First of all I picked here for my Bday dinner with my family. When we got there it was crazy busy & they were a little understaffed for all that is happening in DTSJ on a Saturday night right now. But me being a Exec Chef & watching they were handling it pretty well. Our server was great. The food was all really good. We had to send back the fried calamari because it was soggy. A manager brought us a new plate and it was good and crispy. Our server told us they didn't have a good runner that night. This is the reason why they are getting only 4 stars ! I had the Bolognese which was great, my GF had the special which was a Chicken mushroom pasta, my daughter had the Seafood pasta. All the pasta was excellent. We had 3 things for dessert. I got my free dessert for my birthday. We had tiramisu, it is big enough for 3 people to share. It is very good and I made 100s of tiramisu's back in the day when I was the sous chef of Madalenas and Chef of Fino in Palo Alto as a young chef after culinary school. We also had the cannoli which was really good. The restaurant emptied out very quickly by 745pm. Our reservation was for 7pm and we were seated as soon as we got there. Thanks for a great bday dinner. PS just make sure When someone orders fried calamari that it gets taken to the table right away while it's still crispy. We Will Be Back ! read more

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We came here for dinner on a Wednesday evening before going to a play at the center for performing arts. My Ling Mare plate came with 8 shrimp, 3 scallops and a half dozen mussels and clams. Looks a lot smaller once the shells are gone. Excellent dish with tasty tomato sauce to go with pasta. would order again. Wife had lobster claws with risotto. About five pieces of lobster. Lot of work cracking the shells to get out a little bit of lobster meat. And even then not a whole lot of taste to the dish. Would not order again. read more

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Our server was very nice and made great recommendations. The interior is light and airy. Ordered starter salads, old fashioners (perfect!), chicken pesto pasta and Norwegian salmon. Food came out quickly, was delicious and we were out quickly for the show. Great place to eat before a performance! Pro-tip: it's located in downtown San Jose in the Westin. There is valet parking, a paid parking lot across the street , or park in a garage and walk read more

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Our other tradition that I have at Fanime is to go to Il Fornaio on Sunday. Usually we go during lunch, but due to family circumstances, I was unable to attend lunch, so we moved it to dinner. It was not too busy come dinner time, but we had a reservation just in case and were seated right away. Our server brought us water, but it did take a while for us to get our orders in. Today, there was a special 3 Course Dinner for 2, so we opted to give it a try. It encompassed a Ceasar Salad, Gnocchi & Chicken Marsala, and Tiramasu with Cannolis. Bread was also included with this special. Ceasar Salad: This was dressed nicely. The cheese could have been broken a bit more, and the flavor of the anchovies was a bit strong for my personal taste. The croutons were still crunchy and crispy, so it didnt absorb too much of the dressing. A nice start to the meal. Gnocchi and Chicken Marsala: This was really delicious. I normally do not eat Gnocchi, but the tomato sauce they had paired with the basil and Gnocchi was perfect for me. It was hot and comforting to eat. The Chicken Marsala was also scrumptious to eat. The sauce was perfect and the mushrooms and potatoes were cooked to my standards. Overall, a nice taste of both dishes for us to share. Tiramasu and Cannolis: The cannolis were crispy and creamy. A bit on the smaller side, but I thoroughly enjoyed the crunchiness behind it. The Tiramasu was also good. A bit strong on the espresso for me and the lady fingers were nice. My concern was the amount of espresso absorbed into the cake itself. Maybe tone it down a bit. Overall, we had a good experience. Waiting to order and getting our dessert too longer then we wanted to, but still had a great time. I look forward to seeing what next year has in store for us. read more

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For my first time here, I ordered the bisteccca. I know I said medium well, but I think it was just a bit more well than medium. Yet, I still ate it. It was a larger portion than I expected. The sauce and the veggies were delicious! I may come back when I travel back to San Jose. read more

Il Fornaio - Bistecca medium well - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

I was impressed with the excellent service at lunch. Staff were very attentive. I enjoyed the Black Cod special and really loved the affogato. read more

Il Fornaio - Black Cod - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

Experiencing Il Fornaio happened by accident, but let me tell you that ultimately, no mistakes were made that night. I stopped into this upscale, authentic, Italian restaurant purely on a whim, as it was close to the San Jose Civic where an event I was attending happened to be. Conveniently tucked in the beautiful front end of The Westin, Il Fornaio draws you in with all the smells of Nonna's kitchen. (Italian Grandmothers would be proud!) You definitely have to start off your visit with some delicious drinks and freshly baked rustic bread, delicately dipped in the BEST tasting olive oil and vinegar. The freshness in all ingredients used was apparent from this first experience. Onto the main course... from the presentation as the food comes to the table... to the taste of every dish... I'm telling you, this was 100/10. Everything was fully enjoyed by all. My fiancé went with the pollo al parmigano and I had the pappardelle alla norcina con pollo. Let me tell you...the pasta is deliciously fresh--yes, you can taste the difference... and the sauces were so flavorful and full-bodied. I almost cleared my entire plate. No regrets! Then, when asked about desert... we simply couldn't skip it thanks to the delicious offerings they had in the menu. (See pics) Honestly, my biggest recommendation is to come hungry because the portions are exceptional and the taste and price point are unmatched. Truly, this was an exceptionally amazing experience and I greatly look forward to coming back! read more

