We ate here for lunch. Food and service were great! I got fettuccine with pepper sauce and sausage. My boyfriend has the cheese wheel pasta. We also had a margarita pizza, which was okay. For dessert we got a the pannacotta, it was a very rich chocolate with a nice touch of berry sauce and almonds. Would come again! read more

"The best evening in San Diego," is how my 5 year old son described his dining experience at Monello during our week-long trip. It really was the perfect meal. We sat outside in the parklet and watched the sunset while enjoying a lovely meal in Little Italy. The service was warm and friendly. Above all, the pasta was to-die for. My son is still talking about the squid ink pasta 4 weeks later. We ordered - Polpette: baked, lightly breaded all beef meatballs, spicy tomato sauce dip. My husband, the meat lover really enjoyed this appetizer. I tried a meatball and it was the quintessential homemade meatball. - Spaghetti neri con polipo brass-die black squid-ink spaghetti, mildly spicy lobster bisque sauce, sautéed octopus. This dish literally made my son dance! The pasta was al dente and the sauce was the perfect pairing. Octopus so tender and a very generous portion. - Spaghetti di zafferano con gamberi brass-die saffron spaghetti, shrimp, lemon zest, prosecco cream sauce. My son also enjoyed this dish as well. He is a pasta/noodle kind of guy! Again, the spaghetti was so fresh and cooked just right. There were a ton of shrimp in this dish. Just delicious! On our next trip to San Diego, we will definitely make sure to have more meals at Monello! read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I'd been wanting to try this place for a long time. It is worth the wait. Seating was quick despite it being busy. The waiter did take a moment to acknowledge us but once he did it was very pleasant. We split a Cesar salad, the cheese wheel pasta and a margherita pizza among two of us and it was a very good portion. We both left comfortably food. Pasta was exceptional. The pizza was simple, but tasted as it should. I am often disappointed with Italian food in San Diego, but this place was truly worth the money, as everyone was delicious. Can't wait to go back! read more

Monello - Margherita Pizza - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great place, with decent Italian food. The customer service was awesome. I would definitely comeback.

Safety in this age of Covid is a high priority for me. Eating inside a restaurant isn't an option for me right now. I chose to try Monello because not only did their menu look amazing, but they offered an outdoor dining covered patio with good spacing. I feel good about this choice. Our server was fantastic. We never lacked for anything and we were taken care of in an outright friendly manner. For appetizers, we ordered panzerotti (lightly fried mini calzones) and parma piadine (like a large rolled bread with burrata cheese filling, arugula, parma, and prosciutto); the latter was much larger than anticipated. For our main dishes, my husband had pollo alla valdostana (breaded chicken breast, parmesan cream sauce, topped with ham, mozzarella, served with mashed potatoes). I ordered a prosciutto pizza, which was large and incredible, a dream come true for cheese lovers. Shaved grana padano was like a layered cloud in the middle, and the balsamic drizzle was divine. Just... wow. After that carb load, I wanted a dessert that wasn't too heavy, so we went with tiramisu, which was served in a mug. It was light and creamy contrasted with a pleasant bitter kick of chocolate. Our supper here was a beautiful experience. read more

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This place has always been a favorite for me and my kids. I took my daughter here before the Grinch play which is usually a yearly event for us. Any pasta you order is divine. The sauces are unique and so Italy-authentic. Service is always fast. Parking is the issue, you may have to drive around a while, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time. I had a couple of glasses of the Super Tuscan, always a fave of mine. We started off with the calamari. Crisp and super big. Love it. We shared the prosciutto pizza to start, and I had a salad, can't remember which. My daughter ordered the gnocchi with formaggi cream sauce which was amazing. (see the pics) We always will be back.... Thanks Monello read more

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The vodka shrimp ravioli was so delicious, you need to get it if you love ravioli, perfect amount of shrimp in them :) read more

