07/06/09

Best Italian

by BettyWilkins

Butternut squash ravioli, a hard thing to make but this place does it the best I have found. It's broken up with tomato sauce that breaks up the flavors enough to make it anything but mundane (as this dish can be without a savory break). A friend has had their Vodka pasta dish and loved it as well.

For the price the attentive service is what you's expect, they clean off the table, are evtremely attentive, serve you with their other hand behind the back, turn the plate just do the main part is in front of you. The desert crepes...yummy to the last bite!

This place is a splurge on my budget settings but certainly necessary treat to look forward to.

• Pros: Everything on the Menu

11/10/08

I would only go if it's the only place downtown SJC that can accomodate you...

by pcalhoun

Was there last Saturday, and I have to say that I was very disappointed in both the service and the food. The menu was very comprehensive, but all four of us thought the food was below average. I had the lasagna, which was probably one of the worst ones I've had in a restaurant. My wife ordered the pappardelle with "wild boar", which must have been not only wild, but also difficult to hunt because it couldn't be found in the dish. All of us had either soup or salad. My mushroom soup should have been named "celery broth".

Honestly, if you want good italian food - stay away.

Oh, and service sucked. Waiters that simply didn't seem to care, other than the guy responsible for bringing us water and bread. The waiter spilled wine on my shirt, which was annoying, but what was really irritating was her taking her time to get something to clean it with.

11/11/07

Great tasty Pizza snd lazy service..

by lajolla

Me, my wife and two teenage doughters visitied the San Jose location for a lunch on Sunday.

The dining area itself was rather impressive, roomy, nice decoration, and very Italian athmosphere.

Very nice! However, the great expectations started to fade away due to lazy service. Everything was done

slowly. All together we ended up waiting 40 minutes before the food was served eventually..

The food was OK but did not meet expectations either. Ravioli was heated to right temperature but kind of "tasteless". Veal was a bit of seasoned, been waiting (not served fresh) and kind of "messy" combination with mushrooms, sauce, etc. Also a bit "tasteless", have to say.

But pizza was one of the best ever had, very tasty. kid's loved it too. Overall, very nice athmosphere, nice decoration, but food unfortunately didn't meet the expectations...

12/21/06

Excellent Food, Great Ambiance

by mbar5sam

Il Fornaio is an excellent restaurant with fabulous flavors, great service and a very inviting ambiance. The food is authentic Italian- D E L I C I O U S. They also offer reasonable size portions, not supersized heart attack specials with a 12 gallon drum of soda allowing you to feed your entire family and bring home "a doggie bag" to feed a small country for under 20 bucks. The food is meant to be savored to allow you to enjoy several courses. While the food is not cheap, it is priced to keep an adult type clientele. The servers are very knowledgeable of their wines and make excellent recommendations. This is one of our favorite spots downtown and will continue enjoying for the years to come.

• Pros: Food, Service, Ambiance, knowledgeable staff

06/30/06

Decent Italian

by justineminer

I know it's a chain, but it is quite a step up from your olive garden or macaroni grill. The gnocchi was good and the bread is fresh and delicious. I bought a loaf to take home. There's better food out there, but this a safe bet for an above average meal.

10/19/05

Very Disappointed

by scarlettosarah

After reading glowing recommendations, I decided to give Il Fornaio a try for a friend's birthday. While the ambiance was inviting, I was incredibly disappointed with the food. The caprese salad was flavorful yet extremely small for the price, but the bruschetta was soggy and bland. My friend ordered the ravioli, which arrived stone cold. I ordered the gnocchi, which while warm, were undercooked and flavorless. With such a reputation, I was shocked at the medoicrity of the food. Very disappointed!

• Pros: Ambiance
• Cons: Food, Pricey

03/05/05

italian foods

by susan55

found it wonderful......great older building.......great aromas..........wine choices great...waiter knowledge wonderful......great food

• Pros: wines, food choices, aromas
• Cons: parking

06/29/04

Authentic pizzas, tasty dishes

by lameri

We've eaten at Il Fornaio 10-15 times, and we always enjoy the food. We haven't found many such good pizzas in the Bay Area that are authentic. Desserts are also great. On the down side, the service is generally good, but not always. Also: beware of the Palo Alto location: I've been twice, and twice my pasta was not "al dente" (but undercooked), also the service wasn't great.

• Pros: pizzas, Food, Desserts

02/20/04

consistent and wonderful

by sanfrandiva

Always a favorite of mine for work or leisure. The majority of the time I have an outstanding experience. Best waiter is Robert, ask for his table.

• Pros: great location, nice ambiance, great food
• Cons: , long wait for food

08/18/03

It may be a hotel restaurant and chain, but it has expanded into one of Silicon Valley's premier Italian eateries.

by Contributor

The Scene
Il Fornaio wisely chose its locations on the Peninsula, its restaurants ensconced in the vintage Sainte Claire Hotel in downtown San Jose and in the tony Garden Court at the center of Palo Alto. And despite the double stigma of being both a hotel restaurant and a chain, Silicon Valley movers and shakers still stop in to conduct business over a little omelette ai formaggi at breakfast, wood-fired pizzas at lunch, or golden-skinned roast chicken at dinner.

The Food
Bruschettas, designer pizzas, tricked-out pastas and virtually anything emanating from the wood-fired oven are reliable bets. The bread basket always holds a lot of Italian temptations, and the wine list has lots of appropriate Italian varietals from Italy and California to get a meal rolling. Il Fornaio's bakery roots show at dessert--biscotti and other Italian cookies are peerless.