Il Pavone means The Peacock. That, and a quick review of the menu online, and I was sold - this was the spot I was going to pick! I hosted my boss' retirement luncheon here last week. There were 20 of us. Myself and a co worker went a little early to decorate. They were very accommodating. Additionally, we ordered a couple cocktails while we waited; I mean, decorated and slipped them onto the tab. NICE! The food was average. I mean it was good but for the price I have had so much better. I had a Ceasar salad and it was nothing spectacular (as expected) but it just seemed like your low end salad and the lambchops were edible. Generous portions. The staff was very attentive and friendly. They kept our wine and water glasses full. Everyone in my party said the food was good and they all had a good time. I'm sure the wine helped. All in all we had a great time celebrating, but for the money dropped I think I expected a little more. Everything is always better when the company is paying for it. read more

I had a bite of the ravioli and it wasn't good. I asked if they could return it and they wouldn't. So much for customer service.

Even though we live only a couple of blocks from Il Pavone, we don't go there enough. We went last night with another couple who had not been there before. I forgot how good their food and service is. It was somewhat pricey. However, compared to the new upscale restaurants in town, their food was much better and larger portions. I had the rack of lamb, WOW! It was cooked to perfection (rare) and very tasty. And--there were 7 ribs, a full rack. Everywhere else around here gives you 3 ribs. The ladies had the salmon special and both loved it, ate every bite. The other gentleman had one of the veal dishes and was also very happy with it. Yeah, you can joke about being a Rossmoor hangout but I will take that every time for the food. Go to your hipster places and pay a fortune for mediocre food. Come to this old style, full plate, nice salads and great deserts place and relax. read more

I was entertained here by my boyfriends Italian grandparents (who were in town from the North East) and their local friends. This is probably the BEST Italian food I've had on the West Coast. When we decided we would meet them for dinner in Walnut Creek, I automatically assumed we were going downtown, and when I looked up Il Pavone on the map I wondered where we could possibly be going. Don't let the out-of-the-way location confuse you! The food is amazing, the service was great, and as a testimony to the restaurant, it was packed on a Tuesday night with what looked to be long-time regulars. My boyfriend ordered the Saltimbocca alla Romana and I got the Gameroni Saltani. The veal was great, and I would love to try the other veal dishes on the menu. I felt like I shouldn't order prawns at an Italian restaurant, but I'm so glad I did. It was one of the best prawn entrees I've had. TL,DR: Best Italian restaurant on the West Coast. read more

Boy do I enjoy good Italian food : ) Well, to make a long story short, our pre booked valentine reservations were ruined at Fiore in Concord, which I will soon write a review about. Getting to the point, we did not eat there after all, and since all other restaurants were booked that night, we decided to make our Valentines day dinner on Friday night. After scanning several different Italian restaurants menu's on line, Il Pavone spoke to us the most. So we booked reservations for 6:00 on Friday night. Il Pavone is in the Rossmore area of Walnut Creek. I remember driving by this place several times throughout the years but never knowing it was an Italian restaurant. It's located on the corner of Olympic blvd and another street, very hard to miss and there is a decent amount of parking in the back, so No walnut creek metered parking : ) I got here fairly early and was able to get a nice little table in a good spot. The gentleman who greeted me also said I was lucky to have gotten reservations because they were turning people away. This restaurant is totally old school and I am assuming it has not been remodeled since opening , however, it has an incredibly charming and homey feel. I was waiting for my hun to meet up with me so I was able to scan the menu and ask our server a few questions and recommendation. I also ordered a glass of Hess Cabernet. The Cabernet was ok. My hun then arrived and we proceeded to order. For an appetizer, we went with the Calamari Fritti which is Lightly floured squid, deep fried with lemon and jalapeno peppers. For our main courses, I was in a toss between the fettuccine alfredo or the Lasagna which is Lasagna Al Ragu DiCarne Pasta sheets layered with meat and bechamel saucebut. Our sever just raved about the Lasagna and said all there pasta' are made from scratch but the way his eyes lit up when describling the Lasagna, me and my hun were sold enough to were we both ended up ordering that. Calamari Fritti arrived first. Presentation was nice and it turned out to be extremely tasty. Also the creamy dip that accompanied it complemented it quiet well. It took some time to receive our Lasagna but when it finally arrived? Holy hott damn did it looked Sinfully delicious! Literally sizzling hot good. We asked for some freshly grated Parmesan on it as well which always doesn't hurt : ) We had to wait a while for it took cook down but when we were able to finally sink our teeth in to it and oh my was it everything I wanted it to be and more. All of the ingredients as well as the pasta tasted extremely fresh and flavorful not too mention quite generous in size. I told my self I would only eat half but nope...ate the whole darn thing lol It was that good. My hun also loved it as well. This place seems to be catered more to the retirement community however, any young food connoisseur would appreciate it. Don't let the outdated atmosphere deter you as well, as you know those are were the hidden jems reside alot of times. Our experience here was enjoyable. The service was a little slow at times though still genuine and friendly. It is a little pricey though you are paying for quality and the food my god is soo worth the extra bucks. read more

