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    Il Giardino

    4.1 (118 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    IL GIARDINO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Il Giardino

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    Chicken with Lemon and Capers.   I had already eaten some .. very good.
    Stephanie A.

    My husband picked up dinner for us. He got a pesto pasta and I got the lemon caper chicken with pasta. Portions were good and everything was fresh. Now my chicken dish didn't come with the pasta he requested which was a huge let down since he paid for it and tipped. Besides that I found out the dish did not need pasta it was perfect the way it was. It was soo delicious .. chicken was moist and flavorful. The lemon caper sauce was addictive and the veggies were cooked perfectly. I honestly enjoyed the dish so much I will totally be sending my husband back for it. His pasta was okay a little on the bland side and the garlic bread was not good at all. I would skip on it.

    Mallory C.

    I visited this spot because another USC professor had recommended it to me and said the pasta was great! And she was right. Every time I've had pasta here, the flavors have been unique and delicious and the pasta is very solid. The dishes are simple yet always good. Il Giardino is located in USC Village and has indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a full menu of pasta. There are set dishes or you can build your own. They also have specials often! The service is quick and the clientele is mostly students. I've been here several times and I haven't been disappointed.

    daily special

    I don't usually leave reviews, but this place seriously deserves the hype. I ordered the daily special with chipotle sauce, truffle oil, and the most AMAZING chicken I've ever had in a pasta dish. Every bite was packed with flavor, and the garlic bread on the side? Chef's kiss. Perfectly buttery, crispy on the edges, and made the meal even more addictive. But honestly, what made the whole experience stand out the most was the customer service. Alanys and Michelle were absolute stars -- super fast, incredibly kind, and made me feel so welcomed. You can tell they really care about the customers and keep everything running smoothly. Delicious food + top-tier service = I'll definitely be back. Don't sleep on this spot!

    Daily special  Chipotle cream sauce and chicken
    Brittany S.

    Peaceful atmosphere with calm music.fast service. Freshly made ingredients. Lots of flavor without all the grease and bloating!

    Outside
    Richard O.

    I really wish Yelp had a decimal system. Not all 4 stars are the same. Not all 5 stars are the same. If we had a decimal system, I would give this place a 4.7 stars. I'm giving this place 5 stars because this place does almost everything right. As you enter this restaurant, there's a pasta maker making fresh pasta, the menu prices are exceptionally cheap for what your getting. I got the Spaghetti Mare (Seafood pasta) for $14.99. For me the portions were perfect, but I don't eat that much. So I can see someone who has a hearty appetite being unsatisfied with the amount of food. My only complaint about my meal is the noodles were a bit on the softer side, I prefer my pasta to be al dente, however, freshly made pasta can't be made al dente (firm) due to the nature of fresh pasta. Only dry pre-packaged pasta can be made al dente, so be warned as you come here.

    Fusilli pasta with chipotle sauce and chicken and asparagus
    Cindy C.

    The past 5 times I've ordered the daily special which is fusilli pasta in chipotle sauce with chicken and asparagus. The chicken always has this smoky taste and for the price, it's huge and worth it! I always eat half of it and save the half for dinner. It also comes with bread. Service is okay..kind of slow. But it's at the village so I'm sure they get pretty busy.

    Penne Gamberi
    Troy B.

    Decent spot for some quick Italian grub if you're near or on the USC campus. I will say there are probably better food options overall, but the price and portions here aren't bad, and there's definitely a convenience element to dining here. I also feel like it never gets super crowded here, which is definitely a plus. I like how customizable the pastas here are, and they really do have a range of options for noodles and sauces. I just oped for the Penne Gamberi, probably out of laziness, and it was honestly pretty tasty and came with a decent amount of shrimp. My friend got the special, which was a Salmon Spaghetti. The sauce was tasty, but noodles were clearly overcooked. The bread that the pasta comes with is really delicious and soft, and I found it was the star of the meal.

    a luscious bite of their shrimp pasta special
    Katie J.

