Safety in this age of Covid is a high priority for me. Eating inside a restaurant isn't an option for me right now. I chose to try Monello because not only did their menu look amazing, but they offered an outdoor dining covered patio with good spacing. I feel good about this choice. Our server was fantastic. We never lacked for anything and we were taken care of in an outright friendly manner. For appetizers, we ordered panzerotti (lightly fried mini calzones) and parma piadine (like a large rolled bread with burrata cheese filling, arugula, parma, and prosciutto); the latter was much larger than anticipated. For our main dishes, my husband had pollo alla valdostana (breaded chicken breast, parmesan cream sauce, topped with ham, mozzarella, served with mashed potatoes). I ordered a prosciutto pizza, which was large and incredible, a dream come true for cheese lovers. Shaved grana padano was like a layered cloud in the middle, and the balsamic drizzle was divine. Just... wow. After that carb load, I wanted a dessert that wasn't too heavy, so we went with tiramisu, which was served in a mug. It was light and creamy contrasted with a pleasant bitter kick of chocolate. Our supper here was a beautiful experience. read more

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This place has always been a favorite for me and my kids. I took my daughter here before the Grinch play which is usually a yearly event for us. Any pasta you order is divine. The sauces are unique and so Italy-authentic. Service is always fast. Parking is the issue, you may have to drive around a while, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time. I had a couple of glasses of the Super Tuscan, always a fave of mine. We started off with the calamari. Crisp and super big. Love it. We shared the prosciutto pizza to start, and I had a salad, can't remember which. My daughter ordered the gnocchi with formaggi cream sauce which was amazing. (see the pics) We always will be back.... Thanks Monello read more

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Great small italian restauarant. Has plenty of outdoor seating and minimal seating indoors. Great thing they have outdoor heaters for cold weather! Staff is friendly and constantly checking on us. I would say each dish is anywhere from 25-40 per plate. Servings are a good size. Defenitely wish it had more flavor. Overall great staff great experience and good food. Minimal parking nearby you will need to find a public parking area near a block or two away read more

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We ate here for lunch. Food and service were great! I got fettuccine with pepper sauce and sausage. My boyfriend has the cheese wheel pasta. We also had a margarita pizza, which was okay. For dessert we got a the pannacotta, it was a very rich chocolate with a nice touch of berry sauce and almonds. Would come again! read more

"The best evening in San Diego," is how my 5 year old son described his dining experience at Monello during our week-long trip. It really was the perfect meal. We sat outside in the parklet and watched the sunset while enjoying a lovely meal in Little Italy. The service was warm and friendly. Above all, the pasta was to-die for. My son is still talking about the squid ink pasta 4 weeks later. We ordered - Polpette: baked, lightly breaded all beef meatballs, spicy tomato sauce dip. My husband, the meat lover really enjoyed this appetizer. I tried a meatball and it was the quintessential homemade meatball. - Spaghetti neri con polipo brass-die black squid-ink spaghetti, mildly spicy lobster bisque sauce, sautéed octopus. This dish literally made my son dance! The pasta was al dente and the sauce was the perfect pairing. Octopus so tender and a very generous portion. - Spaghetti di zafferano con gamberi brass-die saffron spaghetti, shrimp, lemon zest, prosecco cream sauce. My son also enjoyed this dish as well. He is a pasta/noodle kind of guy! Again, the spaghetti was so fresh and cooked just right. There were a ton of shrimp in this dish. Just delicious! On our next trip to San Diego, we will definitely make sure to have more meals at Monello! read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Stopped in on Sunday night. Had reservations for 8pm but we arrived way early about 6:20pm after our day at the zoo. We asked if we could get in the waitlist and the hostess said it would be about an hour. We finally got called in at 7:40pm. Server was friendly, explained to us what appetizers are popular with kids, and the difference between the two cheese wheel pastas they had on the menu for the evening. We ordered the calamari and the burrata cheese, and the two cheese wheel pastas - one was pesto and the other had shrimp. Burrata was delicious. Calamari I wish was bigger portion. Shrimp pasta was good too but not sure I would've been able to tell it was made with a cheese wheel (I thought there would be more cheese in the dish). Pesto pasta was super salty and we couldn't finish it. Overall I'd say 4 stars for service but 3 stars for food. read more

Fantastic food and service. Its a cute space and getting reservations was simplThere were 4 of us so we each ordered something different so we could try a variety. The cheese wheel pasta was incredible as was the neri con polipo. Will definitely be back. read more

This was a great experience over all. Had fast friendly service by Carly. The food came out quickly and was delicious. Fun experience with their cheese wheel pasta that you can watch them make...even if you're not eating pasta. Their pizza was fresh and had a good crust. read more

