(310) 451-7800

1551 Ocean Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401 34.01159 -118.49514

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Neighborhoods: Downtown, West LA

ilfornaio.com

Hours:

Mon - Thur: 11:30am-10:00pm

Fri & Sun: 11:30am-10:00pm

Sat: 11:30am-11:00pm

Price:

$$

Last updated 10.15.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Family-Friendly Dining, Online Reservations

Cuisine:

Italian

Other Locations:

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Il Fornaio

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

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.…

Editor's Tips

The Extras:
Their bakery opens at 7:30am daily.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “The Santa Monica restaurant is located right across from the Ocean - it's a prime location - and a great place to meet someone and temporarily get away from the noise and craziness of the area.”
  2. “great place to have italian food with a flare and a nice glass of wine in a quiet, cozy restaurant where there never seems to be a wait but is always full of ocean park regulars.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “Chilled zabaione with fresh berries, Bellini sorbet, fresh whipped cream and amarena cherry”
  2. “this was a basically good meal with basically good service with basically good dessert.”
  3. “Pasadena -- moden design, good service, food and desert.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “After fortifying yourself with a good sandwich made with fresh ingredients and a glass of wine, you'll be ready to make that walk down Third Street Promenade.”
  2. “great place to have italian food with a flare and a nice glass of wine in a quiet, cozy restaurant where there never seems to be a wait but is always full of ocean park regulars.”
  3. “This isn't a fancy joint by any stretch but they have great food, great wine and excellent service.”
food quality
88.45999717712402% positive
  1. “After fortifying yourself with a good sandwich made with fresh ingredients and a glass of wine, you'll be ready to make that walk down Third Street Promenade.”
  2. “If you're looking for a casual and reasonably priced italian restaurant with awesome food, this is the spot.”
  3. “The food is reasonable, the menu is varied, and the breads are excellent.”
  4. “usually order a salad or pasta dish.”
  5. “the food was cold, service wasnt great.”
  6. “This isn't a fancy joint by any stretch but they have great food, great wine and excellent service.”
  7. “Chilled zabaione with fresh berries, Bellini sorbet, fresh whipped cream and amarena cherry”
  8. “Pasadena -- moden design, good service, food and desert.”
  9. “great place to have italian food with a flare and a nice glass of wine in a quiet, cozy restaurant where there never seems to be a wait but is always full of ocean park regulars.”
  10. “this was a basically good meal with basically good service with basically good dessert.”
  11. “The food is good, everything on the menu is excellent.”
  12. “bad pasta.”
  13. “The regular dishes fared better - the veal scallopini was excellent, and the stuffed pastas were perfect.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “The food is good, everything on the menu is excellent.”
  2. “The food is reasonable, the menu is varied, and the breads are excellent.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “great place to have italian food with a flare and a nice glass of wine in a quiet, cozy restaurant where there never seems to be a wait but is always full of ocean park regulars.”
  2. “The Santa Monica restaurant is located right across from the Ocean - it's a prime location - and a great place to meet someone and temporarily get away from the noise and craziness of the area.”
service
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. “The wait staff is incredibly well trained, their uniforms are classic 'cameriere' and the assitants are incredible!”
  2. “service is decent.”
  3. “the food was cold, service wasnt great.”
  4. “Pasadena -- moden design, good service, food and desert.”
  5. “This isn't a fancy joint by any stretch but they have great food, great wine and excellent service.”
  6. “this was a basically good meal with basically good service with basically good dessert.”
2 Star Rating: Below Average

04/13/08

bad pasta...dirty restaurant

by liveloe at Citysearch

this place needs a facelift... the staff does too. no energy...the pasta was soggy and the bread stale. the place was not very clean

3 Star Rating: Average

03/15/08

just basic

by betzthebest at Citysearch

this was a basically good meal with basically good service with basically good dessert. basic is all that it offers. the waiters seemed a bit tired of working there and the bartender was wierd

1 Star Rating: Poor

03/14/08

mediocre and boring

by alligee at Citysearch

they have been around a long time they need to do better. they have alot of money to work with and this place is sooo tired! clean it up and get motivated

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/09/06

great neighborhood spot

by samsclams at Citysearch

great place to have italian food with a flare and a nice glass of wine in a quiet, cozy restaurant where there never seems to be a wait but is always full of ocean park regulars.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/15/06

Wonderful Mushroom Ravioli!

by marinagirl78 at Citysearch

The food is good, everything on the menu is excellent. This isn't a fancy joint by any stretch but they have great food, great wine and excellent service. Cool ambiance at night, outdoor seating available. If you're looking for a casual and reasonably priced italian restaurant with awesome food, this is the spot.

  • Pros: Food, Wine, Dessert
  • Cons: Not exactly romantic or fancy

The Details on Il Fornaio

Place Categories:

  • good food
  • great service
  • great place
  • great neighborhood spot
  • dirty restaurant
  • nice glass
  • great wine
  • basically good meal
  • fresh ingredients
  • fresh whipped cream
  • bad pasta
  • usually order dish
  • incredible assitants
  • basically good dessert
  • good sandwich
  • strongly recommend il fornaio
  • fresh bellini sorbet
  • fresh amarena cherry
  • excellent veal scallopini
  • quite pleasant room
  • good desert
  • perfect stuffed pastas
  • great lunch
  • fresh berries
  • excellent breads
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