There is no sign out front, so just look for a metal door that brings you into the "speakeasy". The artichoke appetizer was fantastic. The tomato with a burrata was good too. My Branzino was excellent and I recommend you have it deboned in the kitchen and then brought out to you. The lemon pasta I tasted was okay, if you have plain taste, which a lot of people do, and I thought there could have been more of it considering pasta is cheap. The bar service was excellent and the attention to detail was excellent sitting at the bar. An enjoyable experience overall. read more

Italica - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

Owners Skip Paige and Roman Whittaker have a winner here, adding to the new upscale area of Indio. Great appetizers with Italian entries that our group all raved about. The House-made pasta coupled with amazing sauces and cheeses competes with the best in the valley. Enter the silver front door for a unique dining experience. read more

My first time dining delight in Indio. Italica. Loved the smaller, intimate speak-easy vibe, hidden below a silver door on Miles St. in Indio. The atmosphere was very laid back and comfortable for a fairly small dining area. The food was fabulous and being from Boston, I know great Italian food. The service was excellent. It was a little on the pricey side, but well worth is. It is really a fine dining experience and most highly recomend it. It's a hidden gem. Suggest reservations. read more

I so have been looking forward to experiencing Italica and last night was the night! We LOVED it! Everything about it. We were meeting another couple coming from work so we went a little early and had a drink at the bar. Martini perfection and a lovely Italian White wine!! Fantastic conversation with the bartender who I am very sorry, I don't remember her name. We were seated as soon as our friends arrived and given time to finish our drinks and peruse the menu. We ordered the Artichoke for the table and it was to die for! Enjoyed by all! We ordered the Italic salad, the Polpette and the mushroom raviol, the Penne alla Vodka and the Pork Mosaici. Everything was outstanding. The ravioli were decadent! The meatballs so tender with little bites of some kind of flavored fried bread. The salad had great components but I wasn't crazy about the way it was dressed. But still, delicious. Our server was so attentive, made wonderful suggestions and really rounded out and exceptional experience! Already made another reservation, can't wait to return! Thank you. Mark and Cori Turner read more

5 stars plus! If you're looking for a dining experience this is the place to go. A perfect charming romantic cozy restaurant with a long beautiful bar and a perfect place for a date night. The food is as creative as the ambiance of this restaurant. The food and sauces, wow! The service was spot on from the moment we walked in. You won't be disappointed, perfecto bravo! read more

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On a dark desert highway, lol. My husband and I had been staying in a resort and needed a change of scenery as well as better food. We took to Yelp and were directed to this restaurant. At first we were confused because of the noisy bar we almost went in to, but backing out my husband tried a silver unmarked metal door next to the bar. He nervously opened it (thank goodness) and we walked in to an oasis right out of heaven. We heard beautiful standards playing softly and old world photos of a time when the desert held the air of Hollywood royalty. Even though we had not dressed for such a restaurant, they treated us warmly and we sat at the bar to receive some of the best treatment ever. Our Bartenders Even, Lara, and Dominic all where so wonderful. Lovely attentive people that made us feel right at home. The decor and ambiance was such an incredible delight to two very tired people in search of good food. So how was the food you ask? Absolutely incredible, every bite. From the zucchini, to the pork chops, and everything in between. This is a gem. If you miss this you will be so sorry. We will make it a regular haunt every time we come in to town. However I will most definitely dress more accordingly. They never for a moment made us feel uncomfortable about this. What a beautiful well thought out restaurant with absolutely epic staff. Thank you all for making my husbands and my evening out so memorable. read more

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Great service, food and a terrific vibe! Would recommend Italica for a date night or special occasion read more

So, we have been there 5 or 6 or 7 times. It is spectacular. The ambience is amazing. The service is exceptional. Really, it is unusually good. The food is out of this world. It's amazing more restaurants don't understand the basics. Expensive? Yup. But you get what you pay for. Our absolute favorite restaurant in CV. read more

