I had a nice enough early dinner here one evening. I really enjoyed my order of lasagna... the bread was fresh. I also had the chance to try the calamari steaks- pretty decent.. Entrees run 20- hi $30's. I appreciate the proximity to Rossmoor--- and also , this standalone family place on the corner. It was sooooo full on a random weeknightAaa surprising . read more

Great service from when you walk in. Food is absolutely fantastic. It's old school Italian home made. If you want friendly service and great Italian food this is the place. The calamari steak Melts in your mouth. Thanks for a great meal. I'll be back. Paulina was awesome. read more

Ambiance: Coming during the holiday season was the best! Nick, one of the owners, decorates everything so beautifully. It takes me back to my Italian home--vintage, cozy, and clean. Service: The Bigotti family is the best. They're so personable, and their employees truly take care of you. Dining here feels like being at home. FOOD: Starters: Margherita Pizza: The pizza was perfectly crispy with just the right amount of softness. It was very light, and the sauce and cheese were incredibly fresh. Gamberoni: These could've easily been my entrée. They were light and lemony, yet rich at the same time! I couldn't stop dipping my bread in the sauce. Fried Zucchini: Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside--great for something simple. It paired perfectly with the marinara and ranch. Entrees: Carré di Agnello (Roasted Lamb Rack): We ordered this medium-rare, and it was to die for! The meat was cooked perfectly, and the flavor was phenomenal. It wasn't gamey, which I loved, and the balsamic reduction balanced the dish perfectly. Veal Piccata: Once again, cooked to perfection. It was sliced thin and tender. The piccata sauce had just the right amount of lemon, making it delicious. Lasagna: If you love lasagna, you must get this classic. The pasta was homemade, perfectly thin, and layered with the most pillowy bolognese and béchamel sauce combination. Pollo alla Diavola: A fantastic combination of mustard and spice, with the most tender chicken. Calamari Doré: This was a very thinly sliced calamari steak, battered and covered in a lemon butter sauce, served with rice and veggies. Delicious--none of that greasy, fried texture you find at other places. Desserts: Budino di Pane: Soft, warm, dense yet light bread pudding in a bourbon butter sauce. My favorite part was the golden raisins and cinnamon sugar on top. Profiterole: A giant, fluffy profiterole filled with delicious vanilla ice cream and fudge. Perfect for cream puff lovers. Zabaglione Basket: I think this was the name, and it was MY FAVORITE. A crispy, browned sugar basket filled with vanilla ice cream, seasonal berries, and beautifully torched light cream. read more

Il Pavone - My favorite, the Piccata di Vitella con Capperi - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Grandparents favorite place to come for dinner! The food is always so good, nothing I've had is not good! The service is great and staff is always attentive even when busy! The veal dishes are always cooked perfectly and full of flavor! read more

Good food! Excellent service. A lot of people were there, but they handled it very well.

This place was out in the middle of nowhere. It seemed like the place hasn't been updated in awhile. The spaghetti was over sauced and there wasn't enough pasta. But the best thing was the calamari. It didn't have too much batter and was one of the best ones I've had. Too bad the other dishes were just okay. read more

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Old school Italian! The entire team was so friendly and attentive. Plenty of vegetarian options and everything was delicious. Our daughter had the ravioli and finished the half order. My wife had the pesto spaghetti and loved it. I tried the linguini with house made sausage. It was all delicious. I had the full order and probably would have been fine with the half order it was so much food! They also brought out two kinds of bread and butter before and with the meal. The desserts all looked amazing but we had to try the profiteroles and it was amazing! We will be back to try more! read more

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Food was good. Honestly my favorite dishes was the calamari because of the fried jalapeños and lemons! Perfection & the calamari was pretty solid & I've had BAD calamari. The bread was fresh and yummy just a tiny bit burned crust.. chicken fettuccini could've had more flavor to the sauce & chicken. My calamari steak was good, but the roasted rosemary potatoes were my favorite part of that entree! Veggies were cooked well. We had their cream puff desert and it was yummy. If it was warmed it would've elevated the dish. Service was friendly & checked on us. Ambiance was very town locals -vibe. Idk how long this place has been running but I think it is truly a Walnut Creek gem bc of how long it's been open. read more

Il Pavone - Calm - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Everything about this place is very dated and unexciting. With all the Italian restaurants in the area, I don't know why you would come here except for its location near Rossmor. read more

