came in during Easter Sunday lunch and this Italian restaurant is great for a romantic date night or any special occasion! the spacious dining area has a nice warm and cozy feel. our table was right in front of the pizza oven where we got to watch our food be made in front of us. highly recommend this restaurants for any of their pasta's and pizza's, so delicious!
B K
I made an OpenTable reservation for our anniversary and mentioned it. They didn't even acknowledge it during our dinner. The receptionist tried to seat us right behind the entry way and I requested to move. She gave us attitude and more when we were seating. The cook staff surely does not know how to cook a steak. I asked for medium and received an overly cook poor quality steak, that was uneven and lots of graying, and under cooked on the bottom. I asked for wine with dinner that never came. Our table was wobbly and unbalanced. We made the best of a poor dining experience. I would rather spend $175 somewhere else...
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 2
Leslie Kandel
We had a reservation Thursday night. We were sat by a part of 10-12 people who received a lot of attention in a room other than the main restaurant for some reason. Meanwhile, no one refilled my water, asked me if I'd like more hot water for my tea, checked to see how our appetizer and then entrees were. It was terrible service and I felt insulted when I saw how management and the service staff were treating the party next to us. I was finally able to flag down the waiter to bring me the check. I will not be going back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Anais B.
The ambience was beautiful with low lighting and a great view! The service was cordial. The Caesar salad was crispy with the right amount of cheese, and not too much dressing. The bread basket was crispy and warm! I had the salmon, and it was perfectly cooked. Topped off with the perfect cheesecake. If you are in the Walnut Creek or Pleasant Hill area, this is a must try! Great experience coming from Austin.
Jolanta O.
I had a disappointing experience during Happy Hour. I asked a hostess if I could order from the bar menu and sit in the central area (not the bar area) because my husband wanted to have the main course from the main menu. She said, I can. And I understand the bar menu prices can apply to my order. To summarize, I have been charged higher prices for my meals (not bar prices). The manager explained that they charged me correctly. Just a few dollar's disagreement leaves a sour impression of new management.
Kimberly Andrick-Smith
Hubby took me there for our anniversary. It was a very special dinner... atmosphere is wonderful... the staff is wonderful and the food is delicious! I highly recommend the margarita italiano very delicious. For dessert we got the tiramisu which was out of this world! Highly recommend this restaurant!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fatima C.
I came in right when the restaurant opened with no reservations and got seated immediately. I ordered the Penne Alla Vodka and Calamari as a side and it was SO DELICIOUS! The Calamari was so fresh and the portions for every dish were more than enough to feed two people. The area has heavy foot traffic so expect some difficulty finding parking, especially during weekends but definitely not impossible. I would definitely come back to dry their other kids of pasta!
Laura
I normally love this restaurant, it's a great go to for a fun dinner as well as a business meeting. I met with a couple clients last night for an early dinner, one was just coming off of a military drill for the day and was in uniform. Both Salmon dinners had to be sent back because it was undercooked, just felt the restaurant could've done more to compensate for us not being able to eat together. Table was perfect as requested a quieter area. Server was professional, a little underwhelming. 
Jeffrey Decatur
While spending the afternoon at the mall we had a great lunch here. Darlene our server was very personable and attentive. The food was so good, had the salmon and tagliatelle, delicious. The pear salad was amazing.
Greg A.
Today, my company celebrated Employee Appreciation Day by hosting a lunch in Walnut Creek, and what a fantastic choice it was! With so many restaurants to choose from in the area, it can be overwhelming, but I'm beyond pleased with our selection. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, I highly recommend stopping by. The food was nothing short of amazing - fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. It's not every day you come across a spot that truly stands out in both quality and service. I'm already looking forward to our next visit. A big thumbs up!
Always a treat to dine at this Italian bistro. Great options for all appetites. Tables are far apart, a rarity these days, and adds to the romance of fine dining. Great wine selection, too.
Vilian Kossev
The waiter spoke like boys in the hood, completely out of place for this otherwise nice restaurant. Who hires those people? My friends were in disbelief.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 2
TetS
Dining at Il Fornaio in Walnut Creek turned out to be less impressive than anticipated, especially for a birthday lunch for our daughter's 15th birthday. The food left much to be desired, taking for our main dishes to arrive for quite a bit of time. The dishes served were mediocre, lacking the flair and quality one would expect from such an establishment. Similarly, the service was average, failing to elevate the dining experience. Overall, the visit didn't meet our expectations for a special occasion meal.
Kelly K.
I've been coming to this location for 20 yrs. It's timeless, and has the best the happy hour. But the vodka pasta is bar far...a fav!! Love the staff and most of them have been there for years.
