We visited the Natural History Museum and needed a gluten free lunch option. Il Vinaio is about 1/2 mile away from the museum. The owner greeted us warmly and spoke passionately about the menu. We enjoyed interacting with her. We ordered an antelope burger (med rare) with side salad and a gluten free grilled cheese and tomato soup. Both were incredibly satisfying. The food was perfectly prepared and we finished every bite! With such delicious food and wonderfully friendly owner, I was surprised more people weren't beating down the doors to eat at this restaurant! But it does have a dated "old school steakhouse" vibe inside, which isn't exactly the ambiance preferred by our younger generations. We thought it was great, though. Give Il Vinaio a chance! You won't regret it. read more

Il Vinaio - Antelope burger med rare and side salad - New American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

We were immediately greeted and seated by Cindy, who I found out was one of the owners. It's kind of an old school vibe/atmosphere ambience. Kevin was our server and he was fantastic. (I also have a Chihuahua named Kevin, which is besides the point) They source their meat ethically, and the salmon was wild, the salmon is one of the best. I've had --simple grilled perfection. My friend got the pasta Bolognese, which was delicious with tons of meat Next time I come, I want to try the antelope burger, which the owners great care in sourcing as well This is really a surprising gem in Mesa, as I do not come here since I stay in my 5 mile radius of North Scottsdale. Delicious and friendly, I really enjoyed this dinner read more

Il Vinaio - Bolognese - New American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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This is a really awesome restaurant with a husband and wife team. That will give you the VIP service! If you like high-quality wine and great food, this is a mess. I enjoyed a Caesar salad salad and tomato bisque soup for lunch. I also grab some wine and had a really fantastic time. They have wine, pairings and parties at this restaurant once a month. It's a large space and would also be a really great spot to have a party. read more

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Years ago, we peeked through the window here on a Saturday night and saw only one table seated. Naturally, I assumed, "Welp, must not be that good," and we headed to Main Street instead. Fast forward a few years, and I've heard enough people swear by this place that I figured it was time to give it a proper shot. Walked in... and once again, not a single table was occupied. Déjà vu. The vibe? Definitely old school. The layout is a bit odd, and it looks like it hasn't changed since the late '70s or early '80s. That said, our server was fantastic--quick, professional, and friendly. We started with the bruschetta trio. It was tasty--each version brought something different--but they were a little heavy-handed with the butter. The complimentary bread and butter, on the other hand, could use a flavor boost. Kind of bland. For mains, I had the chicken parm and my wife got the Pasta Vinaio. The chicken was flavorful but a bit tough; the red sauce was solid. I actually preferred my wife's dish--it was richer and more balanced. The manager stopped by and made some friendly small talk, which was a nice touch. Overall? Nothing mind-blowing, but definitely a solid meal. We'll be back to try more--it feels like one of those places that grows on you. read more

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Omygosh this place is so gooooodddddd. Today they met me at the door ; of my truck and rolled out the red carpet. lol the way to the entrance. They sat us immediately. Took my drink order. I already knew I wanted the Antelope burger. Which was amazing. The pasta here is second to none. Just like the service. They have a couple tables that you can dine at and enjoy peaceful nap after a truly amazing meal. The owner is the best of the best. Their staff is just as good. When everything was done and a nice nap on the couch they grabbed a courtesy chair and wheeled me out to my truck. Just to show their appreciation for my patronage. And you guessed it. On the red carpet again. What an amazing place. Perfect for a casual date or a formal date. So hurry down and enjoy Mesa"s best kept secret. Customers for life. read more

Pre race day carbload took me to II Vinaio with my coach and few of my teammates. It was perfect spot for big group 10 of us and tasty carbs night before big race. II Vinaio is located right in the heart of downtown Mesa with all other restaurants and bars. I enjoy the inside nice and has it own sense of personality. Not often go back of the restaurant little open bar area. The menu is pretty straight forward Italian fare. Lot of ur classic dishes, nice wine list, and nice diversity. I ended up going with go to pasta bolognese. It was delicious! Nice sauce, hearty, and generous portion size. Service was five stars. She was very attentive for big party. Not problem splitting all checks for us. Solid Italian spot. If running Mesa half or full marathon highly recommend II Vinaio. read more