Great family friendly place to have dinner! The food was really good. I ordered the chicken parmigiana (my favorite dish) and it did not disappoint! There are so many options and I believe they had some gluten free options as well which is always nice. The staff were awesome and had great customer service. Will come back and recommend to stop by if you're in the area! Oh and the tiramisu was delicious! read more

Il Pavone is a hidden gem in Walnut Creek. The crab salad is incredible--huge, sweet chunks of crab prepared simply and perfectly. The carpaccio is just as outstanding, thin, tender, and bursting with flavor. Classic atmosphere, old-world charm, and food that makes you want to come back again and again. I can't wait to return to Walnut Creek to return to this place. read more

This a tired out restaurant.Perhaps at some point it was good.. but is not. The dining area looks like a dining room at an Assisted Living Facility. Drab outdated. Food was meh! How can you wreck a salad? The greens on salad were wilted and the tomato was flavorless! I also had 1/2 order of spaghetti with pesto. Nothing special. Service was ok not great This won't be somewhere I would go again read more

We chose Linguine Alle Vongole and Cesar salad. "Old school Italian" I agree absolutely. The genuine quality of linguine al dente. Plus lightly sauced Cesar salad up to our satisfaction. It has its own character for years that I respect. You'd better pay with cash to avoid a extra fee of 3 percent. The Proactive service offered by Jesus stands out which made the difference. Recognize his efforts pls! read more

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Delicious food, great service and ambiance. It is tried and true for quality ingredients and good, traditional Italian food! Not flashy, but reasonable prices and real food that keeps customers coming back year after year. read more

Pasta's and specials are the best! Osso Buca, calamari steak never disappoint. Our go to spot every time.

Had the salvieto last night. This is the 5th generation recipe: rolled pasta with bolognese sauce. We have been waiting 3 years to taste this dish. It is the specialty of the house and involves a lot of prep in the kitchen so they only make it during the holidays. It is the best pasta dish ever. And the staff are so kind. The rest of the menu is always top quality. Family operation - very caring. read more

We have lived in Lafayette for the past 11 years and must have driven past I Pavone at last 100 times. We finally tried it 2 weeks ago and it was a very pleasant surprise. The food was excellent , the service ok (a bit slow) for a Saturday evening but the server was excellent. The ambiance was old school Italian which was very comfortable. Give it a try. read more

Great tasting food and a good waiter. This has always been one of our favorite restaurants for many years. Excellent choices of Italian dishes for all tastes. read more

Great food and great service. Family of 10 had dinner to celebrate a birthday and we were all very happy with our meals. Fried calamari were so good, it had fried lemon slices and fried jalapeños which gave it great flavor! Too many different entrees to comment on but my calamari steak was delicious. While we had a table for 10, we were nicely packed in! read more

Before covid we loved to stop in and sit down to have a meal when we would pass thru Walnut Creek. Thankfully takeout is prompt and they are now serving PIZZA! We had the chance to try a family recipe pasta last visit that was absolutely delicious! Glad to see il pavone serving consistently good food during these tough times! read more

Il Pavone - a plate of food on a table - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

The food was amazing, everyone in our party loved their food. The customer service was incredible. The waiters and staff were very accommodating and friendly. They checked on us all the time, making food conversation! It's a quiet spot. Good atmosphere. Would recommend to anyone ! read more

I rarely leave bad reviews on a restaurant but just wanted to give everyone a heads up. If I could leave a negative star I would. Il Pavone 2291 Olympic Blvd. Walnut They forces you to pay for a cold meal that you send back. Told the waitress I would not like it remade (personal preference to not eat remade food that has been sent back) she brought it back anyway, I sent it back again. Very poor customer service for no meal if you ask me. The owner herself came to the table to tell me that I will still be charged. Won't be going back there. read more

Il Pavone - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Omg. Haven't even tried my food yet but I'm already in LOVE. The bartender / hostess / server named Deven was SUCH a gem! Absolutely five star service. My new favorite place - and seriously, still haven't even tried the food LOL. But I luhhhhh dis place!!!!!! Yessss If you are craving authentic Italian cuisine... Like straight up my grandmother and great grandmother from Italy sort of thing... This is your spot! read more

Il Pavone - a man and a woman standing in front of a bridge - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Get into your time machine and go back to a time when most restaurants were family owned. Setting aside the dated decor the food and service are first rate. A nice wine list as well. Also free parking!! read more

What a great "old school," family neighborhood Italian Restaurant! Great menu selection; all the favorites! Spaghetti Bolognese was delicious, as was the tiramisu! I recommend the Sangiovese from the wine menu, and ask for Paula as you server, she was cute, efficient and delightful! The crowd is mostly the over 60 set, what with the Rossmoor retirement community just up the road, but just remember, seniors always seem to know where to find a good meal at a good price! read more

Il Pavone - Spaghetti alla Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

We love Il Pavone. It's an older restaurant but the family who runs it is very nice. It is visited a lot by Rossmoor residents. The food is truly Italian at its best and they serve half orders of pasta. read more

Amazing food and ambiance! The service is always exceptional and you feel like you're part of the family!

