This is differently an experience and well worth the trip. The food and service were perfect. read more

Italica - A table for 6. Very small restaurant with a very cool vibe. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

4.5 I 'd the entrance, the speak ez vibe, cocktails & the food[[HIGHLIGHT]]An intimate setting with great lighting & decor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The menu might be considered small however plenty of excellent choices for everyone's palate. We started with martinis Aviation gin for me & Ketel 1 for my hubs complete with bleu cheeses olives served tall & verrry cold. Our appetizer choice, the deep fried artichokes served with a creamy tasty aioli nicely presented however a bit over salted for our tastes, hence the 4.5 vs 5 stars. We came in to Italica wanting pasta the Bolognese with wild boar/fennel sausage arrived practically overflowing from the bowl, easily could have served 2 or possibly an appetizer to share at the table. My choice the Spaghetti Alio Olio presented bucatini pasta with bread crumbs & pecorino cheese ~ OOOOH MY, sooooo DELICIOUS my bowl was inhaled. Mid meal we ordered the prosciutto ~ fig jam flatbread just perfection the jam adding sweetness in every crunchy bite. To full from our appetizer & pasta we skipped dessert this trip but we'll be back!!!!!! as the drive to Indio from Palm Desert is maybe 30 min (+\~) easy & plentiful FREE PARKING be sure to look for the all stainless patchwork door for entry, once inside relax & enjoy the vibe. read more

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I had to come back on here to leave an updated review. Italica still remains supreme and continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in the desert and surely in Indio. Speakeasy Italian vibes, this is always the restaurant I take a guest or out of towner as it's going to impress. The restaurant is absolutely stunning and so well designed. It's dark and moody, yet elegant. The decor is next level and their large artwork ties the theme together. I'd highly recommend booking your reservation online in advance and dress to impress. I wouldn't say you have to go all out but no jeans and baseball caps if you catch my drift. Cocktails remain elite. From burrata foam, to the perfect dirty martinis, their bar is popping here. Beautifully crafted cocktails and a diverse menu, you could easily avoid a large dinner and simply come here for drinks and appetizers. However, the food is amazing and a sit down meal here is always on my books. I continue to be blown away by every dish I've had here. For starters, their calamari is perfectly crispy, love the chipotle aioli sauce. The real stunner was their bread and dips trio - not something I would have normally gravitated towards but their butter warm bread and house made dips were a table hit! For mains I'll always opt for their chicken Milanese, one of the best ones I've ever had. Crispy batter yet juicy and well seasoned chicken. A must! My friends also rave about their pork chop and lemon pasta. Lastly, the true reason I rushed back here to leave a review was to highlight the wonderful service we had at our last visit. Manny was taking care of our table and his service was absolutely phenomenal. It isn't often I leave a restaurant gushing about the service and remembering a name days later, but Manny left that impression on our table. Manny was attentive, helpful and absolutely charming. He had us girls laughing and he catered to all of our needs. It's rare to find truly exceptional service but he delivered. He gave great suggestions on the menu, was attentive and helpful from start to finish. Shoutout to Manny for making our dining experience truly A +. read more

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The service was amazing the food was great and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the atmosphere was inviting[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. We had ceaser salad bolognese and fried artichokes red wine. read more

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Speakeasy vibe Italian restaurant! Very intimate atmosphere. The service was great - we had to wait a little for our table and they sent out complimentary fired artichoke which was a perfect compliment to our meal. The chicken Milanese is a go to and the paccheri di capri stole the show for sure! read more

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We have been to Italica many times and it is fantastic. It is really an unexpected surprise in Indio - you would expect to find this restaraunt in New York or San Francisco. The food has been amazing every time and we make a point of dining here every time we are in the desert. We will be back many times. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Swanky speakeasy style restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Great food, drinks, and service. We didn't have reservations but we were seated rather quickly at the bar. The staff was super engaging which led to a great dinner. Definitely coming back and highly recommend it for a great date night. Just look for the stainless steel door just to the right of The Indio Tap House. read more

Not great! My husband been a member and on the board of directors for the International Wine And Food Society for over 40 years. We thought we do an anniversary dinner at Italica. Service bad food was iffy and obnoxious cheesy. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were shoved in a seat in the back that wouldn't allow out unless we ask the other guest next to us to move.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Oh dress could come in your sweat no one care.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Sad excused for all the hype. read more

