Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. East Bay
  5. Walnut Creek
Il Fornaio - Walnut Creek, Walnut Creek, CA
Il Fornaio - Walnut Creek, Walnut Creek, CA
Il Fornaio - Walnut Creek, Walnut Creek, CA
Il Fornaio - Walnut Creek, Walnut Creek, CA
Il Fornaio - Walnut Creek, Walnut Creek, CA

Il Fornaio - Walnut Creek

4.4
4.4
3979 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian
Top tags:
Step inside Il Fornaio and take an award-winning culinary journey through Italy. Specialties include house made pastas, wood-fired pizza, grilled fish, authentic risotto, and rotisserie meats. Using the freshest ingredients and traditional cooking techniques, Il Fornaio offers a wide variety of premium-quality Italian food paired with great cocktails and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence wine list.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 33 times today
Private dining

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Unspecified
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:30 am–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (925) 296-0100
  • Website
    https://www.ilfornaio.com/location/il-fornaio-walnut-creek/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress Code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Francesco Gazzana
  • Catering
    Delivery service available for orders over $100 in the Walnut Creek area.
  • Private party facilities
    We offer 2 private dining spaces; our East Loggia, holding 80 seated or up to 120 for a stadning reception.We can create smaller private dining areas for as small as 15 people using curtains. Our South Loggia can hold up 40 guests seated.
  • Private party contact
    Ashley Doden: (877) 625-1957
  • Location
    1430 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
  • Neighbourhood
    Walnut Creek
  • Cross Street
    North Broadway
  • Parking Details
    Valet located in Broadway Pointe Plaza, entrance located on Duncan off North Main. Cost is $6.00 with validation.
  • Public Transit
    BART
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

What 3,979 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

3,979 Reviews

  1. LouiseM

    Guam

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful. Great drinks. Delicious dinners. Perfect ambience.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Norcalgrls

    San Francisco

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Love coming to this place and have enjoyed eating here for years. It’s reliably nice with great service and food! Lovely for special occasions or just a really nice meal!

    Is this helpful?

  3. OpenTable Diner

    Las Vegas

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    First time at the WC location. A little slow on the service in the beginning but after our orders were placed no problems. Loveeeed the food - I ordered the pesto pasta which was delicious. Also had some good wine. Would go again.

    Is this helpful?

  4. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 20, 2023

    overall2food1service2ambience5
    Overall extremely disappointed. The venue looks amazing, but sadly the food and service did not match the ambiance. The food was extremely bland and overcooked. The bread was the best part of the meal. Asked for water with lemon and our waiter took 20mins (definitely forgot about us). I will note the manager was great, she noticed we were sitting for about 30mins without being able to order and comped half our meal.

    Is this helpful?

  5. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 17, 2023

    overall1food2service1ambience3
    I had high expectations from the reviews i’ve read, Unfortunately we get there and the girls in the front weren’t as helpful as they should be, They didn’t greet us i had to introduce myself and tell them i had a reservation. They look around and talk to each other while we are right in-front and they are asking each other “Where should we seat them?” “in the corner room?” and they had multiple empty tables around. They gave us a center table and when we asked to be reseated they said we can only move a table left to us if not it will be an additional 30 min wait … We had no other choice but to stay where we were seated … When we knew there was other open tables near us. After that they bring us menus and take about 10+ to just take our drink order and then an additional 20min after to take our dinner order. Overall experience 2 stars , Our Waitress she was nice and kindly returned my overcooked steak back and brought me a new steak the way i had wanted which was (Medium cooked).

    Is this helpful?

  6. nightowl

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 17, 2023

    overall3food3service1ambience4
    My biggest criticism is for the service. Our food service person was very nice but she must be new or not well trained we asked for bread she, of course brought the bread with no bread plates Noyle and vinegar no butter we had to ask for it my husband and I split our salad salad arrived no extra plate. We had to ask for it. When the entrée arrived, my husband was splitting his dinner with his brother. No extra plate was bought. We had to ask for it. Also no bread plates. My husband had to go and get them himself for us. My entrée was presented to me, but but they left my salad plate on the table. I didn’t pick it up. Coffee was served after dinner no spoons, no cream no sugar had to ask for it. I think the caliber of your food and certainly of your service has gone downhill.

