Best happy hour in town, not only are the prices good but the food is fantastic! 11:30am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday! A must go if you're in little Italy during those times. read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

It was my son birthday I took my family there the customer service was good but the food it was very salty read more

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We've eaten in Little Italy many times but had never tried this gem--now it's a new favorite for sure! Monello has a beautiful interior--modern yet warm and inviting. We sat at the bar for happy hour and enjoyed some terrific Montepulciano for just $10! Great wine, great vibe--what more could you ask for? For lunch, we shared the pappardelle ragu, Caesar salad, and piccante pizza--and WOW. The pappardelle was perfectly cooked, with an amazing lamb ragu that was rich, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. Highly recommend! The piccante pizza was a fun twist, featuring a spicy red sauce and salame--tangy, spicy, and just perfect. It even came with a plate of oregano, Parmesan, and chili flakes, so you can customize each slice to your liking--such a great touch! Can't say enough about this place--delicious food, excellent drinks, and a fantastic atmosphere. We'll definitely be back again and again! read more

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I've been eating here for years. They have some of the best Italian dishes I've ever had. My very Italian father is rather difficult to please and he absolutely loves this place. Their pasta is so fresh and they let my father order off menu (all he ever wants is ravioli with the spiciest sauce he can find). excellent wine list as well. And top is all off, when my dad complimented how comfortable the chairs were and I asked where they got them, the manager sent me the link so I could order one myself so my dad could have a comfortable chair to sit in at my place! Truly above and beyond! read more

For the record, I watched as a celebrity went to visit this place, ordered the same thing I ordered, and she thought it tasted amazing. Unfortunately for me that was not the result I got. Before she went, I ordered the pasta made with the cheese wheel. I felt that it had an unusual taste to it. It cheese show was nice, no complaints to that chef, but the food did not taste good. I also tried the pesto, which was okay. The place looks pretty cool. read more

Honestly was a great experience! Have a last minute reservation and it did not disappoint. We started with the burrata which was soo fresh and honestly delicious, the only thing that would've made it better was a little balsamic glaze ;) After that, we got the Piccante pizza, and I was a little worried about the spice level, but it wasn't too spicy. It wasn't very spicy at all! It was just super heat hot! Then we couldn't skip out on the pasta so we did the build your own with Pappardelle pasta with the Monello sauce and it was wonderful! I also got their Hugo spritz, which had peach purée in it, and that was a lovely touch! The inside was nothing amazing, but it was decorated for Christmas, which was cute! read more

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Food was decent, service was top notched, and the cute ambience rounded everything together. Wished flavors were more pronounced, but that's up to personal preference. read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

In the heart of Little Italy! WOW! I looooved my experience here. Came in on a Wednesday night and we were seated pretty quickly. My friends who are local here swear by this place so of course had to try it out. The restaurant itself is so beautiful inside! They also had extended patio out onto the street I think from the pandemic days, but I love that they kept it because what a beautiful view of the city! We ordered espresso martinis to start and a couple of appetizers, like the burrata, which was SO good and SO fresh. They also gave us some bread to start, too, which was delicious. For dinner, I opted for the cheese wheel pasta they had for the night, which was made with rigatoni. It was SOOO good! I felt bad because I was so full so I didn't get to eat too much of it but it was very very tasty. Our server was fantastic too and took really good care of us. He was super patient as we were waiting for half our party to show up for a while. Definitely would come back here for the delicious food and great service and highly recommend! read more

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Surprise date night! My first ever cheese wheel pasta experience The order: Grilled octopus appetizer Parmesean cheese wheel pasta with beef ragu and shitake mushrooms on tagliatelle Veal osso bucco with mashed potatoes The octopus was the star of our meal, the best I've ever had. Perfectly grilled, good amount of meat served on a bed of argula with a balsamic drizzle! The pasta was definitely above average. The pasta was fresh the sauce was flavorful. It was drier than I'd have liked The osso bucco was very tender, the gravy was delicious and the potatoes at first glance looked like boxed mashed potatoes but they definitely tasted better. I liked that the gravy didn't just taste like tomato sauce. Service was fast and friendly. Price was up there but you get what you pay for right? read more

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Food, service, and ambiance were great! I think it depends on what you get whether it's good or not. I got the spicy pizza and it was really good but it is a little spicy for sure. read more