Ahhh, I hate reviews like this... Okay, I love Italian. Who doesn't love Italian, right? So when I had a craving one evening, I remembered Il Pavone, a small restaurant on Olympic and Tice Valley in Walnut Creek. I couldn't decide what I wanted that evening, so the waiter offered a dish that "Mama" was making. After a short wait, I was served a hot dish of Cannelloni with a secret sauce. Wow. Hands down the best dish I've ever eaten at an Italian restaurant. You could tell it was made by "Mama," who spends a few months out of the year in Walnut Creek, Ca, while the remaining part of the year is spent in Sicily. (from what the waiter told me) However, when Mama isn't there, it's a different story. Might I remind you that it's blocks away from Rossmoor? Not that there's anything wrong with that, but when you're a younger couple, it's not really exciting to see the senior citizens get drunk and escorted out by the waiters. Regardless, on our next visit (when Mama was NOT there) I was sadly disappointed. I realize the reason I couldn't decide what I wanted on my first visit, was because the regular menu SUCKS! Italians love pasta, and I was not impressed by the dishes they served. Bottom line, not a good choice unless you know Mama's schedule. I would rather drive a bit further, and eat at Luna in Concord. read more

This is a small neighborhood spot and from what I've heard, it's run by an Italian family (surprise, surprise). It shows. The food is really good. Between the three of us, we had (1) angel hair pasta with meat sauce, (2) linguini with white clam sauce and (3) chicken with vegetables and potatoes. They were all great. The meat sauce was among the best I have ever had. Now, for the downside. The restaurant is very close to Rossmoor (a 55+ community) and it was obvious when we were there. We were there on a Saturday evening and it's definitely an older crowd. I think our waiter was used to people who have hearing problems because he was basically shouting at us. We even pointed it out and we all (including him) had a laugh about it ... but he kept doing it. Maybe that's just the way he talks. Anyway, if you're looking for good old-fashioned Italian food, this is a good option. If you want to impress a first date, go somewhere else. read more

My second visit here with my co-workers, a party of 7. I had a hard time making up my mind with the wide selection on the menu. I chose the Osso Buco which was tender and served with a sauce that was delectable. Everyone at our table had different items from the menu including a special of linguine de mar and lamb chops that were claimed to be the best of any restaurant locally. Service was very good our waiter was very attentive. It did take a bit of time for our food to arrive but the restaurant was full. This restaurant attracts a mature clientele being so near Rossmoor but it seemed that there were regulars that enjoyed the familiarity of the restaurant. I ordered the chocolate mousse for dessert and wondered where the chocolate flavor was. It was very light but a bit disappointing. Being the coffee snob that I am, I thoroughly enjoyed the rich blend that they served. I hope to come back again and try something new next time. read more

I've been here a number of times and it's always the same- Great food and a friendly staff. I'm usually the kind of guy that isn't too adventurous and when I find something I like, I just stick with it every time I come back to a place. But, they just have too many good dishes on the menu so I find myself ordering something different every time. Haven't been disappointed yet. Waiters are friendly as well as the bartenders (we usually stop by for a drink at the bar before sitting for dinner). Usually, one of the owners stops by as well to say hi share his personal favorites for the evening as well. A few times he offered some dishes not even on the menu which were terrific!Not sure what is my favorite dish is since I like the pastas as well as the veal. Everything on the menu is delicious so just explore! read more