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My food was really good. The service at the bar is just OK. They just kind of give you things and walk away. There's like one person cleaning things or stepping out to grab things and another person counter serving. It's kind of like all over the place and only one person was helping versus two so that was kind of a little frustrating . I work in education, so I'm very patient, but I definitely did not really enjoy this experience. I ate my food and immediately left. I eat out a lot and I'm no stranger to Service as my family owns businesses and I have a few chefs on my mother side. I like waiters to think ahead or take initiative. In this case which was a little disappointing at the bar I had to ask for napkins and a straw. My food came and I had to ask for a red pepper flakes and parmesen cheese and ground black pepper for the pasta. Some waiters are nice and think ahead and they'll give you some pepper and salt when they give you silverware /when your food arrives or ask you if you need XYZ once everything has all arrived. Apparently they weren't taking any walk-ins, but I was just one person- so I would've preferred to sit at a table, but I was starving and craving pasta and I found just what I needed on the menu. My food was actually really good and I ate the whole plate. I just probably wouldn't sit at the bar anymore unless it was just maybe for a drink. It's a small bar and it definitely fills up quickly and you feel very tight and squished next to the next person. However, shout out to the chef I can't wait to return for a better experience and sit at a table! I cleaned my plate once I got my Parmesan and red pepper flakes! read more

Il Fornaio - Pappardelle alla Norcina con Pollo - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

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We made reservations here for a Friday at 6:30pm. We ended up getting there about an hour earlier and the restaurant wasn't busy so they were able to seat us right away. We ordered a bottle of wine for the table and some calamari. Everything was delicious. The server was nice and we didn't need to wait long for our food. We left feeling very satisfied. The restaurant was quiet. We must have come before the dinner rush. read more

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came here for a lunch during a work meeting not too far from the San Jose Marriott. Servers were great, beautiful location and the food is delicious. Love when you dine with people that don't mind sharing, got to taste the chicken salad as well as the lasagna. Bread was fresh and there was plenty of it with olive oil and balsamic vinegar And to top it off, our server was able to make customize my dish, Pappardelle with Bolognese. So so good. Would dine here anytime. Always consistently delicious food and service read more

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Food: Bread service isn't free but it's only $4 and they refill it. Ordered the tagliatelle bolognese - the portions were generous and it was about equal ratio meat to noodles. The noodles were cooked al dente. In addition, they also offer free parm. Wasn't the most flavorful but it was overall solid. Service: There were multiple waiters and they were very attentive. We came at lunch on a weekday and were seated immediately. Ambiance: The restaurant is located in Westin in downtown San Jose. There's a lot of tables and the restaurant is full of Italian culture and decorations. read more

Il Fornaio - Tagliatelle Bolognese - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

The Il Fornaio chain is consistent when it comes to their food offered. We typically order an appetizer like the bruschette or burrata con prosciutto to start out, along with drinks. This time, my husband and I had sorrento king and tiki Taormina, both of which were well made. My favorite entree is the rigatoni alla vodka. The only complaints I have about this location is that it was a little dark inside, and service was a little slow to start. Once we made our initial order though, the team was very attentive. read more

Just had dinner here and not only was the food amazing, my waiter Jason was superb and was very on point and did all he could to make my dining experience as good as possible. read more

Jason was the best server. Very attentive and had great suggestions on food choices. Very knowledgeable at wine pairings with food.

Il Fornaio is a more upscale, chain Italian restaurant. While I've been to their Coronado location in San Diego before, this was my first time going to the location in San Jose. It's located in the Westin San Jose. I don't know if it's because this is a hotel restaurant as opposed to a stand alone location, but it felt a little less quality than my previous experience. The service was attentive and kind. I ordered takeout and they were really on top of providing a spot to get comfortable while I waited. It was really quiet inside though. There weren't that many people eating there. I got some soup and a lava cake to go. The soup was good, but the lava cake was not good. It wasn't a lava cake. It was solid. It wasn't what I was hoping for, which was a disappointment. It's a convenient restaurant for hotel guests (and they serve breakfast), but it wasn't something I'd come out of my way for. read more

