II Palio is a highlight (the signature Four Diamond restaurant). Simply put: the food was phenomenal. From the perfectly crafted brisket and short rib burger--to the house-made meatballs and incredibly seasoned, fresh oysters, every dish showcased top-tier ingredients and culinary precision. Finally, the overall service was exceptional: Hotel staff and restaurant staff were welcoming and gracious as well as knowledgeable, and genuinely enjoyable. That said, the addition of II Palio being within the hotel itself and offering room service is the cherry on top! This hotel and restaurant isn't just another "hotel restaurant"--it's a memorable destination AND we're already planning our return!! read more

Il Palio Ristorante - Sicilian Meatballs & cheeseburger (brisket/beef/short rib) - Italian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The food was so good! The risotto was excellent. I sat at the bar & received excellent service!! If I lived here it would be a regular spot!! read more

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The food? Absolutely delicious. But the prices here are so high expectations are through the roof to start. Overall, it's a great place for dinner if you don't mind a high price tag. read more

Service was very good and friendly... The food was very average, definitely nothing to write home about. I was surprised by the pasta prices. I understand a $55 steak but a $50 plate of spaghetti??? That killed my experience. Pasta should never be that expensive not even if it was lobster (which one was), but it was ravioli, it's not like it had half a lobster but only little pieces of it. Spaghetti carbonara is pasta bacon and an egg, come on, with the prices over $50. Talk about inflation... specially when the menu i saw here was WAY Way lower priced. read more

This Italian restaurant was inside the hotel we stayed at. It's open for breakfast and dinner but is closed on Mondays. I had the Tagliolini alla Carrettiera which was delicious!! It's a simple dish of sicilian oregano, garlic, olive oil, white wine, pepperoncini, arugula, and grana padano. My son ordered the Taglietelle al Tartufo, which consists of Umbrian black truffle, mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil, white truffle butter and grana padano. He said it was good but it wasn't worth $48. It wasn't a lot of pasta. My husband had the Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and a chicken sandwich. He was craving mashed potatoes but was disappointed because the potatoes were cold. He said the chicken sandwich was good though. For dessert we shared the Berries & Zabaglione, which was also good. Overall the food was very good but I took off one star due to the cold mashed potatoes and the price of the pasta. Pasta is cheap, you don't have to charge $48 for a serving even if it has truffles in it. The restaurant is very convenient if you are staying at The Siena Hotel. read more

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We were in town for Football Season Tickets and Had been to this location once before but sat in the bar as we did not have reservations, and Yes Reservations are necessary if you want to full experience, although our first visit a few years before was so good we decided to make reservations for this meal, and we were not disappointed. We were sat outside and what a night to sit outside, beautiful and yes the road is right there but we did not notice it at all. We were Served by Ryan who was assisted by Kevin and man these guys were on it, we wanted for nothing including attention, and to top it off Ryan had just moved to the area from Charlotte and had been a server at places we ate there and some we had not and are on our list to visit now, because of him. We started with the amazing White bean crustini's(?), WTH where have I been to have never had this before "ANYWHERE", So good. We had our main course, she ordered the Butter nut squash ravioli and I had the Duck confit as noted in the picture if you like olives it is just amazing and if you do not, still try it...We also had the Bread service, if you find it better anywhere, please DM me and let me know where it is, but this is at the top of my list right now. To finish things off we had the Almond Cake which was just decadent. To experience dining at its best you have to pay for what you are getting and we had the entire package here, Service, Delicious food and a wonderful ambiance. read more

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Phenomenal. A very easy 5 stars. The whole staff took amazing care of us. They gave us the best booth in the house and were all very friendly. The tenderloin was very rich, extremely flavorful, and the cream sauce was outstanding. The clams in the linguine alle vongole were very sweet and the handmade pasta was fabulous. The chef sent out free dessert for us- almond cake. And after finding out I am allergic to almonds, immediately brought out a slice of cheesecake and left the almond cake for my boyfriend to eat. Such an overall wonderful experience! World class. read more

