We visited Monello on a Monday night during the bustling Little Italy Food and Wine Festival, and despite not having reservations, we were able to snag two seats at the bar. From the moment we sat down, the service was excellent…warm, attentive, and with a thoughtful explanation of the menu that helped guide our choices.
My wife and I decided to share two dishes, starting with the Pappardelle Monello. This pasta is an absolute must, with wide, homemade ribbons perfectly coated in a rich, flavorful sauce that made every bite a pleasure. We also split the Prosciutto Pizza, where the balance of flavors was spot-on, from the savory prosciutto to the fresh toppings and crisp crust.
To finish, we ordered the chocolate torte, which was decadent and satisfying. The bartender kindly comped it, saying we had waited too long for it, though in truth, we were perfectly content enjoying our bottle of wine and the lively atmosphere. It was an unexpected and much-appreciated gesture of hospitality.
Monello offers excellent food, great service, and an inviting vibe. We highly recommend it and will definitely return the next time we’re in San Diego
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
zeki büyülü
Very nice . The taste was very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Suryansh Kumar
Food was alright but the 1 star is for the service. We were a table of four with reservations and our waiter was so dry and cold. 10 minutes into receiving our food, 3 different people asked if they could clear our plates or give us to go boxes. Mind you, our plates were still full. Total time at the restaurant had only been maybe 20-25 minutes. Someone even left boxes on our table with the check, even though we were still eating. We felt so rushed. I asked 3 different people for a refill on my drink and was ignored as well.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Caroline Salvatore
While our whole experience here was wonderful, I’m leaving this review to highlight the carbonara. We were in San Diego for 4 nights and ate here the first night, and then ordered it for pickup again every night after that because it was all we could think about. It’s seriously one of the best dishes I’ve ever tasted. If anyone who works here wants to tell me the recipe I would owe you my life
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Geoff Wer
ordered pesto, very mediocre, overpriced. Place doesn't have great seating especially compared to other restaurants in little italy. I would not return
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 4
Heidi Caballero
Service was amazing and the waitress (Cristina) was really attentive with us checking up on us the perfect amount. Food was absolutely amazing, you can never go wrong with their rotating cheese wheel plates. Definitely recommend visiting during happy hour too, worth the value.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Melanie Cooper
The pasta was not al dente. There’s nothing else to say.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Jacqueline Purtee
Gluten free gnocchi is not easy to find, so I was ecstatic to try it. 100% recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eric
I message the restaurant that it was our 19th wedding anniversary and in town for the night. They put us at a table at the front door next to host station, after I complicated how beautiful the restaurants design was...?!?! We really felt unattended. Waiter never checked on us for 2nd round of drinks or how the food is...?!?! I read about the owners and they have two restaurants in town. I'm guessing we caught them on an off night or our bad luck. :-(
Sharen
The food was absolutely excellent—every bite was a reminder of why this place is so highly rated. From the perfectly cooked pasta to the rich and flavorful lasagna the kitchen clearly knows what it's doing. It was one of the best meals we've had in a long time. That said, the experience wasn't without hiccups. The restaurant was noticeably understaffed. Our server was doing their best but was clearly stretched thin—long waits, never could get a second glass of wine and we stopped whoever was walking by to get bread. It wasn't the staff's fault; they were polite, professional, and working incredibly hard—but they were simply overwhelmed. If the service matched the quality of the food, this would easily be a five-star spot. Hopefully, they can get the staffing sorted out soon, because the kitchen deserves a full house and a smooth operation out front.
Delicious food and excellent customer service. Julie our server provided us with outstanding customer service. Thank you.
Devin Kroupa
Absolutely the best pasta I have had. The server was amazing and got my beer on him. 11/10 experience. Also, pricing was very good👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
phil
Got this recommendation from a co worker - so good! We tried four different pastas between the table (including the cheese wheel pasta). They were all top notch and super fresh. Really, the cheese wheel was probably the least favorite amongst the table (more experiential than anything else). Ragu app and pasta were amazing! Servings very large. Good value for price!
Barry Haines
I am here for a conference and ate at several locations here in little Italy. Came back here twice since the food, service and atmosphere were the best. Prices are very reasonable and the food was amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
M Wong
I loved my experience here. The dish I ordered was especially good, super creamy, fresh pasta, good service — I would come back in a heartbeat.
