Beautiful restaurant on the main street of Palm Desert. Food is ok, service as well, the only disappointing thing, I was told the gelato is home-made, not only it's not home-made, but it was 2 pieces of hard uneatable hard ice, a clear sign of melted and refrozen gelato. Will visit again when in town. read more

Food and atmosphere are the perfect Vibe! Summer is hot and it's a great place to relax and enjoy delicious Italian cuisine. Easy parking and Uber friendly. Fun to walk downtown after a great meal. read more

Yes, it's pricey. But the service, food quality and overall experience is second to none. We went all out, for my uncles 78th birthday and they did not disappoint. The Pizza was great, my veal piccata was tasty and I got to try my cousin's rack of lamb and everything was on-point, including the Spumoni and Tiramisu desserts. I normally have one glass of wine with dinner but the Pinot Grigio was so good, it deserved a second glass. The perfect Manhattan cocktail was even noteworthy. I will return! read more

Il Corso - Italian Near Me - Palm Desert, California

This review is a long time coming. Three years ago, my husband and I eloped. After court, we came to Il Corso for lunch. It came highly recommended by a co-worker. It did not disappoint. I do recall ordering the pappardelle alla bolognese. I couldn't tell you what anyone else ordered, even what drink I ordered. But I recall the staff was incredible and made it special for us. read more

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Accidentally made Friday night reservations at the Palm Springs location and called this location panicked hoping they could get us in (party of 13!). They graciously accommodated us in the private party room which was perfect! Our server, Cesar, was amazing! Handling our table along with his other tables with ease. We had a wonderful time and I'd definite come back. I had the Vongole and clams but everyone loved their meal. Thank you Cesar and staff for treating us so well! read more

We came in a big group for work and our server was Chris-he absolutely handled us so well! The pace of service, the recommendations, and he has a great personality and attitude. The restaurant was clean, nice mood, and overall atmosphere was lovely. You can tell that the pasta was hand made in house. Some of the best grilled calamari I e ever had in my life! I ordered the Dover dole because I am a sucker for a table side service. That fish was some of the best fish I've had in my life. It was delicate and flavorful and the veggies were grilled and seasoned to perfection. I dang near ate the entire fish. We all left happy and full! read more

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Il Corso is an eloquent Italian restaurant with excellent service and cuisine. We were warmly greeted by Cristiana F. after being seated in our choice of areas. Her warm, friendly demeanor and knowledge elevated our experience there. We started with sparkling water in which our stemware seemed to keep refilling themselves. Bread and pesto dipping sauce was immediately delivered to the table. The waitstaff was very hospitable & efficient, and the food & service is served with a genuine smile. Our entrées consisted of the special of Spaghettini Caprese with Eggplant Speciale which was marvelous. My taste buds informed me that the freshness of the ingredients was quite apparent. The pasta, spaghettini, is slightly thinner than regular spaghetti, yet not as light as angel hair pasta. It is delicate, but with perfect al dente texture. For the second entrée, we chose their Spagetti al Aragosta, which is a Venetian dish consisting of 6 oz. of lobster tail meat tossed with garlic, fresh ripe cherry tomatoes over spaghetti. It was a perfect amount of lobster, with a small piece with each fork full of pasta. The sauce was mild enough to taste the lobster without overpowering the protein with a heavy tomato sauce. They offer a list of exquisite wine offerings, as well has having a full bar for adult librations. read more

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I had a good experience at Il Corso, but I'm not dying to go back. Service and atmosphere were both good, but the food was just average. The favorite thing I ate was probably the grilled calamari, which was nice and flavorful. My pasta entree, a homemade one with mushrooms and brown sauce, was fun but a little light on flavor. Overall, a good spot in Palm Springs but not my favorite. read more

Drinks were nice and strong seafood salad was totally delicious. Had the swordfish special it was good. Good buerre Blanc and spinach was perfect thank you... definitely a great Italian experience in palm desert . Ps : love the olive tapenade dip for the bread. read more