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Food was good, the menu is a little deceiving when ordering dinner. They offer a smaller plate portion for their pastas which are about half the price. Somehow we missed that and only saw the lower prices printed on the menu, because we were charged $50 plus for each pasta dish. While tasty, definitely not worth $50. Had I known, I would have ordered the steak which was only $8 more. read more

My cousin took me here when I was in town and it was a great spot! I have to give her props. I'm not sure if the outdoor seating always has that setup, since it was during COVID, but it was nice to be outside and they had plenty of heaters. We started with the Wood Grilled Octopus and it was so so delicious. The octopus was cooked perfectly with a nice char and the presentation was really nice. I could have eaten the whole thing on my own. For entrees, my cousin ordered Cacciucco and I ordered the Duck Paccheri. We both struggled with pronouncing what we ordered, but it was amusing at the very least. My Spanish did not help me at all with this one. Having said that, both were delicious. I had a bit of order envy with my cousin. Her dish looked kinda like a bouillabaisse packed with fresh seafood in a rich broth. I took a bite and it was so good. Mine was a duck ragu with light olive oil parmesan dressing. It was really good, but my order envy got the best of me. I also prefer tomato based pasta dishes, so that's definitely more of a preference thing--it was still very good. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, they have a fantastic wine list. A great selection for Italian wines. Most of the wines are by the bottle, but their choices for wines by the glass are very good and reasonably priced. Service was fantastic. Our waiter was friendly and very attentive. This would be a great place for a romantic dinner with a special someone. It was also a great place to catch up with my cousin. It was quiet and it was a really nice evening. I definitely recommend this place if you're in the area and looking for a nice place for dinner. read more

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Dishes were very good. Portions were perfect. Not too much. The almond cake for dessert was fantastic. Knowledgeable and friendly service. Restaurant could use a little facelift. But I will still return regardless. read more

Really enjoyed this restaurant! The service was quick and kind. The restaurant was nice and clean and it was conveniently located inside of a hotel. The apps were delicious tried the bruschetta and the calamari. The calamari was huge and so chewy. The black truffle tagliatelle was tasty and the noodles were fresh. For dessert we had the pumpkin cheesecake and tiramisu. Absolutely loved the pumpkin cheesecake but the husband preferred the tiramisu. All in all the place was delicious for Italian style food. read more