Wonderful drinks, dinner and ambience! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Felt like I was dining in Manhattan![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was top tier. Can't wait to go back! read more

The food was excellent. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The service was outstanding and the ambience was super cool![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The server was Indio born and bred. Her name is Shannon.She's the kind that you would like to take with you to every restaurant and just have her be your server. read more

I have been to Italica 4 times in the last year. [[HIGHLIGHT]]My first 3 visits were outstanding. The atmosphere, the service, the food![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Last night I was very disappointed. I ordered the Caprese, as I have in the past. A very different dish than before. The tomatoes were cut extremely thick, barely any burratta and almost none of the burnt onion that gives it its unique flavour. Then ordered the chicken involltino and again a totally different dish from the times past. Almost no fontina, spinach, mushrooms and dry chicken It tasted more like an Asian dish than Italian. Everything was so different I asked if they have a new Chef. I was told no.. I look for three things service, quality and consistency. Sadly they only excelled in service. Not sure I will be back. read more

Wow wow wow that's all I can say about an amazing restaurant in Indio??? Yes I said Indio!! The entrance is sort of a speakeasy style secret right next to the tap room which also looks like a fun place for another time. The space is really cool has great decor that you would find in Los Angeles. Amazing cocktails and nice reasonable wine list. Food wise Fried artichoke was outstanding also Caprese salad was great . Entrees gamberetto shrimp great as was carbonara and chicken Milanese you definitely definitely need to try this place I'm sure it will be hard to get into so make a reso! read more

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I think the owner of this place might have a mayo fetish.. The amount of mayonnaise on my plate was criminal. The guy served me vodka pasta by pouring a shot of vodka on top and lighting it on fire. Obviously it didn't cook out so the whole thing tasted like bad vodka. Couldn't eat it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Do not bring a date here if you're trying to impress fellas![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

The restaurant was less than half full when our party of four arrived for our 5:30 reservation that we made months in advance. I was surprised when our server didn't come to our table for about 15 minutes because the restaurant wasn't that busy. It was only 1/4 full and there were only about four people sitting at the bar. Our server took our drink orders and another 15 minutes passed before our drinks arrived. Strike One. This restaurant does not serve complimentary bread or rolls, but they will sell you an overpriced piece of toasted bread along with three small unimaginative dipping sauces for $23.00. We specifically asked our server if he could bring our entrees after we enjoyed the $23.00 bread. When our bread arrived a few minutes later, it also came with ONE of the entrees, and without salads. The waiter seemed offended when we asked him if he could return the entree so it didn't get cold while we enjoyed the appetizer and waited for the salads and other three entrees. Strike Two. I ordered the Petrale Sole for $50.00. Although it did not smell fishy as others have reported, the texture was somewhat mushy and it lacked flavor, inspiration, and love. The entree was accompanied with a thin slice of "blistered" caulilini. I suppose it is trendy for a restaurant to use playful and unique words to describe plain, ordinary, overpriced food. What bothered me most about the evening was the lack of attention from our server who never even returned to our table to check on us. Unanimously, we all agreed that the food was uninspiringly mediocre considering our check was was over $400.00 and only two of us had wine. Strike Three. read more

What a great little find! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Delicious food, on point service and a great overall vibe![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'm glad that I had read that there's no signage but just a silver metal door for the entry.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were greeted very friendly upon our arrival. Mike was our server and the service was super. The Caprese was delicious as was the Porterhouse Bistecca Alla Florentina. Will definitely return whenever in the area. read more

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We went for dinner this evening. The ambience is next level. Indio doesn't have anything that compares to this. The service was perfect, informative, not at all hurried and attentive. The food was incredible. We started with the artichoke hearts. They had a wonderful texture and were perfect with the lemon, garlic aioli, and pecorino Romano. We shared a pomodoro salad. Fresh and light with the perfect hint of olives and salt. My wife had the pasta Al limone and loved it. I had the filet au poivre and it was perfection. We finished with tiramisu and a hazelnut mousse cake, both were light and delicious. I am glad to see a restaurant of this caliber near our home and we will absolutely be coming back. read more