Monello was lovely to us. We enjoyed a caesar salad alongside the octopus for an appetizer. For dinner I got the penne with ragu and it was wonderful! Flavorful, delicious, and perfect. We also enjoyed their 2019 Barbera with our meal. One person at our table ordered pappardelle with the monello sauce I believe, and they were less than satisfied with the dish... they were unaware that it had bacon in it. Our waitress was a gem and immediately put in a new order for them! It was totally their mistake, but our waitress was so understanding and very kind. Staff are attentive to detail, kind, patient, and helpful! The restaurant is a very cute vibe and we had a wonderful evening here. read more

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We selected this restaurant for mothers day because other restaurants were taking advantage of patrons by making the menu an "experience" and charging over $100 a person (looking at you Cohen Group). The reservation process was smooth using Open Table and the restaurant called to confirm. We had a reservation for 6, but 6 of us showed up. No problem. We were greeted immediately, and led to our large table. Service was prompt, and the menu explained to all. Everyone had something different, and no one was disappointed. Portions are large and filled with flavor. We started with bread and Calamari and it was delivered quickly and was crispy and very flavorful. Two different sauces were provided and each added great flavors. I had the 4 braised beef stuffed gnocchi, and it was amazing. No room for dessert, but it did look tempting. Paid about $30 per person and had plenty to eat and a few enjoyed a glass of wine. Highly recommend. read more

This has official become my favorite Italian restaurant of all time every time we've been here the food has been incredible, the service excellent (shoutout to Luis for making our night amazing), and consistent good vibes atmosphere. As usual we got the cheese wheel special with mushrooms (slaps) and then branched out to try something different which was the braised beef gnocchi with monello sauce (absolutely divine). I would highly recommend anyone to come try this place and fall in love. I was shocked how quickly this place became something I would long for. My biggest compliments to the chef and whole team. Incredible! read more

This place never fails! Our go to place for special occasions. We brought our friends for a birthday celebration and the meal and service was amazing! We couldn't decide which bottle of wine to get and James, our server brought us tastings of each we were considering! Helped us greatly! After settling on which wine we shared a Caesar salad that was loaded with good quality Parmesan shavings! The entrees were served in large portions made with homemade made pasta and high quality cheeses! I had the "cheese wheel " mushroom pasta that was cheesy and thick sauced served in a bowl that could easily have served 4! The best in little Italy! read more

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Monello is an Italian restaurant in Little Italy of San Diego. We ordered their Cheese Wheel Pasta ($28), Tartufo Pizza ($21), Polipo Al Forno ($20), and Spaghetti Neri Con Polipo ($25). Highlights for me were the truffle pizza which had a really strong truffle flavor and aroma! I'm normally a squid-ink pasta kinda gal but unfortunately it tasted a tad too fishy for me. My other friend really enjoyed it though! The Cheese Wheel Pasta had a whole presentation at the front but taste wise it was a bit underwhelming for me. I guess I was just missing more umph in the dishes. Overall, our group each enjoyed something different from what we ordered so I'm glad about that! read more

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Pizza was so good!!!! Drinks were delicious! Service was great, ambiance was casual. Overall, great experience. read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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First time in little Italy Fun night, found street parking for 5 pm dinner reservations. Food was great!! Service was great. All foods made from scratch The only downside is the placed smelled like bleach when you walk in . Would go again! read more

Highly recommend the spaghetti Neri con polipo!! Wish I had an extra order to go. Service was great. Definitely going back

Few thoughts on this place. I ordered osso bucco and wife ordered the penne formaggio with chicken. The sauce used in the osso bucco was fine. It was one of those sauce that made sense. Lol. It complemented the meat and the mashed potatoes that came with. It connected the meat and the potatoes well. Onr criticism was, osso bucco meat could have been slow cooked more. I wanted tad bit more softness in that experience. As for the penne formaggio. I felt the sauce could have been bit more soft in it's flavor. Little too sharp flavor, could not finish the pasta all the way cuz the sauce was tiny bit overwhelming. Aside from that, we got appetizer meatball, and glass of wine. That came out to about $90. And I really have to ask if that was $90 experience. And my decision is 4 stars instead of 5. read more

Came here for infusion cocktail night such a beautiful dinner nice presentation with the Japanese whisky and food , love the atmosphere food was amazing authentic Italian food great flavor service was great will be back read more

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Getting the hang of reviews lol. Got the cheese wheel pasta it was mind blowing so good I guess it's different all the time. Still thinking about it read more

I'd been wanting to try this place for a long time. It is worth the wait. Seating was quick despite it being busy. The waiter did take a moment to acknowledge us but once he did it was very pleasant. We split a Cesar salad, the cheese wheel pasta and a margherita pizza among two of us and it was a very good portion. We both left comfortably food. Pasta was exceptional. The pizza was simple, but tasted as it should. I am often disappointed with Italian food in San Diego, but this place was truly worth the money, as everyone was delicious. Can't wait to go back! read more

