Montalcino Ristorante Italiano

My husband and I came here for a date night and it was everything and more. Atmosphere was romantic, service was top notch, and the food was out of this world! So flavorful, fresh, and delicious. The chef allowed us to order the black sturgeon caviar which was top notch. Our waitress brought me delicious wine. I want to go back every night! We will def be making this our regular date night spot. Thank you all so much for a lovely night out!

A must dine if you live in Western WA. The food is devine, the owner's are extremely personable, the space is cozy. This occasion was perfectly marked by good timing, presentation, and a personal touch I haven't found in any other venue. The place is best suited for small groups or couples. They had a good selection on the main menu and also offer appealing specials if you're hoping to try a more seasonal dish. Everything I ate impressed. I had homemade bread with a balsamic reduction, Pollo Limone con Carciofi (velveted chicken in a lemon cream sauce, with roasted artichokes, prosciutto, & capers), and an Italian Pistachio sundae for dessert.

Got the special Braised Short Ribs Ravioli. Great Dish. Atmosphere was great as well. Solid Italian restaurant in the area. Owner came over and was super nice! Everything on the menu looked great. I came with two friends and we all shared our different ravioli dishes… and yes they all tasted great!

Cool date spot in Issaqah with amazing Italian food. They have their specials for the day but I opted for the Sacchetti al Cinghiale and my husband got the lobster Ravioli. The Sacchetti al Cinghiale was phenomenal! Lobster ravioli was just too good! The lobster meat and the sauce was delicious 🤤! You cannot not have have their homemade tiramisu and pistachio cake! Both are so fluffy and decadent 😍😍recommend having a reservation

If I could give this place 10 stars for service alone, I would. The staff here are so kind and attentive. Especially, Riesa (I believe that is her name) who greeted us and chatted with us when we arrived and later when we were getting ready to leave. My husband and I were blown away at how the staff greeted each patron and truly asked about them. You could tell that many of the people were regulars. Aside from the service, the food was also top notch and the portions generous. Well worth every penny. We will without a doubt be returning to try the dishes we couldn’t and some of their Italian wine, which we couldn’t enjoy this time because we gave it up for lent. We left with our bellies full of amazingly delicious food and our hearts warm. We will without a doubt be returning and recommending this place to family and friends.

We were really excited to try this place for a birthday. Reservations were hard to come by with a 2 week notice but managed to get a 4:45 on a Fri. Space is a premium here but the seating didn’t seem crowded. Just be prepared to have a lot of activity around you. Service was good. Water was kept filled, wine glasses on the flight were swapped out. The antipasto platter was amazing. The rest of the food was just so so. In both the lamb shank and veal dishes, the gravy overpowered the flavor of the meat. The short rib ravioli tasted good but again the cream sauce overpowered the taste of the meat.

Best Italian Restaurant I’ve ever been to. Every dish was fantastic. The owner and staff were all very kind and attentive. Will definitely be heading back!

Absolutely fantastic! The owner treated us like royalty. I can't wait to come back. Very small quant location and need a reservation for sure we just lucked out and got the last 2 seats at the window. Talk to the owner and he gave us two recommendations and we went with it. We weren't disappointed at all. We even decided to save room for dessert. Which I would highly suggest packing up half of your food and saving room for the pistachio ice cream! It's very lovely and melts in your mouth. We also got the pistachio cake! Louise was our server and was very kind, hope I get him next time as I owe him a bigger tip!! ;)

We went to Montalcino's recently to celebrate my birthday. The location is very charming, warm, and romantically lit and decorated with red tablecloths and dark wood accents. The waitstaff were kind and attentive and helpful without being intrusive. We ordered the prawns and scallops appetizer, which was delicious and perfectly done with a rich tomato-based sauce. I had wild mushroom stuffed pasta topped with wild boar and a truffle cream sauce. It was SO good. This spot is a lovely place for a special occasion or a romantic evening. I'd gladly come back again!