Loved this place , love the vibe loved the food , if you like spicy and fun and great music and great folks this is the spot . I closed the place with my gf , owner and staff were wholesome and awesome. When I visit again I will be back again . Thanks for the wonderful experience read more

Italica - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

The ambiance was very cool. Service was fantastic. Even accommodating my desire for an old fashioned cocktail. The food was great. Enjoyed the Pinsa Romana flatbread! read more

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Excellent food and excellent service. We made reservations for a week in advance and were seated immediately. The food took a little longer to come out, but that was okay. The ambiance was nice and we enjoyed each other's company. The only negative was the noise level. It was very loud but will definitely come back! read more

Italica - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

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Try this amazing place out...you will feel exclusive and the food will blow your mind. The pasta was very tasty and full of flavor! The chef is amazing! The staff, was so attentive and outstanding with suggestions and modifications. read more

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It was nice. Does the value exceed the cost? Well, a good deal is a state of mind. $17 for a mock tail seems like a lot. Yeah, it tasted good, the Bellini. But nine to $12 would've made more sense. The Hamachi Crudo, not good. $22 mistake. Fish was fishy, and tough. I should've mentioned it to the waiter, but I didn't. My girlfriend's Bolognese was fantastic. I had the Milanese chicken , which was wonderful. The tiramisu had wonderful texture, but lacked punch needed more Kahlúa. The cannolis were terrible. The shelves were weird, not proper cannoli shells, and the inside was like whipped cream. I would not order them again. The appetizer Difusione was decent. The Gorgonzola cheese was the best dip for this. Would I go back to Italica? That's a tough call. I would probably give them another try. read more

OMG!!! This speakeasy did not disappoint!!! Cool ambience great staff and amazing food!!! Our server Manual made are night(give that boy a raise) and we loved the host!!! Only tell your closest friends...hahaha Seriously give this place a try...You'll love it read more

Amazing food, presentation ALL incredible. Music was a bit loud at times, but was enjoyable. We will be back again, for sure! A VERY welcome addition to the NEW downtown Indio! read more

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About last night...Had yet another phenomenal dinner with friends at Italica. We sat at the bar and had the pleasure of having Amanda be our server. She was not only funny but made the the whole night amazing. We got the Bolognese, the mushroom raviolis and penne pasta and we could not agree as to the winner, cuz the were all AMAZING!!! We will be back!!! Thanks again Amanda and Italica!!! read more

The flavors were complex and balanced. We had a selection of small plates (meatballs, Italian sausage, potatoes) and pastas (limone, alla vodka, and puttanesca). All were excellent. The house made spaghetti that accompanied all but the vodka dish were perfect and were perfectly al dente. We did not order it, but the neighboring table had the evening's special: bistecca Florentino. It looked perfectly done (rare center and charred exterior) and gave off a wonderful aroma. The staff was friendly and informed about the menu and wine list. Really cannot say enough good about our experience. read more

Took my great friend here for her birthday dinner and what a fun surprise this "secret" place in downtown Indio was! From the moment we walked in for our reservation, we both felt as if we had transcended into a dt San Francisco-esque hot spot. Beautifully done, well thought out. Drinks and food are great, Our server(won't mention his name)forgot the birthday dessert after dinner which was disappointing even though reservation was noted, hostess confirmed and he acknowledged. Ordered 3 apps, 2 entrees, drinks. We wanted to taste everything! Took away leftover, of course. Carpaccio was delicious! Bill was $300 ish with tip, affordable. it's the entire experience for me. I'm loving it. read more

Italica - Backlit bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

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Great place for a date night, food is amazing, service was really good. Great atmosphere and ambiance. Even have really crafty Mocktails. Start with a drink at Indio Taphouse before your reservation. read more

The food is delicious. Im partial to the Chicken Milanese and Beet Salad. The service is impeccable; attentive but never rushing you along. And the ambiance is cool. An absolute must visit! read more

Great service! Great atmosphere! Food was delicious and drinks even better. Will come back! read more

The Mushroom Ravioli was exceptional. Ambience is quaint and friendly. Service spectacular! Cocktails off the charts! House Old Fashion smoked. Enjoy. read more

Went there based on the positive reviews. Shared the Mushroom ravioli and filet migon both super tasty. However the mushroom ravioli sauce was better not but much but better. Sat at bar and am looking forward to coming back and trying more items on the menu. read more

We had high hopes for Italica. The promise of elevated cuisine, a proper dress code, and a cool speak-easy type of vibe is intriguing and needed in Indio. Italica's Instagram page is highly curated with images of vintage euro art on the walls, and videos of its chef and bartenders showing off their table-side flambè and Cloche skills. Unfortunately Italica did not live up to the expectations of an "immersive experience" it has created. Upon entering the restaurant we were met by no one. When the host finally greeted us we were told to wait approximately 20 minutes at the bar for a table. After nearly 45 minutes we were sat at our table and right away rushed to get drinks, apps, and main plates ordered all at once. The room is very loud, and we immediately noticed many violations of Italica's "strict upscale dress code." And its attempt at creating a dark moody vibe is spoiled by two large TV screens behind the bar. Overall the menu selection is somewhat interesting, but in terms of what we ordered the presentation was amateur and the flavors were underwhelming. Penne Alla Vodka was dropped off at the table without the flambè presentation, and when we asked about it the runner said "Oh, um, let me ask about that." To top if off the House Vegetables arrived at the table ten minutes after we finished our meal. It gives me no pleasure to write a negative review even when it's earned, but I do wish Italica nothing but success. read more

Italica - Yikes, you guys see this right? - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Indio, California

The ravioli that I had once before that was so delicious but this time was so thick with cream you could barely taste the ravioli/mushroom. Bread was no bueno. Service was good. The calamari that was recommended by the wait staff was delicious. All in all I loved this place before and still like it but the lack of music, ambience and the fact the food has decreased in taste probably we won't be back. Also, hard to make your way through the weed smell and the police activity right next door . read more

Had several people recommend this place while I'm out here spending time with some family. We had high maybe higher than reasonable expectations. Appetizers: Caesar salad, meatballs, and the fried artichokes. Salad was fine, but fairly pedestrian. The croutons are abysmal. They should make the croutons out of the same bread they give you with the meatball. Meatballs were decent flavor, but way overcooked and very hard. The formulation for the meatballs is off and it leaves for a very tough meatball. Wouldn't get. Artichoke, it was served with a three or four stem attached to it. That whole thing should've been edible, but the stem was fibrous and impossible to eat. Why it's still on the artichoke I have no idea. They fry it with some loose leaves on and they try and clean out the inside. They failed on both of those fronts too, and they had thicker leaves that didn't fry and break down so those were fiber and not edible and then inside were still some of the hairs and the heart. uncomposed dish serve with a little bit of sauce. Would not order. Main dishes absolutely nothing special. I asked the waiter if they made their own pasta, to which he replied, I think so. The fact that this person has no idea whether or not they make their own pasta tells you everything you need to know about this restaurant. They have zero training for their staff, who all seem friendly enough, but completely ignorant to what's going on in the restaurant. That coupled with the fact that they served our first course and our second course to us at the exact same time. I asked the waiter why we're getting both courses at once and he looked at me puzzled and said you want them first and second and I'm like yeah that's what it says on the menu Primi and Secondi for a reason. It made absolutely no sense and it was one of the worst services I've ever seen in my life. All of our food was lukewarm at best, which tells me they probably prepared it and had it all sitting and waiting until they finished every single one of our dishes. Had shrimp with risotto. Risotto was cold and the shrimp were overdone and room temperature best. And my pasta was room temperature. None of my food was hot. Leadership at this restaurant is not exist. Staff are not trained on how to serve what to do how to do it or what the hell is in your food. read more