Overall the service was AMAZING and the only redeeming thing about this restaurant. The food was bad. The lobster ravioli was a strange grey color and tasted quite fishy. The lasagna was reminiscent of chef boyardee. We would not come back unless the menu changed. read more

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Probably would come back. Stopped in for a cocktail after returning to the attached hotel. My husband came for breakfast the other day and said everything was cold. I thought he was exaggerating but the reviews confirmed. The bartender was nice but the bar was filled with gnats. My martini had ice in it so that took up some of the experience. We ended up taking our drinks to the room cause I couldn't handle all the gnats. I wouldn't get a drink that requires a rim here... read more

Il Fornaio - Espresso martini - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

This is my second time at Il Fornaio. First time had the Chicken Parmigiana, was very good and large portion. The second time, Beef tenderloin was medium well as I have requested and the sauce is very delicious with the red wine and berries flavorful and several types of mushroomss included with mash potatoes. My Go To place for a Pre-Broadway show lunch place. My servers have been very cordial and attentive. Worth it! read more

Il Fornaio - Grilled tenderloin with mushrooms in red wine sauce paired a hlads of Argenio Tuscan wine. - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

Had a business lunch here with a whole bunch of colleagues and business partners. The menu was fixed with choices of entree. I went with the grilled salmon. Liked the bread appetizers and the caesar salad. I'd be interested to try more seafood items next time. The restaurant is bright and fairly spacious. It's right across the street from the convention center. read more

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First off,positives -the building is very cool and retro/old charm that I love.I booked on open table requested private table and it was.Had with windows,nice. -Awesome service! The bad- -it took forever to get parked! -The appetizer,brushetta,was ice cold and lacked flavor.It just had a gallon of olive oil on it. -Entrees bleh!We got vodka pasta and beef rib raviolis. Vodka pasta was HORRIBLE I instantly flashed back and recalled a yelp review saying it was just like Mac n Cheese so right on!(mac n cheese tastes better though) Raviolis were OK,very rich almost too rich. -It was inconvenient to use restroom had to use hotel one which requires trekking 3 flights of stairs or waiting forever for elevator. read more

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

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I choose this place as a date night because it looks very elegant. I was on the area visiting my partner and we decided to go here but surprise surprise I encountered a roach. Is not clean and I don't think they clean as much as they should I prefer to eat somewhere clean rather than where is roaches around me The city should check this place for health reasons We were just very disappointed read more

We ate at Il Fornaio for an early dinner before going to the film festival. Started with roasted cauliflower, which was very good. Nicely brown and not overly crunchy. Very flavorful! I ordered pollo ai Funghi, which was boneless chicken, pounded and lightly breaded. Mushroom sauce, and stacked with potatoes and asparagus. My only complaint was that the potatoes were a little too loose. They really almost turned into sauce, rather than staying potatoey. Overall, I will return to Il Fornaio. It is consistently decent and of all the places in downtown SJ, this one checks a lot of boxes. read more

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We usually go to the Santa Clara location but we came to the downtown San Jose location for a New Years dinner. Made a reservation for two easily online. I tried one of their seasonal holiday cocktails, I think it was called a blizzard since it was blue from the blue caracao. For entree, I ordered a ravioli with a creamy tomato sauce. It was delicious. Good and friendly service and nice atmosphere. read more

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Came here on a weekend night for two and we were seated pretty quickly! It was a fancier dinner setting for sure. The server was really friendly and welcoming. Only got one thing because of the prices, which is expected since it's a higher end place. The vodka rigatoni was a hit! I loved the ingredients; it was addicting. Especially with the grated parmesan on top. Definitely get a lot of cheese. Got to take some home and eat it for another meal. read more

Il Fornaio - Rigatoni alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

The San Jose location is new to me. We normally go to the Burlingame one. Service was great and food was delicious. Dinner time can be packed but we did not wait (we had a reservation for our anniversary!) Got the Rigatoni with Salmon, calamari fritti and Pesto shrimp pistachio. Nice place, clean and just enough for good conversation. They were so nice that we got a complimentary dessert (strawberry ice cream) for our anniversary. Love this place! read more

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Good service, good food and nice location at the restaurant in the Westin hotel. Had a fresh Caesar salad, salmon and tiramisu. The Caesar had just the right amount of sauce on it with the lettuce in pristine color and texture. The salmon was good but just a tad overcooked (I like it just past sushi where the meat flakes off in pieces. It was a harder texture. The tiramisu was just right with the right firmness and great flavor. That was my favorite read more

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I know you need to judge a delivery order with a grain of salt as there is much outside of the restaurant's control. What I received was very large portions but the pasta bolognese was seriously lacking sauce and had an underwhelming flavor. The noodles were also overcooked. The Caesar was also lacking dressing. What came with it maybe covered half the salad. read more

