought me the wrong order and then antagonized me about it. He then threaten to bring over the manager and I said ok. The manager never came but he then returned with the correct order. We all mentioned to him how he heard the wrong thing or maybe it was intentional. Very odd acquaintance. I wouldn't recommend and I won't be returning. read more

Recently came here for a good friend's wedding rehearsal dinner. The restaurant itself is located in a beautiful area. The ambience is amazing, very beautifully decorated and a nice quiet and elegant vibe. We got lucky because the night that we went was during Dine LA week so we got a really good deal on our meals. We got an appetizer, an entrée, dessert, and a glass of wine. I forget how much it was at the time, but it was very reasonable. The staff made sure that the night went smoothly. Had a great experience and will definitely be returning. read more

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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This review is solely a "shout out" for a server, "DAVID" Last week, we arrived for dinner at 5:30 p.m., before a Redondo Beach Speaker Series presentation. David was so welcoming. He sensed that we were eating then because of the Speaker Series. He brought water and a bread basket immediately, took our drink orders, and shared his recommendations for dinner. He brought more bread and water refills without asking. After we decided to skip dessert, he returned with our bill quickly. Oh, how good it would be if there were more servers with the approach that David brings to his profession. And, he has a great sense of humor too. David is the reason we will return to Il Fornaio. It's the Davids of our world that help a business to succeed. read more

Beautiful restaurant with delicious food. Dined here on a Saturday night with a group of 5 others. We had reservations, but the restaurant could have easily accommodated us without them as the restaurant was not crowded. Parking in the outdoor shopping center lot was also close and plentiful. We chose to dine outside on the patio. The weather was perfect. Aside from one couple, we had the patio to ourselves. The menu was filled with delicious Italian eats. There was something for everyone. As a vegetarian, I chose a pizza and had them alter it to my specifications. I've attached photos of everyone else's food, but can't quite remember specifically what they ordered. I do know that everyone found their choices to be to their liking especially the desserts (SPUMONE GELATO and the TORTA DI FORMAGGIO). I was told the CALAMARETTI FRITTI was also a favorite. Our food arrived in order (appetizers, entrees, desserts), in a timely manner, and was nicely plated. Portion sizes were on the larger side. Service was outstanding. Our server was super patient, friendly and helpful. The multi-user, gender specific restrooms were nicely decorated, clean and in good working condition. This is a great place for an intimate meal, as well as a gathering with a large group. read more

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I went here for a friends birthday dinner & the food was delicious! Nice ambiance as well.

I was here a few weeks ago on my birthday. I love Italian food and this place is near us. It has been a while since I have been here. This time I wanted to try something different. I tried the papparadelle alla norcina con pollo. It was delicious! I totally enjoyed every bite. For my dessert, the waiter brought me this dessert that was like a strawberry shortcake in a cup. It was super yummy! I have always had good service here a so far the food is always good. read more

Il Fornaio - Was like strawberry shortcake in a cup? It was yummy! - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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We used to go to Il Fornaio in Pasadena all the time before it sadly closed down after the pandemic. We've always loved their food--especially the pizzas--so we were excited to find out the Manhattan Beach location is still going strong. After visiting our daughter nearby, we stopped by for a bite and were so happy to see the familiar menu with all our favorites still there. We ordered the Pizza Fradiavola and calamari. That pizza? Next level. The crust was perfect, and the toppings had just the right amount of kick--way better than anything we've had from CKP. The calamari was solid too--crispy outside, tender inside. Great spot, great food, just like we remembered. read more

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The vodka sauce rigatoni was absolutely delicious. The minestrone was so fresh. Overall, a great experience. Just wish the server had offered me a beverage. read more

Service by Lorena was excellent! Very efficient and a pleasant demeanor , made us feel like old friends ! Ambiance is always Perfect and Classy ! Reminds me of the time We had in Roma! The decor and setups will always impress ! Food , score 7/10 it , The calamaris were DRENCHED in oil , why?? It was cooked perfectly but the excess oil sort of made the fish a bit doggy by the time We were st half plate so we had to finish them FAST ! was a hit or miss on the Branzino , they SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE FISH FILLET ALONE and not smother it with pesto! Now it's turned a bit SALTY and wide missed the original Branzino taste. Sorry she did not enjoy it as much, you could have set the pesto as a side dish add on.. The minestrone was always sumptous and full of flavor ,appreciated the generous serving .. My Linguini Mare Chiaro was the evenings saving grace, IT WAS VERY FLAVORFUL AND JUST THE RIGHT ANOUNT OF SAUCE, I enjoyed each morsel of the clams/mussels and shrimp over a garlicky sauce base ( I loved the clam juice mixed in) ..I wolfed down and tidied up my plate with their own baked bread ! THE VOLCANO CAKE AND BREWED COFFEE WAS TOPS ! DESERT WAS DEFINITRLY ENJOYED TO FINISH THE DINNER DATE ! MORE PLEASE ! :) Definitely will come back.but PLEASE PLEASE take note about the Branzinos potential as a stand alone taste ! read more