Monello - Ragú (Gluten-Free) - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Monello is one of countless viral San Diego businesses that opened after I moved away from the hometown ten years ago. When my cousin asked me to pick a restaurant in Little Italy, I had to pick Monello for those cheese wheel videos I'd see on social media. Glad my cousin made a reservation for a Friday night via OpenTable. Customer service from the hostess, our server, and the busboy were very friendly. My cousin, my husband, and I sat at the patio, which was warmed well enough from heat lamps. We all split the meatball appetizer called Polpette, a prosciutto pizza with figs, and the cheese wheel pasta. Besides the great customer service, the highlight of our meal wasn't the cheese wheel pasta, but actually the meatball appetizer! I must have sank down and slid back on my seat when I tasted that fresh and (slightly) spicy tomato sauce dip! If I had pasta with that same spicy tomato sauce, I would've given this place five stars. The prosciutto pizza was good too, and the prosciutto and figs make it special. I was a bit disappointed when we found out the cheese wheel pasta is mixed indoors and not table side. Our server kindly encouraged us to walk over to the windows to try to catch the "pasta on cheese wheel" demo, but my husband and cousin said no one was providing the demo. I think I would skip the cheese wheel pasta here and elsewhere. Seems gimmicky for me and I just want a simple Italian meal without frills lol. Parking: practically nonexistent in Little Italy. Take the trolley or an Uber/Lyft. Maybe I should take heed to overall Yelp ratings. On our way to the restaurant, we walked by a super poppin restaurant. Apparently, it's called Ironside with a solid overall rating and 5k+ reviews. read more

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The food and drinks are worth trying here. The pizza is crispy, and the pasta is unique and very tasty. We especially loved the pepper gnocchi. We took off one star because there was a mix-up in their reservation system and they were not able to seat us right away, even though the reservation was made days in advance for a party of eight. Additionally, we were once seated by the bar, and it smelled like a bathroom and mildew, which was a little off-putting. Nonetheless, the food is good. Parking is a nightmare (or nonexistent since it's Little Italy). Please rideshare to avoid crazy parking fees in the nearby lots! read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Very good Italian. I have travelled in the Tuscan region of Italy and the tiramisu is very close to Tuscan made authentic. The shrimp saffron pasta was good. I tasted the saffron and silly me o ordered it when I don't like the taste of saffron. But at the table, they give you a plate with dried oregano, parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. So I dolled up my pasta and I loved it even more. I would eat here again. My server was a sweetheart from another European country. And I liked how this restaurant was off the main street and less crowded because of it. read more

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Daughter and I ate lunch and got to experience the cheese wheel pasta OMG! If you've never had cheese wheel pasta and you're a fan of cheese, this is a MUST. We also ordered a Margherita pizza and Cesar salad. We were in food heaven. No lie! I've been to Italy a few times and have seldom had the same experience with food like that here in the States. This place!! Of course we KNEW, based on our food, that the tiramisu would be over the top delicious so we ordered it and we BOTH were blown away by the flavor, consistency and presentation. We came from Costa Mesa on the Amtrak for the day and we will DEFINITELY be back to Monello for another gastronomical feast! Jen, our waitress, was super friendly and even gave us some suggestions on things to do in Little Italy while we were there. read more

Monello - Cacio e pepe fresh from the cheese wheel - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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came around lunch time and the restaurant was rather quiet but slowly filled as we finished our meal. the margherita pizza had the perfect balance of flavors with the tanginess of the tomato and the creaminess of the mozzarella shining through. the crust was light and slightly crispy, adding a subtle smoky flavor to every bite! the cheesewheel pasta is one of their most popular items and was definitely the most delicious between the pastas! it was rich, flavorful, and cheesy -- all the elements needed for the perfect pasta bowl. only wish is that it was a bit larger! in contrast, i would skip out on the carbonara and zafferano con gamberi as both dishes felt lackluster and quite bland which i found to be a bit underwhelming. i don't believe either dish was served hot as well. however, you can really taste the fresh pasta that is made in-house, which is definitely a nice touch. the vibes of the restaurant were really nice but unfortunately, was slightly let down by the food read more

Monello - cheesewheel pasta, spaghetti di zafferano con gamberi, spaghetti alla carbonara & margherita pizza - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Monello is absolutely fantastic! Reservations are a must. With a party of 7 people on a Saturday, the available time slots were limited so we ended up having a pretty early dinner. The restaurant has a sleek, modern feel, but dressing casual is totally fine. Our group was already ordering 3 plates from the cheese wheel pastas, so I opted for a different menu item. Ordered the black ink spaghetti, and it was delicious! I'm glad I had leftovers so I could enjoy it the next day too. They had 2 seasonal cheese wheel pastas, and we tried both. One was spaghetti with shiitake mushrooms and prosciutto, and the other was rigatoni with a butternut squash pesto sauce and sausage. They were both so yummy! I'd definitely come back and order them again. For appetizers we had the caesar salad and grilled octopus. The salad was crisp, fresh, and loaded with heaps of thinly shaved Parmesan cheese. And the octopus was so tender and seasoned beautifully! We also ordered a cannoli, panacotta, and pistachio gelato for dessert. Everything was really good! The cannoli shell was just a little hard for me, but that's just personal preference. read more