We live close by this restaurant and thought that we had stumbled upon a really great thing. We ended up going here numerous times for various birthday celebrations (always a group of 7 - 4 adults and 3 kids). The first few times, the food was fantastic (a bit pricey but home-made pasta - especially the ravioli was amazing and they make a great Caesar salad) and the service was pretty good. Then things started going down hill. 3 times they messed up our reservation despite me calling in and confirming it. Then the last time took the cake! They gave away our reservation to another party even though we had arrived early. We had to stand around and wait until they shuffled around. After that, it took us over an hour to get our food. The server was gruff and grumpy. They did not offer to comp us anything (as an expensive restaurant normally does). They didn't even acknowledge that they had messed up with our reservation NOR that the food was incredibly late. Our kids were practically eating every piece of bread around them. On that visit as well, the food quality had gone way down. If my review was based on just that experience alone, I would have given it a 1 star. However, who knows what was happening recently...new management? Understaffing? You might have better luck than we did but 3 times in a row of "screwups" have made us decide not to spend our money there any more. It's too bad really, but perhaps their normal clientele of 65+ are fine with it. read more

Il Pavone is a treasure. Most authentic Italian cuisine outside of Italy (and yes I have been there!) Make a reservation (this place is popular with the Rossmoor hipsters). When I was living in Walnut Creek I would pass by this place on my way to school and decided to try it one night. The place was packed and run by an Italian woman who was so sweet. She only had a table outside so she gave us glasses of wine. The pasta was so incredibly delicious-mmmmm I still crave their pesto and trek out from the city! If you want to have an authentic Tuscan meal I highly recommend- their veal is melt in your mouth heavenly like omg I feel bad for eating this. From their website: "Well known for it's personal touch in Italian cuisine set in a comfortable, cottage-like surroundings, Il Pavone offers a wide range of Tuscan specialties including Milk-Fed Veal, Chicken, Aged Beef Steak, Rack of Lamb, Pasta and Fresh Seafood as well as traditional favorites such as Osso Bucco, Lamb Shanks, House-Cured Italian Meats and Homemade Filled Pastas. Open for Dinner and Early Bird seven nights a week from 4:30 pm. Lunch; Monday - Friday, 11:30 - 3:00 pm" read more

This place is great if you're stopping in with your grandparents and need a quiet place that is decorated like they decorate assisted living facilities - and the smell isn't far off either. That said, there are some redeeming qualities that made it enjoyable: 1) It was quiet, which made conversation possible, without being so quiet that everyone in the restaurant shared in our conversation. 2) The food was pretty good, particularly when considering the price. It's not like one of the 4/5-star places downtown, but good nonetheless. 3) The wait staff was very attentive and really knew how to interact with my grandparents who are in their mid-seventies and have a particular way that they like to interact with a restaurant. We won't be back on our own or with friends any time soon, but maybe we'll stop in when I take my folks out to tour Rossmoor when they retire in a few years. read more

Five stars due to the superb quality of the Linguine alle Vongole! There were SOOOO many fresh clams, I couldn't finish them all! Typically restaurants are very stingy when you order seafood pasta dishes - maybe 6 or 8 clams, shrimp or mussels. This dish had so many clams, both in shell and not, I couldn't finish them all. The broth on the pasta was fabulous - perfect for bread dipping after the noodles are gone. + The restaurant was pretty quiet for lunchtime + Great service - the waiter was so nice! I wish they had name tags so I could give him credit + Superb dishes - not 5 star restaurant quality, but very fresh and home-made feeling + Prices aren't outrageous + Next to Rossmoor - great place to take grandparents! read more

The marching orders last night: A friend wanted rack of lamb. I said ..well that will be difficult to find in a restaurant these days! So on to Yelp I go...and came up with nothing. So I googled... "rack of lamb" "walnut creek, CA" and voila - Il Pavone pops up. I read the reviews. We call to verify that they indeed have rack of lamb being served. We make reservations and we were not disappointed. Our table was private and the service was excellent. Yes - it is smack dab nearly next to a retirement community. Hence the predominant clientele is older (50+ and mostly probably 65+) But that is okay. I think part of the reason also - the menu isn't trendy. It is old school french/italian. It is not cheap either. Each of our entrees set us back $34 a piece. Not including salads, apps and wine. I also wouldn't really call this a "special occasion dinner spot" . It reminds me of the old school dining I enjoyed with my parents as a kid. The thick table cloths - the formal service - the fantastically prepared meats and seafood - served simply but fancy. A throw back if you will to the 50s and 60s when dining was a treat. That said - the rack of lamb was delicious as was my veal chop. OMG - tender, pink, with a fresh porcini reduction. It was HUGE too... had to be about a pound of meat easily The bone was very well trimmed too - which was a nice presentation. read more