This restaurant has no respect for reservations. We went to this restaurant with a reservation and waited almost an hour and never got a table. We went bar and waited an hour but they wouldn't give us our table because previous reservation wouldn't leave. They make a big deal on there website that they have a 90 minute limit on tables but somehow we couldn't get a table we had a reservation for.after waiting for a hour DO NOT go to this place. My rating is 0 out of 5 read more

I'd been wanting to try Italica so my birthday was a perfect time to do so. I had heard a number of good things about it. The place is very cool with a private club vibe. All gray interior, cozy seating and a nice looking bar. One thing to know is that it's strictly reservations ONLY as it's a small place. We were greeted and promptly seated. After looking at the menu and speaking to our server, we opted for the fried Artichokes as an appetizer followed by their Cesar salad. The Artichokes were a big MISS. They didn't have much flavor, were waaayyy too crispy, terribly tough, and actually hurt my mouth from the prickly leaves. Our server told us that they are intended to eat the entire thing, leaves and all, when she recommended it. Needless to say we didn't eat anything but the hearts and even those were over cooked and lacked flavor. We let our server know it wasn't good. The Cesar (not Caesar) salad was good but had too much lemon and no garlic to speak of. My husband liked it but my sister and I have had better. Our entrees came and were piping hot and tasted good. I had the Chicken Milinaise which was nicely crisper but a bit over done. The sauce was placed under the breast and it was good but there wasn't enough of it. I asked for more and that added more flavor to the dish. My sister had the Pasta Limone and enjoyed it. I tasted it and it had a strong lemon flavor and cooked al dente. My husband had the gnocchi and loved it. Overall I will try it again as I always give a new place two visits. read more

This restaurant is amazing!! One of a kind!!! Santos (the chef) is soooo good and Shannon is a real doll. The ambience is insanely unique, sort of "speak easy ish". This is a real keeper. A hidden gem in Indio. We will be definitely be back soon. read more

Just finished an amazing dinner at this place. We couldn't get a reservation in the restaurant so we had a reservation at the bar. We highly recommend! Sitting at the bar. It was a great experience And Amanda our bartender was spot on for recommendations and service was excellent. Overall, from appetizers to desert to specialty cocktails and wine we tried it all and rate everything a 10/10. Keep up the great job! read more

Wow wow wow! The Coachella Valley needs more places like this. The food has so much flavor and the serving size is just right. My favorites were the zucchini (appetizer), the lemon pasta (main), the steak (main), and the espresso martinI! My brother is the chef so I've been blessed with his great cooking all my life, he is a creator and perfects his dishes. Not only is the food great but the ambiance and staff were also on point and nothing is overpriced. I love that I didn't have to go to Palm Springs for this experience. 10/10 recommend! read more

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Fantastic food! We had the Bolognese pasta and it was fantastic with some delicious craft cocktails. The bar is a super cool speakeasy inside. The same owner as the Tap House and Little bar. Everything he does is really cool. read more

Amazing time as always! This is always a great experience. Try the smoked old fashioned

Food was delicious and nicely plated. Menu had some good choices. Craft cocktails Excellent service and aattentive staff. Ambiance was cool and romantic speak easy style. read more

Well we finally found a good Italian restaurant in the valley. Moved here from New York 3 years ago soooo... ambience cool - service was good and staff seemed to enjoy working together. And didn't bother me with how's everything tasting tonight ? good? comments.( I always think if I don't like you'll know). Noise/ chatter/kitchen/music level was nice not to low to hear patrons conversation and not to loud to be disturbed. Just a good vibe !! So the food - Broccoli rabe or broccolini was cooked and seasoned lightly and enjoyed- Shared a bolognese dish was plenty for two and two apps endive which was presented well and again not over seasoned or too much dressing so you can taste the salad . And I stupidly ordered a hamachi -which was good and served as an Italian dish, but not the right thing with our meat pasta and kind of didn't fit in the menu for me -a little too progressive of a fusion. Another hit in the up and coming city of Indio - murals are great keep it up Indio ! read more

