Il Fornaio

After reading what seemed like good Unilocal reviews my husband and I decided to come dine here for my birthday dinner. Our experience started out great! Seated and greeted quickly by our server. However things slowly changed, it went from great to horrible service. When we fist arrived server was nice gave us the time of day made suggestions for ordering etc… After we received our food we did not see our server till we were offered dessert, if that’s what you want to call «offered»… He rudely pulled the cart up said dessert and walked away, he returned a few min later and said would you like dessert? My husband then asked are you going to tell us what this is, the server then rushed thru explaining what everything was. We ended up ordering the trio, the dessert was ok nothing great. During all this my husband had wanted another glass of wine by the time it was actually brought back we were getting our bill only to find out it wasn’t even the same kind he was previously drinking. Nothing about this experience stands out enough to bring us back to dine again especially for the price. :-/

Dinner with friends during Dine out Sacramento. Half of us ordered off the regular menu. The food was good and the service was great. I hope to dine again here soon.

We went here for a date night. We had bread and olive oil brought out to the table right away. One of the pieces of bread was warm and soft. The other pieces of bread were cold and hard. I’m keeping my fingers crossed these didn’t come from someone elses’ bread basket. The waitress was awesome and so was the guy who divided up the Caesar Salad that we split. The salad was dry and soggy at the same time. How on earth did that happen you ask? There was meager fishy dressing on wilted greens which must have been at room temperature for quite some time or maybe just left out in a really hot kitchen. The dressing needed garlic and lemon juice because there was virtually no garlic or lemon zing just pasty anchovy. The only reason to share a Caesar Salad is so both people have garlic breath, right? It was really terrible and I couldn’t finish the shared portion. They did comp us on the salad but it left a bad taste in our mouths. (:-) Sorry, just had to go there). The main meal was good but not fabulous. My partner had the Bolognese and I had the Assortimento di Pesce Griglia both of which were served warm and cooked nicely. We then got a scoop of gelato which was about 2 Tbs. for about 4 bucks. We spent about 100.00 for a very average meal. This used to be one of my favorite places but now I’m on the look out for a new Italian restaurant.

One word to describe this place is amazing! I’ve always heard great reviews about this place and I finally gave the chance with dine downtown. This place is very classy and the staff are very attentive to your needs. I’m not a wine drinker so I didn’t pair any of my courses with their wine selection. I had a reservation for three and we were seated within 10 minutes of our arrival (we got there earlier than our reservation time).
Pros: classy atmosphere, amazing food (every dish I had was flavorful), great service. Their main dish was a huge portion (I had the salmon and my husband had the beef short ribs). Every month they have something similar to dine downtown where you pick 3 courses for $ 35. It is the first three weeks of the month and the 3 for $ 35 doesn’t take place the last week of the month. Each month they explore a different region so there’s always something new to try out! When we finished our three courses, our waiter asked if we wanted to see the dessert cart (I thought I heard dessert card at first). Holy cow that thing was ridiculous but you can tell they take the time to craft their desserts! The flavor was paired real well in each course, it definitely exceeded my expectations. The regular prices weren’t too bad either, so very reasonably priced dishes and you get so much food.
Cons: none! Though I’m sure on a regular weekday parking maybe an issue due to the location. I had no idea that this was a chain, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
I’m officially in love with this place and can’t wait to go back. They even have a private dining hall for special events which I’ve also heard great things about. If you’re looking for an amazing restaurant give this place a try!

The service was great the atmosphere was very nice. But. the food was awful! very bland and it seem like everything was drowned in oil. At my table we order a little bit of everything and sampled off each other plate. If you go here and think this is good food you should just stay off Unilocal and not trick people to thinking this is good food.

My wife and I love to eat here. I studied abroad in Italy and this is the closest thing to food from Florence that I remember. The servers are professional and the olive bread is killer. The server named Saied (spelling) is amazing.
The restaurant is located in what appears to be an old bank building. It’s beautiful inside. If you’re looking for a nice meal, I suggest trying this one out. It can be a little pricey if you get a full antipasto, primo, secondi, dessert, and wine combo. But if you’re getting dessert, I highly recommend the Afagato (vanilla bean gelato with a shot of expresso on top in a glass).

This place has excellent service and would love to come here again. People knock of the price of the dishes in this elegant restaurant but it’s affordable. Tried the calamari, not the best I’ve ever had but better than most. The service is unlike no other the waitress made sure we had a wonderful experience and the bread on oil is to die for. Would love to have tried the salmon, though the chicken is one of the best I’ve had in a while. This is a wonderfully lit date night spot that makes you want to dress in a suit and tie to taste the finer things in life.
Views of downtown surrounded the ambience of bliss and candles that loomed from the dining table. Very romantic and am definitely coming back again.