The food was so dang good. We got the bruschetta, which you can mix and match, and I loved that. My friend got the salmon and mushroom risotto and she ate it all because it was so good. I got the Vinaio pasta that has a lemon sauce and goat cheese and it was delicious as well. The Spritzes are only $5 and they were amazing as well! Service with Kevin was wonderful and you can tell the restaurant has been here for a while. Not dated, but just an older building. I will definitely be coming back! read more

Il Vinaio - Pasta Vinaio - A white ceramic bowl holds a serving of pasta with a creamy white sauce, garnished with herbs, chicken slices, and cheese. The bowl is placed on a wooden table with a fork resting inside. In the background, there are glasses, a candle, and another plate of food, indicating a dining setting at a restaurant. - New American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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The lady offered to remake the bruschetta in response to my feedback. Why would I want the exact same batch of poor tasting food? Neither you or the lady asked me if I would like something else instead. I understood why I was 1 of 3 patrons in a restaurant that could probably serve 100 guests during lunch service. read more

Nice family owned restaurant and wine bar in the heart of downtown Mesa. I moved to the area recently and discovered this gem. Il Vinaio means "The Wine Merchant". I can see why as they have a pretty large selection of wines here. Il Vinaio is an American wine bistro with Mediterranean influences that serves, lunch, dinner and brunch on the weekends. The restaurant itself is pretty charming with a nice casual atmosphere to it. We ended up having a large party for dinner here one night to celebrate a birthday. Even though the service was great, I think we overwhelmed the staff here with how big our party was on a quiet weekday night. But overall food came out hot and the people here were very nice. I enjoyed my Linguine Bolognese and White Sangria. read more

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This is a weird review bc when I ate dinner here, the food was so good, I have celiac and was able to order shrimp fettuccini, a fig bruschetta and a nice glass of wine. The place was not busy and service was fine. I told my sister how great it was so she picked it for her bday brunch for 9 (we had a reservation so they knew we were coming) and the service left a lot to be desired and again not very many people in the building. We didn't get menus or water for quite awhile. We finally got drinks and my sister was able to have 2 "all you drink mimosas". We all ate in shifts and some of us only had some of our orders and some had no food, I ordered GF pancakes that were sort of cooked and awhile later my over cooked bacon showed up. My friend's regular pancake showed up in a messed up pile. It was not a great experience. I felt bad for the waitress bc she did the best she could w whatever was going on in the kitchen or lack of staff. If I go back it will only be for dinner. I will note everyone who had eggs Benedict did enjoy their meal. read more

Me and my husband both had a great time here we had the chili shrimp for the appetizer was delicious. I had the lemon chicken linguine, which was the best lemon chicken I've ever had. My husband had the steak. He said it was tasty and cooked well. If you're a wine lover you'll love this place. Every server was working hard. Great atmosphere read more

Il Vinaio - Sweet Chili Shrimp - New American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

We recently hosted our wedding dinner at this venue and it was pretty bad. The servers were all great and had positive energy but despite pre ordering 80% of the meals the service was slow and there was little to no organization. It took almost 3 hours to serve everyone. As the bride, I was served (almost) last and when I asked for a cup of water was told I'd have to get a foam cup because they ran out of glassware. The food was very inconsistent with some friend feedback stating it was too salty and other stating flavorless. I will say the recipe for the shrimp pasta might need to be reconsidered because the lemon flavor was overwhelming making the pasta almost inedible. The owners are lovely people and the price was right which is why we selected this venue but they just are not equipped to handle a "large" crowd. I used quotations because I am not certain I define 50 people as large when the rest of the restaurant may have only had 15 people on the other side. On a side note, we went a couple weeks before the event to taste some of the food. We ordered 2 entrees and enjoyed them to some extent but the owners sat in front of us drinking wine and carrying on. I was thinking they'd at least offer us a glass considering we paid full price for a tasting and we booked an event. They even gave one of the services a glass right in front of us. Just a bit off putting. Overall, I was thankful to just find a place at such short notice but if I could do it over again I would have rented larger place and had in home catering. read more

