Il Fornaio

Locate inside the Westin Hotel. Came here for a team lunch. We made reservations, so we didn't have to wait. Our server was super nice. The food was delicious, we ordered multiple items to share. Would recommend ll Fornaio for date night, dinner with friends. Check it out

We were invited by friends for dinner. It is in an historic building with a lot of characters. Service was excellent. We felt a bit cramped at the assigned table. They immediately moved us to a more desirable table. Food was great, but dessert was the highlight of the night. I must be getting old to like sweets? You could always valet park at the front, but we parked about a block away at the convention center parking. The area felt safe for the casual stroll back to the parking garage.

Food was really yummy, but felt like we were being rushed to leave the whole time we were there. Our waiter gave us the bill while serving our dessert, which was okay, but what was not ok was when he came back with the card reader WHILE we were still having our dessert and did not leave until my partner put his spoon down to pull his wallet out and pay. This was also a Saturday night at 8PM, and the place doesn't close until 9PM, so I wasn't sure what the rush was for. There were also plenty of other people still enjoying their food. Either way the experience was uncomfortable enough that I'll go elsewhere for good Italian food

I loved the ambiance and decorations. We had in mind a fancy date night, and Il Fornaio delivered! However, I would say that the food was not as high-end as the ambiance suggested, although it was still great. The service was prompt, and again, great but not extremely friendly. Overall, I would suggest this place for a mid-fancy date dinner or celebratory group meal.

I travel for a living so see lots of places all over the world. I went at 6PM so it was not too busy yet. I had the Linguine Mare and it did not disappoint! Nice portion size. Huge scallops. Would highly recommend

I really admire the high standards this restaurant sets for itself; there is a new surprise every time I come. The taste is much better than last year—aromatic and addictive. The portions are honest and thick. The interior design has a great aesthetic, creating a perfect dining space. The staff remain professional and friendly, making the experience very personal. I left feeling full and top-tier. This was a value-for-money experience, and this kind of evolving restaurant deserves to be loved.

A good Italian restaurant but a bit disappointing. First on the positives, it's in a historic building and a great location. It's also a very classic feeling Italian. The customer service is excellent. The staff is friendly and attentive. I couldn't give this five stars because my beef carpaccio was below average. The lemon sauce overpowered the taste of the beef. The cheese was not fresh- I'm guessing it was shaved but the block sat there and aired out too long. They say the pasta is homemade. The minestrone soup was delicious. The beef ragu sauce was good but unremarkable.

Every dish was fantastic! It was the best restaurant during my stay in the U.S. this time, both San Jose and D.C.

Came here on a weekend night for two and we were seated pretty quickly! It was a fancier dinner setting for sure. The server was really friendly and welcoming. Only got one thing because of the prices, which is expected since it's a higher end place. The vodka rigatoni was a hit! I loved the ingredients; it was addicting. Especially with the grated parmesan on top. Definitely get a lot of cheese. Got to take some home and eat it for another meal.

First off,positives -the building is very cool and retro/old charm that I love.I booked on open table requested private table and it was.Had with windows,nice. -Awesome service! The bad- -it took forever to get parked! -The appetizer,brushetta,was ice cold and lacked flavor.It just had a gallon of olive oil on it. -Entrees bleh!We got vodka pasta and beef rib raviolis. Vodka pasta was HORRIBLE I instantly flashed back and recalled a yelp review saying it was just like Mac n Cheese so right on!(mac n cheese tastes better though) Raviolis were OK,very rich almost too rich. -It was inconvenient to use restroom had to use hotel one which requires trekking 3 flights of stairs or waiting forever for elevator.

We usually go to the Santa Clara location but we came to the downtown San Jose location for a New Years dinner. Made a reservation for two easily online. I tried one of their seasonal holiday cocktails, I think it was called a blizzard since it was blue from the blue caracao. For entree, I ordered a ravioli with a creamy tomato sauce. It was delicious. Good and friendly service and nice atmosphere.

Took my aunt to lunch here for her birthday. We come here every year. It's her favorite. Daniel was our server. He was very friendly and polite. Went during the lunch hour so it was not too busy. We were still able to have a window table. Place was very clean and the food was excellent!