    Is this helpful?

  7. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    My favorite place! I go at least once a week! The most amazing staff.

    Is this helpful?

  8. MonicaM

    Denver

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had great food and atmosphere. Overall good experience.

    Is this helpful?

  9. AccordionGuy

    San Francisco

    55 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    55 reviews

    Dined on September 10, 2023

    overall3food2service3ambience2
    If there is an Il Fornaio in the city, I'll register for it. The cuisine has met my expectations, except for this one. As a creature of habit, I always order Pollo Toscano, which doesn't leave me full and uncomfortable. This time, the chicken and potatoes were "hard as a rock". I ended eating the leg and bringing the rest of the chicken and potatoes home. The server was very attentive while we were there and even spoke a few words in Italian...

    Is this helpful?

  10. Jaru

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on August 27, 2023

    overall2food1service1ambience3
    Linguine came out very salty. We had the server take it back. Received no apology. Server keeps giving my mom attitude. Talks very rude to us. Ordered the pasta alla vodka gluten free. Gluten free noodle was different than what corte madera il forniao uses. the entire meal looked so pale. Only thing I like probably was the Banshee Sauvignon. 2nd time we ate here and 1st time didn't like service too and the food. Thought I would give it another chance but yeah service still sucks and food not good. We prefer and highly recommend il forniao corte madera. Food quality is soooo much better, service is so much better friendly staff/server.

    Is this helpful?

  11. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 26, 2023

    overall3food3service3ambience4
    The food was nice but the service needs a little work. The waiter had too much cologne on. He made my eyes uncomfortable. Also, we were not served bread. The other customers had bread on their table. Please tell your wait staff to calm down on the cologne or to not wear the cologne.

    Is this helpful?

  12. LoriP

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Il Fornaio - Walnut Creek for the first time. It offered just what I had hoped for my reunion with a dear friend--class, ambience, first-rate service, lovingly prepared & delicious food. The staff was professional, patient, friendly and helpful. The environment makes one feel valued, respected, and comfortable.

    Is this helpful?

  13. LisaB

    San Francisco

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on August 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Every time when I’m there, I find great service, tasty foods and excellent service. Just love going there and recommend to everyone for either for casual dining or a special occasion.

    Is this helpful?

  14. ShriramP

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 20, 2023

    overall4food3service4ambience4
    Overall, we had very good time at Il Fornaio for my Birthday celebration dinner. I had Lasagna and it was delicious. However, my wife had pizza parmigiana and it was not that good. There was hardly any tomato sauce, and the eggplant toppings were not tasty at all. Very much disappointed with the pizza. The wait staff was very good. They brought me a nice desert with a candle to celebrate my Birthday. That was very much appreciated.

    Is this helpful?

  15. Sunshine

    San Francisco

    11 reviews

    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on August 20, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    This was a great place to celebrate my birthday. Our waiter was amazing.

    Is this helpful?

  16. LauraM

    San Francisco

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 20, 2023

    overall2food4service1ambience3
    Went to II Fornaio to celebrate my birthday with my husband. They sat us in a smaller room with 5 other tables that were also having birthday celebrations (you would think they would spread these out around the very large restaurant in different rooms). This made for a very loud and stuffy experience. The waiter seemed overwhelmed and kept trying jokes that did not land well. I ordered the ravioli but asked if they could substitute the vodka sauce with no added meat (which usually comes with bacon), he said he will check with the kitchen. After returning he said yes they could do it, but wanted to verify I was not a vegan since it would have cheese, I appreciated that and confirmed cheese was ok but definitely no bacon. When the dish arrived it definitely had bacon in it and it took a while for him to come around again for me to request for them to remake it. Unlike all the tables around us, the waiter never acknowledge it was my birthday (although it was noted as part of the reservation) and I didn't receive the customary dessert with candle and song. I don't plan to return for any special occasions.