I’ve been here twice. Excellent place. You should try it if you are looking for a delicious meal and fine mixed drinks or wine. Be prepared to spend about 50 – 80 per person to enjoy a good experience here. The expense/​value is on par with the experience.
Go here if you are on a date if you think the person you are with is really into you or take someone who you already enjoys your company. The food is too good to use the experience for anything other than an intimate experience with close friends or romantics.
I’ll update this the next time I visit.

I loved the Il Fornaio in Roseville, so my boyfriend decided to try the one in Sacramento. I was not disappointed! Our waiter was very helpful. Got pizza and steak (forgot the names), and they were perfect! I knew for sure that I wanted tiramisu, but when the waiter came with the dessert cart/​display, I had to choose the one that came with all three. (It was to die for.) Delicious food and great atmosphere; we will definitely come back!

Beautiful building. Good food. Highlights were warm bread and small but tasty green salad. We were in a huge group so service was decent but hard within a confined space. Not a big fan of tiramasu, but others enjoyed it. Would like to go back with a smaller group.

11−7−15 — Saturday, 6 pm — three people.
I have been here before and brought 2 friends on this visit. Great location, great food, great liquor selection… (Glen Livet 18 for you Scotch drinkers)
The building has high ceilings and a bit louder than some may be accustom. In my opinion, this is not a «quiet and intimate» restaurant. More bright and active. I had the Gnocchi with Rabbit Ragu! Very well done. All in all no complaints.

Another very good place to grab a quick & always delicious lunch. In my carnivore days, it would always go for the ciabatta sub. Today, tried the special (grilled zucchini w/​provolone, tomato & aioli like spread). I need a nice glass of wine next time to accompany this. They didn’t have another favorite (the olive bread/​loaf).

We had an unforgettable dining experience at Il Fornaio.
From appetizers to dessert, everything was fantastic. We started with the rustichella, a flatbread appetizer which was light and flavorful. My fiancé had the capellini al pomodoro, while I had the cannelloni al forno. It was HEAVENLY. Each bite was more delicious than the last.
Now… don’t even get me started on dessert. I’m not difficult to please when it comes to sweets, but these desserts were simply divine. The soffiato al cioccolato (made with NUTELLA) was rich and delectable, and the tiramisu was to die for.
The restaurant itself has a warm and romantic atmosphere, and has a beautiful covered patio. The service was EXCELLENT. Our server was attentive and friendly. We are looking forward to visiting Il Fornaio again!

Class act.
They don’t miss a beat at this place. If you been reading my reviews, i put a large emphasis on the service aspect of the establishments that that I frequent (having been a previous restaurant worker).
Just went for the Happy Hour yesterday with a few co-​workers and was seated at a nice white tablecloth table in a gorgeous high ceiling, marble floor, open air venue. That in itself would warrant stars. Then add on the great tasting antipasti and pizza Happy Hour specials as well as beer wine and cocktail specials.
Service was on point, always being around at the right time, keeping the drinks coming, and the food as well. Obviously the management here has a system in which everyone, buys in to as it seems like a well oiled machine.

This place is located at the end of Capitol Mall. Great location and the décor of the restaurant is very nice. Restaurant appears to be more of a fine dining place but they are a little more relaxed. We’ve been to this restaurant more than once. Each time we have received great service. Our server, Alejandro was EXCELLENT! He was very knowledgeable and friendly. He was very attentive to our needs and insured we were well taken care of. The busboy was very attentive and insuring empty plates were cleared from the table as well as water glasses filled and brought fresh bread out to our table (I think we ended up going through 3 baskets of bread). That does not happen very often any more.
To start our dinner, we ordered the calamaretti fritti appetizer. They brought us out bread. Their bread is so good — once you had a piece of their bread you can’t stop — you will be hooked. For our dinner we ordered:
— Margherita Pizza: my son said this was just ok (good size pizza)
— Ravioli Alla Lucana: my daughter ordered this and when the plate arrived she said the dish seemed small (eyes bigger than her stomach); she actually ended up stuffing down the remaining ravioli on her plate; she really liked the flavors
— Layered Cappanelli: this was a vegetarian dish; I guess I didn’t realize what I had ordered; was very good and had lots of flavor
— Broiled Seabass: was very tender and juicy — not dried out at all
Food was all very good — except the pizza (dough seemed a little tough). Service was AWESOME! Would definitely be going back!

