Il Fornaio

Doesn't Recommend

hope811

Joined 4 years ago

good for pizza and salads, poor service. I went to this place many times and most of time I was happy with the food and service , the last two times my server were Spanish speaking and ( two different guys ) they were on the phone talking instead of helping customers , it took more than 30 minutes to take the order , it is very sad such a original Italian restaurant to have such a servers

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VL57

Joined 3 years ago

Great Lunch @ Il Fornaio Beverly Hills. I've never been disappointed by Il Fornaio in Beverly Hills. I like to go there every couple of months to try something new. They have a diversified menu; I really like their appetizers always made with top quality and fresh ingredients: I would recommend their bruschettas, clamaretti fritti, and prosciutto with melon. They also have delicious soups full of flavors (usually in the specials). My favorite pasta dishes: tagliatelle alla bolognese and pennoni alla vodka.

Great place to go to when shopping on beverly drive!

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finediner07

Joined 6 years ago

A little slice of Italy... in our own private area.. I took the advice of a previous posting and had a special business lunch at Il Fornaio in their private room. Excellent! The food was authentic and absolutely delicious (it seems that everyone who works there - including the chef is from Italy) and the service was great. Rudy was a quick server and made my guests feel well taken care of.

There was also an event person that helped me plan everything. Best part - no extra fees for any of it! (Which is very hard to find in that area!) The prices for the menus were also very reasonable.

Great time - we'll be booking an anniversary party there soon. One piece of advice - book the private room early. I had to try 3 dates before I finally got one that wasn't booked yet!

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jglau78

Joined 6 years ago

Excellent for Private Parties - Great Food!. We had a birthday party there in their private room. I hadn't even know that there was a private room (and I've eaten there several times!). It's tucked away in the back and it was just perfect for the 25 of us. They had an event coordinator that helped us plan all the details (choosing the menu, etc) and everything just went perfectly. The service was wonderful (Carla was very attentive and friendly) and the food delicious (authentic, so tastey, GREAT pasta). The price of our set-menu was completely reasonable since it was in Beverly Hills, there was no charge for use of the room and the food was excellent. And there was plenty of their home-made bread and some excellent wine. All of this - and our own room - you can imagine why we had such a great time! Everyone from our party is now asking when they get to celebrate their birthday there! We're pleasing everyone by having our holiday party there next year.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Big, brassy, and hot, Il Fornaio demonstrates that chain restaurants can do it right.. The Scene
At first glance Il Fornaio looks too frenetic and unwieldy to be a serious restaurant--but it is. The sprawling, stylish dining room attracts a diverse crowd. Adding to the show are the pyrotechnics in the gleaming open kitchen. At peak hours the place can be loud but not distractingly so.

The Food
The kitchen turns out well-honed renditions of regional northern Italian fare, with a dozen or more daily specials. For starters, salads are vibrant and attractive, as is the grilled ciabatta bread swathed with chopped tomatoes, basil and kalamata olives. All the pastas can be recommended--don't miss the ravioli filled with Swiss chard and pinenuts, and the mesquite-grilled chicken flattened with a brick (no joke) to make it extra crispy. Be sure to check out the impressive and fairly priced wine list.

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laurahan

Joined 7 years ago

Best Penne All' Arribbiatta. Nice ambiance with it open kitchen where you can view the cooks preparing the dishes. Great for meetings because they have a private room in the back for quiet setting. The pastas are great and very al dente. Service is horrible though. Oh well.

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therealdiningdiva

Joined 7 years ago

Big on taste, Big on noise. The restaurant is very upscale, extremely busy and VERY noisy. I recommend reservations, an empty stomach (great food) and ear plugs.

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chesney95

Joined 7 years ago

The best Italian food in Beverly Hills. Based on all the places I have tried, this is the best Italian food in Beverly Hills. The service is always spot on and, the food is made perfectly. The breads are to die for and the prices are very respectable. I love this place and try to go whenever in town.

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radiancelee

Joined 8 years ago

Not as pretentious as you might think. The wait is everlong, so definately call ahead. The specials are always beguiling. Pasta is their forte. Ravioli with foie gras is creative and tasty but the portion is teeny. Their three cheese sauce with prosciutto on rigantoni is incredible. Their olive oil is imported and addictive, they also bake their own bread. The place steadily crowded and it can be a bit cramped if you are seated elbow to elbow, but all in all, the Beverly Hills branch impressed me more than the Pasadena one.

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eskimo49

Joined 8 years ago

Mmm Mmm!. This is one of my favorite restaurants around. Their butternut squash ravioli is incredible! And the menu has so many excellent choices. Of course, it's hard to leave room for dinner with all of that wonderful bread sitting in front of you!