Il Vinaio - Wedding bouquet - New American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I was here for happy hour. I had the best bruschetta I've ever tasted. I ordered it as a mix and match, which enabled me to try all three varieties. They were all extremely delicious and very different in flavor. The two wines I had were incredible, including the Isabella recommended by the bartender. The owners were extremely friendly and polite. I very much enjoyed my service and my food and wine at this place. I would become a regular if I lived here. read more

Reserved a table for a birthday, we got drinks of course I asked the server for suggestions of wine cause I'm not at all a wine drinker but decided to try he said "We can take it back if you don't like it." Took a sip immediately didn't like it he took it back I asked for a corona in a bottle specifically, ended up receiving it in a glass cup instead of the bottle I asked. The time from the wine getting out for everyone to actually taking our food order was about 30 minutes. Food had came out looked appealing to some not to all I got the hatch burger asked for medium rare I ended up receiving rare, garlic fries had an absurd amount of garlic on them. Chicken parm was very bland from what my party was saying. Risotto was undercooked. Tab came and the wine was still on the bill I assumed it was gonna be taken off since I was told it could be taken back. Everything was paid for left a $20 tip still. On the way out server says "Thanks for coming we appreciate you as we NEED the business." That commentary didn't sit well with my party, but I appreciate the hard-work they did for us and hope the best for this business. read more

Sorry Cameron, your customer service is lacking and you and the restaurant would benefit from constructive criticism. I did respond to your email after you replied to my previous review to give you more details and never heard a word. I don't give bad reviews to those who don't deserve it and you seem rudely defensive, which isn't a good look. There were barely any people in that restaurant. Tables open all over the place, even though the sign on the door said full without reservation. We were there plenty early so we were not in a hurry thankfully, but when it takes 20 minutes to even get waters there's something wrong. Full details of our experience can be found in the email I sent in response to yours. Also, anyone who reviews your restaurant is more than capable to do so. You might as well just flat out ask those who won't give you 5 stars to not review at all because you're basically intending to hide the truth. read more

A very strange establishment. I had a very uncomfortable feeling the moment I walked in but we gave it a try. Very old and dated and could use some TLC. Only 2 tables had customers and our server said there were only 2 tables available??? But we were early and thought more were on their way. 2 came in, sat down for a few minutes and left. My wine glass was dirty; always a bad sign. We reluctantly ordered and gave it a try. The food was good. Chicken parmigiana and vegetable pasta. Good thing I didn't have to use the bathroom until we were finished eating dinner because I would have left immediately. Very dirty and the smell was horrible.I'm surprised they can stay open. Such a shame as they have a great location in downtown Mesa and have the potential to be successful. We gave it a try but won't be back. read more

What a great experience... We walked in with absolutely no expectations. A very underrated little gem and the owners were so nice. The food was absolutely amazing. I really can't say much better things about this place. read more

Visited here for the first time and couldn't have enjoyed ourselves more. The food was absolutely plentiful and delicious. The owners Cameron and Cindy even gave an explanation of how they created each dish. The wine was fantastic and the wine and food menu gave us so many choices we will have to go back for more! Can't recommend this place strongly enough!! read more

It is our go to place for dinner. Shrimp Risotto is awesome. Good wine list and steaks for Irene

I can't tell you how many times I drove past Il Vinaio and didn't stop in. Today was the day! We had Sunday brunch: blueberry pancakes, a prime rib omelette special, and a Cuban sandwich. Everything was delicious, especially the Cubano. I'll go back just for that! Our server, Val, was excellent. It was clear she had pride to work there. Val chatted with us about the food, history, and overall positivity in the business. read more

We went for a Saturday breakfast and it was delicious! Thanks to the revitalization efforts in downtown Mesa the place looked like it was closed or under construction but it's open and beautiful inside. Lots of stain glass windows. I had coffee and the traditional eggs benedict for breakfast but opted to have green chilies and avocado added. We are going back. This place is a wine bar/restaurant and we know we want to come back to try one of their dinner nights where they pair the recipe with the wine. Exceptional service and food. read more