My family and I came to Montalcino for Father's Day dinner. My parents had been before but this was my brother's and my first time eating here. Montalcino is one of the few fine dining Italian restaurants in Issaquah. It can be hard to get a reservation (as it's a cozy and intimate restaurant) so make sure to reserve well in advance! For dinner, we ordered the ANTIPASTI SAMPLER PLATTER (special for the night - $15 per person) - included Halloumi cheese, fresh Mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, shrimp, salami, prosciutto, olives, Parmesan cheese, and toasted baguette slices with bruschetta. This was a wonderful and tasty starter - we had to be careful to leave room for our entrees! CALIFORNIAN WINE FLIGHT - chardonnay, pinot, and cabaret from Washington and California. The cabaret was our favorite - perfectly sweet and balanced, but the chardonnay was crisp and was a close second. The pinot had strong notes of dark cherry, which I wasn't a super big fan of, but to each their own. VEAL OSSOBUCU (+$45) - the veal was juicy and tender and came with sides of potatoes, broccolini, and carrots as well as a chunky tomato sauce on top. My brother thoroughly enjoyed it, bone marrow and all. SHORT RIB RAVIOLI (special for the night) - fresh ravioli with short rib (braised for something like 17 hours!) inside and on top of the dish. It was served in a creamy white wine sauce and topped with Parmesan cheese, baby tomatoes, and basil. The sauce was outstanding with rich, earthy, and savory flavors and the braised short rib was both sweet and savory. This was the best dish of the night! PASTA AI FRUITTI DI MARE (+$45) - seafood pasta with fish, prawns, scallops, clams, and capers served in a red sauce. My dad thought it would be like Cioppino (or their Misto Mare), but while the ingredients sounded similar, the sauce had a kick to it! He wasn't expecting it to be spicy (as it wasn't notated in the menu description), but he was sweating throughout the meal and took some of my ravioli sauce to cool his mouth down. So beware if you don't like heat! SEAFOOD PASTA with cream sauce (special for the night)- I don't remember the exact name of the dish, but this seafood pasta (tagliatelle) was similar to the Pasta Al Fruitti Di Mare, except that it had a little cream mixed into the red sauce and was thus a little less spicy (but still had a slight kick!). It came with a little calamari as well. It was alright, but because it tasted so similar to the Pasta Al Fruitti Di Mare, we probably wouldn't order it again. Service was excellent and our waiter was extremely attentive. The owner was there was as well and made sure all of his guests were well taken care of. Portions are large here (definitely larger than your typical Italian fine dining restaurant) and so all of us left plenty full with the rest of our appetizer platter for leftovers the next day. Overall: 4.5/5 for food, 5/5 for service, 5/5 for atmosphere

Every time we come in the food is incredible. 10/10 Service at the outside table can be a little slow but understandable. The place is always busy so you definitely need a reservation.

This is a nice small restaurant where food is carefully prepared and not mass produced. The taste is homemade but elevated! We got the antipasti sampler which had a variety of bruschetta, meats, shrimp, olives, artichoke hearts, etc. It was a nice way to try different things. For entrees we got the lobster ravioli with lobster tail and the short rib ravioli special. I could not taste the lobster so much in the ravioli compared to the rich cream sauce but the lobster tail made up for that. I actually preferred the short rib ravioli which had a lot of flavor and the pieces of short rib on the ravioli was tender. The sauce was nice too. Both dishes are very rich tasting but very satisfying. So much so that we did not have room for dessert! Service was attentive and the two waitstaff kept things flowing well.

Excellent service (as usual) Food is delicious (as usual) We come here several times a year and bring as many friends as possible to make this their #1 choice to eat at. The short rib ravioli has won me over as the best dish. 5 stars all around.