EdwinR
II Fornaio restaurant in Walnut Creek never disappoints. The food is great and the atmosphere was fabulous. I had the Rigatoni ala Vodka which was absolutely delicious! I added shrimp to the meal and it was perfect. This is my new favorite places to go for a fantastic meal and a friendly helpful staff.
came in during Easter Sunday lunch and this Italian restaurant is great for a romantic date night or any special occasion! the spacious dining area has a nice warm and cozy feel. our table was right in front of the pizza oven where we got to watch our food be made in front of us. highly recommend this restaurants for any of their pasta's and pizza's, so delicious!
I made an OpenTable reservation for our anniversary and mentioned it. They didn't even acknowledge it during our dinner. The receptionist tried to seat us right behind the entry way and I requested to move. She gave us attitude and more when we were seating. The cook staff surely does not know how to cook a steak. I asked for medium and received an overly cook poor quality steak, that was uneven and lots of graying, and under cooked on the bottom. I asked for wine with dinner that never came. Our table was wobbly and unbalanced. We made the best of a poor dining experience. I would rather spend $175 somewhere else...
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 2
We had a reservation Thursday night. We were sat by a part of 10-12 people who received a lot of attention in a room other than the main restaurant for some reason. Meanwhile, no one refilled my water, asked me if I'd like more hot water for my tea, checked to see how our appetizer and then entrees were. It was terrible service and I felt insulted when I saw how management and the service staff were treating the party next to us. I was finally able to flag down the waiter to bring me the check. I will not be going back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
The ambience was beautiful with low lighting and a great view! The service was cordial. The Caesar salad was crispy with the right amount of cheese, and not too much dressing. The bread basket was crispy and warm! I had the salmon, and it was perfectly cooked. Topped off with the perfect cheesecake. If you are in the Walnut Creek or Pleasant Hill area, this is a must try! Great experience coming from Austin.
I had a disappointing experience during Happy Hour. I asked a hostess if I could order from the bar menu and sit in the central area (not the bar area) because my husband wanted to have the main course from the main menu. She said, I can. And I understand the bar menu prices can apply to my order. To summarize, I have been charged higher prices for my meals (not bar prices). The manager explained that they charged me correctly. Just a few dollar's disagreement leaves a sour impression of new management.
Hubby took me there for our anniversary. It was a very special dinner... atmosphere is wonderful... the staff is wonderful and the food is delicious! I highly recommend the margarita italiano very delicious. For dessert we got the tiramisu which was out of this world! Highly recommend this restaurant!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I came in right when the restaurant opened with no reservations and got seated immediately. I ordered the Penne Alla Vodka and Calamari as a side and it was SO DELICIOUS! The Calamari was so fresh and the portions for every dish were more than enough to feed two people. The area has heavy foot traffic so expect some difficulty finding parking, especially during weekends but definitely not impossible. I would definitely come back to dry their other kids of pasta!
I normally love this restaurant, it's a great go to for a fun dinner as well as a business meeting. I met with a couple clients last night for an early dinner, one was just coming off of a military drill for the day and was in uniform. Both Salmon dinners had to be sent back because it was undercooked, just felt the restaurant could've done more to compensate for us not being able to eat together. Table was perfect as requested a quieter area. Server was professional, a little underwhelming. 
While spending the afternoon at the mall we had a great lunch here. Darlene our server was very personable and attentive. The food was so good, had the salmon and tagliatelle, delicious. The pear salad was amazing.
Today, my company celebrated Employee Appreciation Day by hosting a lunch in Walnut Creek, and what a fantastic choice it was! With so many restaurants to choose from in the area, it can be overwhelming, but I'm beyond pleased with our selection. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, I highly recommend stopping by. The food was nothing short of amazing - fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. It's not every day you come across a spot that truly stands out in both quality and service. I'm already looking forward to our next visit. A big thumbs up!
Restaurantji Recommends
Always a treat to dine at this Italian bistro. Great options for all appetites. Tables are far apart, a rarity these days, and adds to the romance of fine dining. Great wine selection, too.
The waiter spoke like boys in the hood, completely out of place for this otherwise nice restaurant. Who hires those people? My friends were in disbelief.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 2
Dining at Il Fornaio in Walnut Creek turned out to be less impressive than anticipated, especially for a birthday lunch for our daughter's 15th birthday. The food left much to be desired, taking for our main dishes to arrive for quite a bit of time. The dishes served were mediocre, lacking the flair and quality one would expect from such an establishment. Similarly, the service was average, failing to elevate the dining experience. Overall, the visit didn't meet our expectations for a special occasion meal.
I've been coming to this location for 20 yrs. It's timeless, and has the best the happy hour. But the vodka pasta is bar far...a fav!! Love the staff and most of them have been there for years.
II Fornaio restaurant in Walnut Creek never disappoints. The food is great and the atmosphere was fabulous. I had the Rigatoni ala Vodka which was absolutely delicious! I added shrimp to the meal and it was perfect. This is my new favorite places to go for a fantastic meal and a friendly helpful staff.