Il Vinaio - Eggs Benedict with green chilies and avocado added. - New American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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We had reservations before a concert. Never been here in 20 years . We ordered a caprese appetizer and it took over an hour to be served. There were hardly any people in the restaurant even though the sign on the door said they were sold out for the evening. We finally got our appetizer after an hour, which consisted of a buratta ball and 3 tomato slices so I am not sure what took so long. We only had a half hour before the concert. The waiter said the kitchen was backed up. But there was hardly anyone in the restaurant. I was so confused. He offered to cancel our food, so we did. Paid the bill and left. Hungry and mad , we were off and will never return. read more

We just had the most wonderful meals! Tasty Vinaio bruschetta to start! Our main dishes of shrimp scampi, vegetable pasta and chicken saltimbocca were excellent! Everything tasted wonderful and was beautifully prepared and presented! I enjoyed a glass of the house white wine- a nice light, delicate white that went well with my meal. Our server, Teena was very attentive and took special care, along with the chef and manager coming out to take good care of our diner with a shellfish allergy. They all asked good questions and checked several times during the meal to make sure all was fine. We had a table with couch seating, which was fun and comfortable. This is a cute, clean and caring restaurant. The restrooms were clean and cared for. All in all we had a wonderful meal and experience and highly recommend this restaurant! Bon appetit! read more

Updating to 1 star after the owners rude response to my review. I understand you may think both dishes were good, but we barely touched either of our meals and shared our feedback with our server. We were told sorry you didn't like it and handed an $80 bill. I simply stated for $80 I could not recommend your business. If I had finished my meal and told you the food was bad I understand not working with the customer to make it right, but our server took almost two full plates off our table (did not offer to remake, did not offer a discount,etc.) We live down the street and were really hoping to like your restaurant but after seeing how you treat customers who pay and tip well (I tipped at least 18%) we most definitely will not be back. We went down the street to pedal haus and ordered from a food truck that was half the price and twice the quality. Your wine club members were very loudly talking politics and saying some really awful things about the other political party which does not add to ambiance one bit. Due the lack of music or any sort of sound I was forced to listen to their entire conversation! We could not get out of here fast enough! read more

We had a 4:30pm reservation. When we arrived there was only one table in the back room (every other table was open. They sat us right next to the door in the walkway so we asked to move tables. The hostess wasn't capable of making that decision on her own and had to go ask somebody in the back. After a considerable amount of while, she came back out and moved our table. I've never seen such an incredibly slow process. After we were seated, we still felt like the two employees we had interacted with while there were both pretty negative so we decided to leave. I had been there once before, but definitely will not go back. read more

A hidden JEM! The mimosas are unlimited! And they use fresh raspberry puree(optional) but I loved it! Brunch is so unique here! It's like the 80's are back! So many different choices here too! The wine selection is amazing ! The owner chef does all the cooking and his amazing wife is the bartender! It's a must try! Prices are amazing!! Please try !! read more

My girls and I love to look for new brunch places and are super glad we found Il Vinaio. If you buy an entree you get unlimited champagne for $16 on the weekends. So of course we tried it and the food! Oh my!! So homemade and delicious!! Not to mention the owners are adorable and extremely kind!! We are so coming back!! Come in and show your support! read more

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I used to work in Downtown Mesa which is where I met the owners of this fine establishment. I know them personally and professionally and I enjoy both their company and their food. A better restaurant you will not find. James Hutton read more

This is a wine bar that also offers a few Italian dishes. Slooooow service. Long delays for food and long wait to settle the bill after running my card. I Asked for salad dressing on the side but salad came to me drenched. They didn't have any pesto or any soda pop the night we went. We barely made it to the show at the arts center even though we skipped desert and reserved 2 hrs in advance. If you are going to a show at the arts center, allow at least 2.5 hrs even though it's just up the street. I take no joy in a negative review, but we took visiting friends there and frankly it was embarrassing. Maybe it was just a perfect storm of mishaps that don't happen all the time, but all I can say is that our experience that night wasn't good. We didn't complain or send food back because we didn't want to cause further delays that would make us late. read more

The food was delicious and service was great! Love the ambiance too. Has some nice character and different dishes. You gotta try the fig bruscetta! read more