ABSOLUTELY RUINED WHAT SHOULD'VE BEEN ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE NIGHTS OF OUR LIVES -- and charged us $300 (for 2 people, without wine) for the privilege. NOTHING romantic at all about this restaurant. Mediocre food, shockingly clueless service -- in a room that's like a coffee shop. Before Covid, my husband and I visited Chapel Hill and stayed at The Siena, which is a lovely hotel. It was my birthday and he made reservations outside at Il Palio and had a lovely flower arrangement delivered to our table. Food was excellent. Don't know what happened -- this is not even a shadow of the former Il Palio. Restaurant was expensive (even compared with S. Francisco, which we then our home) but we agreed it was some of the best Italian food we've ever had in the US (husband a native of Manhattan and we've visited Italy a number of time -- and were actually married there. My husband lost his wedding ring. I decided to buy a new one -- then thought that I would take him to the most romantic restaurant I could find, get down on one knee, pull out the special-ordered presentation ring box -- and ask him to marry me. Our dinner was also celebrating the acceptance of his latest book by his publisher, our successful move across the country to Durham, and the purchase of our new home. I had only eaten outside at Il Palio --and knew they had a crummy bar -- almost like a portable bar you'd find in someone's house. But I carefully checked reviews for "romantic restaurants" in the Triangle and Il Palio seemed to get high marks. Having never been in the dining room -- and given the EXTREMELY high prices for their food -- I assumed that the room would be dimly lit, beautiful, elegant, romantic. I imagined getting down on one knee and people around us clapping or at least being touched, etc. Husband tearing up (he's quite emotional), etc. I called the restaurant -- they called back. I explained what I was planning to do and they seemed very excited and "on board." Went to the bar as husband was parking. Asked what champagne they were pouring. No champagne (whaaat?) Only had Prosecco. Three on the menu -- they only had 1. The bartendress was dressed, spoke and behaved as though she was working in a not-to-popular sports bar in Philly (not the accent, but the lack of polish). Ok - so, that wasn't great. Hostess lead us into the restaurant and find NO tablecloths. NO flowers on the tables, No soft "mood lighting." There was a little candle -- like one of those 2" tall, 2" wide clear glass rings with a candle in it -- you now, like you buy a dozen for $2.99 at the Dollar Store (probably half that, wholesale?) NOTHING at all special or nice or even interesting, trendy. Everything about it had the ambience of a mid -range coffee shop in maybe 2000. The waitress arrived and put an FTD type clear glass ugly vase on the table with dk red roses in it -- but the cheap kind that you buy at the grocery store 4 days after they were delivered to it. I later learned my husband called, explained we'd dined there our 1st time in Chapel Hill, what we were celebrating and asked if they could do something special -- that as it. Our waiter was "Massimo." Massimo had the bearing, voice and charm of a longshoreman. It had Foie gras on the menu. It was $30 PER PERSON as an appetizer but husband loves it, so we ordered it. It was NOT foie gras. It was like a thin smear of liver pate on slices of plain old bought-at-Harris-Teeter small baguette. AND there were just two tiny slices for each of us. $60! The rest was about the same. And most things came -- as the foie gras had -- weirdly garnished with something like a chive that's 4" long but as fine as -- literally -- a horsehair. It was like trying to pull a green hair out of your mouth. AWFUL. I was hoping that miraculously, the desserts might be great. Nothing interesting -- tiramisu, etc. Most flourless cakes are like fudge, so I asked if it was heavy. Massimo said "no" so I ordered it. It was like a glue-y chocolate brick. I don't knoOur server looked to be a college student of maybe 20. She was clearly had no training or previous experience as a server in a fine-dining restaurant. That was made starkly apparent when she bought the cutlery -- which she practically tossed on the bare table and BACKWARDS. She literally did not know which side of the plate a fork goes on! When I imagine the meal we could've had in Manhattan or San Francisco -- even Paris -- for $300?! (By the way, we were smart and brought our own bottle of wine -- a special gift from friends. Corkage fee was $35 -- otherwise, our bill would've been MUCH higher than $300). I am 60 and have traveled widely, as has my husband. this was, HANDS DOWN the most disappointing dining experience of our lives. I had ONE chance to "propose" to my husband and they ruined it. It finally happened at 11 pm under the oaks on the Washington Duke Club terrace. read more

Il Palio Ristorante - Decor from...1992? - Italian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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I've been wanting to try this out for so long and so happy I did. I started off with ordering one of the cheeses, I asked for waiter's choice as long as it was a hard cheese. The cheese was great and drizzled with honey with a balsamic jam as well as grapes and homemade crackers. I then ordered the garlic crostini and it was good also. The bread was a think grilled bread. There was then bread brought to the table and it was very good! One thing I thought was cool was I was left with my own pitcher of sweet tea, it really came in handy whenever I needed a refill! Finally I ended my meal with the truffle pasta. The portion was a little smaller than I would have liked but the flavor was amazing. The service throughout was great and fast and I can't wait to try other things on the menu! read more

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If you are in chapel Hill and want a fabulous place for dinner, Il Palio will not disappoint. It is located in the Siena Hotel on Franklin Street. The bar is small but you can eat there without a reservation. If you want to eat in the restaurant try to make a reservation. It books up quickly especially if there are local teams playing. We had fabulous cocktails, generous pours of wine and fantastic pasta dishes. The staff are so friendly and know what they are doing. Locals eat there so that speaks volumes!!! The hotel is fantastic too!! Beautiful rooms, very responsive staff, and extremely comfortable place to chill away from home. read more

Hadn't been to Il Palio in years. Remembered it for Italian Cuisine and wine and that it was a great experience. Couldn't wait to try it again. Was slightly disillusioned to find that things had changed. New menu, new staff. I must say that I was overly surprised, as the service and ambiance were to perfection. Our waiter was very helpful and knowledgeable. Classy service. We had oysters to start, which were very good but nothing out of the ordinary. For dinner we had Burrata stuffed Ravioli with Maine Lobster and Pan Seared Sea Bass with Smoked Mussel fra diablo. The Ravioli was outstanding but that Sea Bass with smoked mussels was the best plate of food I have ever had!! I cook, I eat out a lot, and I like to observe how fine restaurants prepare and present their food. This dish hit all the marks and we will certainly be back for more. Chef Robert Compton has reopened this GEM at Il Palio and it will soon be known as one of the areas finest restaurants. Anyone looking for an outstanding, great dinning experience, you owe it to yourselves to definitely make this a bucket list destination. read more