    When I have pasta cravings and no time to cook, I come here. BEST SECRET MENU ITEM HERE = EXTRA SAUCE added to any dish (for free!) Definitely do that so every bite will be well coated and super saucy. They make every order fresh and the pasta is delicious. I usually get the tagliatelle bolognese (very meaty with rich flavor) but today tried the penne gamberi (shrimp) special -- not disappointed! Comes topped with lots of shrimp cooked just right. You can substitute the pasta and add a different sauce to any of the specials. I swapped rotini and added pink sauce and it was super comforting, creamy and flavorful. Also - this team hustles! I came in one day behind what seemed like the entire USC swim team and they pushed out the pasta super fast and still quality. Hope their hard work is recognized and well compensated.

    Pesto
    Whitney I.

    I came here with a colleague for the first time. I was excited to try a pasta place near USC. I'll typically get a restaurant's pesto because that is my favorite. Honestly, I was underwhelmed by it. It looks beautiful, but the taste was bland :( I felt like the sauce was very mild - not enough basil and maybe some flavor, like garlic or some salt. I liked how they oust toasted fresh pine nuts on top! I also did not really like the bread neither :/ I was pretty disappointed and probably won't get it again. There are definitely other pasta places that are better in the area!

    The best seafood pasta in Southern California
    I Love Y.

    Amazing food service and flavor!! Best pasta ever !! Fast friendly and delicious !!

    Fusili Pasta with Pesto Sauce and Grilled Chicken

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 months ago

    Had the salmon bow tie special. Definitely a good choice. Closed a little earlier than I would like. Bread was not a plus.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

    I really like this place, they've got things other than pasta but I normally go for their rigatoni. It's really a solid option.

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    1 year ago

    Fast and impressive, I had no issues what so ever. All people in my party were happy and satisfied

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Just fine if you want to get some warm food. The service is just fine. Will try tiramisu next time.

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    2 years ago

    The pasta is decent. Nothing completely stands out. It's practical for a college campus, and I always enjoy it, but nothing special.

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    6 years ago

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    Mendocino Farms

    Mendocino Farms

    4.3(957 reviews)
    2.1 miDowntown
    $$

    "This location never disappoints! Amazing food, great atmosphere, and outstanding service every…read moretime I visit. The staff is always attentive and friendly, You can tell they care about quality and customer experience. and everything tastes fresh and flavorful. Easily one of my favorite restaurant locations!" Me gusta esta location porque el servicio es excelente y la comida la preparan rápido, fresca y con MUCHO SABOR y lo más importante te dan bastante comida. Las porciones son muy grandes . Después del gimnasio paso a recoger mi comida aquí.. muy recomendable. Visiten y les va a encantar igual que a mi !

    Ambiance: it's located on the bottom level of the shopping center, quite dark inside the…read morerestaurant, although it's convenient to eat in the shared patio outside Service: friendly but slow, they had some billing system issue, so it took a long wait to place the order and then afterwards waited long to get food as well Food: standard Mendocino farms menu "Not So Fried" Chicken - *** chicken, Mendo's krispies, mustard pickle slaw, tomatoes, pickled red onions, herb aioli, on toasted ciabatta with a side of golden BBQ sauce, average taste Spicy Curried Couscous - **** pearl couscous, roasted cauliflower and carrots, Mendo's signature curry spice, recommend Price: Mendocino stores were my go to places for lunch, however, recent experience is disappointing, noticeable smaller portions compared to it used to be, quality was still fine, expect $15 for a quick bite

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    Mendocino Farms
    Mendocino Farms

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    All'Antico Vinaio - The Venice beach (turkey)

    All'Antico Vinaio

    4.0(291 reviews)
    3.0 miKoreatown, Wilshire Center
    $$

    Amazing sandwich spot with really fresh ingredients and great portions. Everything tasted super…read moregood and the service was honestly one of the best parts. Chriara was really friendly, helpful, and made the whole experience way better. You can tell the staff actually care about customers. Definitely coming back again.

