This place is sort of far for me, but it is the only Italian place I visit in Miami. I have 3 Italian restaurants between my house and this place, but they are all awful. I really love Italian food and am SUPER picky. They're spaghetti with meat sauce and their lasagna are AMAZING.
(5)
Diah A.
Olive Garden is a better Italian restaurant, and that isn't saying much. The bread was good, but definitely not Italian. It was Cuban bread with Italian seasoning. The salad would have been enjoyable, had it not been coated in copious amounts of creamy Italian dressing. We ordered the fried mozzarella for appetizer, and this was actually quite good, serving 2 uber-cheesy wedges with marinara. Our entrees literally took over 1 hour to arrive at the table, and during such time, the server did not check on us or offer apologies for the wait. By the time our food came we no longer had appetites. And good thing because the food was tremendously underwhelming. I ordered chicken Fettuccini Alfredo and received chicken linguine cream soup. Noodles were definitely not Fettuccini (which can be a big deal to some true Italians), and my food was literally submerged in a thin liquid cream sauce. I ate the chicken and left the noodly cream soup to the side. My girlfriend ordered chicken parm with a side of ziti and marinara, and she received chicken parm with a side of linguine Alfredo. At this point she did not want to send it back because we did not want to wait any longer. Her chicken wasn't too bad but the breading was soggy lacking the necessary crispy exterior chicken Parmesan should have. Our bill was only $36, so I cannot be too upset as I guess you get what you pay for.
(2)
Andre V.
After many years trying to find a plate Raviolis I could really enjoy, I finally found it. They were just perfect for my taste. So well prepare, marinara sauce perfectly balanced. House Salad is very good. We went around 2:00 pm on a Friday, and it was surprisedly almost empty.
(4)
David R.
Ill bambino restaurant, it's a restaurant I had never been before but my in-laws frequent often. They wanted to have some Italian food, and this was the choice for the day. The atmosphere and service of the restaurant were really good. I had the vegetable lasagna and it was really well-made. The fried zucchini we ordered as an appetizer was a little-bit too greasy for my taste, but nevertheless it tasted really well. Our server, unknowledgeable, accommodated our requests and had a very good attitude throughout the overall experience. It's a nice family restaurant. A nice option to have.
(4)
Vanessa J.
Came in here once and had such horrible service, but such gooood lasagna. Surprisingly, the calamari and the salad was garbage. We decided we would order take out from now on. The lasagna definitely gets 4+ stars. Don't think we have the courage to try anything else. I really just come to get my lasagna fix.
Horrible service! Some brute picked up the phone after about a minute of ringing and answered with a "hello?", so I had to ask if I was calling the restaurant. When he finally confirmed me having the right number he asked me to "hold", aka "I'm going to put the phone on the table and have you hear all the conversations happening around the phone" and eventually the retard hung up. I don't know how people put up with this mediocre, to say the least, service.
(1)
Jen J.
Sucks. So much hair in food. Insane! Service was subpar, if not unacceptable. The waiter insulted my brother, and called him a liar for showing him the CHUNK of hair in the pasta, accusing him of planting his own hair. He is bald...
(1)
Vivian L.
I have dined in Il Bambino for many years now. It's located very close to Tropical Park in a small strip mall across from the McDonalds.The food is excellent there and very well priced. Italian food is my favorite, I like to eat it and cook it. The same staff has been there for years and they are super nice. The give you a complimentary green salad and garlic bread with your meal (those are ok). The food is definitely not salty, greasy, or Cuban at all.. As a matter of fact, I like the fact their food is on the low-salt spectrum, which I appreciate for some of my family members with high blood pressure. The restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Some recomendations: Veal or Chicken Pizziola, Chicken Piccata, Eggplant or Veal Parmagian, Caprese Salad. Their Tiramisu is really good.
(5)
Adrian S.
Food was ok a little bland for my taste, chicken parmigiana was a popular choice amongst yelpers and it was nothing to brag about came out undercooked and very rubbery to there credit they replaced it without any questions. Ambiance was nice service was ok was looking for a new Italian restaurant nearby but the search continues....
(3)
Barby S.
The food tasted homemade and the staff was very friendly! I was really not that hungry so I had spaghuetti with olive oil and garlic. It exceeded my expectations by far! So delicious.
(5)
Katy S.
Four words: shrimp a la francaise !!! You will thank me later. Get it with a side of alfredo and you're set. To be honest, everything else besides this dish is mediocre. But it's worth visiting just for this dish alone.
(4)
Veronica D.
I was craving Italian, something other than Nunzios. I decided to follow yelper's recommendations and try Il Bambino. It was very yum. My hubby and I had the appetizer sampler which consisted of an array of meatballs, sausage, and egg plant. We followed the appetizer with entrees. We had the "make your own pasta" - Fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli (very yummy) and my hubby had the meat lasagna. A few downsides: service was very slow. They were very busy but I felt like we were left waiting quite a bit. My hubby also said that the wine tasted like it had been opened for a week. All and all, the food was great, so we will definitely be coming back soon!
(4)
Lourdes D.
