IL PALIO RESTAURANT

Great location, great atmosphere, great service, and great food. The egpalt and the duck is particularly good. Plenty of parking.

I loved my breakfast here!! Everything was perfect, the place is cute the service is awesome our waiter was really nice. I totally recommend the smoke salmon! We got the açaí bowl as well and was great, the egg Benedict, cappuccino and coffee. I want to come back dinner time

Tasting menu was ridiculous, even our server at the end admitted that it’s a complete rip off. When chef brought out the food it was fine but another girl bringing us our plates seemed just miserable pretty much just dropping the plates off and mumbling the food and rushing off. For the price I expected much better service. There was one girl who was great she was the person bringing us silverware and filling our waters, the only good service that was there besides the chef. The food wasn’t bad but nowhere near good enough for the price.

Celebrated Xmas and a friend’s bday over superb dinner. Wife and friend enjoyed veal chops, I had roast duck. Champagne, fine wine and beer. Freshest, flakiest pastries for dessert. Delightful night!

This place is unbelievable! Beautiful atmosphere great service and quality food!!! As it was our fist time there we ordered almost the whole menu 🤣 everything was delicious from the original appetizers: meatballs freshly made with actual meat, the super soft juicy and full of flavor grilled octopus and the bruschetta with onions and an amazing jam to the fresh pasta either bolognese pappardelle or truffle tagliatelle and for deserts amazing gelato or sorbet and of course tiramisu and lemon blueberry jam cheesecake!!!!!

Gave Executive Chef Robert full creative control for our anniversary dinner and boy did he deliver. Amazing experience, excellent staff, Andrew truly took great care of us. You can tell that Robert loves what he does and it shows in the food! Would recommend to anybody looking for an unforgettable evening👏👏👏

We were staying in the hotel for our anniversary and decided to eat at Il Palio. We were impressed from the start - the warm welcome, the offer of anniversary drinks, the very attentive staff. We decided to order the Chef’s Tasting Menu since it was a special occasion and everything on the menu was unique - we were so amazed with the exceptional taste, variety, and presentation. We enjoyed dishes we probably would not have ordered as we tend to stick to what is familiar. The chef stopped by to speak to us several times and it was so interesting to hear him speak passionately about his work. I am so glad we decided to do the Chef’s Tasting - it was a uniquely delicious experience. Highly recommend this restaurant for the food, the service, and the unique experience - by the time we left, we felt like family. Amaya, Spencer, Andrew, and Bob as well as others made this a truly great anniversary dinner!

Came here for the first time last night on an anniversary dinner and had the best time ever! Got awesome service and amazing food. 10/10 on everything! We had the pleasure of trying the asparagus appetizer, octopus, carbonara, beef tenderloin macchiato, scallops, chocolate torte and the tiramisu. It was amazing!! Can’t wait to come back!

The food was so good! The risotto was excellent. I sat at the bar & received excellent service!! If I lived here it would be a regular spot!!

Service was very good and friendly... The food was very average, definitely nothing to write home about. I was surprised by the pasta prices. I understand a $55 steak but a $50 plate of spaghetti??? That killed my experience. Pasta should never be that expensive not even if it was lobster (which one was), but it was ravioli, it's not like it had half a lobster but only little pieces of it. Spaghetti carbonara is pasta bacon and an egg, come on, with the prices over $50. Talk about inflation... specially when the menu i saw here was WAY Way lower priced.

Really enjoyed this restaurant! The service was quick and kind. The restaurant was nice and clean and it was conveniently located inside of a hotel. The apps were delicious tried the bruschetta and the calamari. The calamari was huge and so chewy. The black truffle tagliatelle was tasty and the noodles were fresh. For dessert we had the pumpkin cheesecake and tiramisu. Absolutely loved the pumpkin cheesecake but the husband preferred the tiramisu. All in all the place was delicious for Italian style food.

If you are in chapel Hill and want a fabulous place for dinner, Il Palio will not disappoint. It is located in the Siena Hotel on Franklin Street. The bar is small but you can eat there without a reservation. If you want to eat in the restaurant try to make a reservation. It books up quickly especially if there are local teams playing. We had fabulous cocktails, generous pours of wine and fantastic pasta dishes. The staff are so friendly and know what they are doing. Locals eat there so that speaks volumes!!! The hotel is fantastic too!! Beautiful rooms, very responsive staff, and extremely comfortable place to chill away from home.

Very disappointing pasta. The entire table ordered different pasta dishes and each person said that theirs was mushy and stuck together. Everything is overpriced for a very mediocre meal. Don't bother.

