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    Ilya Restaurant

    4.4 (200 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 week ago

    Ilya Restaurant Photos

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    ILYA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Ilya Restaurant

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    Reviews With Photos

    Victoria P.

    The hosts were disengaged with greeting us and still took awhile to seat us, even with a reservation. Once seated the server was great, helpful with provided recommendations. I would go to this spot more for ambience and drinks vs food. Tried the duck special. Duck was a bit too chewy, compared to other duck at fine dining restaurants. The octopus was the best app but overall nothing too special. I think the spot is worth a try, but was a little overhyped in my honest opinion.

    Menu
    Mary Ann P.

    An absolutely fantastic dinner with the most delicious food and perfect service. We celebrated our 15 year anniversary here and can't wait to come back to this beautiful spot. Our server Tayla was so personable and engaging. We thoroughly enjoyed all of her suggestions which were totally spot on. We started with the bread basket, served with a lemon butter so delicious followed by the octopus appetizer that melts in your mouth. The endive and goat cheese salad is light and refreshing. For the main course, we split the lamb chops and roasted carrots. All of the sauces and spices are perfectly balanced. We were treated to a fabulous chocolate dessert to cap off a wonderful night The interior is so pretty open and welcoming all of the staff are so attentive this is definitely five star service!

    Steak Frites
    Heather D.

    Came here for dinner with a friend and had a great experience! We started with the baked feta which was good! It came out in a cast iron with a tomato stew. We shared the Truffle Tagliatelle and the Steak Frites. Both were very good! The noodles were so soft, you can tell they are made fresh in house. The medium rare steak could have been a little bit more rare, but the flavor was good. For dessert, we did the Tiramisu which is served table side. This was super fresh and shareable for the table. The ambiance here is so chic, and worth stopping by even for just a cocktail.

    Skewers
    katrina b.

    Wow so good! Lucked out and made it to happy hour lots of amazing options. Not your typical happy hour menu! Would definitely come back!

    rigatoni bolognese
    Dung N.

    This restaurant is so pretty! I love the decor! We had reservations and were promptly seated. The Clean Sheet and False Promise mocktails were colorful and not too sweet. I liked the False Promise more- it had Sencha Tea extract with coconut water, lime juice, ginger beer, and Thai basil. So refreshing! We chose the grilled tiger prawns and white fish carpaccio for our starters. Both appetizers were very tasty! For our entrees, we shared the rigatoni bolognese and branzino. They offered to take out the head and tail off, but we were experts at eating this fish. I loved how light the fish was. We chose the tres leches for our dessert! It was pretty dense, if you like that texture. The staff was very nice and friendly! It's a perfect spot for date nights or if you want to celebrate something special!

    Aaron V.

    Another solid addition to the San Clemente lineup for restaurants. This place packs a straight punch. Great drinks. The food was delicious and the inside of it is very modern. Giving it a trendy vibe. Our service was solid. Hope this place gets the recognition it deserves locally. Cheers!

    Tiramisu
    Julie T.

    Been really into Mediterranean food lately so I came and gave this place a try as it's been in my list for a few months. It just opened 6 months ago apparently and it's pretty busy. The ambiance is really cute inside. I love the decor and the patio seating is very aesthetic. The service is a little slow, but im sure they're trying their best. The food is pretty decent. I really liked the homemade pita bread and the lamb was surprisingly very good! Would definitely give this place another try if I'm in the area

    BARRAMUNDI CARPACCIO - light, refreshing, a little fishy
    Charis R.

    My husband and I who are locals have been looking forward to finally trying this restaurant as Mediterranean is one of our favorite cuisines. We decided to stop in for a spur of the moment early dinner and happily found seats at the bar. Over the course of the night it started filling up fairly quickly. We were in the mood for champagne and though they only have prosecco by the glass, we were excited to see an option for a half bottle of Perrier-Jouët. For those who prefer cocktails, they have a very intriguing menu. We didn't have a large appetite so we shared two appetizers and an entree. The barramundi carpaccio was light and refreshing, though a little fishy. The mezze platter was our favorite of the night; it came with three dips and a nice array of veggies and delicious warm bread. For our meal we had the rack of lamb and added fries. The lamb was a little disappointing as it was mostly fat and the fries were underwhelming. I did have higher expectations for the food given the notability of the owner (a Top Chef winner), regardless we still enjoyed ourselves and are glad we tried them out. I could see myself returning for drinks and appetizers at the bar for ambiance sake.