UPDATED The sign that an establishment is arrogant and lacking in integrity is exemplified by Il Corso. Management did nothing after my review of their performance in service and attitude. Their SILENCE speaks volumes. It has High School staff and arrogant staff. Highly recommended Castellis| La Spiga| Cliff House as awesome alternatives to a restaurant that, after being called out, does ZERO. NADA. ZILCH. Bad Optics and Bad Leadership. read more

YELP SHORT ANSWER: My first visit. Very good business lunch here, did not get a chance to photograph much, but I can say it was a great time with professional service. LOCATION: On El Paseo, nice location near Starbucks and all the great shops. FACILITY: Beautiful, traditional set up, table clothes, very fancy but with a casual desert vibe. You'll fit right in with your desert wear. MENU: Just had lunch, I will be back to see what they are famous for. FOOD PREP: Excellent for a lunch item menu. FOOD QUALITY: Great, had Sausage and Peppers... and a cappuccino after our meal, great espresso to finish. WAITSTAFF: So professional, allowing our conversations to pause, nice ordering routine, and servers were fast and spot on. This is more than just a restaurant, you can tell quickly, they care a lot about their brand. OVERALL VALUE: Seemed very fair for lunch, I did not have time to look over the entire dinner menu. TIP: Guessing seasonal parking issues, make a reservation, set your expectations high I am sure they will be exceeded. read more

I e been going there since they opened and food is good . Today I went in and had a terrible experience with the bartender . He was so rude . You know how someone has their back to you and if you try to get their attention they ignore you ? That was him . As a single woman I felt he had a problem with women as he was fine with the couple next to me . If this happens again O won't be back as It's not a proper way to be treated and I let the Girl at the front reception know . read more

Excellent truly Italian dishes. Cacio e pepe great, lasagna wonderful, grilled calamari fantastic. Come here often, best Italian in the desert. read more

After our last bad meal in the restaurant in 2022 we swore we'd never return. But we went tonight and at least they're consistent. The service was terrible. We won't be giving them a third chance. No water service. We were told the water gal was busy?! Pizza was good and plenty expensive. Ala carte meals were migral & bland and julienne vegetables was a tiny portion with a big price. We had to get up with our water glass go to hostess station to get more water. Lots of employees touching their unsanitary phones while eating food as diners looked on. Such a sad shame cus it's a Nice place. read more

Excellent service and the food is as good as it gets! Their dishes are fresh, delicious and presented beautifully. It's a happening hot spot on El Paseo in Palm Desert. I always have the best experience dining at this fabulous restaurant. read more

Il Corso - Italian Near Me - Palm Desert, California

This place was amazing. Food, drinks, service and ambience were excellent. We'll definitely return soon.

Pleasantly Surprised -- A True Gem in the Desert! I'm not sure why Il Corso Modern Italian Cuisine only has a 3.9 rating. We've been living here for almost a year now, and as an Italian-American from the East Coast, finding a good Italian restaurant has been a challenge. Tired of cooking, we decided to give Il Corso a try -- and we were pleasantly surprised! The service was friendly and attentive, the drinks were delicious, and the food was truly above average. You don't have to drive all the way to Los Angeles for great Italian -- there's something special right here in the desert. We'll definitely be back! read more

Where to start? Either location, Palm Desert or Palm Springs, is a guaranteed win. Dramatic decor, excellent food and great service. The Dover Sole is excellent, the pasta is exceptional and the Torta Chocolata is heavenly. Have been in both locations over a dozen times for lunch (Palm Desert) and dinner. read more

We had a group lunch there today. I had a salmon salad. Service was great. Flavors were great. The problem is the price. It was $22 for probably 2 oz of salmon on a (nice) bed of greens. read more

Really great food, service, drinks & happy hour too ! I highly recommend anything on the menu.

Food amazing!!! Patio was relaxing and service was great! Will definitely come back! You can tell the food is fresh and the drinks were strong but refreshing! 10/10 read more

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We had a horrible dining experience at Il Corso. We did go during Indian Wells and I expected it to be busy but it was worse than imagined. Our server was awful. We waited for drinks, we waited for water and our food took over an hour. It was awful. We had to constantly ask for more water, bread... absolutely inattentive service. The food was marginal. Save your money. DO not go here. read more

I am Italian and I love the food at Il Corsos... I also like to eat at their early bird and have the small fillet with a Caesar salad... Priced right. One of my favorite restaurants read more

Food and service were excellent. Great atmosphere and lovely ambiance. Definitely worth a try.