The food was really good (I had the salmon special which came with rice and sauteed vegetables) but the service was extremely slow! Three hours for dinner was a bit much. Also, at 23, I was by far the youngest person in the place....hence why they offer a supposedly great early bird special! read more

I drive by this place every day since I live right down the street from it now. Its a cute little place from the outside and since Valentine's Day was coming up I decided I wanted to bring my fiancee here for dinner. Inside, the restaurant has a much older (classic) feel to it, and the crowd inside was definitely older. The food and wine were very very good! I ordered the Saltimbocca Alla Romana because I wanted to try their prosciutto. DELICIOUS!! My fiance had their Valentines special which was a Sole (might've been a different fish) stuffed with crab and other delights. Also DELICIOUS. Forgot to mention that for our appetizer we had the Calamari. That was definitely one of the better calamari appetizers I've ever had. For dessert we had their version of Cannoli. Wow, so tasty. Wine was also pretty darn good. We'll definitely come back to try their other desserts. read more

Reliable. Popular. Good food. All the Italian standards. Come in and enjoy a nice wine list, Clams Leonardo (what makes those different than clams casino?) and a salmon special that is often available. read more

Il Pavone - Vino! - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

We've eaten there several times cause we're neighbors. We love it. People are the best. Food is consistently good.

I have now been gto this restaurant three times with my dad and his girlfriend. ;) It is their favorite, as it is so close to Rossmoor and has such wonderful food and excellent service. The Ceasar salad is incredible. Love, love, love it!! Everything I have tried in the entree category has been excellent. Decor is delightful. Service is very attentive but the food takes a while to arrive. Expect a dining experience. And make a reservation! It is always crowded - even on Wednesday nights at 5:15! Desserts are divine, so don't skip!! read more

I'm spoiled by the incredible variety of fine restaurants we have in Oakland - the diversity of food, servers, and patrons. Il Pavone is just OK in comparison, but although I wouldn't make it an out-of-the-way destination, if you are in the neighborhood it is a quiet, comfortable, and nice place to eat. Mostly the food is quite tasty, if not a bit portion-meager. I used to eat here occasionally when my Mom was at Rossmoor - the average age of the patrons has got to be well in their 80's. If you are really hungry, try the Panini plates, otherwise have soup before your entree and you will still have room for dessert. This is a really great place for a quiet lunch, and there is plenty of parking. There is also a really great fresh produce store right next door. read more

Had dinner here with a family friend who lives in Walnut Creek. Arrived during the Early Bird dinner time frame, which was their busy time with all the seniors from Rossmoor. Had the fried zucchini appetizer which was crispy and well cooked. The house salads were fine, but the thousand island dressing tasted rather bottled. My husband had a steak that he said was good. Our friend had the calamari which he enjoyed. I had the veal piccata which had an overwhelming lemon flavor that was less than appealing. Opted for the chocolate mousee was okay but nothing special. Overall it was an okay meal but probably wouldn't choose to return. read more

Came in tonight about 5:30pm looking for a bite to eat. Stood at the door while plenty of employees walked past us without a word many times. Still waited, read the menu to get a head start, still NOTHING. Restaurant wasn't busy at all. Many tables open, read the reservation book while still standing and waiting, not many reservations in it. Ended up walking out. Such a disappointment. Doubt I'll be back so don't look for a review change later. I've never been so ignored while waiting at an establishment to give my business too. Thanks Il Pavone. For nothing read more

I had the Calamari steak, and it was very savory. My server recommended it to me, and while I love calamari, I really hate chewing my food for three minutes every time I put the fork in my mouth ;)! This was much different-- Flavorful and tender. Paired the entree with white wine, and had an overall good experience; Nice servers, good food. A sidenote would be that the clientele of the restaurant seems to be older people; I seemed to be the youngest person in the restaurant, the next having at least 20 years on me, which didn't bother me but I did notice. read more

Il Pavone - Calamari Steak - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