This was my first time here and it was pretty dang good! We came on a Friday night and it wasn't incredibly busy. The inside of the restaurant is nice and has cute decor. The service was pretty standard, but the food was really good. We started off the complimentary bread. The bread was fresh, warm, crusty and crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside. I got the seafood linguine which was probably one of the best ones I've had. The handmade noodles had a perfect bouncy, al dente consistency. The dish came with 3 scallops, 3 large shrimps, mussels, and clams. Pretty value for $33 I'd say. My boyfriend got the tagliatelle bolognese and it was okay. Lacking flavor, noodles fell flat. Definitely try the linguine!!

Had a fantastic dinner here on a Saturday evening. We had a reservation for 2 people at 5:30pm and were seated immediately on arrival. The restaurant is fairly big and decorated nicely. We started with the fried calamari and it was delicious! It was full flavor and very crispy. We also had a mango margarita, which was very refreshing. Our server took very good care of us and made the overall experience more enjoyable. Hope to be back soon!

This review is for the bar only. We ordered some gelato and drinks/coffee. Everything was satisfying. They have a lot of gelato flavors and fun desserts if you need a little snacky later in the evening.

Our server, Amrit, was great! It seemed like the restaurant was swamped, but he did his best to stay composed, which we really appreciated. However, it's clear that management needs to address the staffing situation.The food was delicious! Our favorite was the honey ricotta with ciabatta bread appetizer, it was amazing. The vodka pasta and beet salad were also excellent. The calamari was flavorful, but it would be even better with an aioli instead of the marinara sauce. We didn't enjoy the holiday drinks, so I wouldn't recommend them, but the regular drinks were great. I wish I had ordered dessert--I was really craving a drink that tasted like a piña colada.

Back to Il Fornaio after a very long time. This location is inside the Westin. Huge location, warm decor, good food, and great service. They were full of folks like us who were there to grab a quick meal before going to a show nearby. Not only did the food come out quickly but it was surprisingly very good. The meatballs, the pasta, the apps...all of it was very good. Only nit would be that the pasta dish had just 4 tiny pieces of chicken.

This location is better than the one in SoCal. Not as salty. It's located inside the Westin hotel. It makes it a bit more convenient if you check in the hotel at a later time. It also offers breakfast.

Friendly staff + delicious food! Great ambience The calamari here is so fresh, you can really taste the quality in price. The salmon pasta + Cesar salad was very good as well. Usually when I eat Cesar salad it tastes like any other but the anchovies cheese was fresh and not overpowering. My date took me here to celebrate me graduating and the ambience was amazing- we dressed up for it but there were also people who just wore casual clothes. Our server surprised me with a slice of cake since my date told her we were here for a celebration and they planned it very well ! I was very surprised and happy! Great place for a night out : )

We had dinner here last Friday night with friends of ours before a concert downtown SJ and had a pretty good experience. Saveen (sp?) was our service and did a real nice job. We started with the fried calamari (4/5) and arancini balls (3/5). Both were pretty good. We also order their bread service. Great French bread with balsamic and olive oil (4/5). My wife and I had espresso martinis (3/5). They were a little sweet and artificial tasting. Entrees: I really enjoyed my chicken Marsala dish (5/5). It was a nice size portion. It almost seemed like they grilled or roasted the chicken at a high heat. It had a grilled/carmelized flavor. The Marsala sauce was rich, brown, and flavorful with lots of mushrooms. My wife had the gnocchi with a tomato cream sauce (3/5). The gnocchi was well made and pillowy. It was supposed to have Italian sausage, but my wife said her dish had very little sausage. My buddy's lasagna was dry, but he said it had good flavor. Value??? Heck yeah. I thought their pricing was very fair and service was spot on. This is a solid choice when looking for a white table cloth dinner downtown SJ. With the large shift to counter service, it is nice to have an old-school sit down restaurant experience. I will eat at il Fornaio again and definitely order the Marsala chicken.

Very mid place and not worth the price. Went here with a group of friends to celebrate our birthday together. I added chicken to my pasta and it was an additional ~$10 (I think) but it was so dry!! Very disappointing. There's better Italian places in SJ that will give you a better bang for your buck.