I had a great time dining with friends but I was less than impressed with the restaurant itself. I will first start out by sharing that the service is phenomenal and it basically is the reason I didn't give this place two stars. Having just gotten back from Italy a few months ago, I was beyond excited to enjoy Italian food that would take me back to that breathtaking vacation experience. The food left a bit to be desired. I ordered a side caesar salad, the lobster ravioli with prawns, and the tiramisu. Of all 3 dishes, the salad was the most impressive all around; it had unique flavors and the most wonderful dressing. The lobster ravioli was very rich but had no lobster flavor anywhere around it, it was very beautifully prepared. The tiramisu was just meh. I am certainly open to trying this place again in hopes of having a different experience.

Best ITALIAN RESTAURANT quite possibly in the world! Bring your credit card cha-Ching! and yet, hope someone who loves you lots, treats you to this magical place! It is intimate. It is a hidden little jewelbox of a restaurant that has about 14 tables. The wait staff is impeccable. The food is perfection. The entire experience is enchanting, and it will send your taste buds straight to heaven, not wanting to return back to earth. Mmmmmmm.... You cannot find an average meal here. I just found out that this family owns vivi pizzeria in Woodinville... And they are phenomenal too. But there is nothing quite as special as this little treasure box of a place. Step back into time and have the most romantic and delicious experience of your lifetime. Wowwwwwwwww!!!!!!!! Also, you need to plan in advance if you want a table here, because they are booked out months and months and months in advance. If you're planning to come here for Valentine's Day, or a special occasion, you need to be organized in plan way in advance.

Had a wonderful time celebrating our 7 year Anniversary. The ambiance was perfect, our Server, Lucy was delightful and very knowledgeable and made our night so special. The Food OMG can we say Delish!! Goodness it was divine and we will be back!! Thanks for a memorable evening

I would give this place 3.5 stars. We were looking forward to drinking here for a while and finally came for a celebration. The ambiance and service was great! Sadly, the food did not reflect the ambience and service. The mains were fine, except the lamb shank was really salty. The desserts were really disappointing though. We ordered the homemade cannoli, which comes with two, and the homemade tiramisu. Sadly, neither was great. Needless to say, we may come back and try other dishes, but not the desserts

Went to the restaurant to celebrate a friend's birthday. The service was horrible. We had to flag our waiter down multiple times as there was a large party. It's like we got ignored. Secondarily we got a plate with a glass of prosecco and happy birthday on it. We also ordered dessert, it would have been have so much better to just have happy birthday written on the plate with my friends dessert. Fwiw that's what they did for a table next to us, they wrote happy birthday on their dessert plate. As for the food, it was ok.. but a bit salty for the lamb shanks sauce. I will not visit this place again.

One of the best local places we go to. Food is always delicious, service is great. They try to use local ingredients and compass. Ambiance is intimate. It's difficult to get reservations so plan ahead.

Small neighborhood Italian. Way overrated. The ossobucco's sauce was so salty it was inedible. I thought it was a one time mistake but saw other reviews complaining about the same, which means the chef doesn't care. I had to drink a galon of water and my stomach still hurts now. Won't be going back.

There is nothing to not like about this cute little restaurant. The ambience is more on the romantic side but not overly dramatic. Ok get to the food! That's all you really care about anyways right? Makes sense. It's delicious! I typically am not a fan of Italian restaurants, they often lack flavor. This place did not disappoint. I had the Caesar salad, it was good but definitely not like your typical Caesar salad. It's also on smaller side, Italian style! I enjoyed it. Then I had the short rib ravioli and I licked my plate. My friend had the lamb shank and very much enjoyed it. The tiramisu was good but not spectacular. The service was good and overall I'm excited to go back.

Firstly, I have to say that the atmosphere was inviting and comfortable though it is tiny tiny place. The food portions were generous. In terms of the taste of the food, it was excellent, and I enjoyed every bite. The presentation was also beautiful and added to the overall experience. I had been there on my birthday and had made reservations in advance. I recommend reservations in advance as it has just 8-9 tables and the wait might be longer without reservations. Best fine dining place I would say in Issaquah. We ordered Bruschetta, Pasta ai Frutti di Mare, Pasta al Pesto con Funghi and everything tasted exceptional. For desserts we ordered Limoncello Gelato Flute which again was awesome and I highly recommend to try. We also ordered Strawberry Cheesecake (which was new dessert added then) it was great too. The pricing of the restaurant was on the higher side. While the quality of the food was undoubtedly high. Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant for its taste.