    Prawns
    Lisa W.

    I came here with a group of friends for a birthday celebration. We had a fairly large group of 11 people. We waited about five minutes or so and were seated. The space itself is very beautiful with open-air dining and lots of natural light. There are four dollar signs on the Yelp profile for a reason. Mocktails are $15, entrees start at $36. I ordered seared salmon and Clean Sheet (mocktail). The salmon was pretty well cooked so it was more than well done than seared. The entrees do not come with any sides so you'll have to order anything extra that you want. One of the friends I was dining with asked the server and another person who I assume was in management about the lack of sides to go along the entree and he comped her a spinach and mushrooms and carrots side dishes which was very kind of him. Service was good and our waters were refilled frequently. The food itself was good but not great. My boyfriend and I shared the salmon and the truffle tagliatelle. The pasta was very flavorful and delicious. No complaints there. The salmon was average. For the price, I was hoping for more as far as flavor and presentation. I had some of the escargot and some of the mezze platter, both were decent.

    Aalia S.

    We sat in the patio, which was very cute, but can get cold. Our service was great. The restaurant was beautiful. We started with the dips and they were all good. I wish they provided more pita bread with the dish though. We also tried the prawn appetizer. It was fine. For our mains, we got the truffle pasta and the steak with the pepper sauce. The truffle pasta was tasty but a little bit overcooked. The steak had a great sauce to it, but it wasn't the best cut of meat as there were some chewy and fatty parts, it also came out cold. They were really kind and provided free dessert for a birthday at our table. We got the tiramisu and it was delicious.

    Michelle L.

    Absolute perfection from check in to leaving. What an absolute gem of a restaurant with the most easy going service that was also so incredibly attentive. There is a small parking lot with valet which made parking incredibly easy. Every single dish that was ordered was of the most top notch quality and can't wait to be back sooner than later hopefully!

    Lynzee H.

    I came here on a date night and it didn't disappoint. It's a beautiful space with lots of indoor and outdoor seating options. Service was excellent and our server had great recommendations for drinks and food. Food was great, I recommend the papas. The only thing that could have been improved was it was a little chilly when we went and the outdoor set up with heaters was not sufficient. Overall good experience

    Bolognese & Seared Salmon
    Crystal K.

    Ilya is a celebration of flavor, and brings Chef Charbel Hayek's vision for peace, abundance, and connection through food to life. They really make you feel welcome, like part of the family, when you dine here. We shared: Cheating Vegan Casablanca Ilya Mezze White Fish Carpaccio Seared Salmon Rigatoni Bolognese Lemon Tarte The ambiance is such a nice, open-air Mediterranean courtyard kind of vibe that makes you want to linger over cocktails and conversation for hours. We really loved the mezze - the fluffy bread and hummus are pure heaven. The cocktails have such unique flavor combinations, like masala chai infused vermouth and butterfly pea tea. Even the lemon tarte dessert had a base of basil cream on the bottom that really put a unique twist on a classic dessert.

    Mezza Platter

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    14 days ago

    Decent interior but the service was a bit slow for the number of guests to servers. A bit overpriced for the location and quality.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Ilya Restaurant

    Aside from several of the pastas, are there any vegetarian entrees? Couldn't see any on the menu online.

    Is there gluten free options ? My granddaughter has Celiac?

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Still such a yummy spot! I got the appetizer with the crispy rice and the three toppings. The three…read moretoppings happened to be my favorite three dishes! So I love that they have that on here I don't remember it being here about 10 years ago. I also got the stew with celery artichoke and beef. It was really nice! I love that it's lightweight. I'll probably get a fuss in June to go just because it's my favorite. I absolutely love the Persian tea! I do order it with my food which always throws people off but that's how I do it lol I've had the creepy day etc. here before so I know that's good but I'll definitely order that next time to go.

    This review is for Bahar Catering: We had Bahar catering for…read morea 51st birthday at an event venue. I highly recommend Bahar catering. From the planning to the actual event, they handled everything professionally and stayed in constant contact with me prior to the event. The food quality was exceptional. They provided a beautiful set up with the coffee, tea and cookies. The food was set up beautifully and the food temperature was perfect. The server adapted and problem-solved. I really couldn't have asked for a better caterer. I was able to enjoy the party because there was nothing that was missing--everything was provided exactly as was agreed and they went above and beyond. Thank you for making our event memorable.

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    Ilya Restaurant - mediterranean - Updated July 2026

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