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Food was excellent!!! Amazing cheese wheel Cacio e pepe. Tender poached octopus. Burratta!!! You have to come here! Staff is awesome as well. read more

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Was in a rush to attend a festival and this place didn't see that busy so put in a quick order and we were out in like 30 minutes flat. Great tasting food, service was nice, outdoor seating in 72 degree weather was also amazing. For sure will return when I can order a lot of different items family style. read more

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This braised beef-stuffed gnocchi made for a delicious dinner! I had never had anything like it, and it was amazing. We were able to make a reservation in advance and the workers there were kind and checked on us often. They did take a while to bring us our check, but it was likely because they were quite busy (and we were a party of 10 eating dinner on a holiday). The ambiance leans towards more fine dining than casual, but it seemed like there were customers celebrating all types of occasions. The pastas were on average $27 each (excluding their cheese wheel pasta). read more

Monello - Gnocchi Ripieni Di Brasato with Formaggi sauce - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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We love this restaurant. Ambiance is beautiful and welcoming. It was prom night, also families there. Our waiter was sweet and helpful. Took our entire order and coursed it out so we could enjoy everything. Cocktails were good, made right. Calamari was good including sauces. I had insanely tasty mushroom tortellini, and we shared a prosciutto fig pizza. Wow!! The shaved parm made it beautiful and sooo good. Their crust is just right, not too thick or thin. Their cheese wheel was interesting but we didn't try that dish. Nice atmosphere. Can't wait to go back. read more

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Went for lunch midweek. We were only one of two groups dining in the restaurant. Overall service was solid, our waters was never empty. Our favorite was the gnocchi with the vegan four pepper sauce. Would definitely come back again read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Came here for a date night... cute little restaurant but I will say the tables & chairs are a little flimsy. Our table kept moving as we were trying to eat which was a little annoying. BUT lasagna was AMAZING! So was the pane (we almost ordered two lol). Not sure I'd get the gnocchi again though. read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

This was delicious! My boyfriend and I came here and got the amore Thursday day night special. It features a special 3 course meal for two, and boy was my mouth watering. Our water Jan, was outstanding. He treated us very well and was super attentive with our food and our needs!! Definitely recommend and get Jan as your server!! read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Spaghetti Carbonara was great. Our waiter was knowledgeable and very attentive, unfortunately I can't remember his name. Definitely recommend if you're in the area. read more

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Lovely restaurant, hard to find parking in Little Italy. Finally made reservations in advance to try the best of Little Italy in SD. As a pasta lover, was very excited. Is this the best of Little Italy? Hope not. It took a while to get water upon seating. Otherwise good service. Pasta wheel is no big deal, rather it dries out your pasta. Calamari: 10/10. Light & not greasy Caesar salad: 7/10 Bread: 7/10 need butter Pizza: 9/10 Carbonara: 2/10 very dry Spaghetti meatballs: 7/10 Bolognese: 7/10 Overall disappointing but glad we tried it. read more

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The food was AMAZING, I got the gnocchi and it was a slight butternut squash flavor -- everyone else at my table enjoyed their meals as well! The service was amazing and the drinks were delicious and a little strong! It is definitely a great date night out spot near the heart of little Italy! read more

Monello - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

So pretty good, but the overall experience was a bit flawed given the location, price and other reviews. Our server was also the bartender so it took a while before anyone too our order. Of course this is not the servers fault. I got the shrimp spaghetti with cream sauce. While it tastes pretty good, I felt I got cheated by getting chopped up pieces of shrimp rather than a whole shrimp. I would expect a full shrimp for $26 pasta. The ambience was great and menu was varied for date night for sure. Not sure I would return. read more

Really wonderful happy hour deals - grabbed a Pinot Grigio and the Penne Ragu, absolutely delicious! read more

Monello - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

phenomenal! Best service and outstanding marinara sauce and the calamari was divine!! Definitely fully deserved a positive review!

Showed up for happy hour as they have a pretty good HH menu. Since I was there early it wasn't busy and was seated right away. I ordered the margherita pizza (no cheese lactose intolerant), penne ragu pasta and the Hugo spritz drink. ALL were really good! Even the pizza with no cheese lol. I really appreciate them accommodating my allergy. Pizza has a nice thin crust, but a good taste. The penne ragu was so good! But that is to be expected as it's the same chef/kitchen that does the pasta for Bencotto. The drink..... Wow. The peach puree was PRESENT! it tastes soooooo good! Def coming back for that and try out the other drink I was eyeing which was the Madero. Can't go wrong with any choice as the flavors are savory and present. read more

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Delicious food, welcoming staff and service, good ambiance! I ordered the tortelloni al tartufo and it was so creamy and delicious. I would definitely recommend. read more

Monello - Tortelloni al tartufo - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Good food. Good service. Nice happy hour. I will be back. I want to try the cheese wheel. I got delicious pasta from their happy hour menu. I recommend this place. read more