    Is this helpful?

  17. JimC

    San Francisco

    46 reviews

    5.0

    46 reviews

    Dined on August 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    We've had Paula as our waitress for over 15 years! Always welcoming, and her attention to detail is fantastic. The Caprese salad was especially good with heirloom tomatoes. The porcini mushrooms are a nice touch to the Lasagna and the Branzino (seabass) was delicate and not over cooked.

    Is this helpful?

  18. DonaldW

    New York Area

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on August 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    When there was a delay in serving our antipasto, one of the waiters said it would be complimentary, and it was. The antipasto was superb when it finally arrived,

    Is this helpful?

  19. KevenB

    Tahoe

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on August 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We were greeted by a friendly hostess, seated immediately, and the waiter was very attentive. All four of us enjoyed our meals very much. Very happy with the whole experience-

    Is this helpful?

  20. SaeedZ

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on August 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent food and very professional Elegant, excellent choices

    Is this helpful?

  21. Phil

    San Francisco

    97 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    97 reviews

    Dined on August 14, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience5
    We have eaten here before. The food is generally good, although their prices have gone up quite a bit. There are some items that now crop up periodically, including a surcharge for something I can't recall and a differential in terms of what a glass of wine means. While we have gotten wine here before, this was the first time there were different quantities to what constitutes "a glass of wine". Again, a bit of a up tick in the pricing.

    Is this helpful?

  22. ElizabethM

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food ambience and service! My Walnut Creek go to for lunch.

    Is this helpful?

  23. OpenTable Diner

    Yosemite

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 6, 2023

    overall3food5service4ambience4
    Food took awhile. Waitress was good(she was older so understandable). I “SPECIFICALLY” mentioned when making a RESERVATION Celebration for “50th” Anniversary. *Completely let down as NOTHING was done! No dessert! Nothing. Just disappointed.*

    Is this helpful?

  24. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great experience! My only frustration is there was a specials list from which I ordered and the portion was appetizer sized. My daughter asked for fettuccine with Alfredo sauce and received it and I was stunned that though it cost $19, the portion was smaller than my other daughter's kids meal.

    Is this helpful?

  25. Whokaree

    San Francisco

    31 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on August 1, 2023

    overall4food4service2ambience4
    We had 35th wedding anniversary here. And we started off with a bottle of champagne. We each had our favorite dishes: I had the Amadisten (sp) pasta and my wife had the ravioli stuffed cheese and meat sauce. Both of our dishes were delicious. Top it off Chocolate Decadent Cake. The only problem is the service - without a typical crowded bar and restaurant. Strange. I expect a relaxed atmosphere, but we got mostly hurried almost fanatic waiter. He seemed to be confused. 🤨

    Is this helpful?

  26. OpenTable Diner

    Palm Springs

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on July 31, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Great wait staff. Food was very good. Sat on patio perfect day for that.

    Is this helpful?

  27. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The service was great! The two managers were also super friendly and took time to check in with us to see how we were enjoying the food. My friends and I enjoyed our meals and drinks! Will continue coming back!

    Is this helpful?

  28. Christine

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 26, 2023

    overall4food4service3ambience4
    Outdoor dining, especially during this season was great!

    Is this helpful?

  29. Foodyone

    Tucson

    497 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    497 reviews

    Dined on July 24, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience5
    Beautiful setting for very good Italian food. We enjoy having lunch here, but were a bit disappointed when we were told the lovely patio was not available.

    Is this helpful?

  30. NanetteW

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 24, 2023

    overall3food4service4ambience2
    Music through speakers in the restaurant was too loud. It made conversations difficult. We asked to be moved but were told it was this loud throughout the restaurant.

    Is this helpful?

  31. MartinM

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    My family and I went to IlFornaio in Walnut Creek to celebrate one of my son's 30th birthday. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals and the service was fantastic. My older son is normally very critical of restaurant food but even he thought the lasagne was excellent.

    Is this helpful?