Decided to check this place out after passing by it about a million times and always wondering if it was any good. There wasn't a soul in the place and we got seated immediately. For starters, the service was great. Attentive and very pleasant. I ordered the chicken marsala, with a side of linguini in pesto sauce. My entree game with a small house salad and their delicious parmesan cheese bread. Everything was delish, but the chicken marsala came with what looked like canned mushrooms, which turned me off. My friend had the caprese salad and she annihilated it, while exclaiming how delicious it was. I got a tres leches for dessert, and for the first time EVER in Miami, it wasn't served in a Lila's container. It was served on a plate and was amazing to boot, so Il Bambino scored big points there. As for parking, huuuuuge lot, so plenty of options.
(4)
Anais M.
Why does this place have such great reviews? All the food lacked seasoning and not so pleasant servers. Won't be back, thanks!
(1)
Christina V.
I had been here once before and I guess it completely slipped my mind because I haven't reviews it yet. Anyway, this place is great. I came here last night with Mr.F and the dinner was just what we needed. I had the Veal with red sauce and spaghetti and my other half enjoyed a lemony chicken dish. Both were excellent and I'll be enjoying leftovers in the lunchroom in a few hours. (Can't wait) The pricing is really fair as well. Also, I must mention this, the bread is awesome! It is warm, flavorful, crispy, and just .... yummy. I loved it here and I will most likely be coming back. Its is cool place to come on a date but is also really open to groups as well. Very versatile.
(4)
Madeline M.
Celebrated my son's graduation with family & friends & we throughly enjoyed I'l Bambino's cozy family style restaurant. The food was delicious and plenty and the service was prompt considering the large group... Hint... Go early if you have a large group- no reservations!
(4)
Tiffany G.
Visited Il Bambino yesterday for the first time because I was in the area and wanted to try something new for take out. When we entered we stood at the door and no one came to greet us or let us know that they would help/seat us soon. I didn't mind so much because they seemed to be understaffed but after a few minutes it just felt uncomfortable because there was no area to sit while waiting so you're just facing/staring at everyone as they eat (it's a small place). A waiter then pointed at a table from across the room signaling which table we could sit at (this didn't allow me the opportunity to let him know I was ordering to go). I checked out the menu for a couple minutes and ordered the fettuccine alfredo and broccoli cream soup. I also asked for a glass of wine while I wait for my food to be ready but the waiter said he couldn't bring me one unless I ordered an appetizer.... O.o that is the weirdest thing I have ever heard at a restaurant. My response was: "But I'm paying for the glass of wine and ordering food, I don't understand." The waiter simply shrugged his shoulders as if to say "sorry those are the rules" and just walked away. Never have I heard of a restaurant denying you a glass of wine unless you order an appetizer (which I was in fact ordering, but simply taking to go - the broccoli soup). I'm still confused by the situation and it is a shame because I enjoyed the food but I doubt I'll be returning.
(2)
Karin P.
Highly disappointed. I remember coming to this place years ago and loved it. Today, I had tried a pasta dish with their pink sauce and it didn't taste like anything at all. I even had melted cheese on top. Tasted super bland and I was shocked. I guess I am used to the pink sauce that Whole Foods offers when you create your own pasta dishes there. Only thing that tasted like anything was their side salad, and that tasted really good. None-the-less, I am very disappointed. I would hope their tomato sauce is at least tasty.
(2)
Mari M.
Excellent service! Great food..... Had the capellini carbonara, chicken cannelloni, and a simply fabulous cannoli. Had to order a second for the kids!
(5)
Adalberto M.
This is one of these places that are tucked in and you forget about, until you finally go and tell yourself why did I wait so long to come back! . Great place for a casual experience. They'll serve you toasted buttered breads that you'll have to be careful not to eat the entire basket. Then, they'll serve you the house salad. Yes, it's complimentary. Anything on here is really good, I've had lots on this menu. My favorite is the chicken francese. It's so good here my wife had to learn how to make it (now her's is better lol). Dessert, go ahead and try their cannoli. OMG. You've already had lots of food, don't sweat it you won't pay much for it. Totally worth it.
(5)
Lillian R.
I've had the most amazing ravioli here and the most disgusting chicken marsales all in the same night. The pear ravioli delish, the chicken marsales tasted like a can of cream of mushroom was opened over some tainted chicken. Our friends didn't like their dishes much funny part was how the staff only spoke Spanish at an Italian restaurant welcome to Miami indeed ....
(3)
Damian R.
Hidden gem in an old cramped shopping strip. Food is amazing. All the pasta is to die for. Super friendly staff and great place for a romantic date.
(4)
Willie G.
Best Italian restaurant in Miami! Whole in the wal mom and pop shop that excels over the competition in every category! Order anything and you will not be disappointed! And the price is amazing with ridiculous amount in portion! ***********
(5)
Roberto C.
Best Italian food for the price good service good food best garlic bread
(5)
Jim B.