This is a great place!!! although the crowd is older, it's still a great place for a romantic dinner, sitting at the sunken in bar with great chair!!! Head Chef Marcello is AWESOME!!! great great great cook!!! Family owned and worked! I haven't been in a long time, but it's great and you would never know from the outside! it's a different world on the inside (trust me!) It's a MUST read more

You need to use a little bit of discipline to not fill up on their incredible bread and butter but if you're a pasta fan, it's worth leaving room for their awesome array of pastas. I especially like their spaghetti bolognese, ravioli and canneloni. And the service is friendly and outgoing with Nick and staff. If you like good old fashioned homemade Italian dishes without the frills, check out Il Pavone! It's right up there with my Italian mama's cooking. read more

I came here last night and was part of a big dinner bday party. The appetizers were great, we tasted a little bit of everything. The main entrees we also tried a little bit of everything, they consisted of the Steak (cooked medium but still not as tender as I would of hoped), roasted chicken (little bland) and the veal chops which were actually my favorites and seasoned perfect. The atmosphere consisted of mostly elderly people which is ok but just a little weird at first, I actually thought they were going to have bingo night. Overall good experience. The service was excellent, especially our waiter, really attentive and lively. Thank you for a great dinner! read more

Popular with the Rossmoor crowd Old-fashioned and one of the waiters sings like an Italian opera star I will be back read more

Funny - I was told about this place awhile ago to check out, but was forewarned it was the local hole for coffin dodgers, but was good for italian food! I brought a newly picked member of the female species to take (just so happened it was Valentines Day, can you believe that?), but since it happened so last minute, I stopped in at lunch time to see if reservations were available - sat at the bar and had a beer while they worked their magic. Being so lucky, they found a spot for the two of us! We got there a few minutes early and hit the bar- which is awesome, low lying comfortable bucket type seats that fit the bar well. After a few minutes they squeezed us into our table which happened to be right there next to the bar- it was a little tight as they were trying to get as many tables in there as possible. So close our fellow geezer diners could literally pick off our plates!! But actually it was all good, we got lucky to have very friendly folks next to us which helped make for a great evening. I had the lasagna whilst the young lady I was thoroughly impressing had the calamari steak - the lasagna was very good, and I was told hers was as well (I don't eat swimming rubber bands). The service was ok, he kinda forgot about us, but in all fairness we did tell him we weren't ready a couple of times, so I guess it washes. All in all, it was a pretty good evening - I will say that it is a bit pricey, especially for smaller portion sizes. If you don't eat a lot and don't mind it pricey, then its a great place to try. At least once. read more

This restaurant is in major need of a refresh to the 21st century. Everything from the decor, plates, presentation, and food scream 1980's. Food was under seasoned and outdated. The "fresh" ravioli was just "ok", probably due to the average at best sauce. One dish we ordered had in its description fresh tomato, basil, and olive oil. It came out drenched in tomato sauce. Oh, and for$6.50 extra you got some prawns, I mean a few chopped up shrimp (prawns they were not). People and service was good, no complaints there, however, even that can't overcome outdated bland food. read more

Wow!!! Me and my husband heard about Il Pavone finally we had the opportunity to go for dinner, I had the halibut special delicious! Dessert unbelievable!! We'll be back for sure!! read more

Despite all the negativity concerning the "Whiteheads" during the "early bird" time, we found everything to be above par! We did not order from the early bird menu although, in hindsight, we probably should have. The selections were very good. We found the food to be very good; the service was very good and the ambience was good! We gave 4 stars instead of 5 because nobody reads 5 star reviews. We'll definitely be back! read more

I should preface this with, this is not my go-to type of cuisine. With that said, it's not bad. The fried calamari appetizer is the best thing here. Comes with fried lemons and jalapeños. Yes please! And the breading is very light (thank you!). It's definitely an old person restaurant. I guess the proximity to rossmore? Doesn't bother me. Just keep in mind if you are dining past 7, you might be the only people there read more

This place is absolutely wonderful! I live in North Beach in San Francisco so I feel like I can speak to great Italian food. This was definitely up near the top of my list. Not only is it such a cute, quaint little family run restaurant which I always love to support, but the service was as spectacular as the food and wine which is hard to find. The flavor was completely on point. The wine was also lovely. All in all there was really not a single bad thing I could have to say about this place. Our server, Brian was very lively and took great care of us so sit in his area if you can. read more