Monello - Ravioli Di Gamberi - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Great food, but too loud. Our party of six was seated promptly when we arrived at our reservation time. Our table was in the back of the restaurant against two walls, so the three people facing the wall had a pretty bad view. Fortunately, they have an angled mirror that allowed them to at least see a part of the rest of the restaurant. The wait staff was initially attentive and helpful, but at the end of the meal they disappeared for a good 15 minutes while we waited for the dessert menu. Waters were refilled promptly. We had the cheese plate as a shared appetizer, which was wonderful. Three of us had the lasagna that was extremely hot and very filling, and the other three got the cheese wheel pasta, which they loved. There was a tiny bone fragment in the beef of my lasagna. The deal killer at our visit was the extremely loud noise. My watch measured it at a steady 81 to 87 dB, which is in the warning area for sound exposure. It doesn't help that they have piped in music in addition to bare concrete walls and floors. We couldn't hear each other talk, and by the end of the meal we were so eager to leave. Parking nearby is impossible. read more

Monello was lovely to us. We enjoyed a caesar salad alongside the octopus for an appetizer. For dinner I got the penne with ragu and it was wonderful! Flavorful, delicious, and perfect. We also enjoyed their 2019 Barbera with our meal. One person at our table ordered pappardelle with the monello sauce I believe, and they were less than satisfied with the dish... they were unaware that it had bacon in it. Our waitress was a gem and immediately put in a new order for them! It was totally their mistake, but our waitress was so understanding and very kind. Staff are attentive to detail, kind, patient, and helpful! The restaurant is a very cute vibe and we had a wonderful evening here. read more

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We selected this restaurant for mothers day because other restaurants were taking advantage of patrons by making the menu an "experience" and charging over $100 a person (looking at you Cohen Group). The reservation process was smooth using Open Table and the restaurant called to confirm. We had a reservation for 6, but 6 of us showed up. No problem. We were greeted immediately, and led to our large table. Service was prompt, and the menu explained to all. Everyone had something different, and no one was disappointed. Portions are large and filled with flavor. We started with bread and Calamari and it was delivered quickly and was crispy and very flavorful. Two different sauces were provided and each added great flavors. I had the 4 braised beef stuffed gnocchi, and it was amazing. No room for dessert, but it did look tempting. Paid about $30 per person and had plenty to eat and a few enjoyed a glass of wine. Highly recommend. read more

Monello is an Italian restaurant in Little Italy of San Diego. We ordered their Cheese Wheel Pasta ($28), Tartufo Pizza ($21), Polipo Al Forno ($20), and Spaghetti Neri Con Polipo ($25). Highlights for me were the truffle pizza which had a really strong truffle flavor and aroma! I'm normally a squid-ink pasta kinda gal but unfortunately it tasted a tad too fishy for me. My other friend really enjoyed it though! The Cheese Wheel Pasta had a whole presentation at the front but taste wise it was a bit underwhelming for me. I guess I was just missing more umph in the dishes. Overall, our group each enjoyed something different from what we ordered so I'm glad about that! read more

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Pizza was so good!!!! Drinks were delicious! Service was great, ambiance was casual. Overall, great experience. read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Few thoughts on this place. I ordered osso bucco and wife ordered the penne formaggio with chicken. The sauce used in the osso bucco was fine. It was one of those sauce that made sense. Lol. It complemented the meat and the mashed potatoes that came with. It connected the meat and the potatoes well. Onr criticism was, osso bucco meat could have been slow cooked more. I wanted tad bit more softness in that experience. As for the penne formaggio. I felt the sauce could have been bit more soft in it's flavor. Little too sharp flavor, could not finish the pasta all the way cuz the sauce was tiny bit overwhelming. Aside from that, we got appetizer meatball, and glass of wine. That came out to about $90. And I really have to ask if that was $90 experience. And my decision is 4 stars instead of 5. read more

Found this restaurant on Yelp as we were looking for a place in Little Italy. We highly rely on Yelp reviews. We asked to be seated outside as it was rather loud inside which is no surprise. We were seated hostess was cordial asked if we wanted the heater on, we replied yes, never returned to turn it on. Little did we know this would set the pace for the evening. We sat there quite awhile maybe 15, 20 minutes no one acknowledged we were there. We as a busboy to turn on the heat and he did. Busboys were on it, lots of water and heat. This is an Italian restaurant no bread? Or even asked if we want to order bread (it's not free) we ordered it. Cesar salad to share , Ravioli DI gambri. Salad came cheese was great, as the dressing I was not thrilled with the brown Romain salad. The edges of the lettuce usually browns when you cut it with a knife and it sits for days the centers yellowish. No waitress ever showed up. Then our food came no one cleared our small table. We had to hold the up the dishes in our hands so the busboy could put the dish on the table. The table was not cleared and fresh silverware given to us before our main dish came. Still no server in site. The pasta was great cheese great but where's the shrimp? Maybe they forgot? Still no server. At this point it's was time to go, my friend felt bad as she picked this place. I decided not to say anything it's not a good start to a vacation. We took 3 raviolis each to go I thought I should for a $50 each dinner. San Diego, has better than this. We had great Italian less expensive at a different restaurant the next day. This was the worst experience of our vacation and most expensive. Yup we had better service and meals than this . Ambience isn't everything read more