My family and I have eaten at this establishment many times, in fact we have even had family celebrations such as graduation parties there . However, we will never be back there again after last experience. My husband and son in law both found hair in their salads . We were all shocked and appalled especially by the lack of any apology from the staff. We had to ask for them to brin them another salads. Imagine our repulsion when my son in law had a long hair in his entree right from the kitchen . When we showed the waiter he said this is not possible. Not only did they not care there was hair in the food he insulted my don in law . At that point we saw a woman with an apron and long hair ... No hair net come out from the kitchen . The waiter had said there were no people with long hair in the kitchen. They never apologized of offered any compensation or concern at all. There did not appear to be any manager there at all but we will be sure to call tomorrow and inform him of our experience.
(1)
Stef L.
After reading some of the past reviews I was a bit afraid of going there. The restaurant was lovely. It looked newly renovated... very nice. I ordered meat lasagna. My meal came with a salad and garlic bread. Both ok. The lasagna was a little salty for me but it came fresh and the cheese was soupy. Fabulous! I would quickly and happily recommend this restaurant.
(4)
Carolyn W.
this is definitely one of my favorite places in miami. my family goes alllllll the time and i have never had a bad experience. we're always seated promptly, the waiters are always friendly and knowledgeable, and we never have to wait an eternity for our food. seriously the only complaint i can even come up with is that salad is a little overdressed. the bread is heavenly; we go through basket after basket of it. my personal favorites are the chicken marsala and chicken parmesan, but whenever i taste someone else's meal, its always great. come hungry because you won't leave disappointed!
(5)
Jessica L.
The food is a little heavy. I have had to make take out runs to this place several times for work. Overall the food is ok. The garlic bread is hard as a rock with little seasoning and cheese, the salad is not impressive. The people there are nice but it's a little expensive for what you're getting
(3)
Gaby B.
My family has been coming to this restaurant for years. We have also ordered food for large parties from here. The food is moderately priced and isn't bad, but its not great. It's just A-ok Italian. Service is always pleasant albeit a tad slow at times. One thing I will admit I do love is their house dressing, the house salad on the other hand, could use some fresh veggies and a tomato (its literally lettuce and a few carrots). Anyway, the dressing is awesome. Not my first choice for Italian, but definitely good to feed a large group for a good price.
(3)
Mari M.
I have always loved the food here, but the service is not so great. The waiters always seem arrogant and snooty.. I don't even experience this at 5-star restaurants! I keep coming back for the grilled chicken, fettuccine and garlic bread, but always dread the service, especially from a particular server- Wayne. I don't even think Chris Rock can make him smile! IL Bambino really has to step up their game with regards to the service.. I have to subtract 2 stars for this!
(3)
Lucy P.
I ordered take out when i got the food it was in a broken box the food fell on the floor. when i called them to complain they just gave attitude and said they couldnt do anything the customer service is terrible. I ordered here because i live near by but wouldnt order here again the food is ok when you order a chicken parm and they ask you if you want it with red sauce? Um hello?
(1)
Julio H.
I no longer consider to have an infinite amount of meals left in my book. For that reason, I try to visit places that are attractive to me in taste, decor, and even ambiance. Coming to Il Bambino was one of those necessary hiccups in my visits. After years and years of hearing about Il Bambino, and seeing their long standing marquee on a busy shopping center across Tropical Park, I decided to pay them a visit. I have looked over their menu countless times, and never been able to muster enough courage to set foot at this eatery. Until I decided that there was nothing left for me to try around the area, other than this restaurant. Luckily I arrived on the day the meat lasagna was the special of the day. I was going to order gnocchi but the waiter recommended the lasagna. It is a good fall back anyway, or as I like to say, I nice measuring stick, because an Italian restaurant messing up lasagna is almost unheard of, and it will let you know the type of expertise the kitchen has acquired. So I was served garlic bread, which was good but not great, and a salad with ranch dressing, which tasted very much like the one Kraft makes. Then the lasagna came in the traditional oval baking dish. It looked well cooked, and it had lots of cheese. But after tasting it, it was a little bland, and a little under seasoned. For dessert I had the tiramesu, which was OK also, but not great. The plate was dressed with chocolate fudge which just killed the refined taste of the mascarpone cheese. It was a bad combination. The thing that was more memorable, for a lack of words, was entering in a realm where mostly seniors dwell on. I was the only person representing all age groups under forty. Seeing so many men and women with white hair, probably Medicaid recipients, made me feel like if I had arrived at an elephant cemetery poachers fantasize with, and where elephants withdraw to live the last days of their lives. I have never felt out of place anywhere until Il Bambino. The few men not sporting white hair were hooked on Just for Men. I felt very depressed to think that so many lives end at an "OK" Italian restaurant. To cheer me up, grandma and grandpa on the table next to me invited their teenage grandson to lunch. He drove from school and showed up within minutes. Grandpa welcomed Speed Racer with "eres un caballo", but before grandpa could finish his sentence, Speedy asked him what he thought about the new Air Jordan sneakers with a price tag of $220, the ones on the picture he just sent him. If you have parents, kids, or grandparents with purchasing power, you know how the conversation went. To me, it was enough to make me feel better knowing that a new generation is constantly sprouting, and that not everything ends at Il Bambino.
(3)
Jeff G.
