Il Fornaio - Walnut CreekWe celebrated and birthdayWe celebrated and birthday and Father's Day over good wines (chianti & pinot gris) and tasty food. Thumbs up on their seafood risotto and 2 chicken dishes. The dessert trio was a perfect end to the meal.6/16/2013 12:00:00 AMVery pleasedI had a very good experience there. The food was very good but the service was a little slow. It was a crowded Friday night though.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMOutdoor Dining in Walnut CreekThe spinach salad was perfect for a light lunch on the patio - add a little shrimp if you need something more substantial. One friend had a pasta dish that was delicious and another had the Insalata Della Casa with shrimp. Everyone enjoyed their meal and the relaxed atmosphere on the patio. A beautiful day. The service was really great and my business colleagues and I all enjoyed our lunch very much.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place to eat and visitGreat place to eat and visit with friends. Did not feel rushed and always good food. Highly recommended.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMItalianOur favorte, especially the regional menus. WE love the pastas, the fish the apetizors and the wine. Great selection of grappa as well, and don't leave without the affogato.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved my first experience!Food was excellent, our waiter was friendly, the bus boy was attentive, relaxing ambience. All around great experience.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMChe risotto!The Ligurian rendition of the risotto was truly outstanding!
It is the best one I have ever had at Il Fornaio.
My compliments to the chef,
Teri Martinucci Hurlbut6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMThere was eleven in our partyThere was eleven in our party including 4 children under 3 years of age and they were super with the service. The food was delicious.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMIl Fornaio RatingEverything was wonderful and I always love going to this restaurant. Great food, service, and beautiful atmosphere.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMDefinitely enjoyed our diningDefinitely enjoyed our dining experience. Great atmosphere and even though it was mid-week the the dining experience was very energetic. Great place to celebrate a special occasion.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMNice lunchFood and service were excellent. Convenient to Broadway Plaza without "madhouse" feeling of some other popular restaurants.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMVery attractive restaurantVery attractive restaurant with enough space between tables to afford some privacy with low noise level.
Even though brunch was available we chose to select our food from the lunch menu, and it was excellent.
Attentive, knowledgeable waiter, and we were neither rushed nor ignored. Outstanding desserts.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Dining Experience I ExpectedAfter a less than ideal experience at Il Fornaio a couple months ago I returned for a very pleasant experience. We were seated quickly as soon as we arrived (had a reservation obviously) and had the choice of outdoor or inside seating. We decided to sit outside which was very nice and were lucky to hace nice weather. Our waiter gave us just the right amount of attention and food arrived in a timely manner. The food was very good again and we ended up getting dessert this time as well.
Overall this was exactly the experience I expected from Il Fornaio and am happy that I can again consider it as an option when looking for a slightly nicer dining experience than other, more regular, dining options.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent ambience, food was okNormally I love the food here, but on this ocassion the calamari and Caesar salad were just OK. A wonderful location and great service.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMNice place for dinnerWe sat on the patio and listened to a local band play in the square in front of the restaurant. They were great, except for the lead singer. It was a beautiful early evening and the waiter was excellent as we split a salad and entrée. Would recommend this place to anyone. The only negative was a tad expensive for what we got.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMService less than greatWhile our meals were delicious, we had trouble ordering. Our server didn't know what one of the entrees was (turned out to be fish), and wasn't able to confirm what the vegetable choices were. He had to go back to the chef three times before we could order. Seems like a training problem.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were there for my daughter'sWe were there for my daughter's 18th birthday celebration. The staff treated us great, the food was excellent, and it was an all around perfect evening.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMAnniv. DinnerAlthough our seats were very close to our neighbor (every time they moved on the bench, I felt it) and the open kitchen (which caused congestion right by our table), it was comfortable and the food was yummy. They were sold out of the "special" wine at 7pm but our waiter recommended another that was very good.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place for business lunchesEl Fornaio is a great place for meeting with business contacts or for family / friend meals. The food is very good, the staff is friendly and service oriented, and the ambiance is nice.
I highly recommend El Fornaio.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMPleased with Puglia, Italy.We loved dining on the patio, perfect weather, roomy tables, good people watching on the street.
Loved the regional specials with wine pairings.Puglia region is featured for the next 2 weeks. All seafood was prepared well, very fresh with lemon oil vinagrette & accompanying vegetables. Only low point was salmon a little over cooked & thus dry. Octopus salad, seafood pasta, grilled fish all excellent. Outstanding dessert combined 4 favorite: salted caramel ice cream, chocolate cake, chocolate sauce & creme anglaise. Friendly, prompt service. Wine flights as pairings to the 3 dishes worked out very well.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently good.Very nice ambience, food is very good, service very good. Recommended.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMMother's DayWe had late ( 7:45) reservations and still had to wait 10+ minutes (standing) We had a nice table w/ knowledgeable waiter. Food was yummy and hot. Daughter not sure she got what she ordered but enjoyed it anyway. Everyone had a good time including dessert!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMHappy Mother's Day~We enjoyed our Mother's Day lunch on Sunday and chose Il Fornaio as it has been a restaurant that we have frequented since our son *now 15 was about 2 years old. We were seated immediately upon arrival which was great. Our server *in the beginning* was very delightful and promptly took our drink order. I say the beginning because as it got busier she rushed us to get our orders although we weren't quite finished deciding.
The Ceasar salad we shared was delicious with nice shavings of parmesan. We each had a pasta dish and while my son and husband loved theirs I was a little disappointed in mine which was very bland.