My first visit to this fantastic Italian restaurant will not be my last. Everything was absolutely delicious. I can't remember names of dishes because it was in Italian. But just know it is worth. Total cost with drinks and 2 entrées and dessert $153. Totally worth every dime. Service was great. read more

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We stayed in the Siena hotel during our visit to Chapel Hill, so we got a chance to eat in their superb Italian restaurant, Il Palio. Unfortunately, our meal was breakfast, and there is nothing particularly Italian about eggs over easy with bacon or with eggs Benedict. However, our meal was excellent in all respects. Many years ago we had dinner there and it was perfect, so based on our recent breakfast experience and my recollection of the dinner, I feel confident with the 5* rating. Next time I will definitely schedule a dinner. We examined the dinner menu while using the elevator, and it was just what you expect from a top Italian restaurant. read more

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My fiancé and I came on a Friday evening having placed a reservation through OpenTable. Because the restaurant is located in the hotel, there was parking available around the building. We were immediately seated. Initially there were plenty of tables but it got full near the end of our meal. We got the 500 day aged prosciutto that came with acorn squash. We got the full size Pacheri All Anatra (duck pasta) and the Iberico Pork Pluma. Ambiance: 5/5 Very elegant and intimate. Service: 5/5 Massemo was great along with the 2 other waiters that attended to us throughout the evening. For the pasta dish, the first batch came out slightly undercooked (some were undercooked and others were el dente. They gladly replaced the dish pretty quickly. Food: 5/5 The complementary focaccia bread is absolutely amazing! It already had olive oil drizzled on it. It was also amazing with the prosciutto which balanced well with the acorn squash and cheese. We would be willing to even just go back for those two things! The Pacheri All Anatra (duck pasta) was also really good. They split the full duck pasta into two for us. The duck was moist and the pasta sauce was just the right amount of complexity in flavor profiles. It's definitely not something we could easily make on our own. The Iberico pork was amazing! I'd only heard about this type of pork but it looked and tasted similar to steak! They also served us mashed potatos which were really amazing too- they used olive oil for it. I definitely will try make that for myself! Overall: 5/5 This is a fine dining and pricy restaurant that has good for special events but the food and experience is great! We both thought that this was now our favorite Italian restaurant. read more

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We don't ever go out on Valentine's Day but after two pandemic years, we felt a little deprived and made a reservation at Il Palio for one of the busiest days of the year. It was a prix fixe menu, which isn't always accommodating of vegetarian options, but this one was! We had a wonderful dinner - service was excellent, atmosphere was warm, and the food was fantastic! We left stuffed and happy and look forward to returning for another experience at Il Palio. read more

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I really wanted to love this place. But I just can't recommend it for the money. First off- the staff and service are amazing and that needs to be recognized. Our sever made our visit so special by recommending food and sending us home with a complimentary dessert for our special occasion. I also want to state this restaurant is small and perhaps a bit corporate feeling because it's inside a hotel lobby and unfortunately that affects the ambiance. The lobby is extremely white, modern and almost sterile feeling and the restaurant itself feel completely disconnected in terms of design in a way that is jarring. We started with 1/2 dozen oysters which were fresh, cold and delicious. Our second course was the octopus, which I frequently order at restaurants. The accompaniments on the plate were a tomato paste, pickled onion, nuts and sparse greens which was not particularly flavorful or impressive. The next course was veal and ricotta meatballs which were by far the largest of all the items we received. I thought the sauce was exceptional but the meatballs themselves were dry. The final course was the pasta, which they are known for. We ordered the tagliatelle with truffle which is made in house and the spaghettini which was recommended. To be fair, my husband and I were divided on our opinions. I think the homemade pasta itself was wonderful in its texture but the flavor of the truffle was too subtle. I enjoyed the spaghettini more but on the whole my opinion of this place is - for $200 date there is better food, better atmosphere or more unique experiences to be had elsewhere in the area. read more

