Monello was a great vibe! Good for dates or celebrations -- think light EDM music and modern vibes. The missing star is really for the food - we weren't wow-ed by the food but it was still enjoyable! Large menu with lots of options. There was great service, server was quick, accurate and accommodating! Appreciated the service greatly. read more

Monello - Tagliatelle Al Ragu Dagnello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Food was fantastic! We made a reservation and upon arriving we were given a choice of al fresco or inside. It was a tad bit nippy for the adult baby guy with us so we sat indoors. Our server was attentive and gave great recommendations. We all ordered different plates from salmon to ragu, spicy arribiata and spaghetti carbonara. We also got caprese and calamari as starters. Would definitely return! read more

See all

Customer service from the beginning was already uncomfortable. The food portion were rational and fulfilling, my choice for the night was the lasagna monello which I enjoyed with a cocktail speciality hugo spritz the environment was very pleasant read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

We had booked this in advance for a special date night dinner celebration. Definitely a nice date vibe inside but also good for groups of friends- big space indoors for seating. Was busy for a friday night- i would recommend booking in advance if you don't want to wait too long. Seated inside, the service was so friendly! Made us feel very comfortable as if a friend was serving us- giving us recommendations and cracking jokes with us. Opted to order the misto to start (lots of calamari- could have had more zucchini pieces) and the mains as 'spaghetti neri con polipo' and 'tagliatelle al ragu' d'agnello' The black spaghetti dish was very fishy which i didn't mind, nice and saucy with a good amount of lobster pieces in it. We had plenty to take home as leftovers. We were pretty full when we arrived as we had a foodie San Diego day prior to dinner so wish we were a bit more hungry to try more things but what we had tried was great. read more

Monello - 'spaghetti neri con polipo' and 'tagliatelle al ragu' d'agnello' - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

This review is for may 2023. I ordered their cheese bowl pasta of the day. Sadly i didn't know they weren't going to mix in the cheese in front of me since that was the whole experience... But they made it up by bringing me this scrumptious cheesiest most delicious pasta ever! It was soo full of flavors that hit all my taste buds! My bf ordered this meatier pasta very hearty and thick! Lol but omg every bite was to die for, they def didn't skip on the meat itself. Def add the cheese and pepper for an extra kick! We also got the usual Cesar salad to share 1000/10. Idk what they put in this salad but the cheese, the lettuce and dressing paired well. Nothing was overpowering and it just combined so nicely together. We also ordered drinks but totally forgot their names but def check out their cocktail menu! They don't play with Their liquor lol Overall i loooved the experience! The waiter was very welcoming since it was our first time, attentive and friendly will be coming back if I'm ever in the area! read more

See all

I really wanted to love everything because the service and atmosphere were great! We came as a large group and tries a lot of different things. I ordered a spicy margarita (not on menu) and it was just okay. Apps: meatballs (Polpette) were good but that's the only memorable item. Parma rolled bites were decent but not wow. Supplies Al Telefo - ehhh, fancy mozerella sticks that I thought had more potential. We had a cheese thing as well but can't remember the name. We barely touched it. Main dishes: I had the penne formaggi with chicken. It was okay. My husband had the ossobuco di Vitello. It was 98% fat and not edible. He didn't even touch it so we split my pasta. We took it home and yeah ended up in the trash. Should have spoken up but didn't want to be those people. Dessert: tiramisu was more pudding like vs cake. You can judge that as you see fit. The cannoli was good. The ice cream had an artificial flavor but didn't bother me but some of the group thought it was weird. read more

See all

Came here recently for dinner with family. My cousin recommended this place because he and his wife had eaten here years ago and he really wanted the squid ink pasta. I think he thought I'd never had that before so he wanted us to try it. I've actually had it at a couple other places in the LA area so I knew what to expect. Anyway, the pasta was good, but not amazing. What was a hit for me piadine tartufo & funghi. The mushrooms and aioli made it come together so well. The espresso martini was pretty good too! Apparently they have a more upscale sister restaurant next door, so I'd be interested in trying that one next... Until next time San Diego... read more