Il Fornaio is a step up from other chains but does not have the unique and amazing quality of say, Cafe Sport in SF.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMHad Mother's Day brunch there.Had Mother's Day brunch there. Food was pretty good, a good change of pace to a straight-forward brunch, and a much better deal than the special brunches in the area which typically charge $30-40 per person. We got out of Il Fornaio for less than $30 a person and the food was much higher quality. Only disappointment was the lack of kids' menu items. A complete waste of food to buy a regular dish for a child. Our daughter loved her waffles and fruit but we wasted about 70% of it.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMother's Day at IL FornaioWe had an excellent waitress and opted for the regular menu rather than brunch. Everything was delicious,
as always. Caesar salad a bit underdressed however would rather have it that way than overdressed. All the
pasta dishes that we ordered were wonderful!!
Thank you !!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSolid ItalianGood variety on menu and nice wine list. Reaonable prices.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional serviceOur waitress, Paula, went the extra step to get my Vodka gimlet right. Her friendly service was greatly appreciated.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMServiceOur server, Sherry, was outstanding. Very friendly and attentive. We gave her a nice tip, and she acutally followed us out the door to thank us. When does that happen? She was awesome!5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experience, great service!Can't believe it was our first time here. The food was great, bread was fresh. We will be back.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMDinner with grandchildrenTook my two granddaughters to Il Fornaio before a play at the Lesher Center. Our server-a grandfather of 8-was wonderful. Our food was served quickly, he was attentive and knew just how important prompt service was for a 7 and 4 year-old. At the end of our meal he brought us ice cream with a lit candle as it was my older granddaughter's birthday the next day. This was a special night made more so by our server and Il Fornaio.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMIl Fornaio, Walnut CreekThis restaurant provides a consistently good dining experience, and is a favorite for Italian. The wine list is modest, but acceptably priced. A guaranteed enjoyable exeperience.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMInteresting menu and cocktails.Interesting menu and cocktails. Good decor and suitable for a special occasion.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMRecommend this restaurantIl Fornaio remains a favorite restaurant of ours for many years. Perhaps we've only had one meal that wasn't good.....a couple years ago.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMDependable upscale foodGreat place in central Walnut Creek for a good lunch or great dinner.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMOur waitress/service was soOur waitress/service was so superior and the food was delicious! Thank you!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent lunch. Good portionExcellent lunch. Good portion size. Friendly service.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMRestaurant WeekA friend and I went here during WC Restaurant Week. I started with the Minestrone soup - had had it before and really enjoyed it. Then had the salmon for my main course - it had just the right amount of spice that didn't overpower the salmon and the veggies on the side were perfect (brocollini, carrots & fingerling potatoes). I ended with the chocolate mousse which was delectable. My friend had the bruschetta, butternut squash ravioli and a dessert with peach sorbet and fruit and custard (can't remember what it was called). She said everything was good, but that the ravioli was a bit to doughy.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMQuantity of food was a bitQuantity of food was a bit overwhelming, but the quality was excellent.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMService was great, and portionsService was great, and portions very generous. But all diners agreed that the flavor/spices needed tb be bumped up a few notches.4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had an issue with the seatingWe had an issue with the seating - plenty of tables all over the restaurant and the hostess proceeded to try to seat the two of us in a booth far in the back. (One of us was using a cane and had noticeable mobility issues) After getting seating rearranged, we thoroughly enjoyed our meals. Ambiance suffered due to a large somewhat noisy group seated not far away. We would eat here again but cannot recommend it to others until we get to enjoy a more pleasant experience with seating. Why were we initially being routed to a less desirable area of the restaurant? Don’t know. Can only speculate.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWent for my birthday dinnerWent for my birthday dinner with friends and family. The wait always takes a little while, even when you have reservations. But once you get seated everything is great. The drinks, the appetizers, the main course, and dessert was awesome.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMMenus need to be more describableMenus need to be more describable about there their dish in the menu. And more pasta options4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMI eat here approximately onceI eat here approximately once a month during the restaurant's regional menu evenings. The food as usual was well prepared of very good ingredients. The service is outstanding. My main dish of wild boar was well seasoned and cooked long and slowly so that it was very tender. The accompanying gnocchi provided an excellent foil.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMAMAZING Easter Brunch at Il FornaioBEST Eggs Benedict I've EVER had...and I am a connoisseur!!!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMSuperb meal, as always, andSuperb meal, as always, and the desserts are fantastic, but filling. Delicious cocktails ... just wish they were either cheaper, or slightly bigger. This is my special occasion go-to restaurant.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food, staff and ambianceWe loved Il Fornaio. It was just what we needed for our family dinner. We had out of town family with kids and the staff was amazing and the food choices satisfied everyone's palette. We would highly recommend.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat night outService was outstanding. Food good although a bit spicy. Wine outstanding. Can't wait to return.
Thank you for a very nice evening dining experience.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMSeafood risotto is great!The seafood risotto is out of this world! It's very rich, so I could only eat half, but it heated up nicely for lunch the next day. It paired well with the Greco wine.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food representingExcellent food representing regional Italian cuisine. Excellent service.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMI had not been to Il FornaioI had not been to Il Fornaio in quite a while and had always had a good experience before. Everything was great from the reservation to the service with the exception on my salad. I had the caprese salad which was served with hot tomatoes. I had never had that before and mentioned it to our wonderful Italian server. She asked the chef and he apparently said that it was because the tomatoes were not in season. My opinion, if you can't find good produce to serve, don't serve it. Otherwise I would recommend Il Fornaio.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AM