Affordable Italian, yes! And it doesn't suck? YES! I only came here once a long time ago and remembered it was good, but I must say it was better than I remember this time. To add bonus points, I came with a large party of 28 (along with fellow Yelper Robert C) and everything that came out of the kitchen was well executed from the awesome garlic bread to my eggplant parm. It was probably the best I've had too. Did I mention affordable? Here was my order: Sangria Salad & Garlic Bread Eggplant Parmesan w/ Spaghetti and tomato sauce and desert Total bill: $17.95 I've been to mediocre places that charge that for the entree alone! Next time I'm in the area, I will be going back.
(5)
Eileen P.
Great portions good prices every meal comes with salad and garlic rolls very small place but everyone is really nice
(4)
Jeff H.
Where do I begin???... We thought this place was going to be great. It was awful. Our waiter was friendly, nice, and attentive. Unfortunately it was semi packed and he was working all alone and doing the best he could. We got our food. It was gross, my partners was missing the eggplant and it was just noodles and sauce. My dish the chicken Marsala was bland and gross. We kept hearing a lot of screaming from the kitchen. Then the Chef comes out from the back yelling at the only waiter, screaming in his face. The waiter was professional and just excused himself and walked outside while the Chef went on acting crazy in front of all of us. The funny thing is out of no where there was like 10 people from the back to help. The whole time the waiter struggled and did good but had no help at all just people demanding him. The chef needs to be fired and if he is the owner then he should sell it. No matter if the waiter messed up all day for which I don't know you never ever as a chef present yourself that way. And yell at someone and scream and point to their face at all and especially to the whole restaurant. So to add more to this, the little manager guy not sure who he was said how was everything and I said awful. He said sorry and brought us our check. Not asked why, offered to discount the bill, or anything. It was basically like a sorry but F U! This place is absurd. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!!!
(1)
Z Z.
YUMMiest Italian food in town! Authentic Italian cook in the kitchen. Great ambiance and service is amazing! Highly recommend!
(5)
Christa C.
This place is sad. The storefront is reminiscent of a shady strip mall marque. The interior was cozy enough and would have been cute had my view not been of the McDonalds drive through 200 feet away. The space was more than half full and nearly all of the patrons were quite the crowd that might visit the Golden Corral. I had the chicken parm with spaghetti and red sauce. And a glass of sangria. The chicken was super greasy, overcooked, and had a few cheese slices on top. The pasta was nice and al dente, but the sauce tasted like it came straight from a can, with a brief stop in the microwave. The sangria was the worse I've ever had, and I've had canned sangria in Japan. Cheers!
(2)
Eliza C.
Just came back from a party we held at this restaurant and unfortunately I don't have much good to say. After making reservations for 14 to celebrate a graduation we planned to bring a couple of our own table decorations just for presentation when everyone arrived. Our request was simple, let us put our cake on the table and we will remove once everyone arrives so that it is not in the way of the food. The owner could not grasp this concept and kept telling us that she couldnt do that because they would be serving food on the table. We explained multiple times that the idea was to remove the cake before the food was served. After much struggle and argument they finally agreed to let us do this. (Something we have never had an issue with at any other restaurant). Despite the owner of the restaurant being unaccommodating, difficult to work with over this issue and rude to both my mother and aunt i still had no intention of leaving this review until the owner proceeded to call my aunt rude and say that she had an attitude problem. This is unacceptable behavior from an owner of a business in the hospitality industry. Not even the good food was enough to make up for the owner's attitude with us! This is not the type of service I expected from a restaurant we have frequented and held parties at before. Two stars only because the food was good and the waiter was great to us.
(2)
David S.
I have been going to Il Bambino for over 10 years . Being that it is located inside a small strip mall at the entrance of Westchester, if you were to drive too fast, you may never know that it was there and pass up one of the best local spots for a great Italian meal. Il Bambino's employees from the greeters to the servers and all the way up to the chef's add an incredible personal touch to your visit. They have been there since the inception of the restaurant. You never have to look around to get a refill of water, or soda or wine. And, after your second or third visit, they will know you by name. In regards to the food, I personally consider that for the price of 1 person eating at the Olive Garden, two can eat at Il Bambino's without compromising quality, flavor or dedication to presentation. My personal favorite is their Chicken Parmesan. The size is perfect, well prepared and when you add the initial house salad and GREAT Garlic Bread it is a meal that will fill up any hearty appetite. By the way this is also Wednesdays Lunch special! $5.95 for: - House Salad - Garlic Bread (All you can eat) - Chicken Parmesan - Side of Pasta (any type, any sauce) You can't beat that with a stick. And, knowing you may be on a time crunch during lunch, it usually takes between 5-8 minutes for the main course to arrive. My wife and I frequent Il Bambino at least 3 times a month on date nights due to the high quality of their food, service and not putting a dent on my wallet, which gives us more time to enjoy other events after dining. I recommend anyone who has not tried Il Bambino to visit them and experience it for themselves. Highly Recommend!
(5)
Daisy S.
