iMonelli Restaurant

We had a great dinner experience at Imonelli. Crab and artichoke appetizer was fantastic. We had the oyster Rockefeller soup and wedge salad. The wedge salad was one of the best I've ever had. For our entree I had the bone in veal chop with cognac cream sauce. My wife had the veal Italiano. Both were fantastic. Bone in veal was incredibly tender. Highly recommend 👌

My husband and I had a superb experience at iMonelli’s thanks to our waiter, Robert. He set the pace of the evening allowing the atmosphere to set the tone. Everything he suggested was perfection on a plate! A quiet and romantic place, away from the noise of life- iMonelli’s will now be our go-to place for date night and family celebrations.

EXCEPTIONAL service from Mr. Robert! Came here for my anniversary and was very impressed. The food was amazing and his expertise was second to none. Could not have asked for a better anniversary dinner. I recommend coming here if you want first class food and a dining experience fit for royalty. Thank you Mr. Robert.

There was a 45-minute wait due to being short staffed, but well worth it. The Soft Shell Crab appetizer was delicious. The Ribeye was cooked to perfection and so tender. I apologize for the dark photos. I didn't want to ruin the ambiance with a huge flash.

Took my wife and children to dinner. Arrived late for our reservation and they were able to accommodate us. Service was excellent. Crab and artichoke appetizer as well as the Imonelli salad and caprese were great starts to the meal. Snapper special was cooked perfectly. Kids loved the chicken fingers and sorbet. Finished with a turtle cheesecake and lava cake for dessert. Everything was very reasonably priced for the quality. Will be returning sooner than later.

We have been going there for years and I have always bragged that they serve the best food in lafayette. However, my recent experience was very disappointing. Food was terrible. Eggplant fries were burned. The snapper special was so overcooked I couldn't cut with a knife. My wife had the filet special . Steaks were good however the gravy was burned. My son had the crawfish fettuccine which was mediocre at best. They removed snapper from the bill because it was not edible but the experience has left us with doubts of ever going back. Very disappointed.

Love this restaurant!! The food is amazing! Love the lunch and dinner menu. We went for lunch and they give you a free soup or salad with your meal. The spinach and tasso bisque is so flavorful! Paired so good with the homemade free bread! Service was great!!! I got the small crab cake with a side of pasta with imonelli sauce! DELICIOUS! My friend got the oyster spaghetti with shrimp and it was so good! Definitely recommend everyone should come eat here!! Love the staff!!

Tonight was the night I proposed to the woman of my dreams. I’m so glad that I have chosen Imonelli to celebrate this amazing night. Robert was the best server I have encountered no doubt. Definitely will request him everytime as well as complements to the chief! Food was phenomenal!!

Amazing veal ossobuco and veal Italiano. Great wine. Fantastic staff. Not great lighting

Imonelli is always at the top.of my list for a fine.but nit so fine, dining. The food here is always 5 star. Brian knows exactly what he is doing in the kitchen as do his sous chefs. The appetizers are phenomenal. The food is always spectacular. The waitstaff is always superb and attentive. Service is always a plus. The ambience is great for a first date, anniversary or a dinner with the boys or ladies

My family wanted to go out for a nice dinner and after a pleasant first visit, my mom wanted to return. We made a 7pm reservation and we're promptly seated once we arrived. However, we were not greeted by our server until 10-15 mins after we were seated. In the meantime, he serviced tables to us three times to our zero. I will say that when grrerywsy, it was friendly and he was knowledgeable about the specials. So, the reason for the 3 stars in due to the inconsistency of the server. Our service did not align with other patrons. For example: - Drink orders were placed. We did not receive drinks after 15 mins. After which, my mom inquired about them. Still nothing after many minutes. Our server then came and asked if we still wanted our drinks. Odd question being that 1. We ordered them and 2. We inquired about the progress of receiving them. - We noticed in our long waits that other tables were receiving green sherbert after their appetizer course to cleanse palate and get ready to receive their entree. However, our entree came out without us receiving the sherbert. We inquired with our server as to why we did not receive the pallet cleanser and, he said he didn't think we wanted it. If it is the process of the restaurant to serve the sherbert between courses, why would we be omitted from that? We also had to ask for bread. Why are we constantly asking for things that are apart of the meal and dining experience? My mom spoke up about our lack of service and our server did apologize and ask if there was anything he can do to make our experience better. My mom's request was that he just be mindful moving forward. The food was delicious which is why I gave the experience three stars. I ordered the Rack of Lamb which was a nice portion size. My mom, the Shrimp Spaghetti and step dad, the Veal. I can't say I won't be back because, the food was good and other tables received more adequate service.