Il Fornaio - Tagliatelle Bolognese - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came here for dinner after a comedy event down the street. We were promptly seated, but then completely forgotten. We sat there for a good 25 min and couldn't flag anyone down since not one person seemed to pass by our area. It was about 45 min till closing time and they were cleaning up on the other side of the restaurant. When our food came out, it was pretty tasty. However, service left a lot to be desired unfortunately. Their bathrooms are located in the hotel area all the way downstairs so that's an inconvenience, but, it is what it is! read more

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Amazing experience! The food was fresh, flavorful, and truly authentic Italian. Every dish was delicious and beautifully prepared. Savine was absolutely wonderful, friendly, attentive, and made us feel so welcome. Her service really made the night special. We'll definitely be back! read more

Il Fornaio - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

This was my first time here and it was pretty dang good! We came on a Friday night and it wasn't incredibly busy. The inside of the restaurant is nice and has cute decor. The service was pretty standard, but the food was really good. We started off the complimentary bread. The bread was fresh, warm, crusty and crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside. I got the seafood linguine which was probably one of the best ones I've had. The handmade noodles had a perfect bouncy, al dente consistency. The dish came with 3 scallops, 3 large shrimps, mussels, and clams. Pretty value for $33 I'd say. My boyfriend got the tagliatelle bolognese and it was okay. Lacking flavor, noodles fell flat. Definitely try the linguine!! read more

Il Fornaio - Complimentary bread - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

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It's been 2 weeks, and I am still dreaming about the rigatoni a la vodka. It was the best ive ever had. The pasta noodles were cooked perfectly and the sauce was not over bearing. Many times vodka sauce can run on the sweet side. This one was not. It was so flavorful and I wish I had a location closer to me, so I could enjoy this dish every week. My husband and I also shared the burrata con prosciutto starter, the meatballs, and a bottle of house chianti. Everything was fantastic. The restaurant is gorgeous and lively. I highly suggest making reservations well in advance, as this place gets packed. I will definitely eat here again the next time I am staying at the Westin. read more

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Locate inside the Westin Hotel. Came here for a team lunch. We made reservations, so we didn't have to wait. Our server was super nice. The food was delicious, we ordered multiple items to share. Would recommend ll Fornaio for date night, dinner with friends. Check it out read more

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This review is for an online order pickup. My order was ready on time and easy to pickup. The front door to the restaurant on the sidewalk was closed, so I had to go in through the Westin which wasn't an issue. The food was pretty solid! Not amazing but I enjoyed it. I got a ton of complimentary bread (no butter or oil/vinegar for dipping but I'm not complaining). The Caesar was good. The arancini was my favorite. The bolognese I got was supposed to be tagliatelle but I'm pretty sure was linguini. I also got the napoleon for dessert and enjoyed it. Overall no complaints and enjoyed my meal. read more

Il Fornaio - Insalata Cesarina, Tagliatelle Bolognese, Arancini al Sugo - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

Food was tasty with pretty good portion, but the plating needed works. Service was good, attentive. The restaurant was hosted inside an old style building with great interior decorations. However, the price to food quality was only ok. read more

Il Fornaio - Carpaccio - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Took my aunt to lunch here for her birthday. We come here every year. It's her favorite. Daniel was our server. He was very friendly and polite. Went during the lunch hour so it was not too busy. We were still able to have a window table. Place was very clean and the food was excellent! read more

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Food was mediocre - not worth the price. The Caesar salad was too "fishy" tasting, the bruschetta was strange, and their rigatoni pasta didn't have enough sauce. Service was a bit lack luster. Overall would not return, leaves much to be desired. read more

Il Fornaio - Rigatoni alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - San Jose, California

Back to Il Fornaio after a very long time. This location is inside the Westin. Huge location, warm decor, good food, and great service. They were full of folks like us who were there to grab a quick meal before going to a show nearby. Not only did the food come out quickly but it was surprisingly very good. The meatballs, the pasta, the apps...all of it was very good. Only nit would be that the pasta dish had just 4 tiny pieces of chicken. read more

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Friendly staff + delicious food! Great ambience The calamari here is so fresh, you can really taste the quality in price. The salmon pasta + Cesar salad was very good as well. Usually when I eat Cesar salad it tastes like any other but the anchovies cheese was fresh and not overpowering. My date took me here to celebrate me graduating and the ambience was amazing- we dressed up for it but there were also people who just wore casual clothes. Our server surprised me with a slice of cake since my date told her we were here for a celebration and they planned it very well ! I was very surprised and happy! Great place for a night out : ) read more

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Food and service were amazing! My family loved every single dish we got. Seafood was super fresh and soft. read more

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Called to check on an event availability and Saveen (spelling?) was the GOAT. Excellent customer service, very personable and accommodating I hope we can reserve our event there if they lower the F&B read more