See all

Made a reservation on OpenTable for early dinner today. Don't think we needed one though there were a lot of tables open. We were able to sit out on the deck since I had my dog. Ordered the cheese wheel pasta which is always the pasta of the week. It was okay for what it was worth. $30 for a small dish of pasta and you don't get to see it getting mixed in the cheese wheel. Also got the piccante pizza and that was really good. Their sauce is more on the sweeter side. Staff was friendly, place was clean. The restrooms were out of order though and there was only a all gender restroom. read more

See all

SEED OIL FREE!!! I had pizza and some other small items and I can't say enough good things about the food everything tasted amazing . I will say plan on arriving 20/30 minutes early because parking is awful but other than that I can't wait to come back. read more

I order lasagna at every Italian restaurant I visit. It's my favorite dish, and I've never been disappointed... before today. My friends and I were excited to visit little Italy, to dine at monello. I was looking forward to this restaurants lasagna. Once the food came out, I was eagerly waiting to try it. I took a bite, and immediately recoiled at the taste. It tasted exactly like Chef Boyarde's beef ravioli. Don't get me wrong, the beef ravioli isn't inedible, but its not good. I was very disappointed in lack of flavor, as the only thing I could taste was Chef Boyarde. I couldn't even get close to finishing my plate. This restaurant has good dishes, as my friends ordered different items which tasted pretty good. I'm just severely dissatisfied, and upset over the terrible lasagna. read more

Great food! Pasta was delicious, that's half a portion as the wheel pasta can be easily split between 2 people. I do wish the cheese wheel display happened in front of us as we didn't get to see the cooking process, and that was a big part of what we were looking forward to in the experience. Otherwise, delicious flavors. Thumbs up for the buratta too. Was deliciouusss. read more

See all

Great atmosphere and food! The cheese wheel pasta was very flavorful!, and service was excellent! read more

Monello - Cheese wheel pasta - spaghetti in parmigiana cream sauce with sausage and peppers - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

We had reservations for a large party of 9 Saturday 4:45 We have a lite dinner Red Wine being poured and drinks from old fashion to Espresso Martini's Are server wasn't in yet so the manager Santiago was helping us with appetizers and our orders..very smooth in orders salads, buratta, more appetizers plus delicious pizza...we have a family dinner for our New Family to be with a pre engagement dinner before the party..We hosted the dinner and every thing was perfect!! The food was delicious and we all have a great time catching up. We love this restaurant and their sister Resturant Bencotto everyone from out of town enjoyed the fantastic food!! It was perfecto!!! Grazie!!! for making this so special for us.!! Thanks Monello we'll be bring more friends and family here Are server was excellent!! And had a wonderful time read more

See all

Favorite place ever time I go back to Little Italy. The best cheese wheel pasta. Drinks are amazing as well. read more

The service was amazing. Everyone is extremely nice and attentive. The restaurant itself was clean and it didn't feel crowded but I also came for an early dinner around 430 to beat the crowd. The food was alright. It was good but it wasn't anything special. The pasta had bacon but it tasted more like goat. It was interesting. The zucchini was amazing. Very different and flavorful. The mini meatballs were also amazing. read more

See all

Monello is a great spot which is the sister restaurant to Bencotto next door. A few interesting quirks of this arrangement are that it has a shared kitchen and restroom situation going on, but different menus. We had the bread and oil starter, a burrata prosciutto arugula flatbread wrap appetizer, and we each ordered pasta. The squid ink lobster pasta was good, the ragu was very good, and the cheese wheel pasta changes daily and was a pesto spaghetti with bacon. The bacon pieces were large cubes, and I think they could have been rendered more. All our noodles were perfectly al dente and generally delicious dishes. We ordered espresso martinis to start, and some red wine later on with our meals. Our drinks took a long time to come out and the server mentioned that they were out of clean martini glasses for a bit. The food also took a really long time to come out, and I think both these issues are a side effect of two very large indoor/outdoor dining rooms sharing one kitchen. Something a little funny is there was a tree behind our table and pretty much no way to avoid just having it on the back of my head on either chair on that side of the table. Not a huge deal. Our server and his suggestions were great! We had a nice time and we were seated right away with our 7pm reservation. Would recommend this spot! read more

