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Il Fornaio - Carmel, Carmel, CA

Il Fornaio - Carmel

4.5
4.5
2324 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian
Ocean Avenue & Monte Verde St, Carmel, CA 93921

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 p.m.
Booked 17 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
Il Fornaio means the Baker in Italian. Located in downtown Carmel, Il Fornaio offers an authentic and unique Italian dining experience and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence wine list. Enjoy wood-fired rotisserie and grilled meats, poultry and game; house made and imported pastas; pizzas from an oak wood burning oven; fresh salads and house made soups; antipasti and a wide variety of desserts made daily from scratch.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–8:30 pm Mon–Fri 7:30 am–10:00 am Fri 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat 7:30 am–9:00 pm Sun 7:30 am–8:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Gabriel Rodriguez
  • Catering
    Catering services through our take-out retail area are available and include: • Boxed Lunch – sandwich, salad, Italian cookie and drink packaged individually. • Platters – pastries, sandwiches, salads or cookies. Perfect for any social or business meeting held at your location. <br />Larger off-site full service catering is also available by request. Please contact our on-site Event Coordinator for more details.
  • Private party facilities
    Il Fornaio offers distinct dining options for large or small groups. We will assist in creating a special menu perfectly suited for the needs of your group.
  • Private party contact
    Paris Lohman - Event Coordinator: (831) 622-5108
  • Neighbourhood
    Carmel
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar Dining, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Il Fornaio's Daou Wine Dinner

    US$125.00 per person

    Jun 19, 2025 only
    Indulge in a 5-course Italian feast perfectly paired with premium Daou wines. Enjoy dishes like mesquite seared ahi tuna, housemade spinach & beet gnocchi in a porcini mushroom cream sauce, braised duck in an orange-demiglace & other chef-curated specialties. With expert wine insights shared throughout the meal, you & your guests are in for an unforgettable evening. $125 per person | price does not include tax, tip & surcharge 3% SURCHARGE – PLEASE NOTE THAT A 3% SURCHARGE WILL BE ADDED TO THE BILL. THIS SURCHARGE IS NOT A GRATUITY FOR THE STAFF BUT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE QUALITY EMPLOYEE PROGRAMS & BENEFITS FOR OUR TEAM AMID RISING COSTS & REGULATORY INCREASES. GRAZIE MILLE FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING & SUPPORT.
    Il Fornaio's Daou Wine Dinner photo

Private dining

What 2,324 people are saying

Il Fornaio - Carmel reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Il Fornaio in Carmel delights with its "delicious Italian cuisine" and "great service," offering a charming venue with stunning sunset views. The attentive staff, especially servers like Francisco and Sergio, enhance the dining experience. While a few encounters faced delays, the overall ambiance and menu remain a "gem" in Carmel.
2,324 Reviews
  1. Karen VIP

    Sacramento13 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    I would have liked more variety. The food was just ok. I would not eat breakfast at your restaurant again, but I would definitely have dinner because I love the Italian food.

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  2. Jefferson VIP

    Central Coast38 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I like Il Fornaio - I have gone countless times to this and other locations. The reduced review is because the special Bistecca - 22 oz bone in steak - was very cold. It was rare, which I normally get. I have never had one come out like this. It ended up being pretty tough, and I couldn't get the meat off of the bone. I would have sent it back, but was under a very strict time constraint. I am hoping this was just a one off. The others in my party were happy with their meals.

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  3. Jeff

    San Francisco14 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Really disappointing: soup was lukewarm, salad with chicken for 29 bucks was tiny and the pasta/bruschetta was marginal. Oh and the beer was very flat, waiter said they constantly have problems with carbonation. Service was great. Just disappointing.

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  4. Nadia VIP

    Central Coast122 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Superb all around👍👏. First, gracious & friendly reception by the wonderful hostess, beautiful venue, Delicious Italian cuisine (anything on the menu is delicious), great & attentive services, with Italian music to complement the gem of a restaurant👍👏. We REALLY enjoy everything about Il Fornaio. Even the coffee is perfect!! A real gem & must enjoy when you visit Carmel by the bay!!

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  5. Amber

    San Antonio1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We come all the time. Hannah does a wonderful job each time. Always looking forward to going back.

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  6. Kara VIP

    San Francisco24 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A really pretty location, felt less like a chain than other Il Fornaio i have been to. Our server was so so nice, food was great.

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  7. Cam

    Hawaii5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 12, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Nice restaurant. Nothing over the top, basic service and nice white table linens.

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  8. Andrea

    Atlantic City9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was delicious and service was great. Busy place but very organized and well run.

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  9. Stella VIP

    Orange County17 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on April 6, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    We booked to dine here with high hopes but were really disappointed. We were seated promptly upon arrival, however waited a long time for anyone to come to our table. Someone finally brought us water. After we waited a little longer, the waitress came to take our order. She asked if we had any questions abt the menu and we proceeded to ask a few questions abt the items. She appeared not to be so knowledgeable abt some of the menu items. We ended up ordering. She didn’t ask if we wanted anything to drink. One of us ordered the rigatoni alla vodka which was served with very little to no sauce. We had to ask for cheese to make it palatable. The chicken parmigiana was so so. Overall the food was bland and poorly presented for the $ they charge per plate. No one offered any extra cheese until we asked. We were pretty hungry so we ate the food otherwise I could tell you we have had better food at Cheesecake Factory. We didn’t say anything; just paid the bill and left.

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  10. Brian

    San Francisco3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Our waitress was very pleasant. Had an extended period of time between the salad and the main dish delivered. Pizza appeared to have been sitting on the counter for quite a while as the pizza temperature was just warm and the crust was dried out, the pasta was lukewarm. Flavors likely would have been there if presented in a timely manner

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FAQs

Il Fornaio - Carmel offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (831) 622-5100.

Il Fornaio - Carmel is rated 4.5 stars by 2324 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. California Central Coast
  4. Monterey / Carmel
  5. Carmel

Make a reservation


Booked 17 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Il Fornaio - Carmel

Ocean Avenue & Monte Verde St, Carmel, CA 93921

Additional information

  • Neighbourhood
    Carmel
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–8:30 pm Mon–Fri 7:30 am–10:00 am Fri 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat 7:30 am–9:00 pm Sun 7:30 am–8:30 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Gabriel Rodriguez
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar Dining, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Catering services through our take-out retail area are available and include: • Boxed Lunch – sandwich, salad, Italian cookie and drink packaged individually. • Platters – pastries, sandwiches, salads or cookies. Perfect for any social or business meeting held at your location. <br />Larger off-site full service catering is also available by request. Please contact our on-site Event Coordinator for more details.
  • Private party facilities
    Il Fornaio offers distinct dining options for large or small groups. We will assist in creating a special menu perfectly suited for the needs of your group.
  • Private party contact
    Paris Lohman - Event Coordinator: (831) 622-5108
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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