This restaurant is my "Go To" when I'm staying in San Jose. I have been here dozens of times in the past few years and have almost always had a great experience with the food and service. I had a late dinner here the other night and sat at the bar instead of in the dining area. The management was great, the hostess was great, but the bartender was someone that I don't wish to deal with again. A small, 6-8 seat bar was all he had to manage but he managed to ignore the 3-4 people seated there. I had to "flag him down," from literally feet away, to place an order. And ask about wine!! You'll get a rude and snarky answer. Oh, but ask about when the restaurant closes and you'll get a frank, pointed and rude answer about how he will STOP serving at XX time and how he WILL make it a last call "early" so he can close the bar. While I will go back to Il Fornaio, I will never sit at the bar again and it's a shame that it takes one person to lower my expectations - and rating - of this restaurant by so much. If you go, sit in the dining room and you should have a pleasant experience.

An upscale Italian restaurant with delicious food. I ordered a ravioli in brown butter sauce which was an absolute treat. The sauce was mildly sweet and very buttery with an excellent flavor. They have an extensive wine list along with cocktails. I ordered a white wine to pair it with my ravioli. For dessert I had to have the tiramisu which was on point (soft and flavorful). The ambiance and service were great. Would highly recommend this place if you are in a mood of proper fine dining.

Came in really late one evening, but that gave us the full service treatment. Excellent service and good food to boot. Beautiful restaurant. Had the Burrata con prosciutto, beet salad and Lasagna. Wonderful. Parked in a lot right across the street. Thanks for serving us so close to closing time!

My friend wanted Italian food while we were staying for Fanime, so we found this place nearby located inside the Westin. We had a reservation, so seating was rather prompt for us. Our server was very nice and greeted us quite nicely. Bruschetta: My friend wanted this and it was alright for me. Just a lot of tomatoes on a piece of bread. Nothing really stood out to me honestly. Bread: For $3, you can get a plate of bread and their balsamic and olive oil dip. This is quite good for an appetizer. The bread was fresh and warm and we had plenty of pieces between the two of us. Highly recommend this. Rigatoni alla Vodka: A cream based sauce mixed in with some bacon, this pasta dish was pretty good. The sauce was a bit on the salty side for me, but the noddles were evenly coated throughout the entire plate. There was no "pool of sauce" which I greatly appreciated. There is plenty of pasta for one person to feel satisfied after finishing. Also, the noodles were cooked al dente, so kudos to that. Overall, not a bad experience and I would consider coming here again.

Made reservations just in case. The hostess was so kind when I let her know that we were having parking issues. She seated us quickly Our server was nice but could not understand him with his accent coupled with the noise level. He explained multiple times about the vegetarian part of the raviolis and I still couldn't make out what he said. They brought our salad, but I would have thought in that upscale of a restaurant they would hold off bringing the entrees until they see that you finished your appetizers. I felt rushed. The decor inside was so nostalgic with the vintage pictures of what the hotel and surrounding area looked like back in the day but just a warning that when they are busy it gets loud. The cozy feeling goes away. After our food was brought we didn't see our server again until he cleared our dishes and brought our check. It felt very robotic. The food was decent. Our Caesar salad was portioned enough to share for 2 ppl. It could have used less sauce but croutons were really good with the garlic taste. The meat sauce for the lasagna was flavorful but other than that I thought it was on the bland side. Definitely could have used more spice. The butternut squash ravioli was good. The sauce had just enough brown sugar to round out the taste. The butternut inside was again just ok. Could have used more flavor. We enjoyed the fresh bread. I had mentioned that it was a special occasion on the reservation but no one asked about it. Just an FYI...parking is absurd. We paid $15 across the street for little over an hour. Our alternative was valet through the hotel for $30. Personally it's a rip off.

This place was fantastic! The service was outstanding--friendly and attentive. The food was flavorful and well-prepared, just took me a while to eat because temperature wise it was hot. The decor was stylish and inviting, perfect for any occasion. I'll definitely be back!

This is inside the Westin hotel. The food is delicious but the service was slow for our large party. Will definitely be back because the pasta was fresh! Thanks all!