    I think out of all the places I've traveled to so far, my favorite would have to be Italy. During a…read morelazy afternoon after visiting the Pantheon in Rome, we had our first experience with All'Antico after taking a 5 minute walk down the road. They actually had 2 separate locations flanking the pedestrian road, so there were two long lines snaking out in opposite directions. While we were waiting in line, we bumped into a couple from Spain who were also visiting. They gave my wife some personal recommendations, advising we get the blood orange soda with our sandwiches. After getting said sandwiches (the La Paradiso), we nibbled on them while walking to Sant'Ignazio of Loyola Church, which is that cathedral where there's a mirror directed up towards the murals on the ceiling and a huge selfie line. Hot damn were those sandwiches good. The thinly sliced mortadella paired perfectly with that buttery, green pistachio spread. The only challenge for my taste buds was the mild oral trauma I sustained from punching through the crispy bread; your gums started to feel it by the time you devoured your sandwich. But we liked it so much that when we later took the train to Florence, we sought All'Antico again at their original location. I thought that would be my last experience with All'Antico (unless, of course, I came back to Italy). So imagine my surprise when later that year I heard All'Antico had coincidentally opened a branch in Los Angeles, although rather awkwardly situated in Koreantown. Even though we live 30 minutes away, we made the drive immediately. There was no way this remote All'Antico location, thousands of miles from Italy, would live up to the experience I had in Rome earlier that year. But I was mistaken. Not only is the taste spot on, but the bread they serve is actually chewier and removed the gum calisthenics I suffered in Italy. And yes, they also have the blood orange soda as well. It's a little weird their location is in Koreatown, but not a big deal; we'll usually do a bingsu run afterward. Just like their locations in Italy, All'Antico is small but they do have a small collection of bar seats, some of which overlook the staff as they're making your sandwich. Be mentally prepared though to take it to go depending on how busy it is. Parking sucks too; there's street parking only, but if you come on Sunday you don't have to pay. Every so often now, we'll make the 30 minute drive just to relive that slice of Italy we experienced nearly 2 years ago. Thankfully, not a lot of people recognize how good this place is yet, as the lines aren't crazy long like they are in Italy. For all the other Yelpers in on it too, let's keep it our little secret for now.

    Photos
    All'Antico Vinaio - Inside

    Inside

    All'Antico Vinaio - LA Broadway (without arugula and zucchini but mortadella added)

    LA Broadway (without arugula and zucchini but mortadella added)

    All'Antico Vinaio

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    Dune Downtown - Fried Chicken Shawarma

    Dune Downtown

    4.6(357 reviews)
    1.9 miDowntown
    $$

    I worked in downtown and this was walking distance to my office, so my coworkers and I would come…read morehere at least once a month since it was in our rotation! Food: 10/10! I can never finish their plates as the portions are huge, but it's always so good! My favorite thing to get is the hummus & fried chicken plate! The flavors pair well with each other and even when I would take it home, I would just air fry the chicken and heat up everything else, besides the hummus. Service: 10/10! Employees taking our orders always had a great attitude and was always just so kind. Our food would come out pretty quick, which was great since we had an hour lunch break. Ambiance: 10/10! Such a cool ambiance inside, but small seating area. Also outdoor seating is an option. I don't work in downtown anymore, but I would definitely come back with friends to this place!

    I ordered this via Postmates and am so glad I decided to give this a try. The fried chicken plate…read moreis so good! And so filling. I love the vibrant colors of all the different items on the plate and how the portion is decent for the price. $20 for the plate was steep at first but I was glad to see how much stuff is included. The fried chicken is perfectly cooked and the hummus is good! The rice and pickled veggies are also a nice touch to finish the dish off. :) I like the flat bread that comes with the order. There's a perfect amount of different flavors of each item on the plate. I've also tried the falafel plate and it was good. I definitely prefer the falafel overall because they were perfectly cooked! Crispy and not dry compared to other places I've tried. The filling is full and the texture wasn't hard. My only complaint to this would be I NEVER get utensils which is frustrating lol. Of all the times I've ordered takeout, I never get utensils! Definitely recommend!

    Photos
    Dune Downtown - July 19, 2025 | Saturday | Gorgeous flowers on the table!

    July 19, 2025 | Saturday | Gorgeous flowers on the table!

    Dune Downtown - Fried Chicken "Shawarma" Sandwich.

    Fried Chicken "Shawarma" Sandwich.