The fine dining restaurant is an Italian chain. Fresh pasta is made in-​house daily and all sauces, soups and dressings are made from scratch. Years ago, I came here for a Christmas get together with friends. We sat in the enclosed patio, which was private enough for our group. I was recently in the area and I was starving, so I suggested eating here for lunch.
Complimentary bread with olive oil & balsamic vinegar was given to the table. After we’d looked at the menu, when the waiter came to take our order, he informed us that the kitchen wasn’t fully opened. We could only order appetizers and pizzas. I wished he told us before, because I was looking forward to eating raviolis.
The four of us decided to share two pizzas. The pizzas are thin-​crusted (housemade dough). We had the fradiavola (mozzarella, tomato sauce, Italian sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers, red onions and spicy peperoncino oil) and the capricciosa (mozzarella, ham, artichokes, mushrooms, kalamata olives, oregano and tomato sauce). I preferred the fradiavola because it had more flavor. The food to me was overpriced at $ 17+ per pizza. You’re paying more for the atmosphere than the food itself. It’s a nice place to bring a date, but I’d rather eat more substantial food.

I’ve come here for their coffee and pastries when my coworkers and I need a pick-​me-​up. Starbucks is overrated now.
Just recently, I discovered that you can make any coffee into an iced one! And since it’s starting to get pretty hot out, I was happy! I usually get the white chocolate mocha, now iced, and it is pretty good! I usually don’t even drink coffee, but ever since last semester, I’ve starting drinking more. I think if you get iced, it only comes in small or medium, which is okay because I can limit my caffeine intake. Most of the time I got the white chocolate mocha, hot and cold, it was good. Maybe twice were just eh. The times it was eh, it was too sweet. I know it’s a mocha and mocha is usually sweet, but it was overly sweet. However, most of the time, it has a good balance! And the fact that I get iced now, might be why it’s not too sweet-​the water kinda reduces the sweet taste.
I recently came here because they had a hot cookie $ 1 special. My coworkers were excited and got me to go. That day they had chocolate chip cookie. Because some lady had ordered 20 of them cookies, they had run out of their first batch so we waited. They gave us a 6 minute timeframe. So we decided to just wait there and chat for a bit for the cookies to come out. 6 minutes passed, «Give us another 2 minutes.» Okay, so we waited again. 2 minutes passed, «Give us another 2 minutes.» We were getting antsy because we needed to get back to work. One of the workers saw we were still waiting and yelled to one of the girls behind the counter to check on the cookies.
What do you know? They were ready! Not sure if it was just a coincidence or… something. Anyways, when we got back to work, I took a bite and wow, delicious! Since it was fresh out of the oven, it was warm. The outer sides were crispy and the inside soft. I got maybe a quarter through it, and all the sugar just hit me. I had to take a break! It’s not one of those oreo sized cookies. It’s the size of a Mrs. Fields cookie. Huge for $ 1!
Their coffee and pastries are pretty good. If you decide to go on a day with a special item (Tuesdays-​hot cookie and Thursdays-​$ 1 and some change for gelato; they have others, but I can’t remember them right now) come early because lines can get long and/​or they run out.
I want to try their restaurant, but looking at their prices, maybe when I earn more money I’ll come back. Until then, just coffee and pastries for me.
The girls here are always so nice and friendly! It’s like Starbucks treatment, but better! Good job! A smile and a friendly demeanor goes a long way!