I've been to Il Fornaio three times in the past 2 months. Twice at the Irvine location for customer meetings, but this recent time was in my hometown with my fiance for a date night. I haven't been to this location in years, and I vividly remember having just an OK experience the last time (also confirmed the sentiment as I reread my last review). That being said, I felt like an updated review was warranted since I had a much better experience this time around. We had dinner reservations for 5:15pm on a Saturday night. Il Fornaio hasn't changed one bit. It's maintained its classiness over the years and aged quite well. When we sat at our table, there must've been 10 customers total in the entire restaurant. The restaurant quickly picked up, and as soon as you know it, the place was packed. Service was excellent. Food came out in a timely manner, and our server was friendly and incredibly attentive. However, she seemed to be very diplomatic about her opinions on certain food items, so I had a hard time really choosing what to eat. I also wished that she brought to attention the menu with the specials, because I completely missed it. I had already placed my order for my entree by the time I saw what were the specials. (I would've gotten the lobster ravioli if I had known about them). We shared the polpettine and calamari. The polpettine appetizer consisted of 3 beef meatballs in marinara sauce over soft polenta. The beef meetballs were particularly great. They had a nice smokiness to them. Enjoyed the calamari for the most part. The pieces were meaty and breaded well, but whoever prepared them had a heavy hand with the salt. I was pretty stuffed with appetizers, so I opted for a caesar salad with anchovies. It was a very traditional caesar, which I enjoyed. My fiance got braised short rib ravioli. This was a very interesting dish. Not saying it wasn't tasty, but it didn't taste Italian to me. It was like a beef dumpling stew.

SONIA - 5 STARS FOOD - 3 STARS I've enjoyed visiting this place for the past 15 years. The other night I believed that the food was off. The bread wasn't the same beginning with being charged $3 for it as opposed to it being automatically brought out once seated. I'm a big bread person so this was a huge negative for me. The Zucchini Parmesan was just meh. My wife loved the Penne A La Vodka. Our waitress Sonia was absolutely outstanding. She was friendly, personable, knowledgeable, and direct. And most notably, she did not have a problem (nor an attitude) that we were in a rush to get to the Improv. The other two waiters were also customer service oriented and team players. The food disappointment did not and will not stop me from returning. Hopefully they'll step up the bread, or I'll just leave the bread craving home! The ambiance is still classy and elegant. Thanks again Sonia for your terrific service!!

The food was terrible. The tagliatelle was mixed with portions of angel hair pasta I believe mistakenly, but probably meaning they were using old pasta water to cook with. The bolognese tasted bland and cold. The minestrone soup was also lacking flavor tasting mostly like water. Unfortunately, I left with no appetite even for dinner. Additionally, there were dishes left on four other tables full of half eaten food as our party walked in for lunch which was unappetizing to see. Found this sight strange as well since the restaurant was not at all busy. I would not recommend others to go here.

What happened to this once wonderful place? As we were seated, we passed three uncleared tables where all the plates were half or more untouched, and the food was left to be discarded. There were three of us, and we left most of our food uneaten. The Lasagna was not fresh and stuck to the reheated dish with the sides curled up. The Pasta dish was not any better. I felt like we were being served leftovers. Service was not good as the waiter knew what was being served and had no warning. I am very sorry about this once-marque restaurant. Never to return

Had a work meeting here today with a reservation. The ambiance of this place is cute. Our table was just behind the whole wall of wines which I thought was a nice view. They also offered outdoor seating which I think would be great for a dinner as they had string lights out there as well. We were able to sit down while waiting for the rest of the party to arrive and ordered 3 apps: the calamari, capriccio, and the bruschetta. Size for calamari isn't much but was crunchy and flavorful. As for the capriccio, it was just okay but I did like the dressing on the greens. Paired well with it. First time trying the bruschetta and i loved the basil pesto one! Delicious. I got their rigattoni, gluten free with scallop and it was great! Scallop tasted fresh. Wished I had asked for cheese but thats okay. Pairs well with the sparkling water I ordered! Service was really nice. Had our server checked up on us periodically and refilled our water/took our plates away. Would come back again to try their lasagna, ravioli or even their linguinie!! First time at an upscale italian restaurant and met my expectations.