    Dune Downtown - Cute little shelf

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    Cute little shelf

    Banh Mii Sandwiches and Food Togo

    Banh Mii Sandwiches and Food Togo

    4.6(114 reviews)
    3.3 miDowntown
    $$

    More like BOMB mi!…read more We ordered: - Chicken Banh Mi* - PorkSung Banh Mi I've been wanting to try this spot for a while and found the perfect moment to go on my lunch break one Thursday afternoon. My sandwich was delicious and, to my surprise, was buttered! I would never think to butter the baguette in a banh mi, but I'm glad someone did because it was a very tasty touch. My friend got the porksung sandwich, which she really enjoyed, and was pleased to discover that it included pork floss. It was all yum and I can't wait to be back!

    If you live in the Arts District and get a random banh mi craving, this is a solid option to have…read morenearby. The ingredients tasted fresh, the pate was especially good (super smooth and buttery), and I appreciated how they handled the bread. They toast it before adding the fillings and then again after, so the sandwich stays warm and crisp without getting soggy. The bread itself is a little chewy and slightly dense compared to some SGV spots, but not in a bad way - and most importantly, it doesn't destroy the roof of your mouth lol. The shop itself is clean and simple inside, with just bench seating while you wait for your order. There isn't really dine-in seating, but the apartment complex it's attached to has outdoor seating areas nearby if you want to eat your sandwich outside. One thing to note: this is not one of those super quick in-and-out banh mi shops. Our order took a bit longer than expected, though the two workers were also putting together a huge catering-style sandwich platter while we were there, so that probably contributed. Other reviews mentioned slower service too, so I kind of expected a wait going in. They also accidentally included onions and cilantro even though my husband requested no onions/cilantro, so definitely double check your sandwich before leaving if you have preferences or allergies. Flavor-wise, I personally thought it leaned a little lighter and less savory than the banh mi I'm used to in SGV, but overall I still enjoyed it. The meat to bread ratio was good, I didn't feel like they skimped on any ingredients. Maybe not the absolute best banh mi I've had in LA, but definitely a good neighborhood option for Arts District.

    Photos
    Banh Mii Sandwiches and Food Togo - Interior

    Interior

    Banh Mii Sandwiches and Food Togo - #1 special banh mii SO GOOD 10/10

    #1 special banh mii SO GOOD 10/10

    Banh Mii Sandwiches and Food Togo - Special Banh Mi

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    Special Banh Mi

    Sandcouch Cafe - Have you tried out our breakfast sandwiches? Lots of options to get you going in the morning!

    Sandcouch Cafe

    4.5(117 reviews)
    2.2 miDowntown
    $$
    25 years in business
    Free WiFi

    After a late night out, the hubs and I needed something reasonably close and yummy for breakfast…read more We were staying at the Hotel Per La so I sent my hubs to grab and our food to bring it back to our hotel room. My breakfast burrito was good. My husband's breakfast sandwich was better so halfway through we traded. Service was great. Ambiance was nice.

    I'll be honest here, I kind of wanted to hate this place ever since I almost went a few months back…read morebut changed my mind when I saw six people wearing fedoras at a table and wanted nothing to do with that, but here we are, months later giving this place another real shot. My wife and I stopped here a few weekends back for lunch and I was pleasantly surprised with just how much I enjoyed the food. The ambiance here is pretty generic, white and bright and very copy and paste of a lot of places popping up recently. The staff was super friendly while taking our orders and dropping the food off, which is always appreciated. I ended up ordering the Santo's Turkey Melt which is smoked turkey, grilled onions, Swiss cheese, and chipotle aioli served on sourdough with a side of french fries. The sandwich was really good and the same can be said for the french fries and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of fries given, so thumbs up to that. I forgot what the food costs so I visited the website and for some reason they don't think it's important to put that online, which is pretty darn stupid if you ask me. Overall, I didn't have a bad experience at Sandcouch Cafe and I would visit again in the future thanks to it's convenient location. The food was solid and the staff was friendly, and that's really all I need when ordering a sandwich.

    Photos
    Sandcouch Cafe - Try out Johnny's Breakfast Sandwich; the swiss cheese and chipotle aioli make this no ordinary ham+egg+cheese sandwich.

    Try out Johnny's Breakfast Sandwich; the swiss cheese and chipotle aioli make this no ordinary ham+egg+cheese sandwich.

    Sandcouch Cafe
    Sandcouch Cafe

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    Il Giardino - italian - Updated June 2026

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