Monello - Margherita Pizza - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Tried the squid ink pasta, cheese wheel pasta, calamari and burrata pesto with bread. The cheesewheel pasta was delicious, squid ink 10/10, and pesto burrata tasted great too. Good service. $100+ for 3 people. read more

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I came to Monello just a week before my 15-person wedding in crisis because a different restaurant we reserved didn't allow dogs and our dog was a huge part of our wedding, so of course that wouldn't work. The staff at Monello were LOVELY. Made us feel extremely special, even down to asking us what our dog's name was so they could add her to the reservation lol. We were greeted with several congratulations from the staff, a private outdoor area with a wedding gift table in the corner (we didn't request, they just did it), appetizers came out on time and staff kept our party happy and full. They additionally entertained a ton of questions from some family members that had dietary restrictions and took note every time. Our server (Daniel or David, I embarrassingly can't recall but if management reads this, see my description because he should be recognized for his exceptional service -- beard, brunette/reddish hair, Caucasian between 5'11 - 6'1) was so sweet to us. Made all the old ladies feel taken care of and special. Constantly checked in on the food, brought our dog water and some treats (chicken we requested), surprised us with a tiramisu dessert too to celebrate. All in all, this is the perfect place to celebrate special occasions. I am so impressed and thankful we came here. 1000/10 recommend -- couldn't recommend it enough. Didn't get any pictures of the food, but it's incredible. Absolutely recommend the squash ravioli and the cheese wheel pasta. read more

Monello - Look at the ambiance just outside! (So sad this was the only photo we got, but the food was AMAZING!) - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Great place, with decent Italian food. The customer service was awesome. I would definitely comeback.

I had the chance to revisit my favorite restaurant in Little Italy during my SD visit. This place is still good to me! This time I tried a black squid ink pasta and it was delicious. The service was great as they seated me immediately and checked on me. I always feel cozy and comfortable inside. I can't wait to visit again! read more

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The vodka shrimp ravioli was so delicious, you need to get it if you love ravioli, perfect amount of shrimp in them :) read more

Monello - Ravioli Di Gamberi - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Great food, but too loud. Our party of six was seated promptly when we arrived at our reservation time. Our table was in the back of the restaurant against two walls, so the three people facing the wall had a pretty bad view. Fortunately, they have an angled mirror that allowed them to at least see a part of the rest of the restaurant. The wait staff was initially attentive and helpful, but at the end of the meal they disappeared for a good 15 minutes while we waited for the dessert menu. Waters were refilled promptly. We had the cheese plate as a shared appetizer, which was wonderful. Three of us had the lasagna that was extremely hot and very filling, and the other three got the cheese wheel pasta, which they loved. There was a tiny bone fragment in the beef of my lasagna. The deal killer at our visit was the extremely loud noise. My watch measured it at a steady 81 to 87 dB, which is in the warning area for sound exposure. It doesn't help that they have piped in music in addition to bare concrete walls and floors. We couldn't hear each other talk, and by the end of the meal we were so eager to leave. Parking nearby is impossible. read more

Love this pizza! Monello does it right. Pizza Piccante for the win. I ordered thru grub hub and called in for extras and Lester gave me great service! Definitely recommend! read more

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I went to lunch here with my sister and had the best time! The server was so friendly and helpful. It was very nice inside, wooden tables, no tablecloths. The cheese wheel was awesome! It's pasta tossed in 60 LB Parmigiano cheese wheel (g C and the sauce was one of the best l've ever had! For dessert we had the pannacotta al cioccolato and it was amazing! We ordered : ~ appetizer: Raspadura young lodigiano flakes ~ tortelli (egg, semolina flour pasta, stuffed with spinach ricotta & parmesan) with Monello marinara, touch of cream, pancetta bits Braised beef ragu shell pasta + salted ricotta prepared on the cheese wheel ~ pannacotta al cioccolato for dessert with chocolate custard, whipped cream, berries, almonds read more

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It was my first time at Monello over the weekend and my bf and I really enjoyed our dinner! I made a reservation for a Friday night, outdoor, and it was lovely! I think our waitress was Christina? She was so lovely and so sweetI I love her voice! Their food is so good and I think we lucked out because we got one of the better experiences, based on some other reviews. It was not too crowded yet when we came so our food came super fast! We were very surprised at the speed of our orders. Drinks were really good too and they also came out fast. Their pasta was sooooo good, I love pasta but I don't eat it freely since those calories are not as easy to burn off. But, I enjoyed my squid ink pasta! The lolipo (octopus), on the other hand, in my Neri was bland. They really overcooked the octopus so it had no flavor and was pretty bland, like dry chicken breast. If it wasn't for the lobster sauce and the squid ink pasta, I would not touch the octopus at all. I would not order this particular dish again next time. I would definitely get some other pasta dishes, with squid ink pasta. That said, everything else was so good! I would definitely come again!!! read more

