Il Fornaio - San JoseRegional menuHad the regional menu selections. This is a great deal for new and exciting dishes. This time, the seafood salad, mixed seafood spaghetti and the mixed grill were excellent. The wild cod was disappointing. Had the chocolate torte with caramel ice cream and some sort of dipping sauce. Would recommend that for the table to share.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant is wonderfulThis restaurant is wonderful for many different occasions from date night to Mother's Day brunch. In the evenings, the ambiance is more romantic and quiet but in the mornings for brunch, it's bright, with its high ceilings and open feeling. Either way, the food was amazing for both our recent visits for date night and the Mother's Day brunch buffet. It's definitely a place you can take your sweetheart for a romantic evening OR the whole family for a special occasion.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMother's Day at Il FornaioI was surprised upon arrival that there was a Mother's Day Brunch that day, mainly because when I booked the reservation on Open Table no mention of this was there. However when I looked at the confirmation on my e-mail there was reference to that being the case. Although we enjoyed it thoroughly, I was not prepared to spend that much nor did we need to eat that much food. Next time I will era the information more carefully. It was delicious, anyway.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMElegant AmbienceSet in the historic Sainte Claire Hotel in downtown San Jose', the ambience of the restaurant is elegant, without being intimidating. The food is good, the prices moderate, and the service is good. Their prix-fixe regional Italian menus are interesting and well chosen5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous Mother's Day Brunch!We were a party of 9 with 4 mother's who were celebrating. One mother was 85 and another was 87! Both of them raved about the great food and service. We also had two 9-year kids who are picky eaters and they also found plenty of food to their liking. Thanks to all for a great time.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMLove it.Very accommodating, fantastic food and wine as always!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFood and service were on parFood and service were on par with a much more expensive restaurant. Outstanding.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMDinner and a movieThis is a very reliable restaurant. Consistently has very good food and freindly service. Good parking across the street.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat timeFive gals from a PTA convention went here on a Thursday. The food and wine were both great but the most notable thing was our waiter. He was so good and accommodating. We had a great experience.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMMy girlfriend and I went thereMy girlfriend and I went there to celebrate our anniversary.. We enjoyed the whole experience. The ambience, the food, the wine and service..4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMDefinitely a place I'm consideringDefinitely a place I'm considering for my Wedding reception. The food should be the best part next to dancing.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWe came from Boston for aWe came from Boston for a wedding. We can't say ENOUGH on how KIND everyone was to us!!! How much we LOVED the food!!! Our waiter was a WONDERFUL person!!!! We will recommend your restaurant to everyone we know going to San Jose!!! THANK YOU from a Greatful Boston Crowd. It was just what we needed after the horrible week we experienced!!! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMRegular customers.We always delight in Il Fornaio before going to the opera at the California Theater.
Keep up the good work. Your staff is pleasant and accommodating.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service!The staff were very accommodating and helped me and my party celebrate my parents' birthdays last Sunday over brunch. Erik (the manager) was especially helpful and very nice. I give high marks on the service.
The ambience of the restaurant also gets high marks - a classic and classy place in an historic hotel in downtown San Jose.
The food is good - we ordered the family style brunch which had generous servings, but very heavy on the carbohydrates. The4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was another great diningThis was another great dining experience at Il Fornaio. Thank you!4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMjust a really nice, fun placejust a really nice, fun place to go with friends - local, good parking4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMdelicious food (especiallydelicious food (especially the seafood linguini) and great service4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMI proposed marriage on theI proposed marriage on the night I was in the restaurant. The waiter showed exquistite sensitivity to our special moment by decreasing yet still attentively serving. My pollo alla diavolo was a bit heavily spiced for my taste but, I do know from my memory, that it is that way in toscana. My now fiancee loved her cod dish. I chose Il Fornaio as my destination of proposal and I am glad that I did.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMEveryone has a customer focusedEveryone has a customer focused attitude that felt genuine. The staff and management is doing a great job.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMIl Fornaio is such a treasure.Il Fornaio is such a treasure. The food, service, and energy are consistently outstanding and it feels like a party each time we visit. Can't wait to go back.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMClassic Fine Italian DiningThis place is very consistent; I have never been disappointed. This is classic Fine Italian dinning with good portions that are priced appropriately.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat special occasion mealMy wife and I decided to go to Il Fornaio to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, and the staff at Il Fornaio did a wonderful job making the meal special for us. We were provided with a great window-side table, away from most of the restaurant noise, and greeted us with champagne. Our server was fantastic throughout the meal, and provided very attentive service and made sure we were happy. The food was well prepared and presented with generous portions, and both the Stracatto Di Manzo and the Tagliata Chianina were delicious. The mashed potatoes were a bit bland, though both the spinach and the broccolini were flavorful sides.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMDate night localeFesta Regionale menu is an excellent find.
Ryan, our waiter, did make an excellent suggestion when asked.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMNew-found admirationOutstanding service during--of all the times ripe for poor service--Easter brunch! Despite the full restaurant and very busy staff, we felt like the most important customers there. I am almost speechless, especially since some of my visits to other Il Fornaio restaurants have been low-lighted by service issues. Hey! This service was so good that I tipped our waiter 30%! The food would have been outstanding, but the advertised crab meat was actually a crab cake patty. Nonetheless, I will now probably dine there more frequently than I have been, and I definitely recommend it. I can't wait to go for dinner!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed our Easter dinnerEnjoyed our Easter dinner for five people at 7:30PM. Everything was great, especially the service.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMLove Il Fornaio!!We love going here! Excellent restaurant experience and fabulous location. From dinner, we walked a few blocks to the Sharks game with friends in town. Great evening.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMOne Of Our Favorites.We were very pleased with our meals. The food was prepared well, and the plates looked good. Our server was very pleasant, and got our orders mostly correct, though we did have to ask twice for some things. We loved the faro salad, and hope it's a staple on the menu in the future. My husband's pizza was prepared to perfection, and exactly as ordered, which made him very happy. The vegetable sides were generous and tasty. We go to Il Fornaio often, both at this location and in Palo Alto, and we are generally very happy with our experience.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and service wereThe food and service were great. The only downside is that there were six of us and despite having reservations, they seated us right next to the kitchen which was very noisy.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had our wedding here 3yearsWe had our wedding here 3years ago on march 27th. We really liked the menu selection as it was not a gigantic list of entrees.
The food was great and the waitress did a nice job. Booking the reservation online was super simple and they even took us a few minutes early. Overall we had a great time. The only one minor thing that happened, not a big deal: I had ordered a Caipirinha, however they brought a totally different drink. I told the waitress that this was not what I had asked for and she took it back and said they do not have the type of liqueur to make the drink. Not a big deal...anyways thanks for the great evening and we will be back!3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Italian food alwaysWent there for dinner. Always appreciate their additional seasonal menu choices. The rod cod with artichokes over whole wheat bread this week was a wonderful, innovative and delicious idea. It was flaky, tasty and perfectly cooked. Definitely will go back. Thanks.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently GoodOne of my favorite dining spots in downtown San Jose. Food is consistently good; service is consistently attentive; atmosphere always lovely. Getting a table near the windows makes things a little brighter if dining during daylight hours.2/3/2013 12:00:00 AMOur reservations was honoredOur reservations was honored within 5 minutes of our arrival. Excellent food.1/1/0001 4:00:00 PMProximity to California TheaterProximity to California Theater a big plus, but the service and food is what will bring me back next time.1/1/0001 4:00:00 PM