Not a good experience, we didn't even get a chance to experience it. We wanted a good steak but didnt even get to eat one. But I didn't worry I will just not go bk.

Great ambience!! I came for lunch and the food was amazing. I would suggest anything with veal. Would definitely like to come for a romantic dinner!

AWESOME!!! Walter Jr plays live jazz with candle light in the back on Friday nights! Food is amazing, price isn't bad either!

Had the rack of lamb. Had an old fashioned. They give you lime sherbet. I had that too. They have desert. I had cheesecake. Can't complain.

Have you tried their crab cakes, they are wonderful he sure does cream sauces justice, nice portions‼

Watery, bland.. no flavor. I was pretty disappointed. Lafayette has much better food and atmosphere than Imonellis. Don't embarrass yourself bringing a date here. The food is horrible.

I really enjoyed Imonelli didn't have reservations upon arrival so we had to wait 30 mins for a table which wasn't bad being that they were packed out on a Saturday night the food was great as well as the service

Amazing food and service from amazing people ambiance is nice and elegant. Kennedy is an amazing bartender and Brian Blanchard is a five star chef!! crabcakes are out of this world and so is the shrimp Imonelli!! Definitely recommend coming here for any event. Five stars out of this world

Excellent food. The food here is very tasty. The service is great. The prices are fair. I recommend this establishment.

Ambiance was well decorated and subdued so conversation was easy , service was excellent, and all dishes were well plated and delicious. Also good value for quality received.

The crab salad is to die for! I will definitely get the entree size the next time. The ambiance was intimate and cozy. Our waitress was kind. We will be back.

Update: After 3-4 good experiences I rated Imonelli's very highly. Since then I have had two very bad back to back visits and will probably not return.

THE CRABCAKES!! You know the feeling you have from a long day at work and you can finally get home just take your bra off and the instant feeling of "ahhh" you get. It's better than that.

A hidden gem in Lafayette! Crab cakes were some of the best I've ever had - everything we ordered was wonderful

We just discovered this place a few months ago, and can't believe it hasn't been on our radar before. We are going back for our third time this weekend, and I can't wait. We had the same waitress both times (Miranda, like the warning, lol) and she makes a mean Cosmopolitan. The soft shell crab is to die for...not overly breaded, and cooked just right. My husband has had one of the fish specials each time, and both were amazing. Price points are reasonable, the ambiance is cozy and much quieter than many other restaurants which is nice...you can actually have a conversation and not have to yell across the table. Highly, highly recommend!!!!

Food was excellent and so was the service! Had the Ossobuco and it was so tender I cut it with a fork! Yum

Favorite Date Night place with hubby, romantic, chill atmosphere so we can talk and flirt, best food in Lafayette.

Very nice and quiet little Italian restaurant. Out of the three options in town, this one is by far the best to visit. Love their pasta!

Went tonight party of 2 with reservations for 8 pm. Was on time and told it would be a few as some tables were leaving. Stepped outside the door to be considerate for the small entryway and watched 2 party's of 2 walk in and be seated immediately. Hostess had the oh shit face but damage was done and we just left for greener pastures. No apologies or suggestions. Shame because we book healthcare dinners/ In services their frequently. Great food but seating seems to be preferred. We were both so angry with the lack of acknowledgment and reservations probably not going back. Sucks cause we really like the place. Angry mellow people!

If I could give over 5 stars I would. The wait staff, food, and vibe are amazing! Everything we had was so good. I highly recommend the stuffed filet!! It is one of the best things I have ever eaten!

I love the crab meat salad in the summertime! Very refreshing and light!

The atmosphere can't be beat! It's such a romantic but overall welcoming and warm place. The wine list was great... the old fashioned needed some work. We chose a Pinot Noir - Willamette Valley, OR. It was perfect! Caprese - well you just can't go wrong with this salad. My husband ordered the Veal Italiano and absolutely loved it. I ordered the Seafood Stuffed Tortellini... the pasta looked more like a dumpling wrapper and definitely not tortellini shaped, but otherwise tasted good. Tiramisu for dessert... tasted great but a little soggy for my taste. Overall, our server did a good job. Definitely recommend.

Had a fantastic time here tonight. The food was superb, the ambiance was excellent, and the waitstaff was attentive and friendly. We started the evening off with the artichoke and crab appetizers from the menu, and added the quail appetizer from the specials. For the entree we had a the veal italiano and one of the specials which was a seafood dish, all of which tasted fantastic, and was presented simply but wonderfully. I do believe this has made my top 10 list of restaurants in the area. My only issue of the night was that my GPS unit tried to direct me to a place about a mile away from the restaurant, but a quick call and got great directions.

