Nice location. Easy parking. Bad filet mignon v. Nice veal marsala. Yummy bruschetta.Parking: Free parking
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Pedro Leon
Parking: Small parking lot behind the business. Also serves other neighboring businesses.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Margherita Pizza, Tortellacci Modo Nostro
Dorna Sakurai
Great food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alexander Probst
Good service and atmosphere but I really didn't find the food all that great, my chicken was kind of rubbery and pretty small portions and my wife only got like 3 shrimp in her risotto. Considering that it was like $60 per person that's kind of a problem, I would have been OK with it and give 5 stars if it was only $20.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Michael Krieger
Excellent food at a very affordable price. I only wish we had longer then one hour to order a dinner power meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thomas Peters
Great Italian food on Ocean Park in Santa Monica. Friendly, warm service and delicious food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anastasia Kruglyashova
The overall rating for this restaurant based on our experience is between 3 and 4 stars. On a positive note, if you are looking for a great atmosphere, this place is unbeatable. The outside string lights, the music, the Italian accent and cordial smiles of the hosts all make this restaurant feel quite authentic. It also helps that the little plaza where the restaurant is situated is very cozy and generally quiet, providing a peaceful experience.As for the food at Il Forno... We were not so impressed with it and expected more. The gnocchi my daughter ordered felt quite bland and dry, and tasted a bit too much like garlic (a sauce was definitely missing; it would have made the dish more 'alive'). The pasta that I ordered had a lot of prosciutto in it that tasted somewhat strange (imagine 'boiled' prosciutto pieces- yes, that's what it tasted like) and made the dish very, very salty. Sorry, did not like it. The wait for the food was also quite significantly longer than we anticipated.Regardless, we will give this place another chance, given its history. Hopefully next time the food will taste better.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
Kayla Joncich
I rarely leave reviews and I've been to this place a few times, always been pleased. But then I ordered over the phone with Ryan (who was wonderful) and everyone at my office couldn't get enough of their food. I tried the Principessa Salad for the first time and I now have a new favorite salad ever. Perfectly fresh ingredients but the chicken was cooked and seasoned to perfection! I couldn't have asked for a better experience and we now will be ordering from them every time our partners are in town.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mary Vaiana
Il Forno is special to me because it's a place where I always feel comfortable as a woman dining alone. My experience in other local restaurants isn't the same--"just an old woman, don't spend a lot of time on her. She won't order right or tip well." At Il Forno, I'm always a valued guest--and have been for more than a dozen years. The food is always good, sometimes extraordinary. The experience is always first rate. Dining at Il Forno is like eating in my Aunt Grace's (Sicilian) kitchen--except the menu is larger. And she would totally approve. You won't be disappointed. Mary
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Piero Desopo
Today I ordered pasta del Vecchio over the phone.When I picked it up, they told me that if I was going to pay cash, it was $9, otherwise it would cost me $26.When I asked why, they explained to me that it costs $9 only when paying cash because it belongs to a different menu.I asked why the person who took my order didn't mention that. I've been told that he cannot know whether the customer is aware of this special price or not, and he's too busy to remind the customers of such a thing.Furthermore, I've been also informed that it is my responsibility to be aware of this type of price. I would have laughed at such a bizarre request if I wasn't too frustrated with the treatment. I don't believe it is the customer's responsibility to know your menu rules by heart, among all the other more important things that a person goes through in their lives.You're there to make sure your customers have a pleasant experience. Mine was not. Seriously, I don't think is asking too much for the person who picks up the phone to spend two words reminding the customer how things work in your restaurant.I find this quite disappointing, and frankly, dangerously close to being a sketchy move.I've been your customer for several years. I've spread the word about your place and brought other customers every time I could. Well, this is how you lose a customer. Maybe you should put a note on the menu so next time the person who picks up the phone maybe will think twice about properly informing the very people who make your business possible.Farewell,Piero
Pleasant atmosphere. Nice music. Good food. Lots of covered outdoor sitting. The owner is usually in the restaurant, making sure everything is running smoothly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Melody Gonzalez
I love this restaurant but I was a little disappointed today. We ordered take out and this is how much Bruschetta they gave us…Make sure to ask for a reasonable portion.
Sandy Honda
Everything was VERY good. My only disappointment was, as a diabetic, I was glad to see on their website menu that they had low glycemic index pasta. But when we asked the waiter about it, he said they did not.Dietary restrictions: As mentioned above, was disappointed that they did not have diabetic-friendly pasta when it was mentioned on their website.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
B Emerson
Just had dinner at Il Forno for the first time last night. I was with a table of 8 and ALL of our food was excellent! Need I say more? The chef deserves a raise. I'll be back soon.