We dined at Italica last evening and had a wonderful experience. Four of us celebrated my husband's birthday and I had made the reservation after reading a glowing review in the Los Angeles times. Service was exceptional as were our drinks. We agreed the Bolognese was the best we had ever had. As was the Branzino. I am so happy to recommend this Indio restaurant! read more

Great service, great atmosphere. The place is small and books out pretty far out. So make a reservation a few weeks in advance. You won't regret the wait. read more

4.7 Stars...Really? I only occasionally submit reviews on Yelp or any other social media site for that matter but after our meal at Italica last evening I felt compelled to do so. This, being our anniversary, was supposed to be a special and memorable dining experience. Unfortunately for the proprietors and us, it was memorable but not in a good way. From our arrival to departure, Italica delivered one disappointment after another. Here are some of the lowlights: 1. When I booked the reservation on OpenTable, I included a note indicating it was our anniversary and requested that we would prefer a more spacious 4-top (booth if possible) as this is our anniversary and don't want to feel squeezed in-between other parties. The hostess greeted us and unlike in many other restaurants that have welcomed us with "Happy Anniversary", she escorted us to our table without mention of our anniversary. And the table was a 2-top sandwiched in-between the bar and a row of banquette tables...exactly the kind of table we specifically requested we NOT be given. And again, the hostess didn't acknowledge our request or apologize for not being able to meet our request. 2. Once seated, it became immediately clear dinner conversation would be very challenging, as the noise level was horrendous. 3. Despite the hostess saying our server would there shortly, after 20 minutes with no server, I had to go up to the hostess station and tell her our server had not yet come to our table. After another 5 minutes, the server, who had been servicing every other table but ours, arrived. He asked how we were this evening, to which I replied, "not great...we've been waiting over 20 minutes for service" to which he replied "sorry, we're busy". 4. At this point we're annoyed so we opted not to order cocktails or wine...just food. 5. When the appetizer course arrived, my Beet Salad was fine, but in my wife's Caprese Salad, the tomatoes, which should be the star of the dish, were terribly under-ripe and flavorless. When the server came by to ask about our food, my wife told him about the tomatoes. He just shook his head and said, "I'll get you some water", instead of offering to bring her something else, or tell the kitchen, or anything even remotely apologetic. 6. My wife was not yet completely done eating her Caprese Salad when a young man brought the main courses tableside. In any decent restaurant, you don't bring out a new course until all diners have finished their prior course. Despite not being quite finished, my somewhat stunned wife, pushed her salad bowl to the server who removed it from the table without asking if she was truly finished. 7. As for the mains, we'd already lowered our expectations. I ordered Rigatoni Bolognese, and it was fine. My wife ordered Penne Vodka, presented with a tableside vodka flambé. While a nice show, it left her pasta in a pool of vodka to the degree ALL you could taste in every bite was vodka. Given the non-reaction of our server when we commented previously, we decided to just finish our food and end this evening as quickly as possible. 8. The hostess came by and offered to remove our main plates and asked if we wanted any dessert. We declined and she said she'd bring our check momentarily. Then we watched as she began clearing tables and the bar, but no check. Ten minutes later, our server brings the check...we pay and leave. We won't be returning to Italica. read more

We had a wonderful experience! Amanda the bartender was excellent and the owner was very knowledgeable and attentive. The food and drinks were delicious! We will definitely be back! read more

This is the best restaurant in the entire Coachella Valley. Amazing ambiance, food, cocktails, and service. Cocktails are perfectly crafted, and the food is exquisitely prepared, and the service is top shelf. From the moment you step in the door, all your senses are engaged from the careful detail to the art, music, lighting, and sound. And the food is to die for. BRAVO read more