See all

The spaghetti was so delicious. And the calamari was crispy. My family had a dinner outside just beside the door. It was good to have a baby with us sitting outside. The service staff were busy all the time and they did very well to every table. read more

While walking around Little Italy we decided to drop in for dinner. Nice roomy space . Welcoming staff; friendly and attentive waiter. The pasta was so fresh- our grandsons who we were concerned might not care for it really enjoyed it and their kids meal was a big portion and the price was reasonable. Tasty- cooked and seasoned well- very happy. read more

Monello - Seafood ravioli- so yummy - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been here 3 times already and this place is definitely a restaurant I recommend my friends to try. The pasta is amazing and I usually get their tortellini. The pasta is perfectly cooked every time I've gone and you can tell that the pasta is fresh. This place is on the pricier side but it is definitely worth a try. I do think the service could be quicker but overall the servers are very attentive even for a larger group. This place can also be a bit loud but the interior is a classy feel to it. read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Tiramisu was super good. Ava was a pleasant hostess and tended to our every need with a great attitude and a smile. Ambience was very nice and overall had a great experience. read more

Overall my experience at monellos was okay. I was able to get seated quickly and the food was okay but I expected a little more for the hype that surrounds it. Maybe I'll give it another try one day but most likely I won't be back. Food: We opted for a margarita pizza instead of an appetizer it was delicious and fresh 5/5. The Arrabbiata pasta was good but the sauce was a little dry, I don't think I'd order it again 3.5/5. The cheese wheel pasta was the best imo. They cycle out the pasta weekly but the price was pretty hefty for what at the end of the day is a plate of pasta. 4.5/5 Service: Although everyone was nice, service was lacking, servers seemed confused and we were almost accidentally served a plate at one point. We had to flag someone down for our check and we waited so long for our food we thought maybe our server forgot about us. The neighboring tables got their food before we did. Etc: Parking is a little difficult to get but we were able to find free street parking a few blocks down. Bring some coins for the meter or prepare to pay for lot parking. read more

Monello - Arrabbiata - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

This place was really fun. Very popular. The caesar salad app was excellent, and the bread was so soft and so good. We also tried the squash blossoms, but they weren't a favorite at the table. (Not that they weren't well executed, just not our thing) The special risotto was excellent, with one caveat - if you're going to serve shell on prawns, you have to give us a way to more easily remove the shell. No sharp knives, didn't have the back open for easy removal, just a fork and a bread knife. Ended up having to use our fingers.... And they weren't piping hot. Also, it's a restaurant where you're probably wearing some nicer clothes. So not a good mix with peeling your own risotto prawns. The tortellini with pesto sauce was WAY too salty. The squid ink pasta dish was a definite win. The biggest hit was the Parmesan wheel with the mushroom and pancetta, and the cacio e pepe, both made in the cheese wheels. So simple, and SO GOOD. Fun to watch them make it, and just delicious. Also, much thanks to the waiter who let us know the gratuity had already been added to the check. Nice touch. read more

After watching some Italian pasta cooking show, we decided to go and try a cheese wheelpasta...Monello was recommended by a friend. I did notify our waiter that my boys would like to watch how to prepare their pasta when its theirs by the wheel but guess what??? They did it and did not let us know, it was just served all of a sudden. I noticed how other guest were notified, EXCEPT for us. I am so disappointed as this is the only reason why we went to this place, considering the price is also high. We were finally asked to come over to watch somebody else's pasta with the owner being there as well. So awkward! So turned them down out of courtesy of the owner's food and just asked for our check. Food is okay, i say Giardino over at lemon grove still have the best calamari and lobster bisque. Not coming back. I dont think everyone is being treated the same in this restaurant. read more

Monello - The served cheese wheel pasta and lasagna - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I was so disappointed by this restaurant. I got take-out. Starting with the person who took my order, he could not answer questions about the menu. I ordered the rigatoni with marinara sauce (not a difficult item to make), and it was horrible. The rigatoni was rigatoni pieces. There was not a whole rigatoni in the meal, and it was so overcooked. The marinara sauce was bland and I spent the evening trying to get the terrible taste out of my mouth. I also ordered a salad was a bit better than the rigatoni but not worth going back for. read more