Phenomenal. A very easy 5 stars. The whole staff took amazing care of us. They gave us the best booth in the house and were all very friendly. The tenderloin was very rich, extremely flavorful, and the cream sauce was outstanding. The clams in the linguine alle vongole were very sweet and the handmade pasta was fabulous. The chef sent out free dessert for us- almond cake. And after finding out I am allergic to almonds, immediately brought out a slice of cheesecake and left the almond cake for my boyfriend to eat. Such an overall wonderful experience! World class.

ABSOLUTELY RUINED WHAT SHOULD'VE BEEN ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE NIGHTS OF OUR LIVES -- and charged us $300 (for 2 people, without wine) for the privilege. NOTHING romantic at all about this restaurant. Mediocre food, shockingly clueless service -- in a room that's like a coffee shop. Before Covid, my husband and I visited Chapel Hill and stayed at The Siena, which is a lovely hotel. It was my birthday and he made reservations outside at Il Palio and had a lovely flower arrangement delivered to our table. Food was excellent. Don't know what happened -- this is not even a shadow of the former Il Palio. Restaurant was expensive (even compared with S. Francisco, which we then our home) but we agreed it was some of the best Italian food we've ever had in the US (husband a native of Manhattan and we've visited Italy a number of time -- and were actually married there. My husband lost his wedding ring. I decided to buy a new one -- then thought that I would take him to the most romantic restaurant I could find, get down on one knee, pull out the special-ordered presentation ring box -- and ask him to marry me. Our dinner was also celebrating the acceptance of his latest book by his publisher, our successful move across the country to Durham, and the purchase of our new home. I had only eaten outside at Il Palio --and knew they had a crummy bar -- almost like a portable bar you'd find in someone's house. But I carefully checked reviews for "romantic restaurants" in the Triangle and Il Palio seemed to get high marks. Having never been in the dining room -- and given the EXTREMELY high prices for their food -- I assumed that the room would be dimly lit, beautiful, elegant, romantic. I imagined getting down on one knee and people around us clapping or at least being touched, etc. Husband tearing up (he's quite emotional), etc. I called the restaurant -- they called back. I explained what I was planning to do and they seemed very excited and "on board." Went to the bar as husband was parking. Asked what champagne they were pouring. No champagne (whaaat?) Only had Prosecco. Three on the menu -- they only had 1. The bartendress was dressed, spoke and behaved as though she was working in a not-to-popular sports bar in Philly (not the accent, but the lack of polish). Ok - so, that wasn't great. Hostess lead us into the restaurant and find NO tablecloths. NO flowers on the tables, No soft "mood lighting." There was a little candle -- like one of those 2" tall, 2" wide clear glass rings with a candle in it -- you now, like you buy a dozen for $2.99 at the Dollar Store (probably half that, wholesale?) NOTHING at all special or nice or even interesting, trendy. Everything about it had the ambience of a mid -range coffee shop in maybe 2000. The waitress arrived and put an FTD type clear glass ugly vase on the table with dk red roses in it -- but the cheap kind that you buy at the grocery store 4 days after they were delivered to it. I later learned my husband called, explained we'd dined there our 1st time in Chapel Hill, what we were celebrating and asked if they could do something special -- that as it. Our waiter was "Massimo." Massimo had the bearing, voice and charm of a longshoreman. It had Foie gras on the menu. It was $30 PER PERSON as an appetizer but husband loves it, so we ordered it. It was NOT foie gras. It was like a thin smear of liver pate on slices of plain old bought-at-Harris-Teeter small baguette. AND there were just two tiny slices for each of us. $60! The rest was about the same. And most things came -- as the foie gras had -- weirdly garnished with something like a chive that's 4" long but as fine as -- literally -- a horsehair. It was like trying to pull a green hair out of your mouth. AWFUL. I was hoping that miraculously, the desserts might be great. Nothing interesting -- tiramisu, etc. Most flourless cakes are like fudge, so I asked if it was heavy. Massimo said "no" so I ordered it. It was like a glue-y chocolate brick. I don't knoOur server looked to be a college student of maybe 20. She was clearly had no training or previous experience as a server in a fine-dining restaurant. That was made starkly apparent when she bought the cutlery -- which she practically tossed on the bare table and BACKWARDS. She literally did not know which side of the plate a fork goes on! When I imagine the meal we could've had in Manhattan or San Francisco -- even Paris -- for $300?! (By the way, we were smart and brought our own bottle of wine -- a special gift from friends. Corkage fee was $35 -- otherwise, our bill would've been MUCH higher than $300). I am 60 and have traveled widely, as has my husband. this was, HANDS DOWN the most disappointing dining experience of our lives. I had ONE chance to "propose" to my husband and they ruined it. It finally happened at 11 pm under the oaks on the Washington Duke Club terrace.