Food here was mediocre at best and the price did not reflect the quality. If you are not a senior citizen do not come here, that seems to be all of their clientele. I went in with a group of my friends and I and the waitress was extremely rude to us the entire night. We were the youngest people in the restaurant by a long shot. All of us agreed we wouldn't ever come back. The food was also extremely expensive for what you're getting, it was not very good. We all ordered different pasta dishes and one was okay, the rest pretty bad . Restaurant itself is pretty cramped as well. My review would have been higher but the waitress and busser were rude all night and had a bad attitude serving our table specifically. read more

Spent the evening out with friends at Il Pavone. Paulina was our server (she's a Chivas Fan ) who couldn't have been more delightful. The food was great, as always, but she really made the night sparkle! read more

I love their Pastas. You have to try their melts-in-your-mouth Lasagna! The staff and the owner are very hospitable and accommodating too. They always take good care of me and the company I bring to their restaurant. read more

We had a wonderful family dinner at this cozy restaurant. Food was delicious, service was friendly and efficient. Thank you Marcello and staff for a fabulous evening. We will be back! read more

The prices were a bit too pricy, but the food tasted authentic to Italian cuisine. And also nostalgic. The spaghetti and meatball tasted like the spaghetti my grandmother used to make and the pizza tasted like the one I use to eat in my elementary school cafeteria. The butter for the bread was also very good. The ambience was cute and neat, like a restaurant on a cruise ship. The waitress was very nice as the server who refilled our waters. read more

Il Pavone - Spaghetti and Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

I love this place. I've been patronizing this restaurant for over 20 years. And for 20 years, I've been ordering the same dish. The ravioli. Oh. My. Gosh. It's to die for. It reminds me of an old Italian restaurant you'd see in a timepiece mobster movie. I fully expect there to be a meeting room in the back of the restaurant that you have to get through by going through the freezer in the kitchen. I love this place. read more

Love this place! Great food, friendly staff. Everything I've eaten here is amazing. Great wine list.

Small portions and way overpriced for what you get. I do know some people that love it. Just not me

The place looks a little run down, and the bathroom smelled horrible and felt old... but the food was good. It definitely felt like it was authentic Italian food. Service was good, waiter was friendly. It was a little pricey but we would for sure go again. read more

Il Pavone - Spaghetti Alla Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Great Food, Usually Super Busy - Watch out for the Secret Credit Card fees. The menu is a bit limited, but most of what you would expect from a solid, old school Italian place is there. The interior feels like its been there since the time of your grandfather - but its worth it as there is no bad dish on the menu. Meatballs are a a particular fav. Staff is reliable and kind, and there is always lots of bread. Payment is the only hick up as there is the worlds largest credit card fee and the staff sometimes does not warn you about it. I understand fees but this one is totally avoidable. I brought it up to the staff and I got the response that all of the clients are really frustrated about it. Well I was too - so watch out for the Credit Card Fees at Il Pavone. Eat there - just pay with cash. read more

Old school Italian with great food and cheerful service! We had a great lunch for my birthday. Glad they are open for lunch again! read more

Il Pavone - Scallops were good, veggies and potatoes were well seasoned and cooked perfectly! - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Another wonderful lunch with excellent service. Veal Marsala and Veal Picatta are our go-to favorites. Jesus is the perfect waiter. Thank you for making our 46th anniversary so nice. read more

Il Pavone - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

The meal we had this evening on Christmas Eve was superb! We had the NY steak topped with a brandy pepper cream sauce that was delectable... along with fresh vegetables and roasted perfectly crispy potatoes. The steak was juicy and cooked to perfection med rare. Then we had the best panna cotta and profiteroles for dessert to top off this fabulous meal!!! You can always rely on the service as well! This restaurant is our secret in Tice Valley.... We've eaten here for 30'years and are never disappointed. They really take pride in their changing seasonal specials!!! read more