Decided to come here because the other 2 Italian restaurants I called was closed for the Summer. I never heard of this, especially in the Palm Desert area. Parked in the back and was seated right away around 8:30pm on a Saturday night. The restaurant has an open kitchen and nicely decorated with very high ceilings. Keep in mind that they close at 9pm, even though on Yelp it says 10pm. Good thing I called them to make sure. Ordered the pink pineapple with speck & octopus carpaccio to start. The pink pineapple was super sweet while still retaining that pineapple taste. The speck was salty, but not as salty as other prosciutto's I've had. The pineapple definitely helps mellow the saltiness a little. The octopus was thinly sliced and I can definitely smell the fishiness of it when it was brought to the table. It was kind of bland with no seasoning whatsoever. I would pass on this dish. I ordered the NY steak and my wife ordered the lobster pasta. The NY steak came sliced medium rare. I noticed the amount of gristle on my steak and it was difficult to cut it off completely. The kitchen didn't do a great job at cutting through the steak so that I don't have to use my knife. I don't know if it's because the steak was cut with the grain, that it was a bit hard to chew on. The balsamic vinegar reduction was fantastic on this steak. Definitely made it a lot better. The arugula salad with shaved Parmesan didn't add to anything on this dish. I wished they would have added a vinaigrette to it or something. It was just plain arugula. The lobster pasta was a little blend and needed a lot of Parmesan to make it more flavorful. The pasta was definitely fresh, but I wish they would have cooked it a little more so that it's al dented and not just under cooked pasta. It was right on the border of being under cooked. For the amount they charge, it wasn't the best and I wasn't blown away like other reviewers. The staff, however, were fantastic. They kept on checking in on us and did everything we asked for. So kudos to the team. I just wished the food was on the same level. read more

Il Corso - Octopus Appetizer - Italian Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Just had lunch at the bar. Very nice experience. Had the petit filet and a stuffed squash blossom. Both were fantastic. The barkeep Cris was a great host. All around nice afternoon in the desert. Kudos to Cris, makes a great martini! Will be back. read more

I eat 'Italian' 4 nights a week, from Toscana and Palmieri to Dan Tana's Angelini Osteria, Terroni, to Il Pastaio and Georgio Baldi (all have their own ratings/ specific dishes good/great and ok). However, when I am in the desert, among others, I rush over to Il Corso, like last night, where even the simplest dish of Burrata and tomato is a delight. Large 4 inch diameter slices of heirloom delicious red tomatoes, seasoned perfectly with some olive oil, salt and pepper, with Buffalo atop and presented perfectly with a small stack of haricot vert pieces. So simple, yet so perfect. A watermelon and feta salad, equally impressive and delightfully cooling on a hot night. Pastas always cooked perfectly (last nights cacio e pepe no exception) and meats to die for. This is the way we should all be served and eat. Simple, delicious and with beautiful preparation and... great service. Thank you I say. read more

The food here was good (Osso Buco, various pastas) with the exception of the mediocre pepperoni pizza. Prices are very high but in line with the neighborhood/wealthy clientele. The service, however, was awful. It took us 2 1/2 hours to complete our 3 course meal and it took an hour to get the food. Nobody ever came to apologize for how long the food was delayed. The restaurant was half empty so we don't know why it took so long to get our food. read more

If U haven't been to Sicily but desire an authentic Sicilian meal U are in luck if U are in Palm Desert ....the owners make sure every plate leaving the kitchen represent exactly how the food is prepared in their original homeland Sicily ...if Megan is behind the bar Ur in 4 an extra treat ...a phenomenal bartender with a perfect attitude to make U feel right at home ... GRAZIE to the owners for Megan & Ernesto & the rest of the staff who consistently make this my fav on el Paseo ....salute' read more

So good!!! And one of the best, if not the best, bar menus in the desert! And the dinner menu has more than you can dream of!!!