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Came here with a friend to try a new place in Little Italy. As a starter, we had the suppli al telefono, my favorite item of the night. It was very unique and we couldn't get enough of the jalapeno cheese sauce. The drinks were pretty good too. For an Italian place, I was hoping their pasta would be good but it was underwhelming. I had the spaghetti di zafferano con gamberi and it was pretty bland. It was almost comparable to buttered noodles with some plain shrimp. I tried to spice it up with parmesan and red pepper flakes which helped a little... but not much. I liked the vibe of the restaurant but was let down a little by the food. read more

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Came here during COVID and they had a great outdoor set up. Several tables extended out to the sidewalk and even the street. Each table separated by a cute faux grass barrier. Easy to access menu via QR code to ensure more contactless service. We started with the SALUMI E FORMAGGI MISTI, and wow it was very plentiful with lots of choices and presented beautifully. Ordered the ravioli di gamberi, spaghetti neri con polipo, Caramelle, and finally FAI DA TE PASTA YOUR WAY. The waiter suggested for a kids order to order the pasta your own way and doing a half order which was perfect. My favorite was definitely the spaghetti neri con polipo which is a squid ink pasta with was plentiful with octopus sautéed in a lobster bisque sauce. All dishes had pasta which was cooked perfectly al dente. Great service, food came out promptly, everything tasted fabulous. They also serve pasta in a cheese wheel which I'm definitely going back to try. read more

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Today came by today to experience another dish, and glad we did. We ordered the pasta that's hand made thick Tagliatelle with Formaggi sauce and how wonderful the combination. The Formaggi is creamy without being heavy, very nicely balanced dish! The mixed salad and pane were awesome as last time. We will continue to come back when in town. read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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The service was okay but the food is less than mediocre--this restaurant is trying to serve authentic Italian food but they are way off----the lamb shank had large tendons and the meat was not good--the tomato sauce it was braised in was also not good. The prices are high also, they cater to tourists that are not exactly sophisticated. In addition I called ahead and was advised to park in a lot close by and they would validate. When I asked for this the two hostesses told me this was wrong, and they were rude and disrespectful. So I had to pay 20 dollars to park after I paid 100 dollars for poor food. I would search elsewhere, avoid Monello and the sister restaurant next door. read more

It's one of the best restaurants in town. Really nice and highly recommended. One of the best places in little Italy .

Food was delicious. I enjoyed the pasta of the week. "Hay & straw tagliatelle with creamy sauce and bitesize meatballs". This is a sister restaurant to one of my favorites "Bencotto" The service was good and the ambiance was nice, similar to Bencotto's outside sitting. The indoor seating appears different, more fast paced. read more

Monello - Bay & Straw Tagliatelle pasta with creamy sauce and bite size meatballs. - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Monello did not disappoint we had to go back only two days later. The expresso martini with both bourbon and vodka were also great. We walked in the first time and sat at the bar. The bartenders were both friendly and recommended local activities since we're from out of town. The next time we went we had a reservation and the food came out quickly both times. Cool little patio and big windows so lot of natural light. read more

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Monello was delicious, it was my first time going to an Italian restaurant such as monello. Our waiter was super friendly, he brought us a dessert to celebrate my 7 year olds birthday. I would definitely come back in the future as the vibe was great. read more

If your looking for your Happy Place, then look no further. The Happy Hour here is no joke, and will definitely bring a smile from 3pm -6pm. Service is excellent! My friend and I sat at the bar and enjoyed speaking to Luis and Richie. Richie is known for his Espresso Martini, and both are known for their smile We enjoyed wine and Prosecco but the best part are the special tray of treats that accompany each time you order. It's just the perfect tasting. We sampled the gnocchi which really did taste like soft little pillows of yum, zucchini fries, pizza, two different types of octopus, calamari, salads, a real feast! I was stuffed when we left. And my friend and I left very happy! Stop by and say hi, you won't be sorry. read more

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Great spot in Little Italy! Service was excellent and the food came out incredibly fast. We got their signature cheesewheel pasta (a penne with bologna for that week) and the spaghetti nero con polipo. The cheesewheel pasta was tasty with chunks of bologna that tasted like mortadella, but a little too rich after a while. The spaghetti was excellent with a rich lobster bisque sauce and very tender chunks of octopus. We didn't have time to try out any apps that day but would definitely come back to try some! read more

Monello - Spaghetti Neri Con Polipo - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Romantic ambiance, delicious food and a great selection of wine. We had their cheese wheel pasta, margherita pizza and Cabernet Sauvignon :) read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California