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We decided to treat ourselves to an old favorite Italian restaurant for lunch. The rooms and decor with high ceilings suggest a magnificent trattoria. It's been years since we dined here. I recall that it gets noisy during dinner when it gets more crowded. When asked about bread, our server, William, told us it was not complimentary. He pointed to Cestino Del Pane at $4 on the menu. With memories of fragrant, delicious rosemary bread, we ordered the bread. William never introduced himself. I got his name from the receipt. I was served the Insulata Di Pere with a fillet of grilled salmon. My husband was served the Tagliatelle. We pointed out to William that the bread we had ordered was missing. He blamed his assistant, whom he declared was responsible for the bread. It was after William served the bread that we first saw the assistant running around the dining room filling water glasses. The bread was standard, not remarkable. William had filled a plate with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette when we ordered the bread. My husband liked the Tagliatelle, except he would have liked more sauce. I was disappointed by the salad, which included spinach leaves, sliced seedless red grapes, little pieces of pear, and candied nuts. A small grilled portion of salmon was served atop the salad. The salad had a pomegranate vinaigrette dressing lightly applied. I asked the assistant to refill my husband's glass of Diet Coke and bring more salad dressing. He quickly and graciously served us. I asked the assistant for his name. It was Prudencio. We both felt the service was lackluster. except for Prudencio. I just read that Il Fornaio in Manhattan Beach will close in 10 days. I would rate this 2 1/2 stars, rounded up. read more

Came in for lunch a couple months ago. Service was very good -friendly and attentive. Food was good. The only thing I wasn't happy with is the added 4% fee- I understand what it's for but diners sometimes choose entrees based on cost and it'd be nice if the prices already reflected that added rate- haha dont want to do math for a meal! read more

Great location, delicious food! I came here with a friend and had an wonderful experience! Our server was extremely helpful and answered several questions I had about the menu. The inside is pretty upscale/formal, so great for dates or small groups. There's plenty of parking (huge lot). The red wine was amazing. For my starter, I had calamari, which was fried to perfection. For my entree, I had the branzino. It was good, but I felt the dish was rather bland. My friend has the seafood linguini, which was phenomenal! We also had espresso and tiramisu for dessert. It was extremely delicious! I definitely recommend. read more

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We absolutely love the Caesar salad and Margherita pizza at this place! The service is always consistently excellent. read more

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Staff and service is always good, I've had multiple dishes over multiple visits and it always seems that any of the Italian dishes are generally a good choice, on the visits where I have ordered steak, it is generally overcooked. So if you stick with one of the pasta dishes you will probably be pleased. Location is nice and has lots of parking in a shared lot. Nice place for a mid range night out. read more

I came here with coworkers who were from out of town. They wanted some "good Italian" and this place is near the office. I hadn't been for years. When we walked in, the ambiance still gave the old school Italian bistro feel. But I was shocked at how empty it was. I guess because there are so many other options in the area now, it's not as bustling as it once was. We were seated right away. I didn't get the name of the waitress, but she was friendly. What we ordered: We started with the bread with balsamic and olive oil. It never disappoints. The bread was really fresh. I had the chicken parm with mashed potatoes and asparagus. It was good but not fantastic. My friends both got casarecce alla norcina, which is a fancy name for twisted pasta with chicken and mushrooms. They enjoyed it as well. It had been years since I visited Il Fornaio. I was a little disappointed that I didn't love it like I used to. read more

Il Fornaio - Chicken Parmigiana with mashed potatoes - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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First time at Il Fornaio for my birthday dinner and it was absolutely delicious! Service was amazing, and I loved the classy vibes of the restaurant. Will be back soon! read more

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

The food was amazing from the appetizers. They were superb. We had the bread with the olives with the tomatoes. They were delicious the cauliflower, the soup, and the salad and the bruschetta amazing somebody had the soup they loved it. I can't say enough about the service the service was amazing with Eric. It was so phenomenal. We had pasta shellfish Bronzino meatballs, the special of the Thanksgiving meal to everything. it was amazing I can't say enough we were a party of six there were some of us that had dessert and some did not, but it doesn't matter. It was just amazing. The place was buzzing. We got there early enough that we were seated right away, but we turned around and there was a line waiting to be seated thank goodness we had reservations. I don't know if the other people did or not but I would recommend getting reservations, no matter what day of the week i've eaten there many times before and many of our party has also and some hadn't I would recommend always having reservations. The food is always top notch five stars for food service everything it's beyond everything can't say enough. If you have a chance to go there, I don't care what day of the week it is or if it's a celebration or not read more

Was here for Thanksgiving 2023 and it was wonderful! While I did not do the traditional meal, a couple in my part did. I shared some items with my mother (see photos). We got: * CALAMARETTI FRITTI (baby squid, lightly floured & deep fried; served with spicy marinara) -Used throughout Yelp check in to get this so it was complimentary * LINGUINE MARE CHIARO (thin pasta with clams, mussels, prawns & scallops in roasted cherry tomato sauce, crushed red pepper, garlic & trebbiano wine) -Very filling and definitely enough to share * GRIGLIATA DI PESCE MISTO (mixed grill of fish fillet, scallops & shrimp topped with lemon-olive oil sauce; served with broccolini, baby carrots & roasted yukon gold potatoes) -Super fresh and a nice way to taste a few different items Overall, would come back! read more

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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came here for all day happy hour on mondays and the drinks were amazing. the vibe was great as well for a monday, not too busy. read more

Il Fornaio - old fashioned and espresso martini - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

Ribeye was tough and unseasoned. A big no-no especially for a nice place. I ordered it medium but it appeared rare. Tiramisu was great as expected. Service was ok not but not great this time. The server was inattentive. read more

Il Fornaio - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

Celebrated family member birthday at IL Fornaio, Manhattan Beach, CA. Authentic Italian menu definitely the best in town; scrumptious! My preferred dish is TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE. Sister-in-law had the specialty Lamb entree. Spouse had the specialty seafood entree. Cappuccino with Tiramisu for dessert with gelato. Customer service always great! Kudos to chef and the rest of staff for an outstanding meal! read more

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