I really enjoy coming here for lunch!!! The price and lunch specials are great!!! Try the chicken franceise! Their garlic bread has some sort of Parmesan seasoning that is to die for. You will eat the whole basket of bread.. be advised! Their house salad has the most delicious dressing i have ever tried. Tip: ask for a side of it and dip your bread into it. You'll thank me later. :) In a nutshell.. great food, great price. good service as well. Its a must for lunch.
(4)
Alex H.
The Italian food here is authentic and priced well. I am tired of all these overpriced Italian restraints. The only complaint I have is the sauce is a little rich in the pasta and the food is a little greasy.
(4)
Angela V.
My in-laws introduced me to this place 8 years ago and it's our favorite little Italian restaurant. We ordered catering for 30 this weekend. And it was so much delicious food that everyone got seconds and thirds and we STILL had so much food left over. I have to say the price was extremely reasonable for 30 people and for the amount of food we were given. I absolutely recommend this place! :)
(5)
Genesis S.
I LOVE Il bambino. It's my favorite Italian restaurant in Miami. The place is a romantic hole-in-the-wall. It's casual, yet intimate. I love it.Their service is top notch. The food is homemade Italian and for a great price! . First, the garlic toasted baguette, which youll begin to crave after you've left. That's how good they are. Secondly, comes e salad which is made perfectly. And finially, entree I love the cheese ravioli with pesto. It's delicious! You can taste the freshness in the sause! This is definitely a place to try!
(5)
David Y.
Came in for dinner on a Sunday night. Fast service, great food portions, and very well priced for Italian food in the area. They offer many good selections of pairings between meals, pastas, and appetizers. Definitely a fan and would recommend!
(4)
N S.
Food excellent & very reasonable. Service SUCKS!!!! So bad we won't go back or recommend. Consider takeout.
(2)
Madeline M.
I went with 3 friends for lunch. We were still eating our salads when they brought me, and only me, my entree. I ordered the linguine with pink sauce which had way too much sauce and not enough flavor. And the ricotta cheesecake? Terrible!
(2)
Michael S.
Not bad for a typical strip shopping center Italian restaurant. There were good and bad experiences during our lunch. I usually don't hold out much hope for the mix and match pasta/sauce types of places. There is a reason for the use of different shapes of pasta and the appropriate sauces. It looked like it was going to be a poor experience when I began by asking how they made their pasta Carbonara. First they asked me what type of pasta I wanted? That is like asking what type of pasta do you want with linguine and clam sauce. Then to add insult to injury, they said that there were onions in the carbonara. Strike one. I started with the minestrone, a very bland attempt at vegetable soup. I moved on to the cannelloni stuffed with chicken and spinach. Veal is usually used in this dish and the chicken was a bland substitute. My son had the pasta (generic choice) with Alfredo sauce and prosciutto, fair but swimming in sauce. My wife had large shrimp in a scampi type of preparation that was the highlight of the entrees. that was pretty good. The best part of the meal was the ricotta cheese cake, an excellent version but not as good as Nunzio's, further west on Bird, in fact nothing was as good as at Nunzio's, spend the time and drive another ten minutes west.
(3)
Janelle F.
I was craving some prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and tomato and didn't want to travel far from my "westchester" 'hood...So we decided to try out Il Bambino for dinner. Even though it's in a strip mall (which also houses my beloved Sushi Ko), once you step inside, the place is cute and quaint. There were plenty of people there for a Tuesday night, but service was quick. They start you off with some delicious parmesan garlic bread and a house salad with their special dressing. I'm not big on salad, but this dressing was fantastic. The bread was also dangerously good as I probably had at least 3 pieces of it. My caprese was great and so was my SO's lobster ravioli. I went with the gnocchi which was just okay. Fortunately, we shared half and half so I got to have some of the lobster ravioli. The lobster ravioli was $20 but it came with 3 jumbo shrimp prawns and the ravioli had actual lobster chunks in it, not processed/ground up stuff. The fresh tomato sauce it came in was divine...it probably would've tasted great as a dipping sauce for the bread, too. Either way-I'm glad I discovered Il Bambino, I have a feeling I'll be coming here again soon!
(4)
Florence Y.
I chanced upon this place because Sushi Ko (a couple of suites down) was closed on a Sunday...and I was so happy walking out of there! TV showing soccer on a Sunday...it was entertaining!! The place isn't too big, seating was no problem. The service was amazing. My waiter was very patient and knowledgeable about the menu, he explained the different sauces for the "make your own dish" to me, and my glass of water was never half empty! They were extremely attentive! I ordered the gnocchi and frutti de mare (seafood sauce) for $15.95-ish and it was SOOOOOOO good! It had fish, small scallops, shrimps, claims, mussels and calamari...and the sauce must have been cooking all day, it was so flavorful! And the gnocchi wasn't like the thick, starchy, i-feel-guilty-for-eating-carbs kind...it was rather 'light' for a lack of better word! And the garlic bread/toast...light and flaky and toasted...topped with cheese!!! We polished off the whole basket! A small salad was served prior to the entree. I will DEFINITELY come back!!! The service was great, compared to the generic olive garden service!! Small place and personable service and great food, you can't beat that! Tip-bits: Parking wasn't a problem, even for a Sunday. There are healthy options: grilled chicken and steamed vegs. Seemed like they had a good selection of wine!