  32. Batman

    San Francisco

    17 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on July 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Consistently excellent food and service. Festive environment. You can’t go wrong in Walnut Creek if you dine at Il Fornaio!

    Is this helpful?

  33. MattR

    Vancouver

    6 reviews

    1.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on July 23, 2023

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    Cheap ownership likes to charge a 3% benefits surcharge to their customers.

    Is this helpful?

  34. Brenda

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Had a wonderful birthday lunch - service was positive and great. Thank you.

    Is this helpful?

  35. KeithB

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 17, 2023

    overall3food4service4ambience2
    There was a power outage, not the fault of the restaurant, which caused them to stop taking orders. We were only able to get starters and drinks before they had to clear everyone out. Half of Walnut Creek seemed impacted. We'll have to go back another night.

    Is this helpful?

  36. PatR

    San Francisco

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on July 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Il Fornaio never disappoints. The elegant yet warm atmosphere, the friendliness of the staff, the delicious food. - all lend to a memorable dining experience..

    Is this helpful?

  37. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on July 16, 2023

    overall1food2service1ambience4
    Service was very slow and food was very average.

    Is this helpful?

  38. JudyL

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 15, 2023

    overall3food4service2ambience4
    The food is good, although the portions are smaller now. The service, while friendly, needs improvement. We asked for the appetizers first, and the salad afterwards. But they brought the items in reverse order, and then did not bring extra plates so that we could share the food. There were several other service inadequacies that one would not expect at a fine dining restaurant.

    Is this helpful?

  39. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 13, 2023

    overall3food4service3ambience5
    Ambience and quality of food were good. Dined here a couple times in the last year with family and service was always great. This time around I was not pleased. It was difficult to make an online reservation on OpenTable for a group of 10 so made 2 separate reservations on OpenTable with a note to combine the reservations to be seated together. No one answered the phone when I called to reach someone in person to make this group reservation. I was later told they were in a staff mtg that day. Anyway - they were not accommodating to seat us together so we did not enjoy our family dinner as we had imagined. Was planning to have my mom’s milestone celebration there in the fall, but with this recent experience we will be looking elsewhere (Sorry, Il Fornaio.)

    Is this helpful?

  40. oaklandeaterJK

    San Francisco

    96 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    96 reviews

    Dined on July 10, 2023

    overall3food3service4ambience3
    This place is always consistently good but never great, unfortunately. Last night, we had a very nice server but she was clearly too busy. The pacing of things coming out was vry much off: we got our salad before she even turned her back from taking our order (so clearly it was someone else's salad) and without what we asked for, as well as before we even got our cocktails; I asked that they not rush our entree but they did, and we received it before we could even order wine; etc. It's just not run well - or at least the front of house staff and kitchen staff are not coordinated in timing. Food was good but too pricey for what we got.

    Is this helpful?

Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitising

    • Surfaces sanitised between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitised menu provided
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Contactless payment available

  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Il Fornaio - Walnut Creek is rated 4.4 stars by 3979 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 33 times today
Google Map for Il Fornaio - Walnut Creek

1430 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    North Broadway
  • Neighbourhood
    Walnut Creek
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:30 am–9:00 pm
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Unspecified
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress Code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking Details
    Valet located in Broadway Pointe Plaza, entrance located on Duncan off North Main. Cost is $6.00 with validation.
  • Public Transit
    BART
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Francesco Gazzana
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    https://www.ilfornaio.com/location/il-fornaio-walnut-creek/
  • Phone number
    (925) 296-0100
  • Catering
    Delivery service available for orders over $100 in the Walnut Creek area.
  • Private party facilities
    We offer 2 private dining spaces; our East Loggia, holding 80 seated or up to 120 for a stadning reception.We can create smaller private dining areas for as small as 15 people using curtains. Our South Loggia can hold up 40 guests seated.
  • Private party contact
    Ashley Doden: (877) 625-1957

Featured in

Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Delight more diners
  • Open for Business Blog
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2023 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
Rentalcars Logo
OpenTable Logo