The food is beautiful to look at and delicious- a feast for the mouth. I had the truffle pasta and the stuffed artichoke hearts. Excellent. The service is outstanding. Massimo knows exactly how to make his customers feel at home. He took the time to chat with me and we had a great conversation. The atmosphere is very elegant, yet not pretentious. One does not need to be dressed up. The hostess is very friendly. The entire experience was very pleasant.

Amazing food! Had the tagliatelle with truffle and wild mushrooms. My friend had the chicken piccata. Service was superb. Highly recommend.

We were in town for Football Season Tickets and Had been to this location once before but sat in the bar as we did not have reservations, and Yes Reservations are necessary if you want to full experience, although our first visit a few years before was so good we decided to make reservations for this meal, and we were not disappointed. We were sat outside and what a night to sit outside, beautiful and yes the road is right there but we did not notice it at all. We were Served by Ryan who was assisted by Kevin and man these guys were on it, we wanted for nothing including attention, and to top it off Ryan had just moved to the area from Charlotte and had been a server at places we ate there and some we had not and are on our list to visit now, because of him. We started with the amazing White bean crustini's(?), WTH where have I been to have never had this before "ANYWHERE", So good. We had our main course, she ordered the Butter nut squash ravioli and I had the Duck confit as noted in the picture if you like olives it is just amazing and if you do not, still try it...We also had the Bread service, if you find it better anywhere, please DM me and let me know where it is, but this is at the top of my list right now. To finish things off we had the Almond Cake which was just decadent. To experience dining at its best you have to pay for what you are getting and we had the entire package here, Service, Delicious food and a wonderful ambiance.

This Italian restaurant was inside the hotel we stayed at. It's open for breakfast and dinner but is closed on Mondays. I had the Tagliolini alla Carrettiera which was delicious!! It's a simple dish of sicilian oregano, garlic, olive oil, white wine, pepperoncini, arugula, and grana padano. My son ordered the Taglietelle al Tartufo, which consists of Umbrian black truffle, mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil, white truffle butter and grana padano. He said it was good but it wasn't worth $48. It wasn't a lot of pasta. My husband had the Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and a chicken sandwich. He was craving mashed potatoes but was disappointed because the potatoes were cold. He said the chicken sandwich was good though. For dessert we shared the Berries & Zabaglione, which was also good. Overall the food was very good but I took off one star due to the cold mashed potatoes and the price of the pasta. Pasta is cheap, you don't have to charge $48 for a serving even if it has truffles in it. The restaurant is very convenient if you are staying at The Siena Hotel.

I really wanted to love this place. But I just can't recommend it for the money. First off- the staff and service are amazing and that needs to be recognized. Our sever made our visit so special by recommending food and sending us home with a complimentary dessert for our special occasion. I also want to state this restaurant is small and perhaps a bit corporate feeling because it's inside a hotel lobby and unfortunately that affects the ambiance. The lobby is extremely white, modern and almost sterile feeling and the restaurant itself feel completely disconnected in terms of design in a way that is jarring. We started with 1/2 dozen oysters which were fresh, cold and delicious. Our second course was the octopus, which I frequently order at restaurants. The accompaniments on the plate were a tomato paste, pickled onion, nuts and sparse greens which was not particularly flavorful or impressive. The next course was veal and ricotta meatballs which were by far the largest of all the items we received. I thought the sauce was exceptional but the meatballs themselves were dry. The final course was the pasta, which they are known for. We ordered the tagliatelle with truffle which is made in house and the spaghettini which was recommended. To be fair, my husband and I were divided on our opinions. I think the homemade pasta itself was wonderful in its texture but the flavor of the truffle was too subtle. I enjoyed the spaghettini more but on the whole my opinion of this place is - for $200 date there is better food, better atmosphere or more unique experiences to be had elsewhere in the area.

The perfect combination of mediocre food, dismal service, and ridiculous prices. The only reason to eat at this restaurant is if you are staying at the hotel and have an expense account. To be fair, it is better than Olive Garden.

My favorite part of this establimeant is knowing I can come in and have the bartender ( Heather) offer me a drink perfectly paired with the meal I didn't even know i wanted. The staff is so attentive and has a strong knowledge of the menu and pairing. All staff memebers seem to have a passion for the cusine and truly cater to the guest experience. * I don't normally do dessert but upon Heather's recommendation that the cheesecake is like a "Whipped Cloud" I couldn't resist.. paired with a housemade Lemoncello.... l couldn't say "NO"! You have to stop by and make sure to ask for Heather if you want a truly great dining experience.

