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Monello, San Diego, CA

Monello

4.7 (2697)
$31 to $50
Italian
750 W. Fir St., Suite 103B, San Diego, CA 92101

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2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 54 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Charming
As Bencotto's brother located next door,
Monello lives up to its sibling's reputation as Best Italian restaurant in San Diego.
From the 800 LB of fresh pasta handcrafted every week, Monello displays up to 27 different recipes of pasta.
Mediterranean style seafood is served along with gourmet pizza.
Monello delivers Pasta & Risotto tossed in the Parmigiano cheese wheel tableside.
Unique Italian-style brunch is served on weekends.
Voted Best Happy Hour 2016, Monello's Milanese Aperitivo offers small plates on the house with drinks every night.
UN­ABLE TO FIND A TABLE? CHECK OUT OUR BROTHER RESTAURANT BENCOTTO NEXT DOOR

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Mediterranean, Comfort Food
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Fri 12:00 pm–9:30 pm Sat, Sun 10:00 am–9:30 pm Happy Hour Tue–Sun 3:00 pm–5:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (619) 501-0030
  • Website
    http://www.lovemonello.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Fabrizio Cavallini
  • Catering
    Send catering inquiry to info@lovemonello.com
  • Private party facilities
    Monello offers semiprivate and private SPACES. www.lovemonello.com Send inquiry to info@lovemonello.com
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
  • Location
    750 W. Fir St., Suite 103B, San Diego, CA 92101
  • Neighborhood
    Little Italy
  • Cross street
    Kettner
  • Parking details
    The Little Italy Association offers valet parking Tuesday through Sunday at the corner of India St. and Fir St. (in front of Influx) & Kettner Blvd. & Fir for $10.00 beginning at 5:30pm. Limited street parking is available. Metered parking is free after 6:00pm until 6:00am Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday.
  • Public transit
    MTS Transit Trolley Stop Green Line: County Center/Little Italy
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,697 people are saying

Monello reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Monello offers a delightful dining experience with "outstanding service" and authentic Italian cuisine. Guests rave about the "amazing cheese wheel pasta" and "perfectly cooked" fresh pasta. The cozy ambiance and attentive staff make it ideal for special occasions. While some find the noise level high, the overall experience is praised.
2,697 Reviews

  1. Kailey

    Phoenix / Arizona1 review

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Monello never disappoints. I’m from out of state and have been going for years every time I’m in town it’s that good. They are extremely consistent with their high quality and excellent food; couldn’t recommend it more. Their pastas are absolutely to die for.

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  2. Karen

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were celebrating a birthday and had a wonderful meal and experience. Tried the 4 pepper sauce for the and delicious. The cheese wheel special was Cacio e pep,it was just like we had in Italy. Highly recommend!

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  3. Sue VIP

    Philadelphia County104 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What an experience - you've got to do the cheese wheel pasta! Had dinner with a friend while in town on business and everything from the service to the food to the vibe were all excellent! We weren't especially hungry so we each had a Caesar salad and then split the spaghetti and artichoke parmesan special, which was perfect - delicious but very heavy, so a split portion was a great idea. Look forward to another visit to try some other of the menu items!

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  4. Jim

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Monello has perhaps the freshest and best properly prepared fresh pasta I have had. My penne ragu was outstanding - hearty and fills you up. Difficult to finish if you order an appetizer as we did. The calamari is also outstanding - the balsamic spread is perfect for the calamari. My review would not be complete without mentioning the outstanding service provided by our server Julie. She has a great personality for working with the public and is very helpful in walking customers through the various dishes.

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  5. Steve

    Detroit / Eastern Michigan2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was great, as was the service. We had Caesar salad, bread, and pizza. Pizza was among the best I have ever had. Great flavor and crust that was baked just right.

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  6. Tiffany

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was absolutely amazing! He was very knowledgeable and extremely accommodating to my gluten free needs. The food was absolutely amazing. You could not even tell my pasta was gluten free it was so delicious. We will definitely be coming here again.

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  7. Mary

    Las Vegas36 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is one of my favorite restaurants, I love the cheese wheel! My friends were first timers and they loved the pesto with penne and the chicken. The bread was warm and very light, quite delicious. We shared a Caesar salad, which was an ample starter for three of us. The Romaine was crisp and the dressing was delicious. I was very happy that my friends enjoyed Minello as much as I do. Service was just right, not too much, but definitely not neglectful.

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  8. Teya

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Amazing pasta and great service! 10/10 especially for cheese lovers! Needed to walk around afterwards I was so full (in a good way)

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  9. Dee

    Los Angeles2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 23, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Christina was an amazing server! The Cheese Round pasta was almost as good as what we had in Florence. A must try if you're in town!!

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  10. Lisa VIP

    Los Angeles35 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Sister restaurant to Bencotto…..equally as good! Cesar salad with lovely ribbons of parm, and pasta dishes were deliciously prepared, especially tortellini with cheese in a pesto sauce….outstanding! Our server Juli was great! Would highly recommend Monello!

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FAQs

Monello offers delivery in partnership with Postmates. Monello also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (619) 501-0030.

Monello is rated 4.7 stars by 2697 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. Little Italy

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 54 times today
Google Map for Monello

750 W. Fir St., Suite 103B, San Diego, CA 92101

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Kettner
  • Neighborhood
    Little Italy
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Fri 12:00 pm–9:30 pm Sat, Sun 10:00 am–9:30 pm Happy Hour Tue–Sun 3:00 pm–5:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Mediterranean, Comfort Food
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    The Little Italy Association offers valet parking Tuesday through Sunday at the corner of India St. and Fir St. (in front of Influx) & Kettner Blvd. & Fir for $10.00 beginning at 5:30pm. Limited street parking is available. Metered parking is free after 6:00pm until 6:00am Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday.
  • Public transit
    MTS Transit Trolley Stop Green Line: County Center/Little Italy
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Fabrizio Cavallini
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
  • Website
    http://www.lovemonello.com/
  • Phone number
    (619) 501-0030
  • Catering
    Send catering inquiry to info@lovemonello.com
  • Private party facilities
    Monello offers semiprivate and private SPACES. www.lovemonello.com Send inquiry to info@lovemonello.com

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