Great spot for Italian. The wait staff is very on point with their recommendations and attention to details on your order as well making sure drinks are always full. Must do is the cheese wheel. They pick a different pasta each day that if ordered they mix it in the cheese wheel in front of you and it gets the amazing Parmesan flavor melted and mixed in and then they scrape slices of it on top of the dish it's amazing. The serving size is very large can split between 2 and it's the perfect amount. read more

Monello - Parma Sandwich - piadine rolled bites - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I'd say this is a solid 4 star Yelp place, but I can't give this place more than 2 stars after our experience. We had a pretty disappointing time actually. We came here for my birthday and an early dinner and wanted to try the Cheesewheel Pasta that everyone keeps talking about. I was really disappointed though we didn't get to watch them spin the pasta in the Cheesewheel. My Wife and I both assumed that was part of the experience. Whether they come get us to watch where they do it inside or they do it at our table. Otherwise what's so special about spaghetti with cheese sauce and black pepper on top? In fact, when our waiter gave us our cheesewheel pasta it didn't have black pepper on top and the waiter immediately recognized it and said the chef forgot... right then we knew something was up. Of course after we get our food, 15 minutes later we see a couple inside watching them spin pasta in the cheesewheel. After that it kind of killed the experience and my birthday dinner. We went around 2:00pm and there were 2 people seated inside and we were one of two groups seated outside. So it definitely wasn't too busy to let us watch. We also ordered the Tortelloni Al Tartufo, along with the Calamari for an appetizer. The Tortelloni Al Tartufo was just "ok". The pasta was excellent, but the stuffing left me with wanting more of something. The stuffing tasted kind of bland. And the truffle was pretty heavy. The calamari was solid though. Overall a poor experience, which again is disappointing because we always enjoy eating in little Italy. We probably won't be back here and I can't really recommend it to others. We went when there was almost no one there, and for our experience to be that poor, I wouldn't want to go during actual dinner time when things are poppin' and busy. read more

See all

Service was great and they let you take your time to enjoy. The food was tasty and the cheese wheel adds a nice experience. read more

See all

I haven't been back in so long and finally had the chance to come back in! We made a reservation and were seated inside. They do have a cute patio area as well! We started with burrata and the supplis. We were still waiting on a couple people and our server was super patient. Once everyone arrived, I ordered the squid ink spaghetti with clams. It was great as always and made me realize I need to come back more often! read more

We came into Monello with relatively high expectations because we heard that everything on the menu was good. However, we were quite disappointed. We ordered the parma piadine (good, but definitely overhyped and not worth the price imo), lasagna monello (also pretty good but nothing special), and the spaghetti alla carbonara (I only had a bite but I honestly did not enjoy this - the bacon chunks were too big and the sauce was unpleasant to me, and I am not a picky person). We may have just ordered the wrong things, but for the price, we were expecting to enjoy the food more. We were seated outdoors, which was still quite nice since there are heat lamps and it's a nice area, but I feel like the waiters tend to forget about outdoor seating because it took a while for us to get our waiter's attention for our check. The waiter had also knocked my knife off onto the floor and said he'd replace it, but never came back to do so LOL read more

See all

Food was absolutely delicious! This is definitely not the place for you if you're in a rush, as the dishes are made to order and parking is an absolute nightmare! This are a few pay for parking lots semi around the area (5 min walk or so) if you don't luck out and snag a spot on the street. Nice wine selection! I enjoy the Tortellini Al Tartufo and I cannot get it outta my mind! Another person at our table enjoyed the cheese wheel pasta...an absolute MUST! Service was friendly just a little on the slower side but it's understandable. Very uptown NY vibes inside (dark/romantic) great for date night although my group was mixed coworkers. Seating is a little tight but they make it work. read more

Monello - Tortelloni Al Tartufo - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

