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    Italica

    4.3 (157 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Italica Photos

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    ITALICA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Classy
    Upscale

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    Recommended Reviews - Italica

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    Meatballs
    Melissa L.

    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 +.

    Mushroom ravioli
    Mary Bryan O.

    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!

    Laurence K.

    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!

    Maryanne C.

    What a great little find! Delicious food, on point service and a great overall vibe! I'm glad that I had read that there's no signage but just a silver metal door for the entry. 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.

    Great ambience.
    Jeff A.

    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.

    Angela G.

    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

    Bolognese
    Kelly R.

    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!

    Panzanella insalate  $14
    Elle C.

    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.

    Christine A.

    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.

    Margatini

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

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    10 months ago

    Swank atmosphere! Amazing food! The Carbonara was out of bounds. Went for a friends birthday and everyone was very pleased with everything

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Italica

    Do they make their own pasta?

    Do they have gluten free pasta?

    I don't believe so, unless it's something they can do as a special request.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Italica

    What a hidden gem in downtown Indio, I was taken here for my birthday and must say it didn't disappoint.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Twelve

    4.2(42 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$
    Live music
    Full bar

    On a recent two week trip to visit family in California, we discovered Twelve located on the top…read morefloor of Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. It was on a Sunday evening. The place was relatively quiet with several people enjoying themselves at the bar. We opted to sit in the comfy lounge chairs overlooking the breathtaking scenery of mountains and blue skies. We had eaten dinner earlier in the casino and since I had a sweet craving, I ordered an Espresso Martini. It definitely satisfied my craving. It was a TREAT! The bartender informed us that live music is showcased on Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays. We decided to return to Thursday Night Rock Show featuring HWY 111. We actually met vocalist Niki Bente in the elevator on our way to Twelve! She was very friendly and personable. Niki Bente also preforms with Twisted Gypsy whom we had the pleasure of seeing at the Rock Yard on Saturday night. Rocking Show!!! HWY 111 was very entertaining as I danced the night away! The place was lively, filled with people having a great time. It proved to be a wonderful experience! I thoroughly enjoyed two different specialty cocktails from the menu. The bartenders are attentive and offer a choice of complimentary almonds with or without salt. Whether you're looking for a quieter place to enjoy a cocktail or two and take in the beautiful views or you prefer to Rock Out with live music, Twelve is the place to choose! I will definitely return to Twelve when I visit California in the future!

    Twelve is a great, cozy club venue with gorgeous views and a great residency band - 'Steel Rod.'…read moreAlways loved Rock Yard, but Twelve is a very different, better SOUNDING experience!

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    Kiki’s

    Kiki’s

    4.1(283 reviews)
    4.4 mi

    Kiki's is back! The…read moreengaging owner, Jack, is a valley institution, having owned 22 restaurants in 35+ years. Burrata: excellent quality with the crave worthy house-made focaccia. Kiki's Sala: salanova lettuce is unusual but tasty -- like arugula without the bitterness. This is a large portion which you could share with four people as an appetizer. Sugar Snap Pea pizza: unexpected flavors with snap peas, mushrooms, & stracciatella. Table was divided on whether this worked. Cacio e Pepe: this version uses bucatini and is a little creamier than the classic. I ate it all regardless. Grilled Avocado: the name ignores that it includes fried artichokes as well. Satisfying and not too garlicky. Another large portion. The only disappointing item was the Polenta -- a little bland. If you get the Chicken Parm, you only need a half portion. Jack says the best two dishes are the Caesar and Linguini & Clams. They fly in Juniors cheesecake from NY! Full bar, attractive ambiance, and well trained staff. Go to Kiki's.

    From the moment we walked in, the experience stood out. We had to wait a bit longer than expected…read morefor our table, but the staff handled it so thoughtfully--our waitress was incredibly friendly and sweet, and even brought us complimentary bread while we waited, which immediately made us feel taken care of. Once seated, the service only got better. Our waitress continued to be warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming without ever feeling overbearing. What really impressed us was the owner making the rounds to personally greet each table--it added such a personal, heartfelt touch that you don't often see. As for the food, it absolutely delivered. The chicken parm was perfectly cooked with rich, comforting flavors, and the hanger steak was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Between the exceptional service and the delicious dishes, this was one of those meals that leaves you already planning your next visit.

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    Kiki’s - YEP! the other side of the dining room & the bar back on the right

    YEP! the other side of the dining room & the bar back on the right

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    Rigatoni Bolognese

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    Italica - cocktailbars - Updated May 2026

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