First time here. Its Dark inside with white tablecloths. Very nice atmosphere. The waitress,Maddy, was great. Food was ok. We ordered the reddish and trout dinner plates

Location is kind of hidden because the other businesses nearby stood out more.. the atmosphere was nice, and staff was friendly. Food was just really mediocre.. I really did expected more after reading so much reviews.. nice that they have a palette cleanser sorbet.. we had got the following: -Louisiana Lump Crab cakes: was decent, the crust is really heavy, and not flaky, its more like, I am guessing a stuffing layer instead of a batter -Smoked Shrimp & Lump Crab crepes: which was good, my mouth was having a party -Rack of lamb: the glaze reduction was really overwhelming and the pesto pasta did not taste well with the overwhelming glaze -Boneless Breast Ducklin: was decent, nice glaze over a bed of potatoes.. nothing special -Chocolate Mousse: was too dense for a "mousse" Will not return.

Love coming too have dinner and listen to Walter Jr... He is phenomenal!!!! The food is great and the Walter Jr is fantastic!!

Nice wine list. Very good veal, I would not get any red sauce: too strong and too much. Did not try seafood but looked good. Very quiet and romantic! Reasonably priced. Recommend you try!

Nice rich food for the occasional treat. Low lighting which I enjoy for a nice ambience. I always order the stuffed tortellini. Troy is such a professional waiter he always makes us feel at home

Me and my fiancé loved our meal. Our server was Allison was the best -- attentive and real. So refreshing! We will be coming back!

This was one of the best luncheon meals I have ever had! I am a published "home chef" and I am very selective as to where I eat, when I decide to go out for a meal. Imonelli's was so satisfying and definitely met my standard. The choices were so difficult to make because there were so many tempting choices. I LOVE the chef's combination of flavors. Our waitress, Jessica, was so friendly and it was her FIRST DAY!!! The food was served quickly and hot!! Love the cozy setting and the management was on point!!! Wish I lived closer!!! But, I'll be back!!!

We were told once by an Italian chef that the veal dishes were the way he tested an Italian kitchen. On our first visit we both had different veal dishes. Both were excellent and perhaps among the best we've had anywhere. I had an appetizer with breaded eggplant which was also first class. The service was efficient and courteous. The atmosphere reminded us of some of our favorite Italian places in Lugano and NYC. It was quiet and traditional. It was definitely the best Italian meal I've had so far in Lafayette and ranks in the top tier with the food I've had anywhere. We will definitely go back.

Some claim that iMonelli is outdated, but I enjoy the atmosphere. The fact that the building is so set back from the hustle & bustle of Johnston Street, in addition to the dimly lit interior, lends itself to intimate dinners, so it's very conducive for a nice meal with someone special. The service here has always been quite to my liking. The servers are very knowledgeable & happy to clarify anything I need. They always seem to show up right on time, too, which is fabulous to an impatient belly like mine. The complimentary sorbet is a lovely way to start off a meal at iMonelli. I've enjoyed the Crab Cakes here too, even though I would prefer less breading in & around them. The Crabmeat Salad is flawless. I've sampled the Tilapia Brents & was very impressed as well. Also, my inner Pellegrino fan was thrilled to find it on the menu. Quality of the food is good, but not enough for the prices asked of each entree. This is the reason I gave iMonelli 4 stars & not 5. Perhaps an option is to wait for a daily deal site to feature them & try them out that way. Just make sure you try them out.

I really do love this place! The food is great, the atmosphere is excellent , but the only draw back for me is that the staff is on the verge of being overly attentive. For a place like this, that might be just part of the package but I'd prefer a more laid back experience even at an upscale Italian restaurant such as this. The more I think about it, this doesn't make as much sense I originally thought it did, lol! Ultra Attentive Service + Expensive Cuisine = Laid Back Experience? .. Me thinks not They do deserve 5 stars but for the life of me, I just can't seem to validate it =( .. Imonelli, I will be back

The atmosphere is very romantic, and the service, top notch. The menu had so many delicious-sounding options and the waiter was very well-versed with the daily specials. That was actually the most impressive part to me. The service was outstanding. Here's why two stars were lost. First of all, I really expected more with the food. I got the caprese salad as an appetizer and the duck breast as an entree. I chose this because I'm not really a seafood fan (I know I'm a minority in this area), and there wasn't really much else. But I like duck, so I wasn't hesitant at all. As a nearly lifelong resident of Lafayette, I've heard quite a lot about this restaurant. Maybe my expectations were too high? It was... Surprisingly average, and this was a disappointment. The other thing that I noticed, and this may be a preference very specific to me, was that the place was outdated. Maybe they pride themselves on the warm, quaint atmosphere. And I can respect that. However, Lafayette is such a booming city, I feel that if I'm paying $25 or more per entree, the restaurant should reflect that. If a restaurant has the quality of a 5-star, my standards shouldn't be the only ones raised. I've been to some really great restaurants, and I only want for Lafayette to be on the same level. I love this city! Anyway... They have the reputation, but in my opinion, they need a new image. No insult intended. My experience just wasn't what I thought it would be. Great service and a very creative menu.