Thanksgiving Dinner is a time to have fun with loved ones - I am embarrassed now I didn't cook - for $60.00/person - really? I got enough turkey to make one sandwich and that was our entire dinner - my son was so hungry I let him eat the whole (dinnerplate) platter which again, was enough to make a sandwich - you either are suffering in your business - or desperate to charge so much money to give me a small plate of food for 2... last time ever... I have been there before for Thanksgiving and never has it been this small of portion and so pricey for the lack of presentation -,

Excellent Italian. Diverse menu. Pasta and seafood excellent. Great classy atmosphere. White tablecloths add to elegance

Dined in on a Wednesday night and was seated promptly. Flavor for the menu across the board was one dimensional and average for a pasta spot. Gnocchi Alla Friulana reminded me of Chef Boyardee...in a nostalgic way. Additionally, we wanted the calorie count for the insalata Regina but staff could not find any semblance of a nutrition guide... Otherwise, The linguine mare chiaro was probably the best plate on our table and the Tiki Taormina cocktail was fruity and refreshing! Also be mindful bathrooms are downstairs in the hotel if you want to wash your hands... so visit if you're in town...or try something else!

Great option in DT San Jose! Il Fornaio never disappoints! Food is constantly good, as is the service.

We came here on Christmas day without a reservation, the restaurant was kind enough for accommodate our big group of 11 people. The service was great, they put us in a private area, so it was extra comfortable. The food was great, we order different pastas (e.g. linguine), the sauce-to-pasta ratio was perfect, meaning it was the right amount of sauce (not too tldry and not swimming in sauce. We enjoyed our dinner very much.

Breakfast was equal to Dennys. No fresh OJ. Coffee was warm at best. Two ice waters, one came with ice, one not. Looks like a Ghost Town.

Thai restaurant takes us right back to our trip in Italy. Restaurant is a good set up for first dates or anniversary celebrations. Food and menu are very authentic, service is very quick and everybody there were so nice. We came on a rainy Friday night at dinner time and were seated right away. We had a reservation, but the restaurant could've easily accommodated anybody without. We started with carpaccio and calamari for the table's appetizer and both were delicious. Linguini had the perfect amount of sauce and tasted very light, the seafood in it was fresh. The salmon had a slight crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, sitting on a bed of spinach with a side of potatoes.

Been here a few times and really enjoyed it. Last time we started with the bruschetta. I had the short rib ravioli and my girl had the salmon with roasted potatos and spinach. We ended with some Gelato. I can't lie, it is a bit on the pricey side (but honestly, what isn't?). The food was good, it is consistent (which many places are not) and the help is always terrific.

Amazing service! We had such a short time to eat dinner (30 mins) and I asked if we could eat within that timeframe. They were so accommodating as it wasn't super busy. They got us seated, food ordered and we ate in record time! The food was delicious too, fried calamari was tender and lightly breaded. We ordered 2 pastas, the pasta with the ala vodka sauce and the short rib ravioli. The ravioli had a mushroom cream sauce which was delicious. All finished in less than 30 minutes! Thanks for the wonderful fast amazing service! We made it just in time for our show! No time for pictures

My bf took me here for our anniversary and I loved it! We ordered an espresso martini and the Tuscan lemonade for bar drinks. They were both delicious and dangerous since you couldn't really taste the alcohol. For food we ordered the lasagna and the rigatoni alla vodka. Both were amazing and we had no complaints about taste. The position for the rigatoni could have been a little better but it got me to a good full that doesn't put you over the top. The service was great as well, everyone was helpful and super attentive. The place itself is definitely casual for lunch but we were a little more dressed up for our occasion. I would definitely recommend trying this place out :)

Had the ravioli , small portions for to much money. The brisket in them was not good. Had to ask for bread. Calamari was chewy and a little greasy.

Came here with some work colleagues and had a great lunch. The interior is beautiful and elegant. The staff was very knowledgeable, attentive and took great care of us. I had the Branzino Al Limone and it was great. The fish was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I usually don't like capers but the combination of the string beans, potatoes and the sauce was really good. Overall it was a great experience and I would definitely come back again.

We came into San Jose for a conference with a few students and parents and really wanted to eat here. They were totally busy, but Jeremy was so incredible! He found a way to seat us! Everything was amazing! Good and service was top notch! I highly recommend this place!

For a five star restaurant is dirty! My table fork is dirty! Food is service ask for a cheese it took a while before I receive my cheese. Also, talking loudly with co workers.

Nice ambiance. Service was very good - friendly, attentive and helpful. Food was great - Really enjoyed the Rigatoni alla Vodka & Butternut Squash Ravioli with creme sauce. Also tried the carpaccio, which is as okay, but I probably wouldn't order again.

Probably the most mediocre food experience I've had recently. The vibes and interior are nice, but service was so-so and could definitely have been better. We pretty much could not get a hold of our server after we ordered. I ordered: Calamari (2/5): Pretty okay, but I suspect that the oil wasn't hot enough when they fried it because it was wasn't crispy at all, it was almost soggy. It lacked a lot of flavor and I don't think the sauce and lemon really helped it either. At this point, the squid just played a role as a vehicle for sauce. Rigatoni alla vodka with salmon (1/5): So soooo bland. PLEASE put some type of seasoning in this!! I felt like I was just eating cream and noodles. The salt and pepper could not save this dish. The salmon was way overcooked and dry, no seasoning there either. The only upside here would be portion size but it was so tasteless that I did not want to finish my meal or take the rest back home. Overall, I probably wouldn't come back here and I definitely don't think it's worth it, given the prices and that it's downtown so parking situation is not great.

Amazing food and bartender kyle was very nice and educated about his wines. Server Jeremy served the cheese on the pasta perfectly!! Overall=slay John(manager) = great time

Came here for my birthday. The waiter and the waitresses made great effort to make it special by providing a hand written birthday card and gelato (even checked with me on the flavor I like). Unfortunately, the seafood pasta my husband ordered was probably not good, because my daughter and husband had horrible trips to the bathroom the next few days. Will not be back.

Great place to grab dinner and drinks. Very close to downtown San Jose Walking distance

Guest at the Westin had their breakfast. The ambiance is clean, elegant, with Italian murals painted in the walls, service was good. Food was fresh, good portion. Price was $$$$ but maybe that is the same everywhere for this area.

Came here for Mother's Day Brunch, and it was amazing! My mom was very impressed with everything. A lot of buffet options, I mean A LOT. They had a whole separate room just for food. Omelette station, carving station, and so much more. Mimosas were also included. $75 per person was such a great deal! Cecilia the hostess was so warm and welcoming while she sat me and my family. Diana our server was so nice and attentive! We even had the pleasure of meeting the GM Sergio and AGM John, who checked on us and made sure we had everything we needed. Really great place to dine. Tasty food in a lavish atmosphere. I can't wait to visit again! Side note! They offer private dining in the restaurant and hold private events in their ballroom(s). Definitely keeping this place in mind for any upcoming events!

There would be no reason to give it less than 5 stars for the way we ate here. We ordered our meal over the phone for pick up. The person taking our order was polite and correctly submitted the request. We had the Gluten Free pasta and a tiramisu. Upon picking up the order, we were greeted in a reasonable amount of time and told to pay at the bar which was quick also. There were a few tables to sit at and wait the last few minutes for our food. Nice music and very calm inside. If you like wine, I saw a very nice collection. Now for the meal. Not a far of the GF pasta choice. The noodles in particular, they were gritty- possibly made with a corn base, so definitely not something we like. The tiramisu, on the other hand was amazing!!! (I am the non GF person in the house so it is nice to have a gluten treat once in awhile).

Mediocre bland pricey expensive chain claimed-Italian food. Positive: the restaurant is located in the hotel Westin which is in the historic Saint Claire and is nice by anyone's standards for DT San Jose. But the food at Il Fornaio is pretty awful. Our wine was nice. Our server was sweet. But our food was pretty awful. Sorry. Just awful. Skip this place. Your money is too hard won to leave food on the table.

What a wonderful place to enjoy great food, with great company and such a warm ambiance. We came in after a event held at the hotel to wind down on a rainy day and the staff provided incredible service with delicious frutti di mare and veal ravioli. This was all recommended by Kyle who went over and beyond and also shout out for the King of Sorrento