Tried the squid ink pasta, cheese wheel pasta, calamari and burrata pesto with bread. The cheesewheel pasta was delicious, squid ink 10/10, and pesto burrata tasted great too. Good service. $100+ for 3 people. read more

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I came to Monello just a week before my 15-person wedding in crisis because a different restaurant we reserved didn't allow dogs and our dog was a huge part of our wedding, so of course that wouldn't work. The staff at Monello were LOVELY. Made us feel extremely special, even down to asking us what our dog's name was so they could add her to the reservation lol. We were greeted with several congratulations from the staff, a private outdoor area with a wedding gift table in the corner (we didn't request, they just did it), appetizers came out on time and staff kept our party happy and full. They additionally entertained a ton of questions from some family members that had dietary restrictions and took note every time. Our server (Daniel or David, I embarrassingly can't recall but if management reads this, see my description because he should be recognized for his exceptional service -- beard, brunette/reddish hair, Caucasian between 5'11 - 6'1) was so sweet to us. Made all the old ladies feel taken care of and special. Constantly checked in on the food, brought our dog water and some treats (chicken we requested), surprised us with a tiramisu dessert too to celebrate. All in all, this is the perfect place to celebrate special occasions. I am so impressed and thankful we came here. 1000/10 recommend -- couldn't recommend it enough. Didn't get any pictures of the food, but it's incredible. Absolutely recommend the squash ravioli and the cheese wheel pasta. read more

Monello - Look at the ambiance just outside! (So sad this was the only photo we got, but the food was AMAZING!) - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I had the chance to revisit my favorite restaurant in Little Italy during my SD visit. This place is still good to me! This time I tried a black squid ink pasta and it was delicious. The service was great as they seated me immediately and checked on me. I always feel cozy and comfortable inside. I can't wait to visit again! read more

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The service was okay but the food is less than mediocre--this restaurant is trying to serve authentic Italian food but they are way off----the lamb shank had large tendons and the meat was not good--the tomato sauce it was braised in was also not good. The prices are high also, they cater to tourists that are not exactly sophisticated. In addition I called ahead and was advised to park in a lot close by and they would validate. When I asked for this the two hostesses told me this was wrong, and they were rude and disrespectful. So I had to pay 20 dollars to park after I paid 100 dollars for poor food. I would search elsewhere, avoid Monello and the sister restaurant next door. read more

It's one of the best restaurants in town. Really nice and highly recommended. One of the best places in little Italy .

Love this pizza! Monello does it right. Pizza Piccante for the win. I ordered thru grub hub and called in for extras and Lester gave me great service! Definitely recommend! read more

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Monello was delicious, it was my first time going to an Italian restaurant such as monello. Our waiter was super friendly, he brought us a dessert to celebrate my 7 year olds birthday. I would definitely come back in the future as the vibe was great. read more

I went to lunch here with my sister and had the best time! The server was so friendly and helpful. It was very nice inside, wooden tables, no tablecloths. The cheese wheel was awesome! It's pasta tossed in 60 LB Parmigiano cheese wheel (g C and the sauce was one of the best l've ever had! For dessert we had the pannacotta al cioccolato and it was amazing! We ordered : ~ appetizer: Raspadura young lodigiano flakes ~ tortelli (egg, semolina flour pasta, stuffed with spinach ricotta & parmesan) with Monello marinara, touch of cream, pancetta bits Braised beef ragu shell pasta + salted ricotta prepared on the cheese wheel ~ pannacotta al cioccolato for dessert with chocolate custard, whipped cream, berries, almonds read more