Il Vinaio - Shrimp risotto - A white oval plate holds shrimp risotto with grilled shrimp, mixed vegetables, and a creamy sauce. The dish is garnished with herbs and is set on a wooden table, with a fork and a glass of wine nearby. - New American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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Wish I could comment on the food. It never came! The waitress, by her own admission, forgot to put our entree order into the kitchen. There were 3 wait staff. Ours, obviously forgetful. Another young man who was obnoxiously skipping around the restaurant. The third had a bottomless glass of wine going behind the bar for herself. Fortunately we couldn't wait for our food because we had a musical to get to (The Cher Show....incredible!) The Snickers bar and popcorn at The Mesa Arts Center was our date night dinner. read more

Went there on a whim and had to try "the best burger in AZ." Did not disappoint. Service and food were great. Will definitely come back!

What an outstanding experience. I took my girlfriend on a date here. Cameron and Cindy, the owners were so charming. The food was exceptional. The wine pairing was stellar. We were delighted. We will be back. read more

I'm really baffled why this place has such good reviews. I had looked to see if they accepted reservations online, but I couldn't find any way to on Yelp or their website; so we rolled the dice. When we walked in the host/server asked us how many, I said 4. Quick on the server's heels was the manager. She asked if we had a reservation. I said no that I couldn't find a place to do it online she replied, "You have to call". Would be nice if their website indicated that. She then proceeded to tell us they were short staffed and would try to squeeze us in. I looked around the restaurant and there were 2 tables with people. We should have turned around right then and there and walked out. Our server took us to a table near the kitchen. A few minutes later there sounded like an argument between the manager and the chef. Again, we should have got up and left. We went ahead and ordered thinking all the reviews that ranted and raved about how good the food was would make up for the weird start. Sadly, the food was just meh. Very bland and nothing special, but on the expensive side The lobster Mac and cheese was horrible, especially at $23. I would never go back here again! read more

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Attended a beer dinner featuring Chapman Crafted from Orange CA. Meal included 4 courses paired with 4 beers. Owner/Chef described how he enjoys creating dishes that go well with the beer and it was all delicious. Nice and relaxing atmosphere, along with great service. Would highly recommend attending future dinners that pair beer and wine as the quality and price are perfect. read more

Il Vinaio - Banana Marshmallow S'mores Crème Brûlée paired with Chapman Crafted Nitro Oatmeal Stout - A dessert featuring a banana marshmallow s'mores crème brûlée is served in a small bowl, with a caramelized top. Next to it, there is a glass of Chapman Crafted Nitro Oatmeal Stout and a tall glass of water on a coaster. A printed menu with various dishes and drinks is also on the table, indicating a dining setting at a restaurant that offers a diverse menu with gluten-free options. - New American Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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Had a pleasant dinner at Il Vinaio following a show at the Mesa Arts Center. This isn't really a restaurant you'd come to for the atmosphere as it's fairly basic and lacking personality. The service was good. Our food was okay, but nothing special....the bruschetta was the best part. I'd come back again, but it wouldn't be my first choice as there are other Italian restaurants in the area that I prefer. read more

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This was the worst brunch I've ever been too. 2 hours to get food out for our table of 13. They didn't bring out everyone's food, when we canceled orders they said too bad it was already made and we had to pay for it still. Service and owners kept saying there is only one cook and that the chicken clubs are why they took so long to make anything. It's a Saturday morning and we are the only table here. Completely unacceptable. Highly recommend going anywhere but here. Terrible service, basic food, rude owners. read more

Good food, good people! Enjoyed our first visit here. Great menu. We had the Salmon and Filet Mignon. Both were so good. Salmon was so tender. Try the loaded mashed potatoes or twice baked potatoes! We will be back next time we are in the area. read more

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Fantastic food, a beautiful building and service couldn't be better Best burgers and Italian food in Arizona plus a great wine list and quality craft beer An absolute must visit if you are in the Mesa area read more

My husband and I went here for a date night tonight and had a marvelous time. Good food, great wine, and even better company. The owners are kind, down to earth, sweet people who we genuinely enjoyed meeting. We can't wait to come again soon. read more