Il Forno Italian Restaurant Southside - Lakeland, Florida

Muhammad S.

We visited Il Forno with some friends for a New Year’s Eve dinner and what a great experience. A few weeks prior we made reservations for eight with Cameron over the phone. She was incredibly helpful and very patient.

When we got the restaurant our table was ready and we didn’t have to wait a minute. Our server, Sabrina, was super sweet! She knew the menu very well and was able to make recommendations. She went above and beyond to make sure our kids had everything they needed, giving us an opportunity to enjoy some adult company.

I would definitely recommend grabbing a bite here. The food is delicious and the service is great.

Crystal S.

We went on a busy Friday night. It did seem like a normal wait time to be seat, to us. Our service was great. Our food was as expected. We did have to wait a while for our food. The bathroom was small , different & need of repairs. We will go back to try more of the menu. We had Zitti , Shrimp Alfredo & the Ricotta balls.

Julia D.

This was our first time here and wow I’m so impressed. This food was insanely flavorful, so fresh and delicious. The sauce was INSANE! Everything we ate tonight was a 10, I can’t wait to come back here. Our server Lexie was super helpful with the menu, but honestly the whole staff was so lovely. Thank you guys for a wonderful meal we can’t wait to go back!

Molly H.

The waitress would ask us things when she ran by! We got a Sicilian pizza which she said was only 12 in and round. She said it was small. There were three of us so I decided to order lasagna which was terrible. She asked if I wanted a salad and I said yes thinking it came with the lasagna which was 17.99 salad was $3 extra. I had to ask if bread came with it after I was already eating she said yes and it was totally overcooked when she brought it to me, not chewable. The house dressing was so strong every time I inhaled I couldn't breathe so I could not even eat the salad. I had to ask for extra sauce on the lasagna twice. When she brought our bills she brought $5 bills as change instead of the normal you would think $1 bills for a tip. Maybe she thought that would allow her to get $5 tips around the table. The pizza and calamari came to $22 each total $44.as well as my lasagna was $ 23.00. the place was so noisy from so many people it was pretty busy.

Ivan

Great first experience! Came in and decided to try the garlic knots. Food was warm when I received it and the knots themselves were pretty good. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to try Italian food. Thanks!

Sergio F. V.

Good food, and amazing service! First time going, so I ordered more than what I could eat. The Antipasto Trio, Chicken Parm, and IL forno supreme-12". The Trio had brucheta, caprese, and the rolled meats. Nice starter, very fresh. Brucheta bread was crispy and flavorful. Caprese had fresh tomatoes and thick slices of mozzarella. Meats were ok, pretty standard I guess. Chicken Parm was great. Nicely breaded chicken, evenly cooked and smothered in sauce and cheese. Pasta was good too, nothing over the top. Pizza was decent too, crispy crust, fresh and chunky pieces of veggies and nicely spread pepperoni. I was there shortly after opening, so i had great service.

Grand J. E. A. L.

I make the journey from Newport Ritchie to this restaurant because I simply cannot get enough of their delicious Italian dishes. The exceptional service always makes the experience even better. I often take extra food home with me to savor throughout the week, as the flavors are just that good. This restaurant has stood the test of time by consistently crafting and serving amazing Italian cuisine. Their dedication to quality and taste has paid off.

Jill B.

The service was great. We made a reservation since we had a large party (9) and it was Christmas Eve. We had 2 kids and 7 adults (technically 4 kids but two teenage boys eat like adults). Everyone got the same menu so I guess they didn’t have menus for the kids to color. Our kids were all hungry so they were not as worried about coloring as they normally are. They were more excited about the garlic knots and pasta they were going to get.

We got some bread but everyone had already eaten garlic knots and fried zucchini.

I ordered the fettuccine Alfredo and the gnocchi for myself and my girls to split. We really liked the gnocchi and the Alfredo sauce but the red sauce was not very flavorful. It tasted like tomato paste more than tomato sauce. We had to mix it with the Alfredo to enjoy it.

Everyone else thought their food was delicious so overall I would give it 4 stars but if you get the gnocchi or other pasta with red sauce, just go ahead and substitute Alfredo. It was the best sauce and it is made in house and delicious. I think if we had done that (I almost did but it was my first time there so I wanted to try the red sauce too) it would have been five stars for sure.