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It was my first time at Monello over the weekend and my bf and I really enjoyed our dinner! I made a reservation for a Friday night, outdoor, and it was lovely! I think our waitress was Christina? She was so lovely and so sweetI I love her voice! Their food is so good and I think we lucked out because we got one of the better experiences, based on some other reviews. It was not too crowded yet when we came so our food came super fast! We were very surprised at the speed of our orders. Drinks were really good too and they also came out fast. Their pasta was sooooo good, I love pasta but I don't eat it freely since those calories are not as easy to burn off. But, I enjoyed my squid ink pasta! The lolipo (octopus), on the other hand, in my Neri was bland. They really overcooked the octopus so it had no flavor and was pretty bland, like dry chicken breast. If it wasn't for the lobster sauce and the squid ink pasta, I would not touch the octopus at all. I would not order this particular dish again next time. I would definitely get some other pasta dishes, with squid ink pasta. That said, everything else was so good! I would definitely come again!!! read more

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Came here with a friend to try a new place in Little Italy. As a starter, we had the suppli al telefono, my favorite item of the night. It was very unique and we couldn't get enough of the jalapeno cheese sauce. The drinks were pretty good too. For an Italian place, I was hoping their pasta would be good but it was underwhelming. I had the spaghetti di zafferano con gamberi and it was pretty bland. It was almost comparable to buttered noodles with some plain shrimp. I tried to spice it up with parmesan and red pepper flakes which helped a little... but not much. I liked the vibe of the restaurant but was let down a little by the food. read more

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Monello did not disappoint we had to go back only two days later. The expresso martini with both bourbon and vodka were also great. We walked in the first time and sat at the bar. The bartenders were both friendly and recommended local activities since we're from out of town. The next time we went we had a reservation and the food came out quickly both times. Cool little patio and big windows so lot of natural light. read more

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If your looking for your Happy Place, then look no further. The Happy Hour here is no joke, and will definitely bring a smile from 3pm -6pm. Service is excellent! My friend and I sat at the bar and enjoyed speaking to Luis and Richie. Richie is known for his Espresso Martini, and both are known for their smile We enjoyed wine and Prosecco but the best part are the special tray of treats that accompany each time you order. It's just the perfect tasting. We sampled the gnocchi which really did taste like soft little pillows of yum, zucchini fries, pizza, two different types of octopus, calamari, salads, a real feast! I was stuffed when we left. And my friend and I left very happy! Stop by and say hi, you won't be sorry. read more

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Today came by today to experience another dish, and glad we did. We ordered the pasta that's hand made thick Tagliatelle with Formaggi sauce and how wonderful the combination. The Formaggi is creamy without being heavy, very nicely balanced dish! The mixed salad and pane were awesome as last time. We will continue to come back when in town. read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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The older lady with brown hair is not a great server. I asked her if she can add a dash or heavy whipping cream to my pasta, she said no. Weird. Then I didn't like my pasta and asked her if I can get a side of the cream that I had originally asked for. Then, she bring out vodka sauce? Not what I asked for then I said again, can I just have a side of the cream and he brings out a side of cheese sauce. Didn't end up eating the pasta at all Easter so much money and all that extra sauce I did not want either. I don't know why it was so hard to get a small side of heavy whipping cream. Will never be back here. read more

The first time I went it was definitely 5star experience. Just went on Saturday night had reservations and got seated quickly. I was very excited to try it again cause we live like 2hrs away,so we sat down proceeded to order ordered the spaghetti cheese wheel special and a it was a mistake. The pasta was so salty it was like a salt bomb im my mouth. I thought it was just me shared with my party, was told the same thing. Meatballs were dry and didn't really taste any cheese from the wheel. Went to bathroom and barfed about 4x. Told server once he came back,(only seen him 2x during service) he apologized for food not being good we paid and left. read more

Food was delicious. I enjoyed the pasta of the week. "Hay & straw tagliatelle with creamy sauce and bitesize meatballs". This is a sister restaurant to one of my favorites "Bencotto" The service was good and the ambiance was nice, similar to Bencotto's outside sitting. The indoor seating appears different, more fast paced. read more