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The perfect combination of mediocre food, dismal service, and ridiculous prices. The only reason to eat at this restaurant is if you are staying at the hotel and have an expense account. To be fair, it is better than Olive Garden. read more

I have never stared at an Italian menu and have not seen anything appealing. This menu was a challenge. The server brought us bread while we were deciding. It had zero taste, and olive oil poured all over the top. It was literally not worth eating. I ordered the eggplant involtini and my husband had the Bolognese. The menu is confusing enough being half in Italian and half in English, but there are two prices for many items and no explanation. The food came in literally 4 minutes. Gabriel our truly fantastic waiter and we were still trying to stabilize the wobbly table when the sever from the kitchen came with our food. Mine was cold but flavorful. I could taste San Mariano tomato on the bottom sauce that didn't even look like it went with this dish. Other places blend the flavors and sauce by putting them in the oven for a few minutes. This was nothing like I've ever eaten in North America or anywhere in Italy, including Sienna. . My husband was ok. We knew from the timing and plated appearance that these were not made for us, but scooped out of a large ready-made tray, cafeteria-style. Given our disappointment, we skipped drinks and we're about to cut our losses and just ask for a check, but it was my birthday and we decided to give this place a second chance for dessert. I had the bread pudding and my husband had the cheesecake. Both were excellent. I was about to dig into what I thought was a cherry on top when the waiter set it in front of me. I have never had a begonia flower as a garnish, and I had no idea if this was edible. Looking it up online, I quickly found out that for many people with common afflictions, it is not a good idea to eat. But the desserts were great and should have probably just skipped dinner and had those. So, then the bill comes. Two desserts, a small pasta dish, and eggplant, with water and no drinks, equal a Benjamin without tip! WHAT??!! This was like fast food. No table cloths, laminate wobbly table, nothing special. This is beyond overpriced. Servers are wonderful but this is not the value of quality one would expect at a place charging this much. Have had better for 1/5 the price. I've made far better food than this. If you love well prepared, cooked to your order Italian pasta, this is not the place. But these are definitely cooked-to-order prices higher than Beverly Hills. Very disappointed. Could not pay me to eat here again. read more

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Our heat went out on one of the coldest nights, and we took refuge at The Sienna Hotel. Well while there, we had to take advantage of eating at this place that has such a great reputation. They have an outdoor tent set up with heaters, but it was still too cold so we had to move inside. It was difficult to fully enjoy our dinner because I was concerned about the other diners not wearing masks and felt too close for comfort. Nonetheless, the food was good and the service was great. The price was high and I'm not sure I'd choose to eat there again as I have other favorite places. read more

Service was unsatisfactory. Rude wait staff. Food was borderline average. Better service, food, and experience at chain Italian restaurants. read more

I went to Il Palio and got the chef's tasting menu. I got a real taste of what the restaurant had to offer. Each item came with a thorough description of what it was and where it came from. The pork in particular was excellent. The service was incredible; I especially recommend Lyle. He was kind, attentive, and knowledgeable. read more

Il Palio has been in My Collections for over a year, and I finally got over to Chapel Hill to try it out. We had a reservation and when we arrived we had a corner table that had a view of most of the restaurant. Massimo was our server for the night, and he was great (shout out to Ashley too!). He answered all of our questions about the menu and made suggestions for what he thought we might enjoy. We ordered the Caprese Salad, which they split into two plates for us, two larges tomatoes, slices of mozzarella, and micro basil. Could have used a little salt and pepper but otherwise was tasty. I ordered the Orecchiette Genovese and my husband got the Grilled Chicken Paillard. I liked the Orecchiette, the sausage and broccoli rabe added great texture and flavor. My husband wasn't as impressed with his course. The chicken had a BBQ-style sauce on top, which we thought was interesting. When we go back, he'll likely try a pasta dish next time. We wrapped up the night with tiramisu, which had a little bit too much cocoa on top for our liking. Still, a great night out and we are fans of Il Palio! read more