While I agree with Kayla about the dated decor here, it really is of no importance when you're doing take out... he heh. Spagetti & meatballs --- dee-lish -- good meatball and nicely spiced marinara. House bread -- wow!. this stuff is about as good as any bread I've had in IT joints in NY. House salad -- pretty good but very small portion. I need to come back here a few mores times and check out other menu items.

This is a great place. Great food and reasonable price. Have the seafood stuffed 8oz fillet with mushroom butter sauce. Its a must! They have walter jr that plays music and sings. Great atmosphere for a romantic dinner! Must try! Great service

I find it VERY hard to give any restaurant 5-stars and this maybe my first! This was our first experience at Imonelli and we're like, wow! We've been sleeping on this restaurant. We called to place our takeout order and immediately knew this was going to be a different experience. Kennedy (not sure of spelling) patently and graciously took our large order for my family of 5. We even ordered extra food for lunch tomorrow. When I arrived, I was immediately greeted then went to the bar to meet Kennedy who checked my order like 3 times to ensure it was 100% accurate. Surprisingly, when we arrived home the food was popping hot. We tore into the food. The children ate the crawfish fettuccine and we started with the crab salad and crab cakes. The children, my wife and I all agreed this was the best crab cakes EVER! Cooked to perfection and no filling just jumbo lump crab meat! My wife and I could only sample the stuffed trout as we were too full. Certainly coming back regularly, certainly telling everyone, and certainly a must place to visited. You won't be disappointed by the homemade sauces and food and friendly staff. Cannot say enough great things!

This is the best food in Lafayette for a romantic dinner. The desserts are especially delicious!

Amazing food and excellent service. The crab cakes are heavenly and honestly I don't think that you can go wrong with anything on the menu from what I've tried. I highly recommend this place for a fun evening out or a special occasion. It is rather pricey but in my opinion worth every penny. Defiantly an amazing place to stop and I wouldn't pass it up if your in town.

Phenomenal. Everything we tried was great. Crab cakes. Seafood crepes. Corn and crab bisque. Crawfish fettuccine. Seafood stuffed filet. Bread pudding.

Easily the best meal I've ever had locally and the best fish I've ever eaten anywhere. We had a great experience, service was great, our waiter, Troy, was friendly and personable without being overbearing and seemed extremely knowledgeable. Atmosphere was quiet and romantic. This was a splurge for us as we are celebrating our anniversary and I couldn't be happier that we came here. We will definitely be back again

Don't be put off by the outside decor. This is the only haute cuisine in Lafayette. The owner is a very serious chef who knows his stuff. Stick with the specials and you won't be disappointed. Quite frankly, I don't think Lafayette has very good food, (unlike the locals who believe it's akin to Paris or NY). However, I Monelli's breaks out of the local mode of heavy cream sauces on everything, and serves impressive food

This is really great Italian food!!! Very romantic and classy place, so dress nice.

I still love Imonelli. Truth is I never order anything remotely Italian when I'm here as they always have a deliciously fresh fish smothered in lump crabmeat and a nice butter sauce...seriously, who would EVER pass that up. Only once in many years of eating pretty much the exact same thing here have I ever been remotely disappointed. It was likely an off night as it was again the grouper served as usual. But never stopped be from going back many times after.

The Italian food here is unbeatable. While it's a bit pricey, the incredible food and romantic ambiance definitely make it worth a few extra dollars. This restaurant has been around Lafayette for a long time and with good reason - it has some of the most unique flavor combinations I've ever tasted.

When tonight had a wonderful glass of wine a beautiful appetizer to order with the special my main dish which was spaghetti and meatballs. The sauce on top of the pasta made it like a soup I returned it to get just the pasta drained from the sauce. Not happy it was still too saucy. Returned it again explaining my unhappiness to basically get the same thing. I come to this restaurant because I'm Italian trying to find real Italians cooking real Italian food this is a disgrace and my ancestors of rolling over in their graves!!!!!