IL FORNELLO, Richmond Hill

The food here is always amazing. But with tonight being New Year’s Eve not only were they able to let myself and my husband be seated without reservations and as a walk in which was greatly appreciated but they gave us the most amazing server I have ever had in all my years of dining out. Greg was an exceptional server who was on the ball, tentative, funny, kind and accommodating while having 10 other tables to attend to. There wasn’t a moment where I felt we were being neglected which I have experienced many times at other restaurants when they are super busy where I find myself constantly calling the waiter and asking them for something. Tonight was the best experience at this restaurant with the service at the front with the hostess who was so accommodating, the food being extra delicious and the services being out of this world. Thank you for a great New Year’s Eve dining experience. Wishing you all a very happy new year and I will see you again in 2025 :)

January 1, 2025 on Google

The food was good, but the service left something to be desired. I recently learned about a tomato sauce called “puttanesca” and was excited to try it. When I asked the waitress, who was wearing big horn-rimmed glasses, which menu items included puttanesca sauce, she dismissively replied, “That’s just spicy tomato sauce.” This response felt unprofessional and showed a lack of knowledge about the menu. It made me wonder—if I had asked about arrabbiata, would I have received the same vague answer? Training your staff to be more informed about the menu could significantly enhance the dining experience and add value to your restaurant.

December 30, 2024 on Google

As soon as we walked in, we noticed a very comforting and welcoming atmosphere. Our server was very friendly and immediately came to greet us. Our food was also brought in very quickly and the quality was incredible. We definitely recommend this restaurant if you are looking to eat out with your family!

December 21, 2024 on Google

We visited with my family yesterday for my birthday. I want to start off by thanking our server Guy and the team in the kitchen for the great service and food. Service - Guy was friendly and hard working, always speaking to everyone in my family with grace and kindness, even though he was busy. He was terrific. Food: Everyone enjoyed their food. I think my parents struggled a little with the pizza they were served, they found the crust to be hard but I didn't try it so I can't comment. The reasons for my less than a 5 star review - Food - was good but we felt the prices were quite high for some of the items. We asked for a side of pasta and a side of mashed potatoes/veggies, both were charged quite high since they were sides and not full portions. We should have just ordered full portions at that point. We let it be since it was a family dinner. Service - I called and left a message to make a booking but no one returned my call. I called back again and the person apologized but it was still a little annoying that no one had bothered to return my original call. I let them know that I had a birthday cake and they said there would be a $20 cake fee. Fair enough, I get that we're taking away from potential dessert orders. When I arrived with the cake, a tall, silver-haired gentleman who worked there said, "You brought a cake? Did you tell the team when you booked?" Of course I did. Did you need to pounce on me with that tone as soon as we walked in? It wasn't the friendliest start. He changed his tone and said, "We'll have that in the walk-in for you for later"....but why start off that way? The dining room was also packed for maximum sales. I remember back when this location had more space between the tables, I do miss that. Overall, like I said, I thank Guy and the kitchen staff for their effort. I think some of the other service elements need a little fine tuning.

November 17, 2024 on Google

Came here for Father’s Day dinner over the weekend and had an amazing experience! Some restaurants in the area don’t take reservations on weekends, so we were happy to be able to do so here. Our party of 8 ordered the grilled calamari appetizer and an assortment of pizzas & pastas to share. Not only did everything arrive within 10 minutes of ordering, but every dish was also delicious. The seafood was fresh and the flavours were mouth-watering. The cherry on top was our super-attentive server, Guy — friendly, efficient, and knew our needs before we voiced them. We all left with happy bellies and smiles on our faces. Would definitely recommend and visit again!

June 17, 2024 on Google

Overall, this is an excellent Italian restaurant with high-quality and delicious food. The service was good but a little spotty—our waiter forgot one salad order and served one dish to another person, but he quickly rectified the errors. (To be fair, we were a large group on a Saturday night, and the place was packed.) I ordered the Roma salad and chicken parmesan - both were delicious. Others ordered the Caesar salad, which was also excellent. The decor is wonderful—an industrial post-modern black-and-white high-class theme with an Italian flair.

April 24, 2024 on Google

The total experience is good, but I do believe there is room for improvements in terms of food preparation and taste. But overall we were satisfied! The waiter is really good as well. Just imagine serving 20 people. He did a great job!

February 26, 2024 on Google

We’re never gonna be back. Pros: the quality of food is great and the restaurant has a great vibe. Cons: this is probably the most kid-unfriendly place we’ve been to. To the point that they wouldn’t “allow” the kids to draw on the disposable paper on the table. The servers are hit and miss. The initial waitress had so much attitude and almost rolled her eyes at us. She put my glass of water on the opposite side of the table where nobody was sitting. Eventually a new waitress came and she was great. This is a pricey restaurant and they should have better customer service.

January 5, 2024 on Google