Ristorante Illando

We made a late reservation for 10:15 but couldn't arrive on time. We called and informed the hostess that we were running a bit late. The hostess was very respectful and understanding. When we arrived at the restaurant, she took great care of us and seated us upstairs by the windows.Our server, Natasha, was fantastic. We apologized for being late, and she was very empathetic, making us feel cared for and welcomed. The food and service were exceptional. We also engaged in a wonderful conversation with Natasha, who proved to be not only an excellent server but also a charming conversationalist.Great experience, great food, great service. When we next visit San Diego, we will undoubtedly return.

Wonderful experience. Excellent wine choices at solid prices, food delicious and our service from Luca and Carol was exceptional. Well done! Bravo!

Visited while I was in town for SDCC. Overall I really enjoyed my experience. The staff were super friendly and endlessly accommodating. It was a packed house so the ambiance was quite noisy and they patiently dealt with us moving to a different table to escape some of the noise. Our server Carol was incredibly sweet and patient. I had the fettuccine vodka and it was honestly the best vodka sauce I've ever had. The misses had the chicken parm and it was just ok. We asked for penne instead of spaghetti and to add Porchetta. They got the penne right but forgot the porchetta. I thought oh well, no big deal. The manager asked how everything was at the end of the meal and I mentioned the porchetta and that it was all good. He was extremely apologetic and comped the entire dish and gave us a complimentary tiramisu. Unbelievable service and hospitality by the staff, especially carol and the manager. Honestly Top notch. I have no issues recommending ristorante Illando. If you're looking for a quiet spot, maybe go off hours. Note that we were there during a heavy dinner rush on a Saturday during SDCC.

On a work trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and I thought I would stop and get the most expensive dinner my company would cover. Trust me, I was googling Wagyu Skirt Steaks, Roasted Duck, Es Cargoshorts or however you spell it. That French Snail stuff, you know what I'm talmbout. Shoutout to Team USA btw. God Bless America but most importantly God Bless Wardell Stephen Curry II. Anyway, back to the food. Let me set the scene. I check in to my hotel, drive down to La Jolla Cove and begin to shout obscenities at the Seal Lions/Seals for absolutely no reason. I would write what I told them here but that would get me kicked off the app and would have PETA at my doorstep yesterday. After verbally squabbling with the animals for 26 minutes, I head back to my car, slightly adjust my AC and turn on "F150-50" by Morgan Wallen. I used to hate country music but Morgan got me feeling patriotic. I'm already 3 snakeskin boots up! Damn it. Off track again, sorry. I begin to search for Italian restaurants. Remember, this is coming off the company's tab so I'm tryna blow a BAG. I settle on Italian. I begin my search and omg the Italian food per square foot gotta be CRAZY out here. There's 305,748 different options!!!! I settle on Ristorante Illando. I pull up and I SWEAR on the entire Jehovahs Witness population that I circled block maybe 9 times for parking -- but that's how dedicated I am. Nothing was stopping me from this Chicken Parm!!!After finally finding a spot, I begin to joyfully skip to the restaurant for a good night out (by myself because I'm a lonely man). I was greeted by Carol almost immediately. Her person-ability was off the charts. I knew instantly that she was going to offer quality service. And not only did she deliver, she bypassed any stretch goals I had in mind as well. Carol was extremely friendly and highly knowledgeable of the menu. I pretended to listen to her while she broke down the specials. I wasn't ignoring her, I was just trying to get my brain to correctly pronounce pappardelle. Didn't work.. I asked for the "paper dill". Highly embarrassing on my end, I know.. Back to Carol, she was phenomenal in all aspects with not only me but every surrounding table. She has as an infectious personality and truly understands the human. That, NOW that, is a skill you should hire. You can always teach the job. You can't always teach compassion, empathy and overall personality. Carol is a GEM and I truly hope the management at Ristorante Illando feels the same. You have a superstar on your team. She had such a profound impact on me that I literally paid the bill, ran to my car, drove 192 mph to my hotel, parked in a redzone, ran upstairs, turned on my laptop, typed in yelp and wrote this review!GOD BLESS YOU CAROL!!!!!

We had our server, Luca, helped take our order and he helped us recommend us a wine to pair with our dish. Additionally, continuously checked up on us to make sure everything went well. For the food, the food came out really fast and was hot and fresh so it tasted amazing. I would come here again as the vibes there were really good and the ambiance is perfect for a night out.

Just like Nona used to make. You have a choice of upstairs (super smal) or the back patio (our choice). The back patio feels like a backyard set up for family and friends. We had the spaghetti with meatballs, the Arancini and the fresh baked bread. 5-stars across the board. Yummm-eee. Service was good and it was a total delight. This is a must have reservations kind of place. Go and have the best Italian I have had in the city.

Amazing food and service! 10/10We received a friendly welcome and were seated quickly. They provided bread, oil/balsamic and water as we looked at our menus. The bread was so fluffy!We ordered rice meatballs, spinach ravioli, grilled vegetables and a tiramisu. The ravioli was so fresh and the meatball was so soft. The garlic butter vegetables were also such a refreshing accompaniment dish. Definitely coming back for more!

This restaurant has amazing Italian food that I found to be truly authentic. The aesthetic was also cute and rustic, perfect for a date night. Everything from the wine, bread, appetizers, pasta and dessert was simply delicious. We ordered the calamari which came with some shrimp as well. It was very flavorful and cooked perfectly. We also ordered the meatballs which were extremely good. The pasta was to die for! I ordered the Ravioli all'Aragosta which was lobster filled ravioli with creamy vodka sauce, it was amazing. We ordered the tiramisu for dessert and it was very decadent, not too sweet. The service was excellent as well. If I'm back in San Diego this will definitely be a stop for dinner!

What a hidden gem! Literally hidden, it's entrance is a staircase next to a pizza place and the restaurant itself is upstairs. The host takes you up a well lit stairway and the dining area that looks like someone's house. We had a cute little table next to a window with a view of their outdoor patio.Our server, Camilla, was wonderful. She is so friendly and pleasant. All the staff that we interacted with was great, I always appreciate good customer service.The food was amazing, I believe all the pasta here is made in-house. I would love to come back and dine here again! What a cute place located in the heart of Little Italy!

Such a wonderful place! The best service and food. My boyfriend and I came here for a dinner date and I don't usually eat Italian food but this place was amazing. Would 1000 percent come back. I even left my purse there and they had it waiting for me in the host stand. Def should try this place out. I had the lobster ravioli and crab cakes.