What a disappointment! I’ve seen this chain all over California and walked by the Sac location tons of times. With its inviting patio, fancypants lighting and décor, I was expecting some pretty spectacular Italiano. I finally stopped in for dinner when they featured their dine-​dowtown menu to get a sampling of the place. Boy oh boy, was I in for a surprise.
Stepping into those huge, heavy, tallllll wooden doors made me feel like I was opening a gateway to Narnia. The ambiance of this place is amazing! From the lounge chair by the reception booth, high ceilings, carved pillars, gold décor. the attention to details of this beautiful restaurant transports me back to Italy. But…
Our waitress started off rude and snappy, talking to us as if we were children. Not sure if she heard us talking about it, but halfway through the service, she became this happy peppy person. Talk about bipolar! Probably working us toward the end for a big tip. But she did have this snide comment when we asked to box our entrees home. She asked if I wanted to take the other piece of the duck, which I already ate and was just a BONE with scrappy meat stuck on it. She said «because you know, some people like to take it home to gnaw on the bones.» What the hell, do I look like an F’ing dog?! However, there were two other servers who also checked on us, and they were great and pleasant — i.e. not bipolar.
Now food.
You know that feeling you get when you have a huge, nicely wrapped present and you open it only to find it was wrapped in another box? And another and another. and by the time you finally get to your gift, it ends up being a tiny box with a peanut inside. Or even worst, you find out that your gift is just a D in a box from NOT Justin Timberlake, but from Andy. Samberg.. Yeah, that’s how it went with these dishes.
* INSALATA DI PERE AL FORMAGGIO: loved it! dee-​licious pear salad. Ingredients went perfectly together. What a great start!
* PROSCIUTTO DI SAN DANIELE: prosciutto, parmesan, drizzled truffle oil. always a winning combo. The prosciutto was perfectly paper thin. Best part was the house-​made cracker — thin, crisp and infused with herbs.
* GNOCCHI ALLA FRIULANA: it was served with a side of boo-​sauce. lukewarm, overcooked, too mushy
* RAVIOLI D’ANATRA AGLI ASPARAGI: sauce was bland, duck was minimal, duck flavor non-​existent
* ANATRA ALLA CARNICA: huge portion of duck, but it was a little dry and chewy. The sides were meh~
* FILETTO DI BRANZINO ALLA GRECA: sea bass was good but the smothering of salty capers and kalamata olives ruined it. Even the surrounding sauce was salty. My tongue shriveled up after a few bites.
The quality of food pales in comparison to the prices they charge. The flavors lack the complexity that you’d expect when you think of fine-​dining. I found the majority of the dishes to be rather basic. It would’ve been great if it was just basic, simple, rustic cooking. But there was no flavor depth. The only thing that would draw me back is their pear salad and prosciutto. It’s probably a better spot for lunch rather than dinner, which explains why lunch is always full of business folks having those «write-​off» lunches.
They also have a side bakery where you can get quick breakfast items, which I always wanted to try, but a friend of mine went there and told me her coffee was watered down and their muffins weren’t so great. On top of that, the girl charged her double for the coffee. Sadly, I think I will out skip on that too.
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One of my favorite places for breakfast and lunch. This location is sooooo convenient and so are the deals they offer for the morning munchies.
Why?
Well, you can dine-​in here and have a spectacular lunch or dinner, sure. But they also have a variety of to-​go options every day. Fresh soups, sandwiches, coffee, pastries, muffins, bagels, chips, and fountain drinks. Efficient service gets you back to the office in a jiffy.
Every day, there’s a different special:
Pastry Party Monday: Buy any 2 pastries and get a 3^rd pastry FREE
Souper Tuesday: Soup of the day — $ 1 off a cup or bowl
Dollar Day Wednesday (Or Muffin Wednesday, as we call it at the office): All muffins $ 1 off with any coffee purchase (it’s all about that blueberry, that blueberry…)
Chillin’ Thursday: $ 1.50 scoop of gelato from 1 pm — 3 pm
Frequent Buyer Friday: Purchase any fresh baked bread, coffee, or to go sandwich and receive two stamps on your frequent buyer card.
AND
Last Friday of Every Month: Receive a FREE soda with the purchase of a sandwich or salad. To go items only.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Blueberry Muffin
Bagels taste fresh out of the oven and almost like cake. Oh Em. Gee.
Caprese Sandwich YUM!

I am completely in love with this place!
My boyfriend threw me a birthday dinner here on 2÷7÷15 and all my expectations were not only met, but were EXCEEDED!
I had my dinner in a private room located towards the back of the restaurant. Walking through the restaurant, the space and ambiance were perfect! Everything was so nicely decorated and clean — especially the bathrooms! My friends were allowed to decorate the space with confetti on the table, balloons, streamers and signs!!! The space was enclosed, which I enjoyed because it was a lot more intimate.
As appetizers, they brought out the biggest plates of stuffed mushrooms, calamari and these tiny little pizzas! Everything was absolutely delicious!!! As an appetizer I ordered the cappellacci di zucca (which was ravioli filled with butternut squash and walnuts served with tomato sauce, brown butter, Grana Padano and crispy sage). My order came with 5 heart shaped raviolis! It was perfectly cooked and dressed in a beautiful presentation! I was sooo full from the appetizers that I was only able to eat 2 raviolis!
I was so impressed with the attentive staff, amazingly delicious food and fanciness of the restaurant that I would like to hold an upcoming event of my own here! I’m not sure why the lack of 5 star reviews, but I know that I had an amazing experience! This restaurant was the best place I could have celebrated my 30^th birthday!