Italica - Great ambience. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

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The food is always incredible! Chef Santos came out to meet us and was genuinely interested in our experience which we truly appreciated. Now to the service...we have been in several times and we have had the same server, Shannon a few times. She is a good server BUT there is one major flaw for us. She is constantly rushing us in and out. This has happened to us three times now. She pushes us along at every stage of the dining experience and will cut us off/interrupt us mid sentence to push us through the dining experience. Tonight was the most disappointing of all experiences. Once she realized we were not going to order dessert, she quickly brought the check and came back 5 minutes later to tell us "we needed to leave because she needs the table". This was not a 3 hour dinner. It was a 1hour and 45 dinner. There was no forewarning when we booked this reservation that there was a time limit on our dining experience. This was a big disappointment for our overall experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Otherwise, this restaurant is top notch and a hidden gem.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Just don't get in Shannon's area and you should be good--IN RESPONSE to Kate's note below....Shannon DID NOT tell us we could linger nor were we aware of the time limit on your reservations which we know now. Secondly, she was NOT polite or pleasant at the end of the night. She abruptly came to the table, while my mother was in the restroom, and my husband was talking to the table next to us and as we were gathering our belongings and told us that we "needed to leave because she needed the table now". That is not a pleasant or polite way of letting us know there is a time limit for the table. read more

This is my favorite place to dine. I love the energy and the food, which has so much flavor. If your palette is bland, this is not the place for you! The service is friendly, inviting, and family-oriented. I recommend Italica to everyone. Roman, Amanda Shannon Dominique keep shining! You're everything we needed in INDIO/desert read more

Italica - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

Tonight was our second visit to Italica.Our first was really good. Tonight, sadly, didn't live up to our prior experience. The lemon pasta lacked lemon essence, the pasta was over cooked, and the pasta sauce was grainy in texture. The chicken breast involtini was anything but...at $30 it was two slices chicken breast, which had cheese melted in A salamander with a Demi glacé on top. Frankly, it was kind of insulting to pay such a price for something which, as a cook, was totally phoned in. We were bummed to come expecting a great dinner like before, to have what we received. read more

Fun and cool speakeasy restaurant! The food here is delicious. You must order the bread with the trio dips to start and the chicken Milanese for an entree. The bolognese is a great option for the pasta, packed with flavor and the noodles are very delicate. The shrimp with risotto is also very tasty, but the risotto shines more than the shrimp. Recommend ordering family style so you can try more of the items on the menu! Great and attentive service too! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Beautiful space with a true speakeasy feel -- from the private entrance and valet to the club-like atmosphere and artwork, it's easily a 5-star experience on ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] That said, as someone who knows excellent food, the menu didn't live up to the setting. Several dishes were over-seasoned, especially with salt, which masked the flavors. The calamari lacked balance, the meatballs didn't have the texture or depth you'd expect, and the artichokes were heavily salted -- more than necessary; I'd prefer to add salt to taste myself. The pasta showed some promise but didn't reflect the simplicity and execution that great Italian cooking is known for. There's real potential here, but the kitchen needs to refine the seasoning and let the ingredients speak for themselves. read more

It's an experience from the start, entering through a strong, stainless steel door (the restaurant's name not visible on the exterior walls, only on the entry mat), walking down the dimly-lit corridor, feeling the energy growing as we approached the small, intimate, and (really) loud, energetic dining & bar area. We were privileged to be immediately greeted and seated by the distinguished owner, himself, who also took our cocktail orders and water preferences (sparkling, flat, or tap). Our server introduced himself shortly after, thoughtfully taking us through the menu. Good start. While we were out for a relaxed evening, happy that we didn't feel rushed (as a Yelper had reported), the timing was feeling rather long -- our bottled water was delivered 40 minutes after being seated and only one of our two cocktails delivered 5 minutes later. It was a busy night; our server didn't return for a long while, and when he did, he'd asked if he'd gone over the menu with us. I was starting to feel concerned that I'd made a mistake in selecting this location (among so many to select from) for our anticipated dinner date. Fortunately, the saving grace was, our entrees were delicious! The salmon (a special for the evening, $42) was impressively generous in size and beautifully cooked; the rice pilaf and sauteed spinach were wonderful accompaniments. The Involtini ($38) was delightfully flavorful, too. The entrees were excitingly memorable; the cocktails not (never have we been served a diluted Vieux Carre on the rocks). We thoroughly enjoyed the food; eager to return to experience more off the menu. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]From the moment you walk in, you feel like you're somewhere special different unique with a speakeasy vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The menu had a nice selection, but a little on the pricey side. Half of our table had good portions the other half questionable. The service was good, but they needed to turn our table, and the waitress told us that, and it's a small dining room, I got it but it was a little tacky! read more