Radion Quasars
Great place. Every time we go for a walk in Santa Monica we come back here for dinner. Very fast service. Very tasty food and very friendly staff.And most importantly, you can sit on the terrace with your pet
Nice location. Easy parking. Bad filet mignon v. Nice veal marsala. Yummy bruschetta.Parking: Free parking
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Parking: Small parking lot behind the business. Also serves other neighboring businesses.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Margherita Pizza, Tortellacci Modo Nostro
Great food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good service and atmosphere but I really didn't find the food all that great, my chicken was kind of rubbery and pretty small portions and my wife only got like 3 shrimp in her risotto. Considering that it was like $60 per person that's kind of a problem, I would have been OK with it and give 5 stars if it was only $20.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Excellent food at a very affordable price. I only wish we had longer then one hour to order a dinner power meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great Italian food on Ocean Park in Santa Monica. Friendly, warm service and delicious food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The overall rating for this restaurant based on our experience is between 3 and 4 stars. On a positive note, if you are looking for a great atmosphere, this place is unbeatable. The outside string lights, the music, the Italian accent and cordial smiles of the hosts all make this restaurant feel quite authentic. It also helps that the little plaza where the restaurant is situated is very cozy and generally quiet, providing a peaceful experience.As for the food at Il Forno... We were not so impressed with it and expected more. The gnocchi my daughter ordered felt quite bland and dry, and tasted a bit too much like garlic (a sauce was definitely missing; it would have made the dish more 'alive'). The pasta that I ordered had a lot of prosciutto in it that tasted somewhat strange (imagine 'boiled' prosciutto pieces- yes, that's what it tasted like) and made the dish very, very salty. Sorry, did not like it. The wait for the food was also quite significantly longer than we anticipated.Regardless, we will give this place another chance, given its history. Hopefully next time the food will taste better.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
I rarely leave reviews and I've been to this place a few times, always been pleased. But then I ordered over the phone with Ryan (who was wonderful) and everyone at my office couldn't get enough of their food. I tried the Principessa Salad for the first time and I now have a new favorite salad ever. Perfectly fresh ingredients but the chicken was cooked and seasoned to perfection! I couldn't have asked for a better experience and we now will be ordering from them every time our partners are in town.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Il Forno is special to me because it's a place where I always feel comfortable as a woman dining alone. My experience in other local restaurants isn't the same--"just an old woman, don't spend a lot of time on her. She won't order right or tip well." At Il Forno, I'm always a valued guest--and have been for more than a dozen years. The food is always good, sometimes extraordinary. The experience is always first rate. Dining at Il Forno is like eating in my Aunt Grace's (Sicilian) kitchen--except the menu is larger. And she would totally approve. You won't be disappointed. Mary
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Today I ordered pasta del Vecchio over the phone.When I picked it up, they told me that if I was going to pay cash, it was $9, otherwise it would cost me $26.When I asked why, they explained to me that it costs $9 only when paying cash because it belongs to a different menu.I asked why the person who took my order didn't mention that. I've been told that he cannot know whether the customer is aware of this special price or not, and he's too busy to remind the customers of such a thing.Furthermore, I've been also informed that it is my responsibility to be aware of this type of price. I would have laughed at such a bizarre request if I wasn't too frustrated with the treatment. I don't believe it is the customer's responsibility to know your menu rules by heart, among all the other more important things that a person goes through in their lives.You're there to make sure your customers have a pleasant experience. Mine was not. Seriously, I don't think is asking too much for the person who picks up the phone to spend two words reminding the customer how things work in your restaurant.I find this quite disappointing, and frankly, dangerously close to being a sketchy move.I've been your customer for several years. I've spread the word about your place and brought other customers every time I could. Well, this is how you lose a customer. Maybe you should put a note on the menu so next time the person who picks up the phone maybe will think twice about properly informing the very people who make your business possible.Farewell,Piero
Restaurantji Recommends
Pleasant atmosphere. Nice music. Good food. Lots of covered outdoor sitting. The owner is usually in the restaurant, making sure everything is running smoothly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I love this restaurant but I was a little disappointed today. We ordered take out and this is how much Bruschetta they gave us…Make sure to ask for a reasonable portion.
Everything was VERY good. My only disappointment was, as a diabetic, I was glad to see on their website menu that they had low glycemic index pasta. But when we asked the waiter about it, he said they did not.Dietary restrictions: As mentioned above, was disappointed that they did not have diabetic-friendly pasta when it was mentioned on their website.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Just had dinner at Il Forno for the first time last night. I was with a table of 8 and ALL of our food was excellent! Need I say more? The chef deserves a raise. I'll be back soon.
Great place. Every time we go for a walk in Santa Monica we come back here for dinner. Very fast service. Very tasty food and very friendly staff.And most importantly, you can sit on the terrace with your pet