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On the night we were there, the service was excellent. The food was fair, at best, and overpriced like most restaurants these days, it seems. Will probably not go there again, given these concerns. read more

Went here on a Sunday at 5:30pm with my wife and a couple of friends. It's located within The Siena hotel which is supposed to be modeled after a small Italian village. It makes sense that the restaurant inside would serve Italian food :) It was very quiet, and would be a great place to bring a date. Unfortunately I have to start with a bit of a downer because the whole reason we came here was to try the Appetizers: 2 Grilled Crostinis (one with the the N'duja and the Tuscan White Bean & Sofritto) - Both crostinis were delicious and full of flavor. The bread was not too hard. I've been to places where the crostinis can literally break your teeth because they are so hard lol. We also ordered the 500 day aged Prosciutto and Melon - The Prosciutto was also good. The aged flavor was definitely there and the melons paired nicely to "cool off" the saltiness and depth of the meat. Wood Grilled Octopus - Unfortunately the grilled octopus was a little on the burnt side. I can see where the dish was going, because the char would be a nice compliment to the octopus. However, it was just a tad too overdone and the bitterness of the char was overpowering the meat. The squid ink puree, roasted pepper and sun dried tomato aioli, and the salsa aioli were very good though! For the main courses: Grilled Swordfish - The grilled swordfish was cooked well, but I think swordfish is a type of fish you either like or you don't. It has a very oily texture and the flavors aren't super strong. It was cooked and presented beautifully but it just wasn't my jamz. Iberico Pork Pluma - This Iberica Pork unfortunately fell victim to the high heat fire it was cooked on. On the pieces that weren't burnt, the char flavor with the pork was super delicious. Probably one of the best pieces of pork I've ever had. If you aren't familiar with Iberico pork, it's kind of like the Wagyu of pigs. It's a special breed that is super expensive to buy and raise. It also has a specific diet that adds to the flavors of the meat. You can definitely see how good it can really be if done right. Honestly, if you go here, I would still order this because if cooked right, it will most definitely be life changing! Bucatini alla Amatriciana - I love pork cheek and I really enjoyed this dish. Pork cheek, has a ton of flavor and I really enjoy the texture. It's delicious in street tacos and it's super delicious in pasta! Pappardelle Ragu Bolognese - I know this isn't super fancy but the braised beef, veal, and pork were extremely flavorful and that meaty flavor permeated the Papparrdelle beautifully. This was one of my favorite dishes! For Dessert: Berries and Zabaglione - A nice light and fruity dessert. Perfect if you are absolutely stuffed but still want something sweet to cap off the meal. Tiramisu - Tiramisu is like the baseline for me when it comes to Italian desserts because I know that if it's good, then the rest of their desserts will be good. This was definitely GOOD! New York Cheesecake - Typical cheesecake but the sour cherry compote was really good! Warm Focaccia Bread Pudding - I kid you not, this is the absolute BEST bread pudding I have EVER had! Where do I even begin? The focaccia bread is a great style of bread for this dessert because the texture is just perfect enough to be able to hold up to the toppings, but still cut buttery smooth with a fork. The mascarpone is what really elevated this dessert in my opinion though. There was something buttery in it that just went so well with the rest of the flavors. The maple bourbon sauce was so good and just the right amount of sweetness. I am not even kidding when I say that I will come here just for this bread pudding because it is THAT good! Overall, I would've loved to give this place 5 stars, but 2 things kept me from doing that. 1. The menu on their website wasn't up to date. (At the time of this writing, it seems they have fixed it) 2. The price is kind of high. I'm not against high prices because the quality of ingredients and presentation in these dishes warrant it. However, the execution on that particular night we ate there wasn't up to par. No matter how good the dish or its ingredients are, it still has to be cooked right. There was just a little too much char taste on some of the dishes to warrant the price. With that said, I would still absolutely go here again, and would highly recommend visiting this place for a nice romantic evening with that special someone! Also, I want to stay at this hotel sometime. Looks really cool! read more

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Amazing food! Had the tagliatelle with truffle and wild mushrooms. My friend had the chicken piccata. Service was superb. Highly recommend.

