Il Forno

I've been coming to Il Forno since its opening. An Ocean Park staple. Consistently good. Same chef and workers make it a beloved favorite. The complimentary bread is the same fresh dough they use for their pizzas. They used to give you free garnish, so it was like bruschetta. But now they charge for the fresh bruschetta toppings. It's still delightful and I would order it on the side on occasion. Our family's favorite is the tagliatelle (black & white pasta) with pan-fried scallops. But tonight's special was a seafood pasta, but with same delicious sauce. I will order this from now on, when they offer it. We also order the BBQ chicken pizza. It's been a favorite for us locals (kids live it!) If you come early, you'll often see politicians, sports broadcasters, and other "familiar-looking" media personalities here. Many of them are regulars as the wait staff treat the. We'll. Actually, the service is really good. Friendly and personal. We sometimes walk from our house to Il Forno, but the free parking at this plaza is great.

Great staff! Very polite and friendly. One of the best I've seen. Nice atmosphere. I work in the area and often pick up orders from this restaurant. I was treated to a delicious lemon tart while waiting for my order. It was absolutely delicious. I often see the owner there. He often greets guests personally. It's a pleasant place!

A friend and I visited Il Forno Trattoria last Saturday. After we left, my friend realised she had lost her grandmother's ring, of great sentimental value. We telephoned the restaurant even though it had already closed for the night, and the team immediately invited us back to search. When we arrived, the staff were cleaning up but had already started to look for the ring and helped us look through the restrooms and, kitchen. At least three or four employees actively helped, including providing gloves and helping us go through the trash to ensure it was lost in a restroom trash can. It was clear that everyone was genuinely concerned and willing to do whatever they could. Although the ring was not found, their professionalism, empathy, and willingness to stay late and actively help without question have left a lasting impression. I mustn’t forget the meal itself had been excellent: well‑prepared dishes, attentive yet unobtrusive service, and a well‑chosen wine list. Taken together with the staff’s extraordinary support, the experience showed Il Forno Trattoria at its best. It is the epitome of excellent service. Whether you are looking for quality Italian cuisine or a restaurant where the team truly cares about its guests, I cannot recommend Il Forno Trattoria highly enough.

Solid experience. Went for leisurely lunch and it did not disappoint. Food was well made and service attentive but not intrusive. Would definitely come back.

Warm, neighborhood but still upscale restaurant with easy parking, friendly atmosphere, and good food. Nothing spectacular but all the essential pizzas, pastas and meat course were decent.

The food was fantastic. The 16oz center cut filet was one of the best steaks I've had in my life. Can't wait to go back with my son!

Great place. Various menu and really tasty dishes. Service was professional and cozy, love it!!!

This is one of our favorite restaurants in Santa Monica for over a decade. Always a lovely atmosphere and great service. The food is usually quite good, especially their freshly made pasta dishes, however, on our recent visit a couple of us was not too impress, the food felt a bit off, not as exciting as on our previous visits. Perhaps, a new chef, yo no se… Nonetheless, we have not given up on them and will certainly visit again— soon…

If you enjoy real delicious Italian food, check out Il Forno! Delicious food! Service is good! Ambiance it nice.

I made a special trip to Santa Monica to visit a friend and try an old favorite restaurant. I was glad Il Forno was still there, considering events of the last few years. Unfortunately I won't be returning even on a special trip to Santa Monica. The Pappardelle was disappointing -- not the robust incredible flavors I remember from years past. Perhaps something changed in their recipe or perhaps my tastes have changed, I don't know. But what brings this down to a two star review from a four star review is that as I reconcile my credit card statement, either by design or by accident, the tip was increased. I put a $20 tip on a $95 bill which I think is more than acceptable these days But somehow it turned out to be a $22 tip It's not about the two dollars, but it's about either the intent to deceive and stick a couple extra bucks in their pocket every so often --or sloppiness? I haven't noticed a mistake (or an on a tip in a decade. It just doesn't happen anymore in my experience. What's particularly disappointing is the server was awesome and very friendly -- so this experience has left a bad taste in my mouth

Even though there's a law in California that requires restaurants to use tamper evident packaging for third party deliveries (like Grubhub, DoorDash, etc), this restaurant doesn't comply with that law. As a result, our bread is usually missing from our order (and we pay extra for extra bread). But more than that, it's a food safety issue. 79% of food delivery drivers admit to eating some of the food they pick up. I don't want someone's dirty hands in my food. Do better Il Forno! I'm posting this as a warning. Next time this happens, if we ever order from you again, I'm reporting you to the Health Dept. You need to follow the law. It's there to protect customers!!!