My first visit to this fantastic Italian restaurant will not be my last. Everything was absolutely delicious. I can't remember names of dishes because it was in Italian. But just know it is worth. Total cost with drinks and 2 entrées and dessert $153. Totally worth every dime. Service was great.

We don't ever go out on Valentine's Day but after two pandemic years, we felt a little deprived and made a reservation at Il Palio for one of the busiest days of the year. It was a prix fixe menu, which isn't always accommodating of vegetarian options, but this one was! We had a wonderful dinner - service was excellent, atmosphere was warm, and the food was fantastic! We left stuffed and happy and look forward to returning for another experience at Il Palio.

I've been wanting to try this out for so long and so happy I did. I started off with ordering one of the cheeses, I asked for waiter's choice as long as it was a hard cheese. The cheese was great and drizzled with honey with a balsamic jam as well as grapes and homemade crackers. I then ordered the garlic crostini and it was good also. The bread was a think grilled bread. There was then bread brought to the table and it was very good! One thing I thought was cool was I was left with my own pitcher of sweet tea, it really came in handy whenever I needed a refill! Finally I ended my meal with the truffle pasta. The portion was a little smaller than I would have liked but the flavor was amazing. The service throughout was great and fast and I can't wait to try other things on the menu!

My cousin took me here when I was in town and it was a great spot! I have to give her props. I'm not sure if the outdoor seating always has that setup, since it was during COVID, but it was nice to be outside and they had plenty of heaters. We started with the Wood Grilled Octopus and it was so so delicious. The octopus was cooked perfectly with a nice char and the presentation was really nice. I could have eaten the whole thing on my own. For entrees, my cousin ordered Cacciucco and I ordered the Duck Paccheri. We both struggled with pronouncing what we ordered, but it was amusing at the very least. My Spanish did not help me at all with this one. Having said that, both were delicious. I had a bit of order envy with my cousin. Her dish looked kinda like a bouillabaisse packed with fresh seafood in a rich broth. I took a bite and it was so good. Mine was a duck ragu with light olive oil parmesan dressing. It was really good, but my order envy got the best of me. I also prefer tomato based pasta dishes, so that's definitely more of a preference thing--it was still very good. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, they have a fantastic wine list. A great selection for Italian wines. Most of the wines are by the bottle, but their choices for wines by the glass are very good and reasonably priced. Service was fantastic. Our waiter was friendly and very attentive. This would be a great place for a romantic dinner with a special someone. It was also a great place to catch up with my cousin. It was quiet and it was a really nice evening. I definitely recommend this place if you're in the area and looking for a nice place for dinner.

We stayed in the Siena hotel during our visit to Chapel Hill, so we got a chance to eat in their superb Italian restaurant, Il Palio. Unfortunately, our meal was breakfast, and there is nothing particularly Italian about eggs over easy with bacon or with eggs Benedict. However, our meal was excellent in all respects. Many years ago we had dinner there and it was perfect, so based on our recent breakfast experience and my recollection of the dinner, I feel confident with the 5* rating. Next time I will definitely schedule a dinner. We examined the dinner menu while using the elevator, and it was just what you expect from a top Italian restaurant.

I held a group dinner here for customers. It was a fabulous experience!!! The food was bragged about by almost everyone there. The room and the service were just perfect. These folks are so nice.

My fiancé and I came on a Friday evening having placed a reservation through OpenTable. Because the restaurant is located in the hotel, there was parking available around the building. We were immediately seated. Initially there were plenty of tables but it got full near the end of our meal. We got the 500 day aged prosciutto that came with acorn squash. We got the full size Pacheri All Anatra (duck pasta) and the Iberico Pork Pluma. Ambiance: 5/5 Very elegant and intimate. Service: 5/5 Massemo was great along with the 2 other waiters that attended to us throughout the evening. For the pasta dish, the first batch came out slightly undercooked (some were undercooked and others were el dente. They gladly replaced the dish pretty quickly. Food: 5/5 The complementary focaccia bread is absolutely amazing! It already had olive oil drizzled on it. It was also amazing with the prosciutto which balanced well with the acorn squash and cheese. We would be willing to even just go back for those two things! The Pacheri All Anatra (duck pasta) was also really good. They split the full duck pasta into two for us. The duck was moist and the pasta sauce was just the right amount of complexity in flavor profiles. It's definitely not something we could easily make on our own. The Iberico pork was amazing! I'd only heard about this type of pork but it looked and tasted similar to steak! They also served us mashed potatos which were really amazing too- they used olive oil for it. I definitely will try make that for myself! Overall: 5/5 This is a fine dining and pricy restaurant that has good for special events but the food and experience is great! We both thought that this was now our favorite Italian restaurant.