I like the interior and the vibe of this restaurant. It feels both trendy and rustic at the same time. We have been multiple times and even brought East coast family who tend to be very picky about Italian. Each time everyone has been very happy with their dish. They are also able to give good advice regarding gluten, friendly options. read more

Great option for pizzas and pasta in palm desert The polpo ala grila was great. Although the octopus was sliced thinly it probably would have been better left in chunky pieces. The simple penne arrabbiata on the bar menu was pretty good, nice tomato sauce could have been a bit more spicier. The kitchen here is impressive how focused they are. Hard not to notice with the open concept. Compared to other hit or miss places in the same category this Italian restaurant stands out. read more

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Came upon IL Corso while shopping on El Paseo. The restaurant is GORGEOUS... the decor is so stunning, stylish and casual all at once! The service was first class. Staff was constantly checking in to ensure we had all we needed. Our meals were fantastic and our cocktails were perfection! It was heartwarming to see the staff welcoming an elderly couple who clearly hadn't been in for a while. The staff came by one at a time to say hello and it was sweet hearing the couple as many of the staff about their families. We look forward to returning soon. read more

Il Corso - Italian Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Very nice atmosphere, but the food we had was not great. First the beet salad did not have dressing on it and the beets were cut so thin. My husband's linguine and class were way too salty. He couldn't eat it and sent it back. My branzino was good, but the carrots were raw and the eggplant was over cooked. We told our waiter and saw him tell the manager but he never came by to talk to us which I thought was weird We may try again, but definitely will try something else. read more

I've been to II Corso in Palm Springs before and I enjoyed it. While walking downtown El Paseo, Palm Desert I happened to see they have II Corso here. I decided to have lunch since I had good experience at II Corso downtown Palm Springs before. In comparison. the ambiance, quality and freshness of food are not the same. . I ordered Cod Piccata, it had an unpleasant taste and it was smelly-not fresh. Even the veggies-the side dish tasted stale and nasty . This place was not impressive as well as the service. I am not considering going back to this location (II Cotso-EL Paseo). Overall , I am giving 3 star. I only like thr soup and dessert. They were pretty good. read more

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I could not recommend this restaurant more. The atmosphere is very cool, Marcos, our server, was attentive, patient (our kids were with us) and made excellent recommendations. The food was excellent. Everyone loved what they ordered. We will be back. Highly recommended. read more

On a trip to Palm Springs, we yelped a bunch of Italian restaurants in the Palm Desert area and found this place on Palma Village. It's a modern looking building and the location was situated in an upscale shopping area. We had reservations for dinner and the restaurant was busy on a Friday night. We ordered the burrata for appetizers and it was delicious. I had the chicken Marsala and my guess had the bocatini. It was very flavorful and filling. The service was excellent and attentive. I would come back again if I was in Palm Springs. read more

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Very disappointing meal. The bread is like something you'd buy at the grocery. Very poor quality for such a nice place. The burrata salad looks absolutely perfect but was served very cold, tomatoes should be served at room temperature. The veal dish, breaded and fried, was tasteless. Really needed some seasoning. The roast potatoes were shrunk and tasteless too. Appeared to be cooked in advance and sitting in a warming tray for some time. Absolutely, not the quality of food we expected. read more

This is a fashionable place in a fashionable street.it has a nice modern decor. There are a lot of Italian dishes including pizzas as a specialty. Service was great with friendly waiters. Well worth trying. read more

A first-class experience across the board. Reservations are recommended for prime-time evening slots. We booked a few weeks in advance and we're still able to get a table for 6 during Coachella weekend. From the moment you step in, the service is impeccable. We started off with a round of cocktails. My old-fashioned was lovely. We went with a white and red Prisoner Wine pairing for dinner. It's Italian focused. My bolognese dish was fantastic. The perfect portion size as well. For dessert, we did the panna cotta and the tiramisu. Unreal! Dessert is always my favorite part of any meal and they did not disappoint. read more

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