A friend and I met tonight at Il Forno, located at 2901 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA. 90405. The number is 310-450-1241 and their e-mail is ilforno@ilfornocaffe.com. The location is quite spacious with indoor and outdoor seating that is inviting and architecturally comfortable. They have an open area kitchen with an extensive menu to choose from. We started with a Caesar Salad and split a Margarita Pizza. Both were great. As my main course I had the pasta dish with meatballs which were made from a steak cut and the other main course was a seafood dish with clams and shrimp. We were both satisfied with our choices. The help is friendly and they allow you to take your time to order and the owner was gracious was gracious enough to welcome us and say hello. It is a friendly atmosphere. I like the menu and I will surely be back for more. The atmosphere, service and selections are first rate. If you seek a friendly and comfortable setting here on the Westside, Il Forno is a wise choice! RECOMMEND!

Decent food, great service, and reasonable value. The bruschetta was amazing, the pasta was amazing, the pizza was a little disappointing. Overall a great restaurant to sit down. The owners were super welcoming and nice and I would love to come back

Awesome people Let me order lunch late or just in time before closing Smells nice Great wine - forever sisters Chardonnay Menu looks delicio!

Best Italian ! Don't let the mini mall location steer you away. Been going here for over 25 years and the food never fails! Family feel and wonderful service by people who have been there for years. Highly recommend.

Good choice for the area if you don't want junky food. My pasta and my husbands was on point. Definitely tasted homemade as advertised. The sauce was "meh". Other tables had bread which we noticed as we were leaving but we weren't offered any. My teenager didn't like the pizza at all which was a waste of $, it didn't seem fully cooked through (my husband tried a piece). So I'd say this is a solid 3.5 star stop but order pasta!

Been going here for over 10 years and love the food, service, and ambiance! It's a friendly "hood" restaurant! They have a special lunch to go menu which is very reasonable!

Service should improve , whoever makes the espresso should not burned it, returned it and not even apologize ! Train your service people in the restaurant , it really sucks The salmon pizza whoever invented this , is crazy , Italians don't do this mix Crazy crazy

This was an awesome experience. Really tasty , awesome service & great ambience. Everyone was very friendly. We celebrated one of our son's birthday. The Cesar salad, ossobucco , meatballs, all delicious. We would love to comeback again.

Food was basic and the pizza dough is hard and tastes like pizza from a freezer. How do people like this stuff? The pasta was also basic.. we didn't finish it and left.

Il Forno is a delightful neighborhood Italian gem since 1985 located in a strip mall with plenty of parking in back or underground. They serve high quality modern northern Italian cuisine that is fresh and cooked close to perfection. To sample a lot of their menu, our group decided to dine family style. Fortunately, portion sizes were adequate to allow us to share. We started with the fresh Principessa salad which came with chianti poached pears and a wonderful lemon ginger dressing. The Melanzane appetizer was rolled eggplant strips stuffed with goat cheese in a tasty tomato sauce. For entrees, we had the black and white Tagliolini which came with perfectly cooked sea scallops and mushrooms in a truffle pesto sauce. The pasta was freshly homemade that you can definitely taste the difference. We also had the Gnocchi which came with homemade sundried tomato and shitake mushrooms that was quite nice in flavor. The special Pesce Bianco was a whole grilled branzino which was excellent. Fresh and perfectly grilled, the fish was served butterflied and deboned with fresh herbs, tomatoes and olives. For dessert, we shared the tiramisu and lemon meringue cake which I am glad we didn't pass on as they were perfect to end a remarkable and satisfying dinner. Service was very good. They offer comfortable both inside and outdoor seating in a pleasant atmosphere. The wait staff was friendly, attentive and accommodating. Prices were reasonable for the Westside and the serving portion size. I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Il Forno and highly recommend it for a cozy fresh neighborhood Italian dinner. I will definitely be back to try their specialty pizzas and osso buco.

We came in around 8. Bruschetta was amazing. Bread is so fresh and warm. Got four different past and a pizza. Overall, quality was good! A few of the pastas were a little over done but still really nice. Service and getting food to our table was a bit slow due to them having a large party in the other room. Server was very attentive though and very nice. We did try to order a few bottles of wine but everyone we picked they did not have so a bit annoying there, but it happens! Overall, good experience and food was nice!

The first thing you need the menu to know about the food. Then the server must match the guest to the food to create an unforgettable experience for you and your guests. This is Nervana

Came here for dinner for my mother's birthday and had a fantastic meal. The food is incredibly fresh and the portions are generous. The plentiful and accessible parking was so helpful for my grandmother who uses a walker - that is not easy to find in many areas of the westside. We dined outside and it was a lovely setting with string lights once the sun set. The lemon hazelnut meringue cake is a MUST try! Everyone at the table loved it. The filet with the mushrooms was also fantastic - the veggies and potatoes it came with were delicious, especially the snap peas.

"We made a mistake but did not regret the outcome" Family dinner planned, and I thought the reservation I made was for a place close to the water that we visited a few years ago (Italian, Santa Monica). Anyhow, we drove to this place, which is nowhere near the water and frankly the location is not awe inspiring. But we kept our committment to this reservation and walked into warily, The Ossobuco was pretty decent, our pasta was very good but the pizza was subpar. Bruschetta was plentiful and very tasty. The place is comfortable inside. All in all, not a bad outcome for a mistake, and this place is a solid neighborhood place for dining.

Very good food. I loved the Pasta with scallop dish. The waiters were always kind to tweak the menu for us. We ate here all the time. Highly recommended.

This place is barely one star. Long story shorter: This place is basically one notch above Olive Garden. I don't understand all the good reviews - but then again, I don't understand how people like Olive Garden. Severely overpriced food, surprisingly small portions given the cheap ingredients, and atmosphere that is super basic and in need of some ambience. How about maybe a flower on a table, a candle, anything? We went for my father in laws bday dinner. Hubby had Chicken Parm which was maybe 5 ounces of breaded chicken with a couple piece of veggies. Does not even come with pasta - for 36.00? Wow. Father in law had a pasta special for 39.00 that was such a small amount of pasta. Il Forno - Pasta is cheap, why so stingy? The rest - whatever, overpriced, so so food. Pizza is gross, Salads are okay, Fish was clearly frozen not fresh. The menu is old and basic - probably to limit how much they spend on ingredients. And do you think they give a piece of bday cake with a candle like every other restaurant - nope. Gotta order a dessert with a candle and pay 13.00 for old dry cake. Yep. Do I want to go back again - NO! Service is fine - but a little rushed - which is surprising given that the place was more than half empty on a Friday night. Seriously folks, I'm sure the owner is nice - but there are a million other places where your money would be better spent. (one plus - good free parking). Overall impression = YUK!! Skip it!!

Food was excellent and hot just like always. The service was quick and polite. Always refilled our drinks. Went for a graduation celebration and the ambiance was amazing. It's not your typical restaurant, it has soft lighting and a warm calm feeling

I have been a patron of Il Forno for almost 30 years and the meal I had last week was every bit as good as the first one decades ago. Sorin, Joseph, Mike and the whole team go above and beyond to make sure everyone feels welcome.

Came in for a ladies' dinner, and I had the warmest welcoming and the most attentive service. Yes, go here. Yes, completely worth it and delicious. We are comimg back for sure

I gave a birthday party for my wife. We first ate at il Forno several times to evaluate the food, which we found to be excellent. We selected a date and the il Forno staff worked with us on the menu choices we would offer our guests. On the evening of the party the staff was extraordinarily helpful in setting up. The service was gracious and welcoming to our guests -- even to the point of providing an off-menu dish for a guest who was a vegan. Our guests were pleased with the menu choices and everyone had a great time. We found that it was easy to work with the il Forno staff and we had a very successful party.

Always a pleasure to dine here. Excellent food service and atmosphere. Our favourite place to celebrate any occasion

I regret not taking any photos but I was enjoying the meal so much I didn't have time to let the phone eat first!! Il Forno is a hidden gem - cozy, family-owned vibes with delicious Italian food! They have ample indoor and outdoor seating (inside can get a little loud!) and parking in the garage underneath the restaurant. Fresh hot bread with butter and/or balsamic vinegar/olive oil is complimentary (and you can ask for more!!) We ordered 2 bottles of wine and sparkling water to start. Take wine reccs from your waiter! I tried the arugula salad - a large serving topped with fresh Parmesan. For the main entree I got the risotto with four giant prawns and fresh veggies - very good and enough to take some home for another meal after the bread and salad! I appreciated how they prepared my to-go box for me. Note: the menu on their website is similar but not identical to what is at the restaurant. They have a much larger selection there & daily specials. We couldn't leave without dessert so we tried this delicious lemon plus crunchy meringue plus hazelnut cake - it was delightful! Never expected those flavors all to mesh so well. We ordered the lemon sorbet too which packed a sour punch; however, the consistency was quite hard and we had some difficulty scooping it out of the frozen lemon it came in. They take reservations. The staff is so friendly and welcoming, and extremely attentive!! If you go a lot they will remember your name and order! Bathrooms available. Would definitely go again, especially for a celebration (or during their "power meal" hours for heavily discounted meals to-go)!

One of our neighborhood favorites. Staff are always warm and friendly. Food is delicious and you feel at home here.

Da italiana posso solo dare una stella-- cibo della qualità di Olive Garden (ma non allo stesso prezzo), tutto super americanizzato e con tanto olio. Posto molto rumoroso, quando siamo andati c'erano compleanni di bambini e tavoli di 20 persone. Purtroppo non è paragonabile a molti altri ristoranti italiani a Los Angeles, con ingredienti di qualità e di classe. Se siete Italiani nati e cresciuti in Italia vi consiglio vivamente di correre il più lontano possibile!

Cute place. The bread they serve is so incredibly delicious. The staff was friendly. Too bad the entrees aren't as tasty. I ordered the trofie al gusto. It looked great but didn't taste good at all. For $26 a dish; it should be remarkable. $90 for two adults and a kid portion of spaghetti was steep for less than mediocre food. My kid that pretty much loves all spaghetti said it wasn't good and she wouldn't eat it again. Unlikely to return.

Food was excellent. Great Ceasar and Margherita Pizza. If it's your LUCKY day, Ryan will be your server! All the servers and the owners are beyond warm and welcoming. Thank you for serving Santa Monica so well over the last 38 years.

Been coming here for years. Alway great food, a wonderful staff, and a cool ambience. Our server, Ryan, made for a great evening out for us. Much appreciated! See you soon again.

Delicious meal! My date had trophies and I had the special Branzino. All delish. The bruschetta and hot bread were perfect! Too bad we live an hour away!

excellent! I loved the dinner and service. The bolognese is the best in LA. I highly recommend this as it is one of the best Italian restaurants in the area.

The interior of Il Forno is gorgeous. Live plants and Italian ceramics are dotted around the place. A few strategically placed mirrors make it seem larger than it is. The warm colors on the walls and the open kitchen concept, with tables inside and out make it seem like an expansive SM Italian restaurant but it is next to a Starbucks, a frozen yogurt place and a Subway. They even have a $9 menu, good only at lunch and 5:30-6:30, cash only, to go only, with a huge selection of authentic pastas, salads and pizzas. This is a crazy good deal. I got the linguini marinara with chicken sausage. It was a large portion and came with a little bread. I ate it in front of Starbucks and saved myself at least $10. The service at the counter was 5/5. I can't wait to return to start going through the $9 menu until I have tried everything.

The best neighborhood joint you should be frequenting! Been eating here for 30+ years and it never disappoints.

I was craving some pasta and live up the street, I'm glad I came by this place!!! Sorin was super nice and he helped me picked a great pasta and a anti pasta (appetizer) I got the Buratta and for my pasta I got the Ravioli Ricotta! :) I got it to go cause I was feeling a little under the weather but this place is SOOO delicious! I got to have a glass of wine too while I waiting I'll be back for sure very soon! :)

Il Forno is a little gem I recently discovered on Ocean Park Blvd. It sits back off the road so there is little noise, and it has a nice indoor/outdoor space with twinkling lights, creating a nice but casual atmosphere. The menu is quite large and varied. This was my second time there and I must say the first time was better but I will give it another try. This time the tomatoes in the caprese were pretty tasteless, and the entrees had a little too much oil for my liking, but perhaps the chef just had a heavy hand that day. The food was still tasty and the portions were sizable. There is a parking lot behind the building, and also street parking is plentiful. I'd definitely go back and give this nice neighborhood spot another try.