(5)
Jose S.
I've been coming here on and off since I worked down the road 13 years ago. The food is great. The price is right. The staff is excellent. Not to mention it's pretty much been the same staff the whole time I've been coming here. I had another place in mind for my late lunch (Sushi-Ko), but I'm happy I stopped here. Never dissapointing.
(4)
Caro F.
Salty and greasy on top of terrible service. Not real Italian at all.
(1)
Eric R.
Went there with my wife last Friday. I have gone years back when i was smaller and had forgotten how good the food was. You want tranquil, family oriented Italian restaurant, Bambino is for you. My wife had the meaty Lasagna (DAM!!) If your a meatlover then your purpose in life is this. !VISIT IL BAMBINO AND EAT MEATY LASAGNA! Cannoli not so good. it was like eating toothpaste with a hinty taste of chocolate.
(4)
Carlos R.
Big fan of this place. Service is always excellent and menu is fairly large. You even have a "make your own dish" option, which is always fun. Over the past 3 years they've remodeled it a bit, it's always spotless. Parking is never a problem as it's in a strip mall. Usually have specials that they switch up routinely to keep it exciting. Go and enjoy.
(4)
Linda N.
we came here for a rehearsal dinner and it was fabulous. The food was great, I had the lasagna and it was delicious. Other family had the lemon chicken and the chicken parmigiana and everyone was so happy and full. The place is small but cute and its a great place to go. By the way the bread is awesome. They toast slices of bread and put garlic and cheese. Yummy!
(4)
Erudito C.
Nice place ,great service friendly and efficient .Prices are moderate ,I go for lunch almost everyday.
(4)
Damian R.
Hidden gem in an old cramped shopping strip. Food is amazing. All the pasta is to die for. Super friendly staff and great place for a romantic date.
(4)
Willie G.
Best Italian restaurant in Miami! Whole in the wal mom and pop shop that excels over the competition in every category! Order anything and you will not be disappointed! And the price is amazing with ridiculous amount in portion! ***********
(5)
Roberto C.
Best Italian food for the price good service good food best garlic bread
(5)
Mary e.
Had dinner on a Sunday night with a party of 18. The food was very good ( I had the chicken picata with linguini in olive oil and garlic), it was very tasty! The calamari appetizer and the stuffed clams were not very good (the calamari was breaded and fried and it tasted of stale breading and oil and the clams were way too salty). My husband had a steak and while it did not look great, it tasted pretty good (although, if I wanted a great steak I wouldn't expect it at a place that specializes in italian food). The bread at this place is awesome and I love the dressing they use on the salad. Overall, a great meal. Our waiter (we only had one, which didn't seem enough for such a large group) was courteous, attentive and somehow managed to maintain our our water glasses and bread baskets full. A very nice meal. Parking is also not a problem on most days, and especially on a Sunday night. Although the place is located in a strip mall, the inside of the restaurant is small and cozy with a slight italian decor. I recommend it because you get a good meal for a very reasonable price.
(4)
Lucy P.
I ordered take out when i got the food it was in a broken box the food fell on the floor. when i called them to complain they just gave attitude and said they couldnt do anything the customer service is terrible. I ordered here because i live near by but wouldnt order here again the food is ok when you order a chicken parm and they ask you if you want it with red sauce? Um hello?
(1)
Gianni D.
This is one of those spots that I go to at least once a month. They have been around for years. The waiting staff have been with the restaurant since it opened. The place is relatively small and has a great atmosphere. Very clean very well maintained. From what i remember the original owner of the restaurant was a Cuban immigrant with Italian parents. He has opened a number of other small family style restaurant in the west Miami area, specifically one called la Nona. The food is fantastic. Every meal is served with a house salad and you get some of the best bread. My wife swears by their lasagna and I always have either the chicken Marsala or the Florentine, The Florentine is a grilled chicken fillet served on ham/prosciutto and spinach topped with an amazing dark sauce. Most of the dishes come with spaghetti, but I always get it with baked Ziti. The cheese and ingredients they use are amazing. Overall Il Bambino will provide you with consistent great service and great food. Highly recommended.
(5)
Nelson R.
Personally I consider this place one of the best-bang-for-the-buck Italian restaurants in Miami. They have excellent lunch specials at around $7, every M-F. Their lunch specials come with a basket of garlic bread and a house salad. Their service is extremely friendly, efficient and attentive. I love the escargot a la Medici, deliciously bathed escargot in a wonderfully well balanced vodka sauce. I recommend their lasagna, cannelloni filled with chicken and spinach, their chicken Marsala and chicken picatta are wonderful and last but not least linguine with white clam sauce. Their prices are very reasonable and tuned with the amount and quality of food they serve. Enjoy Il Bambino!
(5)
Eliza C.