Amazing! Absolutely amazing! Truly enjoyed the food the service and the atmosphere was wonderful. Massi and Daphne attention detail was outstanding. the pork Pluma was delicious read more

Outstanding service. Our dining experience begins with Massimo, a charming, knowledgeable and outstanding waiter. We were extremely happy with all of his recommendations, from the wine to the entrees, everything was exceptional! Looking forward to our next visit. With so many great restaurants in the area, this one is definite must to return to. read more

The food was good, but the service was lacking. Our water glasses were empty for the last 25% of dinner. Overall, overpriced for the complete experience. read more

Really great. In the Siena Hotel but great service and the food was spectacular. I had the black truffle tagliatelle and it was delicious. Highly recommend. read more

I can't say enough good things about Il Palio. It occupies a really special place in my heart. I make sure I eat there every time I visit Chapel Hill. Il Palio is a real treasure and Chapel Hill is lucky to have them. The best word I can use to describe the food here is "sublime." I have eaten at Il Palio many times and have never had a less than perfect drink, loaf of bread, appetizer, entree, or dessert. Most people probably come here for dinner, but breakfast is also very good and worth a try. The food is excellent, but the service and atmosphere are what make Il Palio so special. The restaurants' hostesses are extremely friendly and welcoming. It is really nice to eat out on the patio, even though it overlooks the parking lot. Servers Pietro and Massimo are pretty much local legends and are experts at their craft. The younger servers are extremely well trained and friendly. The staff at Il Palio pamper and spoil you during the entire meal and make it a truly memorable experience. It is pricy to eat here, but well, well worth it. I strongly recommend Il Palio and hope that the community will continue to support it so it is here for all of us to enjoy for years to come. read more

My favorite part of this establimeant is knowing I can come in and have the bartender ( Heather) offer me a drink perfectly paired with the meal I didn't even know i wanted. The staff is so attentive and has a strong knowledge of the menu and pairing. All staff memebers seem to have a passion for the cusine and truly cater to the guest experience. * I don't normally do dessert but upon Heather's recommendation that the cheesecake is like a "Whipped Cloud" I couldn't resist.. paired with a housemade Lemoncello.... l couldn't say "NO"! You have to stop by and make sure to ask for Heather if you want a truly great dining experience. read more

Very disappointing pasta. The entire table ordered different pasta dishes and each person said that theirs was mushy and stuck together. Everything is overpriced for a very mediocre meal. Don't bother. read more

Wow I really enjoyed staying here. The service is really top tier, and the restaurant offered some great food options. I only dined here for breakfast as it was included in the price of my room, and it was some of the best hotel breakfast I had. I missed eating avocado toast, and lo and behold, they do avocado toast. I'm determined to come back and try the rest of their menu. read more

Il Palio Ristorante - Avocado toast - Italian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The food is beautiful to look at and delicious- a feast for the mouth. I had the truffle pasta and the stuffed artichoke hearts. Excellent. The service is outstanding. Massimo knows exactly how to make his customers feel at home. He took the time to chat with me and we had a great conversation. The atmosphere is very elegant, yet not pretentious. One does not need to be dressed up. The hostess is very friendly. The entire experience was very pleasant. read more

Took the family here for a celebratory dinner for my twins' graduation. The service was absolutely great and the food was even better. While not sure about eating in "hotel restaurant", this was very different in a great way. Ambiance was terrific and the boutique Sienna hotel is beautiful and intimate. Highly recommend. read more

Hands down the best food I've ever eaten. My daughter is a UNC Chapel Hill student. We come here multiple times every time we visit, and she also saves up and splurges to eat here with friends sometimes. The bread they serve is straight from Heaven. There is an Angel working in that kitchen! The crostini is also amazing. This restaurant is in the Sienna hotel. Last time I was in NC, I stayed at the hotel which was a real treat. Since we did that, I can say the breakfast is also outstanding. The photo is of a charcuterie board that I'd seen on a review, but when we arrived it was off the menu. The chef made us one anyway!!!! read more

Il Palio Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina