Ristorante Illando Reviews

We went to Ristorante Illando on Christmas for dinner (had a reservation). While we were aware that this was not a high end or fancy place, we imagined this would be a cosy charming way to have a quiet Italian Christmas dinner. Unfortunately we were 100% wrong. The servers/manager were extremely unprofessional; the manager loudly berated his employees in front of customers TWICE, and there was clearly some conflict going on. The servers were obviously unhappy and distracted by the unprofessional manager. The ambiance was extremely awkward because all the customers were witnessing the arguing between servers (it's a relatively small space), but still trying to enjoy their christmas dinner out. On top of all of this, the food was not even good - it came out strangely fast (literally 5 minutes after ordering) and had little flavor going on. We had the spaghetti with meatballs and ravioli. If you are looking for an AWKWARD special night out, with the focus on employee drama, and mediocre food, then this would be the place for you. Otherwise, I'd avoid it. Very disappointing, given the high reviews.

Keep your eyes peeled when you're trying to find this quaint little restaurant!! We walked right past it about twice before finally laying eyes on the small sign for this place. I will say, I did have my doubts about this place when we first sat down, but all that dispelled the second the server came up to us to take our order. They could sense we were extremely hungry and immediately gave us a bread basket (which was delicious btw) and the drinks we asked for. Now let me tell you, this was some of the best food I've had in Little Italy! It's not super fancy food, but the flavor will deliver on all your expectations. We got a Caprese salad (which was light and refreshing), a Margherita pizza (the crust was the perfect amount of crispy and thin), and an eggplant parm (cheesy and saucy and not too oily and fried).

Nice ambiance. Very eager staff. However my son did not get what he ordered which makes me think there is a bit of a communication breakdown. Prices seemed reasonable. If you go just double check that your order is understood.

Came across this wonderful restaurant because they could get us in the quickest on a Saturday night. So glad we found this place! The food was fabulous, I had the Crap pasta dish and someone ordered the Lobster Ravioli and both were amazing! We ordered the pizza is was delicious. Our waiter was great, the place is quaint and decorated beautifully! We will definitely return!

We felt like pizza on our last night in San Diego so we headed to Little Italy. You would not believe how hard it is to find a decent sit down restaurant that serves thin crust pizza in Little Italy! Go figure. We passed Lindini's which is a slice to go place, but then we stopped to find out there is a restaurant upstairs called Illando that is sit down and has thin crust, but you have to buy the whole pie we were told. Ok, that's what we want. Eddie the waiter is straight from New York or a movie. Fun guy. We arrived for happy hour so started with the meatballs for only $5 for 3 big balls. They were good, not great, kinda dense but flavor was ok. The sauce was not bitter or acidic. I had a couple of drafts for $5 and the wife got a glass of wine for $5. Good deal. Pies are enormous! We ordered a pepperoni. Ate just about half. Gave the rest to some homeless guy once we got back outside. Pizza was good, tons of pepperoni. Crust was thin. We don't live in San Diego but if we did and if we were with another couple we could go and easily share a huge pie and all be full. Recommended.

So, I show up on Thanksgiving and make a reservation for one in the upstairs dining room at 9:00 PM. Guess what, they happily let me have a nice comfortable table. I ordered what's known as a "pizza anchois" in the South of France: tomato sauce, olives, and anchovies, with no cheese. Some old Italian proverb about never mixing "pesce" and "formaggi"? It was PERFECT !! Super thin, crisp crust I could hold with one hand. Sauce tasted home-made. Olives sprinkled everywhere, anchovies laid on each slice. AMAZING. I closed my eyes and was transported back to my favorite pizzeria in Marseille. Oh yeah, and I also had a Caesar salad before the pizza popped out of the oven. That too, was good. If I was there with a date, I would have ordered a bottle of a dry, light rosé. As I was flying solo, I ordered my favorite Mexican beer: Pacifico. Service was stellar. Cristiano and his colleagues deserve to be applauded for all their efforts to keep all the guests satisfied. Grazie mille !!

Perhaps I went in with too high expectations based on the many prior reviews but honestly I was disappointed. This is not to say the food was bad - it wasn't - but it just wasn't as good as I expected. I'm from houston which is not an Italian food capital,but I would take Carrabas or North Italia any day over Ristorante Illando. I would give Illando an average rating and would try something else on my next visit to Little Italy, San Diego, CA.

Don’t get the meatballs. My wife described them as tasting like they were frozen & out of a packet, she was right. The shrimp on the caesar salad was just not good but the chicken caesar salad was nice. Pasta was just okay, by no means what I expected from the previous reviews. Maybe all the good chefs had a night off but really disappointing. With so many good places in the area we wish we picked one of those.

The best restaurant I have ever been to. My absolute new favorite. Eddie was our waiter and did a wonderful job. We ordered what he recommended and it didn’t disappoint. I would go there every night for dinner. 11/10

The upstairs location and homey feel of this restaurant are enough to recommend it. Add to that the friendly, attentive service and the well prepared food, and you have a great choice.

The best Italian restaurant in San Diego! I've been to the pizza place downstairs which I also love, and couldn't wait to check out Illando. The owner is Italian and food is very authentic. Food- For ANTIPASTI we ordered the following: 1. Burrata con Prosciutto crudo: it's a must. 2. Polpette Affogate: one of the best I've ever had. 3. Carpaccio di Polpo: absolutely delicious. PASTA: Carbonaro: mouthwateringly delicious Spaghetti allo Scoglio: The most intensely flavorful seafood pasta I've ever tasted. Dolce: Cannoli: The filling was just perfect. Ambiance- lovely and romantic. It's perfect setting for a date night. Small private parties and even family dinners. I loved their family photos at the restaurant ,it was such a nice touch. Service- Super friendly and welcoming. Our server was Veronica. She was nice and kept checking to make sure we needed everything. Price- Very reasonable. Overall, my husband and I had such a lovely and memorable experience and can't wait to come back again. We loved everything about it and highly recommend it.

My wife and I just went to San Diego for a weekend getaway as a release from all the stress we are facing with COVID 19 and the politician climate. Restorante Illando in Little Italy was recommended by friends and it did not disappoint. Great food and value for the money. They followed all COVID 19 guidelines and the service was excellent. Both my wife and I chose the daily special. I had the Gnocchi with meat sauce and my wife had the shrimp pasta with pesto sauce. We each had a glass of wine, salad (I'd recommend splitting one because they are big) and the main course for less than $75. I'd go back in a heartbeat!

Before I got to San Diego, my wife and I had our entire trip planned out. We did a lot of research about restaurants and places we wanted to visit. Ristorante Illando was one of those places. We went for lunch on our first day there. Everything seemed like it would be great from the pictures and other reviews. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted going in and all of the great options on the menu didn’t make the choice any easier. I finally decided to go with the Penne Pollo e Broccoli. This was a pasta dish with cream, chicken, broccoli, & sun-dried tomatoes. It was very good. Actually, it was better than any chicken & broccoli pasta I’ve had before. Our server was awesome. She was on top of everything. Even before I ordered, in passing, she overheard me tell my wife what I wanted, so she knew what I wanted already. Our appetizer (burrata) came out fresh and quick, as did every dish. The bread that they give you was so good. I’d go back back just for the bread! The food, the service, it was all a great experience for us. Next time I’m in San Diego, I’ll be back for sure.

This quaint, family-owned ristorante is located directly above Landini's on India Street. Whether you're looking for a delicious pasta meal with wine, or pizza and beer, Ristorante Illando delivers. Our favorite dining location in San Diego.

I was in San Diego for Labor Day weekend and wanted to try a new Italian restaurant in Little Italy. I decided upon Ristorante Illando. I called and was hoping for Saturday for reservations, but they couldn't get me in until 10pm. I decided to wait until Sunday, and make reservations earlier. I went in Sunday at 8:15 (which they called and said I could come earlier, but we kept it at 8:15). The hostess (I didn't get her name) was super nice and friendly) seated us immediately. Upon going upstairs to the restaurant, I could see why making early reservations is a must. It's not as big as I expected, but I like smaller places. Our server was Natalia. She was excellent. Very attentive. Our food.....unbelievable. The meatballs are probably one of the best I've ever had. The chicken Parmesan was exquisite. Normally, I end up having to ask for a take home box, but not this time. The bread and dipping oil was great, too. The wine selection was perfect. I highly recommend going here if you're in San Diego. If I could give 10 stars, I would. I will be back.

Restaurant is upstairs with limited space but has a homey feel. We were sat facing window looking down on the street— which was kinda cool but we ended up having our backs to the dining room. Service was slow and eventually became nonexistent. Asked for water refills and and after 20 minutes we still had not gotten it. Waited even longer for the check and finally had to go up to server station and ask for it. Food was very good and prices somewhat reasonable but the service would be enough to make me not return. The restroom was tiny and located down a little hall where lines form since there is only one restroom. The window air conditioning unit in the restroom was not properly installed/maintained leaving space where you could see and hear outside! Gave an average rating for this restaurant because the food was very good - that said, there many other choices in town.

We stopped in just for a drink, had one of there special Sangrias. Very tasty with real fruit. Enjoyed chatting with Eddy the waiter from Siscely. Liked the decor and setting they also have an outdoor patio for dinner. Although, we didn't order any food it looked good.

Ristorante Illando is an intimate hidden gem located in little Italy, San Diego. This charming Tuscan trattoria is one of my favorite restaurants in town. The restaurant itself is located upstairs above Landini’s. We sat in the front; I didn’t get to go in the dining room area or the backyard patio, it was hot out but the ocean breeze was nice so we opt to sit outside. I over heard from another table say that it can get a bit warm in the main dining room, just fyi. Ordered *Feta e Olive mixed greens, feta cheese & Kalamata olives *Calamari Fritti deep fried calamari, shrimp & jalapeño *Pappardelle Bolognese housemade meat sauce Every dish we ordered was superb! I would absolutely recommend this place. Come early and anticipate a 30-40 min wait.

We came here on my husband’s birthday wknd with family. We had a reservation but were 15 min. early so we needed to wait downstairs where people were having pizza. It was a bit crowded but it was pretty cold outside so we huddled indoors waiting to be seated. Finally, we were lead upstairs to a long table in the center of the room. It was during the cold spell and because they keep the front door open downstairs there was a cold draft upstairs but I could tell the place would be cozy on a warmer evening. Impeccable service & good food. Very nice staff.

This is place is great, it only have 11 tables so make sure your have a reservation. I've had spaghetti carbonara over in Italy and this place did it just as well and maybe a little better, with a glass of Chianti wine, couldn't have a better meal! Waitress was awesome, got luck walking up and a reservation had canceled. You will not regret trying this place!!

This place is a little gem in Little Italy in San Diego. It is truly a quaint little, upscale "dive," if you will, upstairs from a pizza joint (which also smelled promising!) The restaurant is well-attended and provides an atmosphere that is part-barn, part Soho hipster. I am enchanted by the different colored reclaimed wood on the walls and doors, and the barn, industrial pendant lights that leave a ghostly pallor in the room. The food is solid and plentiful. Calamari was well-fried, with peppers and a very decent sauce. Salads were fresh and bright, and well thought out. My seafood dish (somewhat like a bouillabaisse) was tasty, and even, though some of the fish was a little bit overcooked. It is hard to get that totally right. The mussels, clams, shrimp, what have you (seafood) was cooked very well...but throw some regular fish in there, and it is hard to time it just so. The bread made me want to forget my carb restrictions (and I did). The pasta bolognese was delicious, hearty and meaty with a beautiful texture. You could tell they were fresh noodles. The sauce had real essence of fresh tomatoes. The overall taste of it was like being in a Tuscan countryside eating the neighbor's family recipe. We also ordered the special, a skirt steak with mashed potatoes and gravy, with a madera reduction, and sautéed vegetables. The steak was tender, and the mashed potatoes were creamy. The in-house made tiramisu was dewy and rich (a bit too sweet for me, though). Service was 5 star +. Prices are a little high, in general, but not for the area. This place can be frustratingly hard to find. You've been warned.

We ate there recently. Our waiter was fun and attentive. Our lasagna was OK, not great. I would try something else next time.

We didnt want to wait in line at Fillippi’s andthis one was the next restaurant to the north. The restaurant is upstairs as their pizzaeria is down. Most of the wait staff speak Italian and the meals we had were as good or better than we had in Rome! Seafood stew on special was better than in Amalfi.wifes saltimbocha was great and salads were terrific.... Chianti at 5 bucks a glass for happy hour was great quality. You won’t go wrong on this place......dont wait for Fillippi’s

We decided to try this place based on other reviews on TripAdvisor. We’re glad we did. It was a great experience. The space is small, and the service feels very personalized, intimate and authentic. The food was absolutely amazing. The meat and cheese tray (Torre di Antipasti) exceeded our expectations, it was three layers of amazingness. Will go again.

We really liked the attention and the tastes of the dinner we tasted; a small place but with a lot of life; the only thing - curious- is that being Italian food, there were no pizzas that day, which is an important part of the culture; but the rest we tasted was delicious. Recommended.

Discovered this restaurant walking in Little Italy. We opted for the lunch special which included a basket of warm bread, an antipasti course, entrée, and dessert served in a bento-style ceramic plate. The food is very tasty. The cannoli was especially yummy. And, all this for $15 each!! Lunch special choices are limited, but if you find something you like, the portions are perfect for mid-day.

Make a reservation a head of time we walked over around 6 without a reservation. We were told to return at 8. We walked around little Italy and enjoy a glass of wine at a wine bar. We return at 8 and sat out on the outdoor patio. It was lovely with the lights. We enjoyed a shared spinach salad and we each ordered pasta dishes. The restaurant provided a basket of bread too. I totally forgot to mention the amazing service. Very attentive and we never were left waiting. It was a great meal and would definitely go back.

Above a well liked Landini's Pizza parlor is a gem. My receipt labeled this place as Landini's 2 I assume because it is owned by the same folks. Either way this was a great spot. We got to Little Italy at prime dinner time, without a reservation. We stopped a few places but the wait at each was too long as we had another event to get to that evening. As we debated just getting some pizza, the hostess for this restaurant asked if we would be interested in seeing the menu and being seated. After a quick glance at the menu we said yes! The spaghetti carbonara was absolutely delicious, as was the calamari. Others with me had nothing but good things to say about their meals as well. The servers were very friendly and the vibe of the place was unique. It felt fancy, in a hipster sort of way, with exposed beams and brick. Prices were reasonable for Little Italy for dinner. This could be a great spot for a date, or for a group of friends! We were ecstatic to find this hidden gem, and I would certainly return again!

We ate lunch at this wonderful restaurant. We were walking thru Little Italy (two adults, 2 teenage boys and 1 10 year old boy) and decided to give it a try. It could not have been better. The service was outstanding—thanks GianLuca—and the food great. When we sat down I asked if we could share two Caesar salads to get us started. GianLuca said “you can have anything you like and split it however you want.” It was a great response—very accommodating. We then tried the fresh mozzarella focaccia and it was super well presented and tasted amazing—see picture. Then we had a pepperoni pizza. Perfect. And split a cannoli for dessert. I love cannoli but am very picky about what is a “good” cannoli. This was in my top 2. Highly recommend this place. Plus the decor was very nice and it was quiet at lunch time.

We were visiting SanDiego for a conference and found this place in Little Italy- it is a cozy place which can be easily missed. We had started our dinner with tomato basil soup-it was divine, the texture consistency and the serving size were all perfect- Next I ordered a vegetarian lasagna which was amazing- I finished it all up- the service is excellent, portions are generous and food is superb- I highly recommend this place- thanks to manager Eddie, it was a great experience

My sister and I found this awesome Italian restaurant in Little Italy. Very tasty, reasonably priced, and friendly and attentive staff. Highly recommend!

We wandered to Little Italy after walking from our USS Midway tour with my family. We happened upon this hidden restaurant upstairs from the pizza shop and decided to go in bc we wanted to sit down. We loved it. The pizza was fabulous. The service was great. Loved the intimate space and rustic decor.

Walking around Little Italy in San Diego looking for a place to eat we decided on Restaurant Illando on India Street. You can walk in on the ground floor and pick out a pizza to take with you or, as we decided, go upstairs to the quaint dining room and eat in. We noticed other tables receiving orders of calamari so we ordered some ourselves. We've eaten calamari all over the country and found these to be by far the best we've ever had. The staff was warm and friendly, the pizza was quite good but the calamari is number one here. Try it, you won't regret it.

We got off the trolley in Little Italy and just walked around the area, hoping to find a nice Italian restaurant to dine at. What a wonderful find. They even had a Pranzo Pronto $15 Express Lunch. What a great idea. You were able to pick an Antipasti/Salad, Pasta, and Dessert. I did enjoy my Caesar Salad, Penne Pollo e Broccoli, and Cannoli. Hubby ordered Insalata Feta e Olive, Penne Chiantigiana, and Tiramisu. Delish!

We made our selection based off reviews which usually serves us well, but not this time. We had reservations and they were even able to seat us early which was nice. Loved the small cozy atmosphere and the great people watching with a birds eye view since the restaurant is located upstairs. The food however, left us wishing that we had chosen one of the other many Italian restaurants. The lobster ravioli was nothing too scream about and was undercooked- way too al dented for our liking with just a hint of lobster flavor. The chicken Parmesan was rubbery and nothing spectacular as well. For the price, both dishes were nothing to be excited about. With so many other restaurants in Little Italy, we will not be coming back.

This is the best Italian restaurant in little Italy, the pizzas are so big and the very best. my husband is an expert on Italian food and he says it's amazing! The staff are warm and friendly and most accommodating. Thank you for a perfect evening. Lorraine and Paul

New to Little Italy and hungry for some authentic cuisine, we discovered this tiny gem after walking a few blocks amidst tourist traps. The host at the bottom of the stairs was very helpful and cheery, explaining the menu, her favorites and the restaurants newbie status in the neighborhood. Had the brie and mushroom salad and Spaghetti Seafood Scoglio (sans mussels) paired with a glass of Montepulciano. Heaven. Would definitely recommend.

To be frank, I chose this place at first because they were the only ones with reservation available on a Friday evening. I went through a list of Italian places in Little Italy San Diego which all came up no reservation on Open Table. I have to say, choosing to eat at Ristorante Illando was a GOOD CHOICE and my parents and I agree that next time, we visit San Diego, they will be on TOP of our list of places to eat at. Service was great the food delicious and gold star to the hostess who was very proactive and moved us to a different table when a party of 20 showed up and their table was 2 feet away from us.

Definitely make a reservation! It’s a very small place. Friendly service. Delicious food. You won’t be disappointed! Restaurant is on the upper level accessed by a narrow and steep staircase. Beautiful and intimate location.

We read that the food was really good here. We showed up without a reservation, and they took us straight upstairs to the dining room. We were seated, and right away we noticed a bad smell that smelled almost like sewer gas. In all fairness, we never tasted the food, because we opted to leave rather than stay with the bad smell. I don’t know if they were having problems, but we left rather than sticking through the smell.

I loved that this restaurant was up on the 2nd floor a little out of the way of the craziness of the street! Food was delicious, the atmosphere was cozy, like I went to my Italian cousins home for a home cooked authentic meal.

had dinner here it was wonderful. hidden upstairs nicely done. excellent food, nice sauces and f resh noodles, delightful! the octopus appetizer was one of the best around. excellent attentive service. will come back!

We had a fabulous dinner last night at illando with a great waiter named Gianluca. Gianluca selected an incredible wine- let him do the same for you! We ate a pizza with a perfect crust and a feta & olive salad...both I highly recommend! The atmosphere is trendy and intimate. You need to try this restaurant!!!

We had an excellent experience here. The food was tasty and deliscious and sevice was excellent. Here is one thing about the restaurant. If you blink you may miss it. The restaurant is located above a pizzeria called Landinis. We never even thought that there was restaurant upstairs. The Food itself was a wonderful and the menu items all looked delicious. They also had lunch specials on the menu where you get your choice of an appetizer, a main dish, and dessert for about $15.00. We decided to try the lunch special and the food was deliscious and flavorful. We had decided to try the special just to get a sense of the food quality. We will eventually return to try the main entrees for dinner. The staff were all wonderful and very attentive. We were greeted with a friendly smile at the entrance and the same at the restaurant. This made us feel more comfortable. The bread that we were served before our lunch was great and had a wonderful aroma and taste. Our lunch came out quickly. The staff checked on us but was not overbearing. The restaurant itself is small but has a larger feel to it due to the decor. It's a beautiful and charming rustic design. What's great is that you do have a great view of little Italy from the restaurant if you sit by the window. Overall we had an excellent experience with both the food and the the staff.

Wow Freshest Pasta in Little Italy! It was so good we returned again a second night on our 3 day visit in San Diego. We had a variety of the dishes and everything was so tasty. The service was exceptional! Friendly and fast. They made you feel like you are family. Also the home made bread was so soft and fresh. Go here you wont regret it! Oh PS try the Cannoli forsure!

This small restaurant on a second floor right in the heart of Little Italy (India Street) is very nicely decorated with great service, outstanding food and very accesible prices. We had a great time and enjoyed the view of the street below.

It was excellent service and excellent pizza. I'll definitely return there when I'm in San Diego. I really enjoyed the staff at the location.

Amazing! The food was authentic and just delicious! And the service was out of this world. I will definitely visit when in San Diego again!

My wife and two friend joined us for dinner at this restaurant. We had eaten late in the afternoon and were not ravenously hungry, thus ordered light meals: Caesar' Salad: very good Meat Lasagna: very good Pasta; very good Calamari: fried, this was my dish, my only negative comment was that it was heavily breaded and lacked flavour - In hindsight I should have ordered it to be grilled The service was brisk, friendly and appropriate and the price was VERY reasonable for a restaurant in Little Italy San Diego Overall a very enjoyable experience

What I just emailed the owner of Illando: My wife and I have been coming to Illando for over 10 years. I just wanted to give you feedback that we won't be back. -- The preparation of our favorite dish changes wildly from visit to visit. It oscillates between "incredible/world-class" and "disappointing." This time, I'd say it was "very disappointing." -- Your wedge salad is also very lacking. -- A much bigger concern (and the "deal breaker") is the abhorrent service we received on our last visit. Your server "Giovanni" (or so he calls himself) was outright rude and abusive. My wife was struggling with the window? He made fun of her and mocked her and enjoyed her embarrassment (not helping at all). He offered to time our meal, but then, 10 minutes later, brought EVERYTHING out at the same time. When we asked him why, he snapped at us that he had told the kitchen, then walked away. When I asked for a plate to share our meal (my wife and I share multiple appetizers and entrees), he brought us a tiny one. When we asked for a normal-sized plate, please, he snapped, "Those are in the kitchen. DO YOU WANT ME TO GO TO THE KITCHEN to get you one??!?!" Our "medium-rare" steak came out well-done. Overall, this was one of the worst dining experiences we've had. My wife and I are world travelers, a mature couple, and we don't mind spending money for good value and a good experience. As we left Illando, we both had the same feeling: we will never return, because we don't go somewhere to be abused. Shame on "Giovanni" for being an abusive, mean bully. Note: Other diners around us were in shock at how he was treating us.

Kinda hard to find, because this restaurant is located above an ice cream shop and the signage is small. It's small but so quaint, great intimate vibe, but not at all "stuffy". Our wait staff was great. I got the short rib stuffed tortellini, which was fantastic! We also got the meatball appetizer, which consisted of 3 large piping hot meatballs, which were also delicious. This was our best meal on our 4-night vacation in San Diego.

This started a little dicey but I was pleasantly surprised. At first I passed right by it because it sits above another restaurant, you have to take the stairs to get there. Once I got up there I was the only one there, so I wondered if I made a mistake. The place is small but cozy and the staff was helpful and friendly. I tried some Italian beer called Dolomites and and a Spaghetti Allo Scoglio, both very good. I will return!

Excellent food. The olive oil served with bread was so well balanced!!! Homemade pasta options available and waiter even suggested a modified entree so I could have their homemade pasta! Spinach salad was excellent. All paired well with Chianti. Comfortably sat outdoors to embrace the activity in Little Italy.

After eating here, I understood why this restaurant was rated higher than the others in Little Italy. I just ordered the special appetizer - the marinated Roman artichoke - served very hot and DELICIOUS! Had the Caprese salad as my main course- also amazing. Between those two appetizers and the delicious bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic, the meal was great. The waitress, server, and busboys could not have been nicer or more attentive. I was going to order the spaghetti vongole (clam sauce) but was diverted to the artichoke special and was glad for it. And the wine pour is VERY GENEROUS - a “New Jersey” pour is how I refer to it! Will come back for sure next time I am in town - hard to find - on top of an Italian take out joint....

Illando is one of our go-to restaurants when we visit San Diego. We had enjoyed another fine meal with great service on Saturday night; however, as we were paying our bill, a giant rat scampered across the open ceiling, just above our heads.

I was looking for a place to host our team dinner. I am very pleased I had found this restaurant on TripAdvisor. The interaction with Dina, who was helping me was very efficient and she made very good recommendations. When we arrived, everything was well set up and prepared, Dina was waiting for us and introduced me to Natasha, who was the person taking care of us for the evening. Needless to say that Natasha and others very very professional, friendly and did a great job. Food was nicely presented and tasted great. Thank you for a very enjoyable evening.

We were very lucky to find this place. Friendly staff and excellent pasta ! Bread with oil and balsamic vinaigrette was also wonderful.

Went on Valentines day with another couple. Very good service and very good food. Service was excellent and even early on Valentines day we were never rushed. Waiters were helpful and very friendly. First time I had lobster ravioli with nice chunks of lobster.

Amazing find! Meatballs, meat plate and bruschetta! Yummy yummy. Our server, JC, was awesome. Cannot wait to come back.

Food was utterly fantastic and value for money 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 you can taste the quality of every ingredient in your dish! I’ve been to Italy a number of times, however this is one of the best Italian meals I’ve ever had. Service was good, it was quiet so we were a little “over served” if that makes sense. The complementary bread was lovely also.

Because of the previous reviews we had high expectations for their lunch special (for a very good price 15$) We were greatly appreciative of each course but the tiramisu has now set a new gold standard. The decoration and photos were very sober and tasteful. We had the chance to have Chris as our server who greated us and served us very professionally. Looking forward for our next visit and we will highly recommend.

I went there because of the excellent ratings on Tripadvisor and Yelp. Had the Bruschetta and Pasta with vegetables. Both OK but not the intense taste I expected. The wine was called 'Supertuscan', but it was anything else than that, very basic and light. All in all disappointing.

We have bypassed this restaurant on busy India Street many times on our way to more well known establishments, but decided to give it a try when they were able to seat our party of eight immediately on a busy Thursday evening during Navy Fleet week. The menu is a perfect mix of traditional dishes and new variations of Italian specialties. Service is prompt, prices are in line with other area restaurants and the atmosphere is reminiscent of trattorias in Italy. Will definitely consider dining their again when visiting San Diego.

My husband and I ate at Ristorante Illando in the Little Italy section over Father's Day weekend. Only in business for 3 months, It is located on the second floor of a pizza shop. This restaurant is small and intimate. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. The staff was extremely attentive. We split a mista salad which was tasty and we each had an entree. My husband had a pasta dish which he said was very good. I had the eggplant parm which was delicious, The desserts looked fabulous, but we were stuffed. I was disappointed that they did not have regular coffee, only espresso. We had to go somewhere else for that. I would definitely return to this restaurant.

We stumbled across this wonderful restaurant whilst strolling through Little Italy, the food was delicious and the service was superb by all of the team. A special thank you to Gianluca for the recommendations on the specials and wine - all were superb. If we weren't leaving San Diego tomorrow we would visit again. Grazie!

Great service and I was very impressed with the bread and the ravioli this is by far one of the best Italian restaurants and everything to my 49 years of life and most any Traveller to San Cisco

QUICKIE REVIEW One of the better Italian restaurants in Little Italy. FOOD This is what I tried: -bruschetta toscanna -calamari fritti -mahi mahi alla griglia -tiramisu   This is place where you can arguably come here and just eat the appetizers as they have so much zest and pop to it.   Mahi mahi was done good as well, not overcooked.   Food taste was right where it needed to be.  Tiramisu was a good way to end the meal and served a good dessert.   PARKING No, street parking is what you are looking for. SERVICE Good.   PRICE Roughly $60 for 2 with a glass of wine for each.   TIP/OTHER THOUGHTS Restaurant itself is not really big so at night time seating might be a tad bit competitive.  Recommend you come around 5-ish for immediate seating.

Ristorante Illando has a very nice second floor outdoor dining area. Antipasto was enormous - so much so that it was a meal for 4 without any entrees. Mains were large and flavorful. Extensive wine list with many great choices. Very pleasant dining experience.

This food goes to the heart and not into the stomach♥️ very delicious Carbonara (but for Italien guy not original) with one glas Chianti, wonderful. We were 8 people but everything was very delicious.

What a special gem in Little Italy SanDiego. I am from New York and the Pizza is just like home. The service was excellent and the waiter Eddie was attentive and very personable. Great Wine, great ambiance, fun and outstanding pasta dishes 🇺🇸👍

This is not risotto. White rice and mushrooms with a ton of oil! Average at best for Italian meal in little Italy. Keep walking down the street for another location!

My daughter recently moved to Little Italy in San Diego, so we went to Ristorante Illando to celebrate with her friend (who had been there before). The service was wonderful on the upstairs patio. Our waiter was from Rome and he was very attentive and gave us great recommendations. We started with the Burrata con Prosciutto, which was excellent! We each ordered a main course, which we shared - our selections included Lobster Ravioli, Spaghetti Carbonara, and Gnocchi with Asparagus and Pancetta. All were flavorful and delicious. The gnocchi were a bit salty for my taste, but that was because of the pancetta. It was still great! For dessert, we opted for the Limoncello Cake, which was amazing. Great food and service! Highly recommend!

This was a very small restaurant in Little Italy. The ground floor was a busy pizza joint and they occupied the second floor. We made reservations for our Thanksgiving dinner and after checkin we were seated within 15 minutes. Luckily we made reservations as they were turning away walk up diners since they were booked solid. There were two outdoor seating options. One in the front which was awkward due to all the guests waiting around and the other in the back which was quieter and covered. We never saw the inside. There were a number of open tables so we assumed it was staffing levels that prevented them from filling all of them. The menu that night was limited versus the full menu on regular nights. Veal or chicken entrees with pasta (including 2 vegetarian) ravioli, risotto and gnocchi. We also found out that the prices were about $5 higher per dish versus the regular menu that was posted the next day when we walked through Little Italy again. Overall two of our three dishes were good. Rich meat or seafood sauces, al dente tagliatelle noodles, and crisp calamari. The negatives were a couple of lukewarm tortolonni in a bland butter sauce and running out of chocolate soufflé. Service was good throughout. Maybe we’ll consider trying the food again next time in Little Italy.

We had high hopes but this place didn't totally live up to all the good reviews. One diner had spaghetti and meatballs, which he said was very good. The Caesar salad that we all shared was very good, fresh, crisp and plentiful. The wine pours were generous. The let down was the eggplant Parmesan which two of us ordered. Neither one of us liked it. It was extremely salty and kind of mushy. So definitely a mixed bag.

We ordered Calamari as an appetizer. It was a nice size and very tasty. We had the meaty lasagna, veggie lasagna, ravioli, and a pepperoni pizza. My favorite was the pizza. The meaty lasagna was pretty good, the veggie lasagna didn’t have many veggies and the kid ate all of her ravioli. I would go back for a pizza for sure.

We were looking for something reasonable, good, and accommodating for small children. This place fit the bill. A nice young lady was waiting at the front door advertising the menu. The special was awesome, I don't remember what it was called but I do remember the excellent taste. You can't go wrong with this place.

I had the meatballs to start. Excellent. the caesar salad was kind of average. The pasta was delicious,

My husband and I were looking for some authentic Italian food, and were delighted to find this small upstairs restaurant where the food was flavorful and delicious, and the room was beautiful and comfortable. We would return!

First time traveling to San Diego on 9/28, I was looking for something unique & local for an early dinner. I found Ristorante Illando online among so many other choices, some local, others obviously large chains.  I made a reservation so I wouldn't miss the chance to try this place using the Open Table app. I am dining solo & arrived early enough for happy hour providing me the choice between their quiet more private deck or the street side tables. I chose the street side so I could people watch as they enjoyed their neighborhood. I can see why reservations are highly suggested the food was very tasty as I was  soon to find out for myself. I wanted to try several food offerings so I ordered the brussel sprouts with pancetta (sautéed w/ bacon and caramelized), polpette affogate (3 meatballs served with marinara sauce) & montepulciano wine from the appetizer / happy hour menu. The atmosphere along with the basket of fresh bread & balsamic vinegar made this meal a great start to my vacation. The staff here was attentive without hover. Delicious food & a great experience, well done!

Visited the restaurant while in town for business and selected it at my colleague's request to try "little Italy." The location was super with lots of bustle on a Saturday night. The staff was really friendly and helpful. The food was ok; nothing to blow your socks off.

Choosing a restaurant in San Diego's Little Italy district is not an easy thing to do. The area is loaded with wonderfully authentic restaurants interspersed with Italian shops and some great views of the Bay. We chose Ristorante Illando and were very pleased with the experience. The bruschetta was great - fresh chunks of tomato and garlic on warm toasted fresh bread, with lots of EVOO and balsamic vinegar for dipping. It and the salad paired beautifully with a young Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - light, mild tannins and a fresh plum and cherry palate. The Spaghetti allo Scoglio (clams, mussels, shrimp in garlic marinara) was very good, with only the mussels slightly lacking that ideal fresh and tasty flavor. The house-made pasta and sauce tasted like Sicily to me, and the clams and shrimp were wonderful. The service here is excellent - low key, responsive and friendly. And our server was nice enough to provide me a couple of wine samples to help me choose. With my entree I ended up ordering a Chianti DOCG from Melini which perfectly balanced the spicy marinara and shellfish dish. Oh, the best part: homemade Tiramisu! They serve the best Tiramisu I have had in years.

Husband and I got the luncheon special $15 menu (choose 1 each appy, main, dessert off a mini menu.) I have Celiac disease and they kindly subbed gf penne as a pasta choice for no extra charge. They guarantee fresh cooking water, not a re-use of regular pasta water like some neighbouring restaurants who 'offer gf choices.'. They take food allergies seriously, so show them some love! I chose the caraimelized Brussels sprouts appy (awesome) and gf penne primavera (no dessert, as none on that menu were gf.) They even brought me an extra portion of penne full of wonderful roasted veggies and garlicky olive oil and I hadn't even requested a sub for the dessert. Very flavourful. Hubby with no food sensitivities had the perfectly crafted Caesar salad, handmade ricotta ravioli in a rose sauce, and cheesecake for dessert. He said the salad and ravioli were really good, although cheesecake was average. This place can be hard to spot as it is a very small dining room upstairs from a related casual pizza place . Hostess has a stand just at the entrance of the narrow stairwell on the sidewalk. Definitely NOT handicapped accessible. We are returning for another meal while in this area for a week - this time dinner, for more choices on the evening menu. Friendly attentive staff.

The service was amazing!!! Gianluca was very attentive to all our needs. He was an exceptional waiter for our family. Amazing description of all the entrees......just first rate service and scrumptious pizza and pasta at this first class Italian eatery. Way to go Gianluca!!!

Wife had brie insalata which was nice and a decent portion for the price. I had the ravioli gorgonzola perfect serving size and not to overpowering would recommend again

We were lucky enough to attend a friend's birthday party upstairs at the restaurant. We were served family style meals. The food was absolutely incredible. We had pasta and meatballs, ravioli, risotto, and salmon. Each dish that was brought out was better than the last. The wines that our friend and the sommelier chose were equally divine. We had the best time in this lovely location. Top-notch service. Thank you so much. We look forward to visiting again in the future.

We are visiting from Texas and wanted to have a nice Italian meal and chose Ristorante Illando and we're not disappointed. The location is great, the staff were so nice and the food was fantastic! When visiting, get down to Little Italy and give this bistro a try!

Located directly above it’s sister restaurant Landini’s pizzeria in Little Italy. Came here during covid so seating was limited. We dined in the back deck of the restaurant. Even with reservations we had to wait about 15 minutes before being seated. It was obvious that they were either understaffed or just running behind from the start. Took awhile to get even water for the table and then even longer for our orders to get taken. Knowing there would likely be a longer wait if we ordered only our drinks first we went all in and just ordered everything at once. After ordering we had to remind the server to give us our glasses of wine and more place settings. Started with the burrata with prosciutto and the octopus (polpo alla Mediterranea). The burrata was very fresh but wish it came with more tomatoes. It only had 1 small cherry tomato cut into 4’s. The polpo was more like a mini pulpo. I know it’s an appetizer but the serving was so small and it was a tease especially since the one tiny bite that I had was perfectly cooked and was seasoned well. Wish I had more than a morsel. Since there were 5 adults we were able to try 5 different pastas. My favorite was the lobster ravioli (ravioli alla aragosta) and the spaghetti vongole veraci. Although the lobster ravioli doesn’t look very appealing in the pictures it was fantastic. Very large chunks of lobster not just in the filling but also the sauce. The clam vongole was very light being based in a white wine sauce, generous portions of clams and pasta cooked perfectly al dente. The spaghetti alla scoglio has generous portions of seafood and also was super tasty. The spaghetti carbonara was my least favorite, the sauce was very heavy. Overall food was very good and reasonably priced. My main complaint would just be the slow service although the staff was very friendly and very apologetic for the long wait. They had a large party coming after us and definitely didn’t rush us out. Four stars for the food. Wouldn’t mind giving them another try for better service.

We loved everything we ordered. We were a walk-in at happy hour time, in my opinion we were seated at the best seat in the house right in front of the front window. I have a pet peeve about sitting down in an Italian restaurant and not being served a complementary basket of bread, this place did not disappoint, some of the best bread ever along with a plate of dipping oil with some balsamic poured in. The Tagliere di Salumi tray on the appetizer menu was a perfect selection of the tastiest varieties of meat, cheese and ham. The Spaghetti carbonara will be hard to forget, plenty of large chunks of flavorful pancetta. Also we ordered the Spaghetti Allo scoglio, all the seafood was good. The pasta in both dishes was perfectly cooked Al dente. Service was good.

This little place has a lot of charm. Seating and space is limited which gives it an exclusive and romantic feel. The food is nothing short of outstanding. You definitely taste the love and passion they put in their food. The servers were attentive and quick to bring us whatever we asked for. Will definitely come back. I left my credit card on the table and the server chased us halfway down the street to give it back.

Ristorante Illando is a great new Italian spot in little Italy. The interior decor is gorgeous, all natural, wood finish and earth tones. Definitely sets the feel of an authentic Italian restaurant. The food was all absolutely delicious. The meatballs were nice and hearty, perfectly seasoned, and topped with the most tasty marinara sauce. The Pollo al Limone (chicken with a creamy lemon sauce) was cooked to perfection, with the sauce having just the right amount of lemon. My favorite entree was definitely the carbonara! Ristorante Illando is a great spot to go on a date, or even just out with a few friends. Either way the food is top notch and the service was amazing!

First impressions You have to climb a flight of stairs as it is located on top of a pizza joint. Small location. Sat by the window with good views of the street. Parking Good luck, this is little Italy and limited. Parking lots are a couple of blocks away if you are not lucky enough to score street side space. Ambiance Sparse, empty when we were there, but we dined just after opening. Menu Small menu but all the usual fare Food Cesar salad was good. Polpo alla Mediterranean good one piece of octopus tasty and good. brussels sprouts w pancetta very good. costolette di agnello a good set of ribs very tasty Ravioli alla aragosta very good Price moderate but fair Final Thoughts small cozy place to get away from the bigger restaurants.

A group of guys on a business trip looking for a good place to eat and talk. we we walking through Little Italy and happened upon this place. We took a chance and I am glad we did. Very nice restaurant with great service and great food. If you go here you will be pleased. This would make a nice romantic choice for dinnef.

I'll offer 3 - 3 1/2 stars here. I went in for their $15.00 lunch special (sorry no substitutions). You get a limited choice of a few entrees, a bruschetta or so, a dessert cheesecake or a cannoli. With two glasses of a nice Chardonnay wine, I paid roughly 30 + which was ok. Service was what you'd expect, decent and attentive with an empty smaller upstairs quaint dining area. Albeit, on a nice summer July day.

Little Italy is packed with italian restaurants and mainly catered to tourists. The appetizers were actually better than the entrees and wines. You may see pictures of pizzas but they are actually from a unrelated pizza place that shares the same building with this restaurant. For a restaurant that houses itself in Little Italy, I would expect better italian food. I just wasn't wowed at the end.

The host was great! We didn’t have a reservation so we go sat out on the back patio. The weather was nice so it was perfect. Our server was attentive when we ordered but hardly came back again. The food was a little pricey but it was worth it. Probably one of the best Italian we had. The best chicken parm, lobster raviolis, bolognese and calamari. I was a little disappointed with the Caesar salad but that wasn’t a bit deal because our entrees were amazing. Will definitely go back again.