So let's start off with the location/place. The place is a little small but it is cute and still feels high end. I came for my birthday and we opted to eat inside. They didn't put us in a squished location where we would be bumping into people anytime we scooted our seats out. That was sooo appreciated. Now service, they were so nice from the time we checked in, to the seating, to checking out. Just every aspect was pleasant! When we asked the server for honest opinions he gave them to us and was knowledgeable about items on the memo. Food: I ordered the tortelloni al tartufo and my sister order the gnocchi. Portions: mine looked kind of small so I didn't think I'd get full but honestly I only finished half the plate ...the food was delicious 11/10!! My sisters dish was a good portion and it was also delicious! We got the meatballs as appetizers , we liked the portion size! Some places only give 3/4 meatballs this place gave 8. The meatballs were good but nothing special. Probably a 6.5/10, not horrible but not memorable. The dishes however are undeniably rememberable. This is our new favorite spot. Quality food and good vibes. And since it was my birthday they brought out tiramisu and it was so creamy...honestly just overall we enjoyed this place and will be back. 15/10 recommend! read more

I recently checked out Monello in Downtown San Diego's vibrant Little Italy neighborhood. I was most impressed with this sleek, modern Italian restaurant with excellent service. Attention to detail is on full display in everything they do. Monello has been winning numerous awards since they opened a little more than a decade ago. Such a unique place that specializes in 25 different kinds of handcrafted pasta daily, highlighting traditional Milanese street food and the popular cheesewheel pasta. I ordered the Tagliatelle with Ragu, described as grandma's style all beef red meat sauce. How could you go wrong with that! The dish was outstanding with al dente pasta, and richly flavored sauce. Portions were quite generous and so beautifully presented. Highly recommended. read more

See all

The cheese wheel pasta was surprisingly mid and the meatballs were not great. The atmosphere is pretty but overall was not impressed with the quality for what I paid. Maybe I came in on an off day read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Pasta itself was very tasty! The ambiance during winter season inside the restaurant is very dim & chrismassy. The server was very attentive. Cute little date night spot. read more

We ordered three different pasta dishes and they were all delicious. The cheese wheel pasta was great for my family, too cheesy for me. The service was ok. We made a reservation in advance but got an outdoor table. It's a bit chilly and loud in little Italy area. I would go back to try different dishes. read more

See all

Very hip Italian place, i imagine hard to get in without reservations bc the girls at the front be bluffin' for a wait for indoor seating even with reservation. They say they cannot guarantee indoor or outdoor seating just first come first serve but who wants to sit outside in this cold global warming weather. Our table was ready by 7pm for a 6:45 reservation. They only have 2 separate bathrooms here so it can be a wait to use one. Service was very nonchalant and we never saw our waiter after our order. The caesar salad was amazing split 3 ways.. homemade dressing has a nice kick like i love! The cheese wheel pasta is a unique offering and adds an experience of watching them make it live in the cheese wheel which is very fun. The squid ink pasta was the table favorite but i personally liked the cheese wheel pasta best. I wish it had more brussel sprouts. But it was not salty at all and just addicting. I dont like salty food tho. Is a bit on the pricey side for italian and wish service was better but had an enjoyable dinner!! Best pasta i've had in awhile. read more

See all

Extremely delicious food! The lasagna was by far the best thing we got! The drink was ok but honestly I just like them sweet....maybe too sweet so sometimes other drinks feel like maybe they might not be sweet enough but they probably are Service was great and the place was clean and modern looking. Would most definitely come here again! read more

Monello - Lasagna Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Had the tortellini tartufo and the margarita pizza to share between two. Perfect rich creamy pasta and crispy extra saucey pizza. WOW service was great and atmosphere was a vibe. read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Was looking for some good Italian pasta and made a reservation here. The place is cute and cozy. Not big but the place fills up quickly so make a reservation! They don't have parking so I recommend walking from your hotel or take the uber. Everything was amazing and they have cheese wheel pasta specials. Bummed the chef didn't do the cheese wheel right in front of you. I was expecting them to bring it to us and do it so I could show the kids.. read more

See all

The food was delicious! We ordered both of the cheese wheel specials and a build your own pasta. All three dishes were phenomenal. The pasta was freshly made and the cheese wheel made everything cheesy and creamy. The service was outstanding as well. The servers very attentive. read more

See all