I have never stared at an Italian menu and have not seen anything appealing. This menu was a challenge. The server brought us bread while we were deciding. It had zero taste, and olive oil poured all over the top. It was literally not worth eating. I ordered the eggplant involtini and my husband had the Bolognese. The menu is confusing enough being half in Italian and half in English, but there are two prices for many items and no explanation. The food came in literally 4 minutes. Gabriel our truly fantastic waiter and we were still trying to stabilize the wobbly table when the sever from the kitchen came with our food. Mine was cold but flavorful. I could taste San Mariano tomato on the bottom sauce that didn't even look like it went with this dish. Other places blend the flavors and sauce by putting them in the oven for a few minutes. This was nothing like I've ever eaten in North America or anywhere in Italy, including Sienna. . My husband was ok. We knew from the timing and plated appearance that these were not made for us, but scooped out of a large ready-made tray, cafeteria-style. Given our disappointment, we skipped drinks and we're about to cut our losses and just ask for a check, but it was my birthday and we decided to give this place a second chance for dessert. I had the bread pudding and my husband had the cheesecake. Both were excellent. I was about to dig into what I thought was a cherry on top when the waiter set it in front of me. I have never had a begonia flower as a garnish, and I had no idea if this was edible. Looking it up online, I quickly found out that for many people with common afflictions, it is not a good idea to eat. But the desserts were great and should have probably just skipped dinner and had those. So, then the bill comes. Two desserts, a small pasta dish, and eggplant, with water and no drinks, equal a Benjamin without tip! WHAT??!! This was like fast food. No table cloths, laminate wobbly table, nothing special. This is beyond overpriced. Servers are wonderful but this is not the value of quality one would expect at a place charging this much. Have had better for 1/5 the price. I've made far better food than this. If you love well prepared, cooked to your order Italian pasta, this is not the place. But these are definitely cooked-to-order prices higher than Beverly Hills. Very disappointed. Could not pay me to eat here again.

Took the family here for a celebratory dinner for my twins' graduation. The service was absolutely great and the food was even better. While not sure about eating in "hotel restaurant", this was very different in a great way. Ambiance was terrific and the boutique Sienna hotel is beautiful and intimate. Highly recommend.

Unbelievable quality! They can make anything gluten free. The staff is phenomenal! The food is scrumptious.

I can't say enough good things about Il Palio. It occupies a really special place in my heart. I make sure I eat there every time I visit Chapel Hill. Il Palio is a real treasure and Chapel Hill is lucky to have them. The best word I can use to describe the food here is "sublime." I have eaten at Il Palio many times and have never had a less than perfect drink, loaf of bread, appetizer, entree, or dessert. Most people probably come here for dinner, but breakfast is also very good and worth a try. The food is excellent, but the service and atmosphere are what make Il Palio so special. The restaurants' hostesses are extremely friendly and welcoming. It is really nice to eat out on the patio, even though it overlooks the parking lot. Servers Pietro and Massimo are pretty much local legends and are experts at their craft. The younger servers are extremely well trained and friendly. The staff at Il Palio pamper and spoil you during the entire meal and make it a truly memorable experience. It is pricy to eat here, but well, well worth it. I strongly recommend Il Palio and hope that the community will continue to support it so it is here for all of us to enjoy for years to come.