A very intimate setting for a night out with family, friends, or even a date. Seated very quickly as I had made a reservation earlier in the week. Friendly staff providing superb, quick service. Restaurant had a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, pasta entrees, pizza, appetizers, and specialty dishes. My friends and I opted for their Spaghetti Neri Con Polipo, Lasagna Monello, Tortelloni Al Tartufo, and Pecorino Cheese Wheel Pasta. All the pasta were adente and delicious. My two favorites were the Tortelloni Al Tartufo and Pecorino Cheese Wheel Pasta. The Pecorino Cheese Wheel Pasta was slightly bland at first, but the parmigiano that the server offered for our pastas elevated the flavors. Tortelloni Al Tartufo, on other hand, was a burst of flavors of the mushrooms, truffle, and cheese. They, even, do birthdays by offering us a lemon sorbet with a biscuit. Very pleasant experience here. Just be ready to spend around 30mins to find parking. Besides that, definitely recommend this establishment in Little Italy of Downtown San Diego! read more

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Absolutely amazing. Great price, service, and delicious food. The ambiance is great for date night or work meals. I went at night with coworkers and it was awesome. Had many of their appetizers and the portions were decent. I'd say each dish is shareable between 3 to maybe 4 people. If you order apps, then the entree is definitely sharable as well. We all had leftovers. read more

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I had a great time with my fiancé at Monello. We made same day reservations for an early friday night dinner. After finding parking we walked in and were quickly seated. The ambiance inside is cool, with plenty of lighting and an industrial feel. We shared the calamari, carbonara pasta and margarita pizza with sausage. this was plenty of food for 2 people and brought a few slices home. read more

Monello - calamari - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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One of the first reservations for lunch at 11:30am with a friend from out of state. Excellent service and ambience. Christina provided good service. The lemon cello spritz was nice and refreshing. The homemade pane with olive oil was good. It just lacked pepper and balsamic vinegar. When I asked, it was immediately provided. My water cup was never empty, which is greatly appreciated on a hot San Diego summer day. For the main courses, the recommended cheese wheel pasta was superbly delicious. On the other hand the spaghetti neri con polipo was a bit salty and lacking in visual seafood. I did not enjoy the sauce or presentation. I prefer the squid ink pasta at Bencotto next door. The redeeming part of the meal was the espresso martini tiramisu. I would definitely come back for that. read more

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The restaurant is modern and can accommodate big groups. Depending on when you go, this place can get pretty loud. We had to wait a bit for our waitress to take our order, since it was a busy time when we got there. We ordered the Margherita pizza and the pappardelle pasta. They were both delicious and light, highly recommend eating here for good Italian food. read more

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

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walked in for a late lunch on a friday, we got seats on the patio. all staff were very nice, we ordered the squid ink pasta and a cheese wheel pasta. i would have gotten my default carbonara but a few reviews said it wasn't very good. cheese wheel pasta was pretty good, springy pasta with enough chew, in a cream sauce then mixed in a cheese wheel. gimmicky and would've tasted the same with the same amount of cheese sprinkled and mixed on top but it was good. squid ink pasta was also nicely al dente but i liked the cheese wheel more. read more

Monello - cheese wheel pasta - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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We absolutely love this restaurant. We come every Saturday after SeaWorld and the food has always been delicious. Service is amazing too!

Beautiful local restaurant in Little Italy of San Diego! It was about 15 minutes walking distance from my hotel near downtown. I booked a reservation with my team for a party of 4 at 6:30 pm on a Wednesday night through OpenTable for reservations. We decided to eat outside on their patio since it was serene evening with breeze and sun that faced the waterfront. The restaurant has heaters that you can have turned on to fend off the cold. Our server was super helpful in providing us their favorites and recommendations. I know this restaurant was good since I had trouble narrowing down what I exactly wanted. I ordered the norita to drink- nonalcoholic that was lime lemonade and agave. Refreshing with a great mix of sweet and sour, but I was not expecting the salty rim that slapped my taste buds. Our group ordered the calamari to share, and it was so crispy, light, not too oily, and seasoned well and paired well with their tartar sauce. My colleagues decided to make their own pasta, but I ordered the ravioli di gamberi or stuffed ravioli with ricotta and shrimp. We were content and happy with the portions of our dishes and it was very filling. My dish had a beautiful presentation of color and great flavors of cheese and shrimp with a decadent delicate shrimp bisque. We ended the night with a surprise birthday celebration in which the place gave us a free desert of tiramisu! Absolutely loved the customer service since they recalled my special note in the reservation and I didn't have to remind them. They're on top of it!! The tiramisu was to die for!! Texture so fluffy like a marshmallow with deep rich chocolate flavor. Loved this place and would definitely come again! read more

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