Just came back from a party we held at this restaurant and unfortunately I don't have much good to say. After making reservations for 14 to celebrate a graduation we planned to bring a couple of our own table decorations just for presentation when everyone arrived. Our request was simple, let us put our cake on the table and we will remove once everyone arrives so that it is not in the way of the food. The owner could not grasp this concept and kept telling us that she couldnt do that because they would be serving food on the table. We explained multiple times that the idea was to remove the cake before the food was served. After much struggle and argument they finally agreed to let us do this. (Something we have never had an issue with at any other restaurant). Despite the owner of the restaurant being unaccommodating, difficult to work with over this issue and rude to both my mother and aunt i still had no intention of leaving this review until the owner proceeded to call my aunt rude and say that she had an attitude problem. This is unacceptable behavior from an owner of a business in the hospitality industry. Not even the good food was enough to make up for the owner's attitude with us! This is not the type of service I expected from a restaurant we have frequented and held parties at before. Two stars only because the food was good and the waiter was great to us.
(2)
Z Z.
YUMMiest Italian food in town! Authentic Italian cook in the kitchen. Great ambiance and service is amazing! Highly recommend!
(5)
Christa C.
This place is sad. The storefront is reminiscent of a shady strip mall marque. The interior was cozy enough and would have been cute had my view not been of the McDonalds drive through 200 feet away. The space was more than half full and nearly all of the patrons were quite the crowd that might visit the Golden Corral. I had the chicken parm with spaghetti and red sauce. And a glass of sangria. The chicken was super greasy, overcooked, and had a few cheese slices on top. The pasta was nice and al dente, but the sauce tasted like it came straight from a can, with a brief stop in the microwave. The sangria was the worse I've ever had, and I've had canned sangria in Japan. Cheers!
(2)
Madeline M.
Celebrated my son's graduation with family & friends & we throughly enjoyed I'l Bambino's cozy family style restaurant. The food was delicious and plenty and the service was prompt considering the large group... Hint... Go early if you have a large group- no reservations!
(4)
Tiffany G.
Visited Il Bambino yesterday for the first time because I was in the area and wanted to try something new for take out. When we entered we stood at the door and no one came to greet us or let us know that they would help/seat us soon. I didn't mind so much because they seemed to be understaffed but after a few minutes it just felt uncomfortable because there was no area to sit while waiting so you're just facing/staring at everyone as they eat (it's a small place). A waiter then pointed at a table from across the room signaling which table we could sit at (this didn't allow me the opportunity to let him know I was ordering to go). I checked out the menu for a couple minutes and ordered the fettuccine alfredo and broccoli cream soup. I also asked for a glass of wine while I wait for my food to be ready but the waiter said he couldn't bring me one unless I ordered an appetizer.... O.o that is the weirdest thing I have ever heard at a restaurant. My response was: "But I'm paying for the glass of wine and ordering food, I don't understand." The waiter simply shrugged his shoulders as if to say "sorry those are the rules" and just walked away. Never have I heard of a restaurant denying you a glass of wine unless you order an appetizer (which I was in fact ordering, but simply taking to go - the broccoli soup). I'm still confused by the situation and it is a shame because I enjoyed the food but I doubt I'll be returning.
(2)
Karin P.
Highly disappointed. I remember coming to this place years ago and loved it. Today, I had tried a pasta dish with their pink sauce and it didn't taste like anything at all. I even had melted cheese on top. Tasted super bland and I was shocked. I guess I am used to the pink sauce that Whole Foods offers when you create your own pasta dishes there. Only thing that tasted like anything was their side salad, and that tasted really good. None-the-less, I am very disappointed. I would hope their tomato sauce is at least tasty.
(2)
Mari M.
Excellent service! Great food..... Had the capellini carbonara, chicken cannelloni, and a simply fabulous cannoli. Had to order a second for the kids!
(5)
Alana A.
I've been coming here for years, and I always come back. To start, the ambiance is really nice - the lights perfectly dimmed, Italian music softly playing, and nice paintings surround the restaurant. The waiting staff are really the best and have all been there since I've been coming to this place (years and years!). As soon as you are seated, you are quickly served perfectly crispy garlic bread. If you order an entree, it comes with a small house salad. I hardly ever eat salad but this one is always so fresh and comes with the perfect amount of dressing, that I always look forward it. My favorite plate is the chicken Parmesan which I order with penne in Alfredo sauce. I ask for the cheese on the chicken parm to be "toasted" because that's my preference and it tastes amazing that way. The chicken parm is thin and crispy and in my opinion, the best in Miami. The Alfredo sauce is thick and creamy and incredible. Cheese tortellini in vodka sauce is also awesome. Fried zucchini appetizer is the bomb. And a cannoli will end your meal perfectly. Oh and the prices - can't be beat! The price is affordable, especially given the excellent quality!
(5)
Cecilia S.
Excellent food, attention and atmosphere! Good for come with kids! I recommend 100%. Lovely place!
(5)
Lillian R.
I've had the most amazing ravioli here and the most disgusting chicken marsales all in the same night. The pear ravioli delish, the chicken marsales tasted like a can of cream of mushroom was opened over some tainted chicken. Our friends didn't like their dishes much funny part was how the staff only spoke Spanish at an Italian restaurant welcome to Miami indeed ....