Went here on a Sunday at 5:30pm with my wife and a couple of friends. It's located within The Siena hotel which is supposed to be modeled after a small Italian village. It makes sense that the restaurant inside would serve Italian food :) It was very quiet, and would be a great place to bring a date. Unfortunately I have to start with a bit of a downer because the whole reason we came here was to try the Appetizers: 2 Grilled Crostinis (one with the the N'duja and the Tuscan White Bean & Sofritto) - Both crostinis were delicious and full of flavor. The bread was not too hard. I've been to places where the crostinis can literally break your teeth because they are so hard lol. We also ordered the 500 day aged Prosciutto and Melon - The Prosciutto was also good. The aged flavor was definitely there and the melons paired nicely to "cool off" the saltiness and depth of the meat. Wood Grilled Octopus - Unfortunately the grilled octopus was a little on the burnt side. I can see where the dish was going, because the char would be a nice compliment to the octopus. However, it was just a tad too overdone and the bitterness of the char was overpowering the meat. The squid ink puree, roasted pepper and sun dried tomato aioli, and the salsa aioli were very good though! For the main courses: Grilled Swordfish - The grilled swordfish was cooked well, but I think swordfish is a type of fish you either like or you don't. It has a very oily texture and the flavors aren't super strong. It was cooked and presented beautifully but it just wasn't my jamz. Iberico Pork Pluma - This Iberica Pork unfortunately fell victim to the high heat fire it was cooked on. On the pieces that weren't burnt, the char flavor with the pork was super delicious. Probably one of the best pieces of pork I've ever had. If you aren't familiar with Iberico pork, it's kind of like the Wagyu of pigs. It's a special breed that is super expensive to buy and raise. It also has a specific diet that adds to the flavors of the meat. You can definitely see how good it can really be if done right. Honestly, if you go here, I would still order this because if cooked right, it will most definitely be life changing! Bucatini alla Amatriciana - I love pork cheek and I really enjoyed this dish. Pork cheek, has a ton of flavor and I really enjoy the texture. It's delicious in street tacos and it's super delicious in pasta! Pappardelle Ragu Bolognese - I know this isn't super fancy but the braised beef, veal, and pork were extremely flavorful and that meaty flavor permeated the Papparrdelle beautifully. This was one of my favorite dishes! For Dessert: Berries and Zabaglione - A nice light and fruity dessert. Perfect if you are absolutely stuffed but still want something sweet to cap off the meal. Tiramisu - Tiramisu is like the baseline for me when it comes to Italian desserts because I know that if it's good, then the rest of their desserts will be good. This was definitely GOOD! New York Cheesecake - Typical cheesecake but the sour cherry compote was really good! Warm Focaccia Bread Pudding - I kid you not, this is the absolute BEST bread pudding I have EVER had! Where do I even begin? The focaccia bread is a great style of bread for this dessert because the texture is just perfect enough to be able to hold up to the toppings, but still cut buttery smooth with a fork. The mascarpone is what really elevated this dessert in my opinion though. There was something buttery in it that just went so well with the rest of the flavors. The maple bourbon sauce was so good and just the right amount of sweetness. I am not even kidding when I say that I will come here just for this bread pudding because it is THAT good! Overall, I would've loved to give this place 5 stars, but 2 things kept me from doing that. 1. The menu on their website wasn't up to date. (At the time of this writing, it seems they have fixed it) 2. The price is kind of high. I'm not against high prices because the quality of ingredients and presentation in these dishes warrant it. However, the execution on that particular night we ate there wasn't up to par. No matter how good the dish or its ingredients are, it still has to be cooked right. There was just a little too much char taste on some of the dishes to warrant the price. With that said, I would still absolutely go here again, and would highly recommend visiting this place for a nice romantic evening with that special someone! Also, I want to stay at this hotel sometime. Looks really cool!

Our heat went out on one of the coldest nights, and we took refuge at The Sienna Hotel. Well while there, we had to take advantage of eating at this place that has such a great reputation. They have an outdoor tent set up with heaters, but it was still too cold so we had to move inside. It was difficult to fully enjoy our dinner because I was concerned about the other diners not wearing masks and felt too close for comfort. Nonetheless, the food was good and the service was great. The price was high and I'm not sure I'd choose to eat there again as I have other favorite places.

Save your money. Overhyped. We took a large group and spent a lot of money. Big mistake. Another reviewer said it best. Over priced, average food at best, mediocre service. The tri-fecta. We have several different apps, entrees and desserts. Swordfish, chicken , hanger steak, egg plant, octopus, bread pudding, chocolate tart, cheesecakes. Some people were happy, many were disappointed, as was I. The lunch we had the following day in the meeting room was 10Xs better than the very expensive dinner we had the previous night. Would not recommend.

Decor - 0 Service - 0 Food - 3/4 They seemed to have based the design of this lobby and restaurant on Howard Johnson's or Waffle House. For the prices they charge they could've made more of an effort. The service as well. In the evening the female bartender yells across the bar at people and has such a loud voice that I suggest wearing earplugs if you're eating at the bar. She addresses some customers as "hon" as if we are all at the local diner. NOT relaxing. In the morning the Italian waiter hesitates then shakes his head sure when I ask for whole milk in my tea. He could care less. He brings over a yellow liquid instead which I'm assuming was soy but I didn't say anything at the time because I knew I'd NEVER be back.

I had the most amazing time dining at Il Palio , located inside The Siena Hotel in Chapel Hill. What made my dining experience so memorable and amazing was the attention to service, flavors and details. I was there for a private dinner party which started with an an Aperol Spritz on the patio. We then went inside for a glass of wine from their extensive collection and the staff insisted we get comfortable and make ourself at home. Our server Lyle, who also sung to is at the end of the meal, went above and beyond with his service. While Chef Adam Rose and his team made great use of the best local and Italian ingredients to prepare fresh, homemade pastas like his signature Butternut Squash Ravioli! Anyone who loves Italian cuisine and want to experience some of the amazing culinary artisanship and fantastic dishes served at Il Palio should make reservations NOW!

Il Palio has been in My Collections for over a year, and I finally got over to Chapel Hill to try it out. We had a reservation and when we arrived we had a corner table that had a view of most of the restaurant. Massimo was our server for the night, and he was great (shout out to Ashley too!). He answered all of our questions about the menu and made suggestions for what he thought we might enjoy. We ordered the Caprese Salad, which they split into two plates for us, two larges tomatoes, slices of mozzarella, and micro basil. Could have used a little salt and pepper but otherwise was tasty. I ordered the Orecchiette Genovese and my husband got the Grilled Chicken Paillard. I liked the Orecchiette, the sausage and broccoli rabe added great texture and flavor. My husband wasn't as impressed with his course. The chicken had a BBQ-style sauce on top, which we thought was interesting. When we go back, he'll likely try a pasta dish next time. We wrapped up the night with tiramisu, which had a little bit too much cocoa on top for our liking. Still, a great night out and we are fans of Il Palio!

Food is bad. Save your money, this isn't the nice restaurant it pretends to be. You can get better Italian in chapel hill for a 1/4th of the price.

We travel once a year from Maryland to see a UNC basketball game. We always want to try a new place. The staff was very friendly and the atmosphere was nice. Menu has a nice variety of choices but a little pricey. All the pasta dishes are offered as appetizer size or entree size. Would recommend order a few appetizers and appetizer entrees and split them up. Food came out very hot and never sat under a heat lamp. Would definitely go back when I town again.

Nice Italian restaurant. The atmosphere is very warm and inviting. The food and service were superb. I thought it important to mention our server Reagan was so pleasant and I hope she never lets anyone take her smile away. Reagan, your smile is a gift. Thank you for brightening our evening.

We had a great night here. The food was good but we especially enjoyed our waiter Lyle. We felt so cozy and at home. Will definitely be back!

We were staying in the hotel for our anniversary and decided to eat at Il Palio. We were impressed from the start - the warm welcome, the offer of anniversary drinks, the very attentive staff. We decided to order the Chef's Tasting Menu since it was a special occasion and everything on the menu was unique - we were so amazed with the exceptional taste, variety, and presentation. We enjoyed dishes we probably would not have ordered as we tend to stick to what is familiar. The chef stopped by to speak to us several times and it was so interesting to hear him speak passionately about his work. I am so glad we decided to do the Chef's Tasting - it was a uniquely delicious experience. Highly recommend this restaurant for the food, the service, and the unique experience - by the time we left, we felt like family. Amaya, Spencer, Andrew, and Bob as well as others made this a truly great anniversary dinner!

"Not good" is the perfect description of our recent experience at Il Palio. After considering it a special spot for years, we were excited to go back for a celebration evening. What a total disappointment. To start, our service was awful. Our main server was grumpy and seemed to show disdain for us likely because we didn't order a lot of drinks and appetizers. Questions about the menu were met with a dismissive tone. I think those who were shadowing him actually felt uncomfortable themselves. He actually made everyone at the table feel miserable. The food was just okay, nothing special and it was supposed to be special. Will not be back. With so many outstanding restaurants in the area, no reason to ruin a night out with okay food and awful service.

Massimo is amazing! The food is tremendous! Great wine selection. Best Italian in Chapel Hill! Order the spaghettini with shrimp and spinach! You will thank me!!!

Wow I really enjoyed staying here. The service is really top tier, and the restaurant offered some great food options. I only dined here for breakfast as it was included in the price of my room, and it was some of the best hotel breakfast I had. I missed eating avocado toast, and lo and behold, they do avocado toast. I'm determined to come back and try the rest of their menu.

Hands down the best food I've ever eaten. My daughter is a UNC Chapel Hill student. We come here multiple times every time we visit, and she also saves up and splurges to eat here with friends sometimes. The bread they serve is straight from Heaven. There is an Angel working in that kitchen! The crostini is also amazing. This restaurant is in the Sienna hotel. Last time I was in NC, I stayed at the hotel which was a real treat. Since we did that, I can say the breakfast is also outstanding. The photo is of a charcuterie board that I'd seen on a review, but when we arrived it was off the menu. The chef made us one anyway!!!!

I went here for a special occasion celebrating my boyfriends new job and birthday. The service was amazing! Everyone was so friendly and accommodating. The food was amazing. Best Italian food I've ever had. The eggplant parmesan and mushroom on polenta was particularly amazing! The restaurant and hotel itself was very beautiful and stylish. Seriously one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had.

Chef's tasting menu with wine pairing did not disappoint. The various dishes built to a climax when the main dishes came. Without question I did not leave hungry!

My husband and I were super impressed with Il Palio! We went for our anniversary and had a fantastic dinner. Tucked away in the Siena it provides a great ambiance. We started off with some of the wood grilled crostini's, the beef dripping, ricotta & honey, and the basil pesto. All were delicious but the beef dripping was my favorite, just tasty bread soaked in deliciousness. Highly recommend giving it a try! We then followed it up with the prosciutto and mozzarella salad. My only problem was there was no lettuce in sight, it was cheese on a bed of prosciutto. I think some arugula would have broken it up nicely or at least some additional wood grilled crostini's. We didn't receive our focaccia until after this dish and that would have helped as well. On to the pasta!!! I am a sucker for homemade pasta and Il Palio had some of the best I've ever eaten. Do yourself a favor and order the pappardelle bolognese. Oh my god, this dish was freaking delicious. We also got the Cacio e Peppe which is often one of my favorites and while it was great, that bolognese just completely won me over! Also the charred broccoli with basil mayo, get it! Seriously the best broccoli I have ever eaten - ever! For dessert I ordered one of the bomboloni, it was pistachio. It just wasn't my favorite, the middle was a bit undercooked and the flavors just didn't work for me. Those almond cookies they give you with the check, though?! Amazing! I would prefer those any day, perfectly chewy and delicious. My husband's only complaint was that when the waiter came over he said still or sparkling and we said still. Well that meant getting a $10 bottle of water. I think it would be better for them to say still, sparkling, or tap so you weren't pretty much automatically paying $10 for a bottle of water you may not really want.

One of the best dining experience's we've had in a while. Our server, Mossimo, was extremely helpful with walking us through the menu and making incredible suggestions. The pasta was amazing and fresh. The atmosphere was a more upscale vibe and made for a very nice evening. Definitely worth a visit!

We were really looking forward to dining at Il Palio, but were disappointed in the food quality. The atmosphere is great, but everything beyond that was underwhelming. The server didn't have much personality and didn't explain the menu or offer any suggestions. The cocktails were good, but that's not hard to pull off. The salads were pretty tasty, but pasta dishes were dry and didn't have much flavor. I love past and I rarely don't finish my meal, but I ate half and then was bored with it. The duck was dry and tough and the risotto was very salty. For the price, this is not worth it.

The service is unbelievably slow! But what you get is worth the wait. My goodness it was terrific pork. Kind of different but so good! It's iberico that seems like the best flank steak you've ever had, but it still tastes a lot like bacon! Quite amazing. And I had octopus for an appetizer that was really fun! Very grilled and very eatable! I am quite impressed! I think my companions were very happy too!

I have been going this restaurant quite sometime. Foods are usually good but it can be TOO salty depending on food you choose. Wine selections are good and employees are courteous and kind. Good restaurant.

Christmas dinner. It is a tour d'force of culinary excellence. And if you can have Pietro wait on you, that's all to the even better. He is an old-school restaurant pro who knows how to attend to every detail, no matter how small. Both my wife and I had the Proscuitto appetizer that had honeyed nuggets of candied fruit mostarda, gran padano cheese, and wonderful aged proscuitto. For me, the second course was a risotto with goat cheese. My wife had a duck ragout with pasta. Both of these were wonderful. The warm goat cheese was a pleasing addition to a risotto and the duck came in a tomato sauce that displayed a rich layering of flavors. Next came the main course. I had a filet with asparagus in a very interesting sauce that had a subtle element of heat that made this dish pop in a big way. My wife had chicken marsala with fingerling tomatoes. I sampled the potato and the chicken. The chicken was succulent and the marsala sauce spoke umami. The potato was delicious. Then came dessert. I got a eggnog cheesecake that was flavored ith Maple View's legendarily evil eggnog. My wife got a ginger cake with cinnamon ice cream. Both were excellent and very rich. The wine? A nice nebbiolo to go-with. This was a first-class meal in every way. Bravissimo! And hats off to Pietro!

This is hands down, my favorite Italian spot in town. It's also located in a beautiful hotel. The customer service is always exceptional. The servers are very knowledgeable on the food and ingredients and are very professional and friendly. I always do the pappardelle with the most amazing bolognese sauce I've ever had. The pasta is so fresh, delicious and with the perfect amount of bite to it. I believe all of their pasta is hand made and you can certainly taste it. I've had a couple of the other pastas and absolutely none of them have ever disappointed. They also have a wonderful wine selection that goes perfectly with the pasta. I also really love their bread sticks!