This restaurant truly deserves 5 stars. The service with great with each course. The food was phenomenal. Very generous servings with flavorful dishes. It is a small room but has great ambiance. Shirt Rib Ravioli didn't disappoint!

If you haven't been to this sweet little Italian joint in Issaquah you are missing out BIG TIME!! It's small and very intimate with a wait staff on top of your every need. We stared with the Anti Sampler which was a meal in and of itself (photo). I followed with, what else but a Caesar salad served in a very unique way and very delish!! Then, my main, Pollo Gorgonzola which was absolutely AMAZING I highly recommend it. My wife had the Halibut and it was out of this world. Finally....the Cannoli!! Words.... This little restaurant was simply amazing and reservations are a must. Make the trip to Issaquah and you will not regret it.

Probably the best Italian in the Eastside and, Seattle. Would love to hear dissenting opinions and alternate candidates. Atmosohere: don't get distracted by downtown Issaquah location. Once you enter, you will feel in a nice restaurant in Tuscany. You need a reservation. They will greet you and offer you top level service that is not pushy towards high ticket items. Food is delivered on time and staff is attentive to details. Light Italian music and all patrons are just immersed in their own tables. Perfect for a nice date. Food. Just fantastic flavors. I had the Ravioli stuffed with Lobster and with a generous lobster tail on top. Fruti di Mari is very tasty and the spaghetti with lobster had also a very generous lobster tail. Our appetizer was the grilled prawns... And dessert was a nice pistachio Gelwtto. Just fantastic. Good selection of Italian wines. I try to go Amarone with my Italian food, they have plenty to offer. They also have Tuscany expected like Chianti, Sangiovese and others. Park across Front on the large City owned parking lot. Much easier to find spots there.

Please give the opportunity to tell you about this horrible, horrible restaurant! These people take delight in taking the hope and misery of poor saps like myself who crave good authentic pasta. I saw them giggle in glee after I made comments that they are too far away for me so I would not be able to visit them more often. You cruel cruel people have ruined ravioli for me now! HOW DARE YOU! now I can't eat ravioli anymore unless I drive the hour plus to Issaquah!!!! First you make the restaurant so small that there is only 9 tables making it small, intimate, and cozy. I have to make reservations to eat ravioli now or I can't get a table! Wtf!!!! Then your server was extra friendly and genuine with my small children causing them to like someone other than myself! My child! Mine! You stay away! With your smiles and compliments! With your quick attentive service. I'm wise to your wily ways.... Even had the nerve to deviate from your children's menu to tell my kids they could have ANY sauce they wanted with their noodles! Shame on you! Bad waitstaff! Bad! We first ordered their salad to split among the family. It was fancy, prettier than than your baby's first giggle and tasted better than your moms cooking. I ordered stuffed beef rib ravioli with a rib meat on top, drizzled in deliciousness, covered in sweet in savory, and drowned in flavor. It was their off menu "special" probably because they only had a limited supply of angels tears to put in the sauce. The beef rib was super tender. The ravioli was easily the best ravioli I've ever had and will forever ruin any other ravioli dish I will ever have in the future. The juxtaposition of the savory and sweet with savory between the beef stuffed ravioli and the beef on top was perfect. This dish alone gives them 5 stars! The wifey ordered seafood pasta. The noodle was perfectly cooked, the seafood delicious, the sauce awesome. Only outshined by my ravioli. Wife agreed and conceded defeat to my superior choice of dish. My kids had penne with slightly different variations of a tomato sauce. They were merely... great. Great taste, noodles were overdone though. The place was pricey, easily only a special occasion place for me with the cost. It was worth it though. But really? Really?? Do you really expect me to drive all that way for good pasta!? Ok fine... I will. I concede defeat and will acquiesce do your unreasonable demands! Boom, made the list.

There are no words to describe our experience at Montalcino. The food was to die for but the service was unmatched. Staff made us feel like the only people in the room. Ambiance was warm and welcoming. Hard to choose a favorite dish, but the Chilean sea bass on polenta was incredible. Braised short rib ravioli was mind blowing as well. If you don't eat here, you haven't lived.

8 years and still going strong, I know this restaurant has changed hands since my first review, but the food is just as wonderful, the service is spot on and the coziness of the restaurant makes everything special. We were there on a busy Saturday night, we did have reservations and we were a bit late, but everything was perfectly executed. Reservations are the only thing that has really changed from my first review I would defiantly recommend reservations - if you just walking by and can't help it give it a try but this local gem is usually full. Over the years of visiting, we have not had a bad meal this team can cook...Seafood, Meat or just Vegetables you cannot go wrong here. We sat down with a bottle of wine, pappardelle with meatballs in a marsala sauce and a seafood special; from the first bite to the last we enjoyed every moment.

We've been coming here for years and it never disappoints! The service is always spectacular and Rick does an amazing job of making everyone feel welcomed! The menu is out of this world. The truffle & caviar ravioli has generous portions and is so delicious. I have to force myself to order other items off the menu because it's just so good! My family loves coming here for special occasions and we've celebrated lots of milestones here. You feel so at home and the staff does such a great job of remembering your name and order! Make reservations well ahead because they book up very quick! Trust me, it's worth it!

Exceptional food, service and ambiance! the very best Italian restaurant in WA state! Travel to Italy often and it's the only place I've found that compares. Their short rib ravioli is delicious and my favorite every time I go there. The owner and his family are hospitable and very customer focused. Lovely place! Highly recommend!

Found this gem on open table as the original place was completely booked for NYE dinner. This is the BEST dinner I've had in a long time! Everything was GREAT!! From the time we got there to the time we left, we had the best service ... with a smile!! All the food that we ordered was DELICIOUS. The wait time was not long, the food was all so GOOD and I will come back at least once a month!! My new favorite Italian restaurant!! If you are thinking of coming here ... DO IT... you won't be disappointed! I promise You!!

Quaint little restaurant. The food was delicious and the service was very attentive and personable! We sat at their one outside table and they did not forget about us out there! So nice and relaxing outside - we had great weather. Highly recommend!

Great food great service great ambience! Tucked in Issaquah downtown this place is a great to have in the area! It's on pricier side so I would recommend this place for a special occasion. I loved the lobster ravioli. The sauce was incredible. Hubs got the chicken pasta. The chicken was cooked tender and perfect. But the marina sauce was not very remarkable. Definitely would try some other dish next time. While the service and our server was great, this is just what I felt could have been better. They knew we had the reservation for our anniversary. A small greeting around it would have been nice. I may be asking for too much here? Definitely not a deal breaker or maker. Must visit place if you stay around issaquah area!

One of the best Italian restaurants that I've ever been to. Ordered the lobster ravioli and it was so flavorful. The staff was very friendly. Ambience was very cute and intimate. This place is 10/10

Had a delicious and wonderful Christmas Eve dinner here. Antipasto sampler was fantastic and loaded with all the good stuff. Wild boar dishes were a special treat. Rich sauces were flavorful without being overbearing. The staff was friendly, efficient and worked well together. The owner was gracious and his Santa outfit a big plus. I'm looking forward to going back soon.

Awesome service awesome food just it is very difficult to get a reservation In summer they do have a outdoor sitting also they arrange a free music for you

How lucky can we be to score a table on a Friday night? After the Issaquah Wine Walk we popped in at 9 pm to see if they had a table. A table for two was waiting for us, thanks to a no-show. We graciously grabbed it. It's a small, cozy, intimate fine dining restaurant that would be great for special occasions. Or just a random date night like in our case. Keep in mind that you need to reserve well in advance. Having had a fair amount of wine at the wine walk, we just wanted to eat. Couldn't wait for some carb loading.The waitress first brought out some bread. We ordered the bruschetta to start with. Simple ingredients on Italian grilled bread. So delicious! For the main, we got the pesto pasta and the pasta ala champion without the meat. Both the pastas were so good. The Champion was spicy, which was very enjoyable. I also loved how the pepper flakes and cheese were brought out in two flutes. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed the night and highly recommend dining here.

Fantastic Italian restaurant that never dissapoints. This is a small restaurant, so reservations are almost always required.

One of the best Italian meals we've ever had! Each dish was fantastically prepared and beautifully presented. The sauces really made each dish special. For instance, I had the lobster ravioli that was paired with a delicious pomodoro sauce, and my daughter's spaghetti with saffron sauce was amazing. Both were topped with decent sized lobster tails cooked to perfection. My wife's linguine was a lighter oil sauce and came with plenty of yummy clams. If I'm being picky I think they could use a little less salt when seasoning their dishes, but that didn't stop us from eating everything. For dessert we shared a refreshing limoncello sorbet and a light but decadent tiramisu, a great way to end! Service was top notch, thank you to Mya for making our first visit a memorable one. We will definitely be back to try more of your extensive menu! This cozy restaurant only has about 9-10 tables, so make sure you have reservations. Plenty of street parking.

Celebrated our anniversary here which began with three flutes of Prosecco for the adults and well wishes from our server Lucy. Endless fresh bread with EVOO and balsamic were light yet crispy and sooo tasty! We had prawns/scallops and bruschetta for appetizers. The sauce on the prawns and scallops was SPICY!! I'd say it was a bit hot for most of us. Our meals were all very tasty- however my mother didn't anticipate her seafood meal with requested red sauce to be ultra spicy. Again I'd highly suggest less intensity or let people know it's spicy so they are aware. Our kids ordered a cannoli and tiramisu and enjoyed it. We sat around other tables celebrating birthdays and every table that had a birthday had a cake arrive at their table. We were a little surprised there wasn't something edible arriving at our table considering the ~7 birthday desserts we'd seen being delivered around us. I'd prefer a dessert to Prosecco since I'm a lightweight and bubbly drinks don't sit well. Just a few suggestions for future meals.

I love Erin/Aaron the bartender! Made my first solo night on the town so worthwhile and the meatball plate was so good. The interior is super cozy too, definitely worth the stop!

Love this place! The intimacy, ambience, and the taste of the food are all superior. We like to go here on special occasions. Very romantic setting. Ciao!

My coworker and I were in from out of town (FL) and lucked out by snagging an early dinner spot at the window. The service was incredible, the recommendations were perfect and the food exceeded all of my expectations. I loved the quaint atmosphere and the friendly staff. We will definitely return. There are so many items on the menu that I'd like to try. I wish I could package the entire restaurant and bring it home with me!

My bf and I have tried a good number of Italian restaurants in the Seattle/King County area and this is by far our favorite. The first time we went here we ordered the short rib ravioli and lobster saffron pasta. I ate the lobster pasta first and liked it but when I tried the short rib ravioli, it was game over. The lobster saffron pasta was really good - it wasn't overly creamy so you can really taste the lobster. But the short rib ravioli was phenomenal. The sauce is this rich creamy sauce that's not too overpowering but you know you want more of it. The second time we went here, my bf and I both ordered the short rib ravioli coz we knew we didn't want to share. The third time, we got the short rib ravioli and another dish so we could try something new. This time, we also got the sacchetti - it has this truffle cream sauce that is a close second to the sauce of the short rib ravioli.

Great seafood and wine selection. Great service and atmosphere. Small but mighty. I would recommend the halibut dish.

Fantastic restaurant we love it and have been going for nearly a decade. Even before living close to issaquah I would take the opportunity to eat here any time I was semi-close as it was fantastic. It is a small, intimate space depending on the crowd it can get a bit loud. I think this is part of how they are able to keep the quality so high. Despite being not in a big city you are getting big city fine dining. Their signature dishes fantastic like their meatballs marsala or their mushroom ravioli (Ravioli alla Juventus). Granted I am not sure how important the waygu is to meatballs, but whatever they do my partner rarely will order anything else at this point. They do a great job with having several specials and mixing things up for regulars too. That is really great to see creativity and experimenting with such a small business. Sometimes the specials don't blow us away, but again you have to experiment to find new greats. During covid they started doing take out service (or at least was the first time I ever used it). They have an 18% surcharge, which during covid made sense I really hoped and prayed they would come out of covid and not go under like so many. Now that we have come to the other side though there is still this surcharge, and at first I think one is taken back by paying nearly as much as you would tip for good service for take out. Certainly this last time I ordered I was thinking along these lines (don't get me wrong still very worth it but any forced surcharge makes me take a second to think). Still when receiving it I could see the takeout was not just your every day restaurant takeout. Their lovely bruschetta was broken down to not let it get soggy or become a jumble in the box. Easy to put back together and they didn't have to worry about running out of anything when plating yourself which was great. Next, onto the entrees. I don't think I've ever seen a place that paid much attention to take out plating. It is possible this is a coincidence too, but given it was with both our dishes I highly doubt that. Anyway, upon opening it I noticed they were plated quite nicely in the box (impressive give the bumps and jostles it took as I drove it home). Of course I then thought for a second about how best to remove, as I was certainly going ruin it when removing it from the box (and we didn't want to eat our fancy dinner out of boxes:). I then realized I could actually open the side of the takeout container. I did this, slid both out onto a plate and was quite impressed. These were two quite different pasta dishes, and both looked just fantastic on the plate. I was really impressed by how well it all came together. Now of course they plate in the restaurant too but there is clearly a good bit of time and effort into their take away business. In addition, they were very clear when I called about their next available window, so they make sure to not overload their kitchen who used to only have to focus on the dine-in staff. I love Montalcino and feel truly lucky to have such a great place so close.

We don't usually go out to restaurants at this price point, but we were celebrating my birthday and it is what I wanted instead of some present. It was absolutely worth it! Reservations were easy to make on opentable, and you really do need reservations - they only have 10 tables inside. We were welcomed with happy birthday wishes and sat right away. The staff here was excellent, friendly, and helpful. We started with the shrimp and scallops. The wife said they were the most perfectly cooked scallops she's ever had. I ordered the lobster ravioli and it was amazing. The lobster tail was already had the meat pulled through the top, so I didn't have to do a lot of work, which was nice. The wife ordered the seafood pasta and enjoyed it. It looked to be a bit more food than the lobster ravioli. We had the lemoncello gelato flute, and it was awesome - refreshing and light for after a rich meal. In addition, they provided complimentary lemoncello shots for my birthday. The ambiance and experience were wonderful, and I definitely felt treated well for my birthday celebration.

Just had an anniversary dinner there last night. Everything we've ever had here is amazing. Last night hit a high mark. The service is always wonderful. We enjoyed saffron spaghetti and lobster and truffle stuffed pasta. Spilt a Montalcino salad which was delicious. Strawberry shortcake with anniversary greeting was a nice touch and we took home one of their delicious cannoli.

This is my husband's and my favorite Italian restaurant. Why? Small, elegant restaurant with limited seating. Excellent staff and service. Always professional, knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive without being annoying. The food is excellent. Every time we've gone. I have my favorites like the caprice salad, the bruschetta, and the lemon, piccata chicken. My husband tends to like any of the specials that have their homemade meatballs included. On my most recent visit, I had their halibut and risotto, which overall was out of this world as a dish. We also enjoyed the recommendation for a different salad by our waitress, modified Caprice with Barada, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and truffle oil with garlic. That combination was outstanding! We highly recommend this restaurant. If you want weekend reservations, you'll need to book 1 to 2 weeks in advance. Often we can get in on a weeknight if we do a reservation early in the day.

So so so good!! Little pricey but not that bad and definitely worth it! We got the short rib ravioli special ($45) and the wild boar pasta ($25??) plus some appetizers! In and out quickly too, about an hour. Came to celebrate our engagement! We don't currently live in issaquah but are considering it in the future so wanted to start checking out issaquah restaurants. The owner came by to congratulate us & we got free champagne too. Staff is very friendly! Super small restaurant- would recommend making a reservation. I was able to get one same day no problem but we also went on a Tuesday.

Magnifico! One of the top meals I've had in my six+ decades of living and world travel. Beautifully done, thank you.

I'd give it 10 stars if I could!! First off, we didn't have a reservation on a Friday night at 6pm, so I parked in a temporary spot while my wife ran in and inquired about a table. Not only did they fit us in but the owner, Riesa, ran out and showed us where to park legally, and stood in the spot until I could get there! How's that for service! They were busy, as expected, so she said it would be about a half an hour but would text if anything freed up sooner. We walked out on front street for all of 11min before my phone rang and a spot was open (awesome!) Got seated, the servers were super nice and efficient, we got a great Pinot Grigio and an Antipasto Appetizer Platter that had everything! Great meats, great cheeses, Bruschetta, Tomato and mozzarella salad, olives, beans, peppers and artichokes. Frankly, that might have been enough food for dinner and it was all great! But we insisted on testing our digestive systems and ordered dinner. My wife had the Halibut that was on special, with rice and asparagus that was cooked perfectly! I'm hit and miss with fish, but the blend of flavors in the Halibut, with a light crust on top was outstanding! But the star of the show was mine to enjoy! I had the Pasta and Handmade Meatballs alla Marsala with Meatballs made from Wagyu beef, and let me just say, it was the BEST meatball I've ever eaten! And again, the blend of flavors from the pasta, to the sauce to the meatballs was delicious! I could not even eat half of the pasta and only one of the two huge meatballs, but was already looking forward to getting to have the leftovers over the weekend! On top of the great service by Mya and the rest of the staff, the owner Riesa stopped to talk to us and was a complete delight. Completely committed to the guests, super friendly and turns out we knew a lot of the same people, so it was like we were old friends. Apparently they also own a place in Woodinville called Vivi Pizzeria and we are going to make a point to head out there in the next couple of weeks and give it a go. Absolutely a return to Montalcino is in the cards! Do yourself a favor and give it a try!

The best Italian Food In Issaquah! Be prepared for a total experience from start to finish. Our whole time there was exceptional and we will be back for more.

If you want a romantic, intimate, delicious dinner: this is your place. My husband and I did a date night here a couple weeks ago and we were the last reservation of the night. Our server was fantastic and knowledgeable: he recommended dishes for us and we took his recommendations. Zero disappointment! I wish I would have taken pictures or written down what we ate. I'll be back soon with the excuse of writing a better review.

I've been to Montalcino 3 times now and it continues to be an extraordinary experience. I would say this is the best Italian in all of the greater seattle area. The sauce for the short rib ravioli is just divine and unmatched. Easily one of my favorite dishes I've ever had. We basically have to get that dish every time we go here. The bread is warm and good. Service is awesome and the owner is super friendly!

An excellent place to take my wife on her 50th Birthday. They were welcoming, professional, and the food and wine were top-notch. The atmosphere was warm and quiet though it was a small space. But it didn't really matter, everyone was respectful and it was just a great night out of eating. The experience and the food was worth the drive and expense!

Excellent food and ambience. Traditional Italian multi course cuisine. Pricey but worth it. We come here for special occasions.