We visited Monello on a Monday night during the bustling Little Italy Food and Wine Festival, and despite not having reservations, we were able to snag two seats at the bar. From the moment we sat down, the service was excellent…warm, attentive, and with a thoughtful explanation of the menu that helped guide our choices.
My wife and I decided to share two dishes, starting with the Pappardelle Monello. This pasta is an absolute must, with wide, homemade ribbons perfectly coated in a rich, flavorful sauce that made every bite a pleasure. We also split the Prosciutto Pizza, where the balance of flavors was spot-on, from the savory prosciutto to the fresh toppings and crisp crust.
To finish, we ordered the chocolate torte, which was decadent and satisfying. The bartender kindly comped it, saying we had waited too long for it, though in truth, we were perfectly content enjoying our bottle of wine and the lively atmosphere. It was an unexpected and much-appreciated gesture of hospitality.
Monello offers excellent food, great service, and an inviting vibe. We highly recommend it and will definitely return the next time we’re in San Diego
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very nice . The taste was very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was alright but the 1 star is for the service. We were a table of four with reservations and our waiter was so dry and cold. 10 minutes into receiving our food, 3 different people asked if they could clear our plates or give us to go boxes. Mind you, our plates were still full. Total time at the restaurant had only been maybe 20-25 minutes. Someone even left boxes on our table with the check, even though we were still eating. We felt so rushed. I asked 3 different people for a refill on my drink and was ignored as well.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
While our whole experience here was wonderful, I’m leaving this review to highlight the carbonara. We were in San Diego for 4 nights and ate here the first night, and then ordered it for pickup again every night after that because it was all we could think about. It’s seriously one of the best dishes I’ve ever tasted. If anyone who works here wants to tell me the recipe I would owe you my life
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
ordered pesto, very mediocre, overpriced. Place doesn't have great seating especially compared to other restaurants in little italy. I would not return
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 4
Service was amazing and the waitress (Cristina) was really attentive with us checking up on us the perfect amount. Food was absolutely amazing, you can never go wrong with their rotating cheese wheel plates. Definitely recommend visiting during happy hour too, worth the value.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
The pasta was not al dente. There’s nothing else to say.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Gluten free gnocchi is not easy to find, so I was ecstatic to try it. 100% recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I message the restaurant that it was our 19th wedding anniversary and in town for the night. They put us at a table at the front door next to host station, after I complicated how beautiful the restaurants design was...?!?! We really felt unattended. Waiter never checked on us for 2nd round of drinks or how the food is...?!?! I read about the owners and they have two restaurants in town. I'm guessing we caught them on an off night or our bad luck. :-(
The food was absolutely excellent—every bite was a reminder of why this place is so highly rated. From the perfectly cooked pasta to the rich and flavorful lasagna the kitchen clearly knows what it's doing. It was one of the best meals we've had in a long time. That said, the experience wasn't without hiccups. The restaurant was noticeably understaffed. Our server was doing their best but was clearly stretched thin—long waits, never could get a second glass of wine and we stopped whoever was walking by to get bread. It wasn't the staff's fault; they were polite, professional, and working incredibly hard—but they were simply overwhelmed. If the service matched the quality of the food, this would easily be a five-star spot. Hopefully, they can get the staffing sorted out soon, because the kitchen deserves a full house and a smooth operation out front.
Restaurantji Recommends
Delicious food and excellent customer service. Julie our server provided us with outstanding customer service. Thank you.
Absolutely the best pasta I have had. The server was amazing and got my beer on him. 11/10 experience. Also, pricing was very good👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Got this recommendation from a co worker - so good! We tried four different pastas between the table (including the cheese wheel pasta). They were all top notch and super fresh. Really, the cheese wheel was probably the least favorite amongst the table (more experiential than anything else). Ragu app and pasta were amazing! Servings very large. Good value for price!
I am here for a conference and ate at several locations here in little Italy. Came back here twice since the food, service and atmosphere were the best. Prices are very reasonable and the food was amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I loved my experience here. The dish I ordered was especially good, super creamy, fresh pasta, good service — I would come back in a heartbeat.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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