For was amazing and we had the best service. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and gave us great suggestions.

I have not been here in a while but I came here on a Wednesday night with a group of men and OMG it was absolutely delicious and I'm talking about everything from appetizers to pasta and pizza and the service was magnificent and attentive and very caring and professional with a smile...:)) We had some Caprese, bruschetta, buffalo mozzarella, and a pizza to share as an appetizer... then we had pasta, I ordered the short ribs stuffed pasta w/cream type sauce and WOW it was delicious... The point is everybody was raving about the delicious food and nobody had a bad meal so after all these years this place is still awesome and delicious and the service on point so thank you for the great job and adhering to the social distancing principle so we felt safe and we will be back again soon...grazie:))

We had an early dinner on New Year's Eve and I had a Chicken dish and pizza which was excellent . Our server Ryan provided wonderful service, There was a lot of room between tables and eating outside was so nice was comfortable and relaxing. Recommend .

Joseph is the goat. Had such a wonderful double date here. Food was in point , as was the service. Really enjoyed the bruschetta (great value at $4) And the gnocchi was great as well. Also enjoyed the Caesar , added chicken. Service was fantastic. And Joseph welcomed us into his home. Will definitely be coming back!!

We love this restaurant. Been coming here for over 8 yrs. The food is excellent, Lasagna, Rigatoni Bolognese, Pear salad appetizer are some of our "foto" favorites. Always good to check out the specials. Michael is our family favorite waiter but everyone is super friendly and attentive!

Sorry but this place is a no for me. The dinner I had lacked flavor and was just very bland. Nothing was really enjoyable unfortunately. This restaurant is more like a coffee shop/diner. Just had that feel. Staff is very friendly so there is that.

Good food but terrible service. This restaurant is one that we have gone to for so many years because it's in the neighborhood and while usually the food is good, the service is almost always horrible. Every time we give it another chance I think it's going to be better than before and then I'm mad at myself for returning. The servers consistently ignore me when I'm not there with my husband. The other night, though was the absolute final straw. I had to work late so I told my teenage son to take his grandmother there for dinner. They were ignored to the point that my mother was uncomfortable. My son said he felt badly to have his grandmother sitting there being made to feel like she was invisible. We will never go back.

I thoroughly enjoyed my meal here tonight. The food was delicious. The cappuccino was strong and hot. The vanilla gelato cookie sandwich dipped in dark chocolate was divine. It was a bustling Saturday night including a loud, festive party of 12 and service was still on point. My ice tea and water glasses were never empty. The owner was walking around checking on guests. It was such a pleasant experience. I will definitely be back.

Wanted to check out this restaurant for a while and finally went with friends and their kids. My gnocchi dish was extremely salty and I couldn't eat it. I returned it back to the kitchen and it still ended up on our bill!! I was with some very non confrontational people so I didn't say anything but what the heck! Will not return.

Good! However... Call me a weird guy but an Italian restaurant without a lasagna offering seems kind of weird. I would have ordered that but I got something else. It has a casual atmosphere, not a suit and tie type place. Nevertheless, food was still good, service could have been a tad bit better but overall a solid B. I got the Fettuccine with shrimp and scallops in a pesto sauce.

One of the best Italian Restaurants in LA. Food is excellent, ambience is perfect, the sounds and smells of a great restaurant permeate the air. A hidden gem

I really wanted to love this place since I've heard so many wonderful things but it's was overall not what I was expecting. The service was okay and they didn't have lasagne which was pretty disappointing. To cut straight to the chase the food was alright; not horrible but not at all memorable. I did want to note that the pizza and Oasobucco were quite salty so that's definitely something to note.

Came here with my boyfriend a few weeks ago. They had super cute outer seating spots. It looked like it was a local spot since a lot of them knew the waiter. He was really nice and made our experience awesome. I ordered the pappardelle and my boyfriend ordered the tagliolini. We ended up switching because I like his more (had mushroom and scallops and was really easy to eat!)