Monello - Bay & Straw Tagliatelle pasta with creamy sauce and bite size meatballs. - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Great spot in Little Italy! Service was excellent and the food came out incredibly fast. We got their signature cheesewheel pasta (a penne with bologna for that week) and the spaghetti nero con polipo. The cheesewheel pasta was tasty with chunks of bologna that tasted like mortadella, but a little too rich after a while. The spaghetti was excellent with a rich lobster bisque sauce and very tender chunks of octopus. We didn't have time to try out any apps that day but would definitely come back to try some! read more

Monello - Spaghetti Neri Con Polipo - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Visiting from out of town and came to Monello looking for a special dinner and we were not disappointed! James provided exceptional service throughout the meal, despite the fact that we had a late reservation and stayed past closing. He provided great recommendations on both the food and cocktail menus, and we loved our meals. Sitting on the patio in the San Diego weather was a must, but the interior left us wishing we could come back and dine inside. Would highly recommend to locals and visitors alike! read more

Came here during COVID and they had a great outdoor set up. Several tables extended out to the sidewalk and even the street. Each table separated by a cute faux grass barrier. Easy to access menu via QR code to ensure more contactless service. We started with the SALUMI E FORMAGGI MISTI, and wow it was very plentiful with lots of choices and presented beautifully. Ordered the ravioli di gamberi, spaghetti neri con polipo, Caramelle, and finally FAI DA TE PASTA YOUR WAY. The waiter suggested for a kids order to order the pasta your own way and doing a half order which was perfect. My favorite was definitely the spaghetti neri con polipo which is a squid ink pasta with was plentiful with octopus sautéed in a lobster bisque sauce. All dishes had pasta which was cooked perfectly al dente. Great service, food came out promptly, everything tasted fabulous. They also serve pasta in a cheese wheel which I'm definitely going back to try. read more

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Ok, food and service was amazing, but the f-in RESTROOM SITUATION IS A MESS. 2 stalls for a place serving 100ish people is a JOKE. 15-25 minute wait to use the restroom when warm food is sitting at the table. OWNERS, please address this crap. read more

Monello - THE RIDICULOUS RESTROOM SITUATION. FIX it!!!!! - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Romantic ambiance, delicious food and a great selection of wine. We had their cheese wheel pasta, margherita pizza and Cabernet Sauvignon :) read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

the pasta options were so good, there were a lot to choose from and I had a hard time picking! the raviolis were delicious, creamy and tasty sauces and rich fillings! the drinks were tasty too! read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

service was slow and they added a 18 percent gratuity with no warning and we even waited for a table. they had plenty of time to tell us. no tip from us! they already took it. read more

Came here after the zoo with our 4 year old and expected us to be very under dressed however the staff was warm and welcoming right away and was able to seat us without a reservation. We were sat in the patio and they put the heater on for me (I couldn't even tell you I was cold or the food got cold cause those things worked)! I ordered an espresso martini, the burrata cheese appetizer and one of their pasta's. I could have skipped the pasta and ate the burrata all night because it was absolutely delicious. The tomato, pesto and cheese was so good with the pepper taste of the arugula. I ordered the gnocchi with pesto and added prosciutto, I should've added tomato's also because I feel like it needed some acidity to cut through the dough and pesto. But still good! Also the staff was super friendly considering I brought my cheetah from the zoo, everyone complimented her and my daughter finished the entire bowl of spaghetti which means it must've been good. read more

Monello - Espresso martini, burrata app, and spaghetti with marinera sauce 10/10 - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

We had a lovely and delicious meal at their patio seating. It is located on a perpendicular street to the main busy crowded street of Little Italy so it was nice not to have too many people walk past by us while eating. Ate the Spaghetti di zafferano con gamberi (4/5 - because it wasn't hot when served to us but still tasty), Margherita pizza with sausage (5/5 - loved the crust), and espresso martini (5/5). read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

We had a special dinner after seeing the afternoon performance of The Grinch in Balboa Park. Parking is not easy in Little Italy but we found a metered space fairly easily. We had a reservation and were seated right on time and our server was Marcos who did a great job for us! We have eaten here before and the pastas are really good! It's fun to get the special cheese pasta of the week prepared in their 50 lb cheese bowl while you watch. They have a fantastic pizza oven and their pizzas are also really good! The pricing is good for the value you receive. read more

Monello - Special Pasta of the Week - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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