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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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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Terrific meal! Made reservations an hour before we wanted to eat and luckily we got in. Our meal was terrific. We shared a nice size appetizer of fresh pita with 3 different dips, all so fresh and delicious with easily enough for 2 people. The pasta Nona had a terrific sauce with tuna and capers, so tasty without being overly spicy. Th3 calamari frittata was breaded perfectly with milky soft insides. I appreciated that there were rings and delicious legs. It was served with 2 sauces, both spot on. The atmosphere is like an old speakeasy with nouveau art and just dark enough. Our servers were terrific as well. We will return! 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

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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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Tonight, we dined at Italica, and despite a short wait for our table, Amanda went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and then she made sure every detail of our experience was just right. The hostess was also fantastic and then there was the food. Absolutely delicious, as always. We shared a caprese salad, incredibly fresh and beautifully presented, and Bolognese pasta was cooked to perfection. read more

I can't say this place deserves more than 2 stars only because one specific thing that really turned me off.... my husband and I were so excited to try this place we got seated and looked at the menu and we had a nice spot. When they served me and my husband water, the water bottle touched the rim of our cups and I saw they went to the next table using the same bottle touching those peoples cups. I felt that it was very unsanitary. Not only that, my food was very bland and lukewarm. Also my husband got the penne alla vodka.... It tasted like they pored 2 shots of vodka in my pasta without cooking off the vodka and he couldn't finish it. My Milanese was a decent portion and the house potatoes and broccolini were probably the only good thing we had. My overall my experience was ruined by the food. My one regret was not trying the cocktails. I think we would have liked that instead of the vodka pasta. read more

I do not believe that there was one aspect of my experience that was enjoyable. We made reservations and waited for 40 minutes. The food was not good, just tricked out which I guess was an attempt to put forth sophistication. The worst was the lemon pasta. No reputable chef would ever have let it leave the kitchen .It was so pasty, it could have stuck to the wall. read more

This is a newer restaurant in Indio, right next to Indio Taphouse. It's easy to miss, as the only entrance is a large silver door. But you won't want to miss it! This was our third visit, and its only gotten better each time. A small, intimate setting that is just beautifully designed, your immediately made to feel welcome. The drinks are impeccable, and the dishes we've had so far are all excellent. Their "side bread" is amazing, and we've also had their calabrese salad (so fresh!), Milanese (perfectly breaded), and Rigatoni Bolognese (so flavorful). We will definitely go back, and can't wait to take our out of town friends. A reservation is highly recommended, and don't be afraid to sit at the bar, it's a super fun experience! read more

Fabulous restaurant in the very cool up-and-coming transformation of Indio! Love the very professional staff, great cocktails and wine selection and love the food! It is very authentic (I'm so Italian most can't pronounce my last name.) The atmosphere is absolutely fabulous, and we love the discreet speakeasy entrance. Yes you do need reservations, and yes you do need to confirm your reservations, and yes you do need to dress appropriately for dinner (as some places do require a certain dress code!) We have dined here multiple times over the past few months, and it saddens me to see a few negative reviews that stemmed from the patrons error and not that of these establishment. Highly recommend for those who appreciate real Italian food, those who want a cool and chic place to eat, with friendly and accommodating staff! And bravo for opening in Indio, it's the next HOT place to be! read more

ate here last night and loved the ambience of the small and intimate restaurant. Great lighting and music. Ordered the bread with the different spreads and thoroughly enjoyed every tasty bite. Our entrees; filet steak, chicken Milanese, involvtini de polo, carbonara, and pasta Al limon. The steak was well prepared and tasty, Milanese delicious, carbonara was very cheesy and the bacon bits mostly undercooked fat, the involtini so over sweetened so the mushroom and spinach flavors were lost. unfortunately the Al limon pasta was terrible and was taken away. Overall, I was a bit disappointed in the food. As to the service, our server was not very friendly and gave us snotty service. I will try this restaurant again hoping it was just a bad night. read more

Food was amazing. I went for my birthday and the restaurant was elegant and ambiance was relaxing and pleasant.

Italica has quickly become my favorite restaurant when I go to the desert. The vibes are immaculate. Every detail had been so thoughtful. The service was top notch and very attentive. The owner Roman, could not be more hospitable. He called directly to confirm my reservation, which I appreciated since it is Coachella weekend, and I know that everything good books up quick. And the food...where to begin? Everything we ordered, from the Steak Florentine, to the ceasar salad was divine. I think I have officially tried every pasta, and I could not event begin to pick a favorite. The mushroom ravioli is definitely a must try. The cocktail list is superb, and if you are into mocktails...Italica is a must! read more

I've eaten metallica several times Food and the ambience are amazing. It's always a great experience here with amazing drinks and amazing food creations. It just keeps getting better every time I go. read more

First, let me start by saying the food was excellent. The only thing that's holding me back from giving a five star review is the service had a lot to be desired. The server should never answer questions with I think so not sure etc. servers of a restaurant that's trying to pose and present itself as top-notch should never have a server who responds any very non-top-notch response. When asking about items on the menu, the server was not very keen on what his menu had or the ingredients, etc. especially, in the food allergy department with that said in spite of the service the food was excellent next time. I hope we have a different server or a better trained server. read more

Host was rude to my husband as we entered (he was wearing flip flops with otherwise very nice clothing.) We watched others arrive in baseball caps and yoga pants. As we enjoyed our after dinner drink same host offered us a "tour" and led us to the unisex bathroom. They quickly seated others at our table. We would have preferred a professional approach of telling us the table was needed for the next reservation. That particular staff person ruined our experience. If I had to come up with something good to say, The food was good and ambiance was nice in otherwise tacky Indio. read more

Ambiance was excellent and the food was amazing!!! We had the charcuterie board that was smoked table side great presentation the drinks were delicious... Definitely recommend read more

Good food, great service and good ambiance if you are looking for speak easy atmosphere! Enjoyed it with friends and family now twice.

Chose Itálica for a birthday with some girlfriends. Fantastic food! The carpaccio blew us away, Caesar salad- so good, and the meatballs, raviolis (table fave) and bolognese so solid! Chef Santos came to our table and told about each dish. If looking for top service and a night of delicious food -Italica is a hidden gem of a spot. Also the bartending was genuinely courteous and made us feel very important. read more

All 5 Stars! Ambiance was charming . The food was great and the service was excellent. We've already made a future Reser