I really appreciate this place. It has a comfortable country restaurant feeling. The food has always been much better than average. I stick with my tried and true favorite dish when I eat here... the patrole sole. I get that dish everywhere... this place ranks right up there. read more

Went to Il Pavone for Valentines Day because my husbands father is good friends with the owner. Our reservation was for 7:30 and we were seated around 7:40 (not too bad considering they were packed!). Our waiter was the owners son. He was super nice. First things first, I ordered a Gin Martini with Sweet Vermouth. The waiter repeated my order correctly. What I got was a dirty vodka martini. I didn't say anything because the waiter was so nice. We ordered the calamari to start. It was pretty good! I am a fan of spice and the fact that it is served with jalepenos made me very happy. I had raviolis for my entree. They were average. The pasta was fresh and the meat sauce was ok. My husband had pesto spaghetti with chicken. We both finished our plates but for the price I would have imagined having enough to take some home. Our bill was $80 for 1 soda 1 martini calamari ravioli spaghetti seems like a bit much to me... I'm glad we went but I probably won't be back. read more

I am normally very supportive of small businesses. But, I do require that they earn it, just like every other business. Based on the other reviews, it seems that if you are a Rossmoor regular, service can be reliable enough. This was my first trip to Il Pavone, meeting my parents and brother for his birthday. My dad had made a reservation, but when I arrived first, I discovered there was no reservation under his name. I looked at the reservation list, and there was no trace of his name, even misspelled. Strike 1: We were seated immediately next to the front door. We were hit by a chilly draft whenever the front door opened, made the meal uncomfortable in general from the start. Strike 2: I don't recall ever being offered a drink over the course of our meal. The entire table had nothing but waters until I finally requested a tea for my mom. I'll credit the man in charge of refilling waters--he was at our table constantly topping us off. Not so much that it was annoying though, which was nice. Now for the biggest issue of the evening for me: Strike 3, The Serving Size. I am a woman in my thirties, currently eating for two, so I was hungry. However, in older restaurants like this, I expected the portions to be on the larger size to the point where a half portion would be more than enough for me. No sir, if you are hungry, I recommend you order the full portion of whatever you are in the mood for. The bowl of pasta I got was barely enough for a 2 year old in my opinion. I actually made a conscious effort to eat slowly so that I wouldn't make my family uncomfortable when I finished my pasta in under five minutes. It was very awkward because I didn't want to make a scene. Thankfully my brother was very pleased with his order (he ordered one of the specials), and since he was the bday boy, his experience was really what mattered most. Lesson 1, if you get seated in the nice seating area, atmosphere is okay. If you get seated in the bar (right side of restaurant entering), either leave, or ask to be reseated and hope it doesn't poison the service. Lesson 2, if you aren't hungry at all, half portion should be fine. Otherwise order the full portion. Lesson 3, reservations may get lost. In other news, food quality was decent. The service was just okay, but I am typically pretty forgiving on that detail, especially when an establishment is busy. Our waiter, when we saw him, was very nice. read more

Great food! Like eating at nonnas house. Seriously, the flavors are spot on. Reminds me so much of my grandmothers food, I love it. Real toscano cuisine!! Just try the lasagna and you'll see what I'm talking about. I hope everyone can pitch in and help family businesss like this survive these hard times we're all going through. read more

I have to say that the Calamari Dore is absolutely my favorite meal anywhere. We generally only go to il Pavone for special occasions but I have been known to make an exception for lunch when I am having a bad day. Often times, if you are nice ,you can get the Waiter to sing Italian folk songs ( I can never hear Mamma alla Claudio Villa enough times.). read more

Have gone here many times. But service is declining. Had a reservation for 7 seated at 7:45 after being told it would be 5 or 10 minutes. Food was fine but only warm. Another night only 1 server and she had to double as hostess. Service is going downhill. And they young man was just rude. Free sad for the servers who are wonderful. read more

We went for dinner before a girls night out at the Lesher Theater. The food was fabulous (all seven of us loved our dishes) and the service was prompt as well as friendly AND the bartender really knows how to make a yummy cocktail. It is my opinion the atmosphere is what you make it! Kudos to the Chef and the staff! read more