The food & service was great. Definitely will come back. A little hard to fine like a speak easy situation Frank read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]cool ambiance[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]; expert service and outstanding food. loved our experience and we highly recommend! read more

Italica - View of bar from our booth. All tables and booths are a good choice. They also have bar seating. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

It's not that the food was bad, but that the owner is a real piece of work. The owner came by and asked us for feedback. My dad was honest and the owner didn't take well to it. One of the things my dad pointed out was the service. As a result the owner went back and ripped the waitress a new one. How do I know that? Because the owner then came back to our table and told us that he yelled at her. The waitress was visibly shaken. Wouldn't support this place solely due to the owner. You don't treat your employees like that, nor do you boast about ripping them a new one. read more

Italica - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

First the good news, the ambiance was fun--like a speakeasy. There is no sign out front and only a doormat with the restaurant name. The exterior of the door is made of silver metal sheets with a slat at eye level that someone could slide back to look through. I thought someone was going to ask us for the secret password! Now the bad news: The tables inside were really crammed together. There were at least 2 tables that you had to sit 3 in a row and 1 at the end, making it difficult to talk to the whole party of 4. If you go, make sure you reserve a table where 2 people can sit directly across from the other 2. The food and service were a real disappointment. The bruschetta was overwhelmed by garlic (and I love garlic). You couldn't even taste the tomatoes. The bread that came with it also had garlic on it, so it was really garlic overkill. The olive tapenade was boring. The calamari was overcooked and tough and a small portion for the steep price. The 3 large prawns in my entree were very good. Our server was very nice, but he was clearly overwhelmed running from table to table. I really felt sorry for him. The place was packed and they clearly needed more help. read more

Dinner for four on a Sunday night we had the pinsa romana, very good-- the Bolognese a bit bland and chicken Milanese also very good the Caesar salad was B- Service had a couple of breakdowns. We had to remind our server to bring a drink; then we waited 10 minutes after dinner for the check which arrived incorrect. The add of protein to a salad was posted as nine dollars for chicken steak or shrimp and when the bill came, it was $18 for the steak which our server corrected and removed. read more

Oh my gosh! It's like walking into another realm! And it truly is a hidden gem. The entrance is down a lengthy hallway behind a silver door right next door to the Taproom on Miles Ave. In old downtown Indio. The ambiance is wonderful, the food options are not traditional Italian but the options are delicious! Great bar and the service was very nice. I will definitely be back! read more

I was super excited to hear that there was a speakeasy coming to downtown Indio. Came here right when it opened for a drink. Hostess appeared very nervous to seat us as they were booked solid but no one was in the restaurant. The decor on the place is awesome. Made me feel like I was in a Vegas high end cocktail bar. Drinks were solid and I especially enjoyed their smoked vodka cocktail they offer. Never had a drink like that with vodka. Very nice flavor. Bartenders were really friendly. I definitely look forward to having more drinks here and I am sure glad this is now an option for all East valley residents. Definitely recommend coming here to support this business. Check it out. read more

Italica - Margatini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

Incredible Dining in Downtown Indio! First two times - I lucked out without a reservation and sat happily at the bar. It's a sense of Community at The Bar! Such a Vibe! The menu at Italica is Incredible! The service is Top Notch. Solomon, Johnathan and Amanda are fantastic- FIVE Stars! Amanda even squeezed the fresh lemon over my Milanese for me.... My favorite menu choices so far: Pasta Alici, The Steak, Chicken Milanese! The best vegetable sides: Charred Broccolini and The Zucchini! If you enjoy spice, get a side of Calabrian Chili... The craft cocktails are very creative. Excellent wine list! Book your reservations far in Advance for a table of 4 or more. I'm thrilled to have this spot near La Quinta, as our dining choices are few and far between. I enjoyed the energy and didn't think it was too loud. But again, I'm just shy of 50 and act like I'm 30..... Thanks again! See ya tomorrow for dinner! read more

My partner and I celebrated our anniversary at Italica recently. The ambience is quite sexy with blue velvet booths and perfectly dim lighting. The cocktails are delicious and I love that they had a Sazerac on the menu. The hamachi collar dish was cooked perfectly. There's definitely a cool scene happening here that is very unique to Indio. Would love to return to sit at the bar, people watch and drink more Sazeracs. read more

Italica - Hamachi collar dish at the top! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

Love the hidden gem. It's located in downtown Indio. If you blink, you might miss the front door. Be sure to make reservations as the place is small and fills up fast. Both the food and cocktails are yummy and very creative. Plan your next trip to Indio only Speakeasy. read more

Very nice, upscale speakeasy Italian restaurant. Ambience is definitely Vegas vibes. Make a reservation and you will not have a wait. I seen a few people come in shorts and not dressed properly and we're turned away. So definitely follow dress code rules. Me and the hubby went in for dinner and drinks Friday night, we had a great time! I did knock a star off due to the drinks. I'm a Apreol Spritz drinker and ordered an Italica Spritz. Something about whatever they use in it made it a little bit bitter, and our server filled up my cup with so much ice. I felt it was water down. The second drink tasted more like fireball for some reason very sweet and cinnamony. My husband said his old-fashioned was not the greatest. The service made up for it, our server Jonathan was excellent extremely attentive gave us suggestions on the menu. The food was the best part of the night very delicious and flavorful.. we had zucchini appetizers, caution, the sauce that they put on it is very spicy, but I loved it. I don't remember what the meatball dish was but they were so flavorful and tasty really hit the spot! The vodka penne was soo good! Definitely a great date night spot. Downtown Indio has a hidden gem with this place. read more

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this place let me down. they sat us down, 30 mins passed no greetings nor did they offer a cup of water. It felt as it was done on purpose. another party was sat down and within a couple of mins they served water and took their orders. coincidence? nah I would call it discrimination. tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, but it was clear they didn't want to serve us. we ended up getting up and leaving the establishment. read more

I would avoid this place if you want basic respect. Please come if you want to be feel unwelcome and ignored and want an uncomfortable experience. The worst experience I have ever encountered at a restaurant. We were taken to our table under a reservation. Sat down, and never addressed again. 20-30 minutes passed servers and host walked by us and not simple hello or waters. However, another party was sat down and within 5 minutes waters and orders were taken. I really wonder what was the difference between that party and my party... HA. But let's not go there.... Obvious bias if you ask me. Will NOT be recommending this place at all. Reply back: yes our reservation was made shortly after 8 and yes we're sat around 8:30. However I would like to clarify we were never told sorry and never offered complimentary drinks I would have remembered and gave you guys a chance and waited if the gesture was done however you are confusing the wrong party. read more

Excellent food, service and atmosphere! Will be back Bolognese was excellent and the charcuterie board was beautiful! read more

The service was incredibly the server was very attentive and helped us with any questions we had as well as gave us suggestions. It was a very nice restaurant love the space was just slightly small. The food and drinks however could have been better the drinks were very strong but lacked flavor. The drinks next door are definitely more my favorite and more fruity. The pasta i ordered came with a bacon kind of meat but was so hard to chew i couldn't eat it. read more

Italica - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

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Had a wonderful anniversary dinner. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The food, atmosphere was amazing plus the service was outstanding![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

What a hidden gem in downtown Indio, I was taken here for my birthday and must say it didn't disappoint. Firstly, there is no signs except a silver door. You walk in and down a hall and then you have arrived in the restaurant. Sorta a chic, Hollywood, elegant and very friendly vibe. Although I don't drink they had mock tails I didn't try. You can eat at the bar if that's what you choose. The food was exceptional and our waitress Christin explained the menu very well and her suggestions were on point. Starting with the whipped lemon ricotta with the moist amazing bread. Ceasar salad and chopped olive salads were shareable. We all had different pastas, which all had great flavors. Dessert was great also. At the end the chef came out and introduced himself, Santos was his name. If you live in Indio or even close by this is the place to try, and next door is the tap room which is there bar. My only negative is the music could have had a better vibe, like Italian or something more subtle. read more

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