Horrible service! Some brute picked up the phone after about a minute of ringing and answered with a "hello?", so I had to ask if I was calling the restaurant. When he finally confirmed me having the right number he asked me to "hold", aka "I'm going to put the phone on the table and have you hear all the conversations happening around the phone" and eventually the retard hung up. I don't know how people put up with this mediocre, to say the least, service.
(1)
Vivian L.
I have dined in Il Bambino for many years now. It's located very close to Tropical Park in a small strip mall across from the McDonalds.The food is excellent there and very well priced. Italian food is my favorite, I like to eat it and cook it. The same staff has been there for years and they are super nice. The give you a complimentary green salad and garlic bread with your meal (those are ok). The food is definitely not salty, greasy, or Cuban at all.. As a matter of fact, I like the fact their food is on the low-salt spectrum, which I appreciate for some of my family members with high blood pressure. The restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Some recomendations: Veal or Chicken Pizziola, Chicken Piccata, Eggplant or Veal Parmagian, Caprese Salad. Their Tiramisu is really good.
(5)
Jen J.
Sucks. So much hair in food. Insane! Service was subpar, if not unacceptable. The waiter insulted my brother, and called him a liar for showing him the CHUNK of hair in the pasta, accusing him of planting his own hair. He is bald...
(1)
Florence Y.
I chanced upon this place because Sushi Ko (a couple of suites down) was closed on a Sunday...and I was so happy walking out of there! TV showing soccer on a Sunday...it was entertaining!! The place isn't too big, seating was no problem. The service was amazing. My waiter was very patient and knowledgeable about the menu, he explained the different sauces for the "make your own dish" to me, and my glass of water was never half empty! They were extremely attentive! I ordered the gnocchi and frutti de mare (seafood sauce) for $15.95-ish and it was SOOOOOOO good! It had fish, small scallops, shrimps, claims, mussels and calamari...and the sauce must have been cooking all day, it was so flavorful! And the gnocchi wasn't like the thick, starchy, i-feel-guilty-for-eating-carbs kind...it was rather 'light' for a lack of better word! And the garlic bread/toast...light and flaky and toasted...topped with cheese!!! We polished off the whole basket! A small salad was served prior to the entree. I will DEFINITELY come back!!! The service was great, compared to the generic olive garden service!! Small place and personable service and great food, you can't beat that! Tip-bits: Parking wasn't a problem, even for a Sunday. There are healthy options: grilled chicken and steamed vegs. Seemed like they had a good selection of wine!
(5)
Jose S.
I've been coming here on and off since I worked down the road 13 years ago. The food is great. The price is right. The staff is excellent. Not to mention it's pretty much been the same staff the whole time I've been coming here. I had another place in mind for my late lunch (Sushi-Ko), but I'm happy I stopped here. Never dissapointing.
(4)
Caro F.
Salty and greasy on top of terrible service. Not real Italian at all.
(1)
Eric R.
Went there with my wife last Friday. I have gone years back when i was smaller and had forgotten how good the food was. You want tranquil, family oriented Italian restaurant, Bambino is for you. My wife had the meaty Lasagna (DAM!!) If your a meatlover then your purpose in life is this. !VISIT IL BAMBINO AND EAT MEATY LASAGNA! Cannoli not so good. it was like eating toothpaste with a hinty taste of chocolate.
(4)
Carlos R.
Big fan of this place. Service is always excellent and menu is fairly large. You even have a "make your own dish" option, which is always fun. Over the past 3 years they've remodeled it a bit, it's always spotless. Parking is never a problem as it's in a strip mall. Usually have specials that they switch up routinely to keep it exciting. Go and enjoy.
(4)
Linda N.
we came here for a rehearsal dinner and it was fabulous. The food was great, I had the lasagna and it was delicious. Other family had the lemon chicken and the chicken parmigiana and everyone was so happy and full. The place is small but cute and its a great place to go. By the way the bread is awesome. They toast slices of bread and put garlic and cheese. Yummy!
(4)
Erudito C.
Nice place ,great service friendly and efficient .Prices are moderate ,I go for lunch almost everyday.
(4)
Nelson R.
Personally I consider this place one of the best-bang-for-the-buck Italian restaurants in Miami. They have excellent lunch specials at around $7, every M-F. Their lunch specials come with a basket of garlic bread and a house salad. Their service is extremely friendly, efficient and attentive. I love the escargot a la Medici, deliciously bathed escargot in a wonderfully well balanced vodka sauce. I recommend their lasagna, cannelloni filled with chicken and spinach, their chicken Marsala and chicken picatta are wonderful and last but not least linguine with white clam sauce. Their prices are very reasonable and tuned with the amount and quality of food they serve. Enjoy Il Bambino!
(5)
Carolyn W.
this is definitely one of my favorite places in miami. my family goes alllllll the time and i have never had a bad experience. we're always seated promptly, the waiters are always friendly and knowledgeable, and we never have to wait an eternity for our food. seriously the only complaint i can even come up with is that salad is a little overdressed. the bread is heavenly; we go through basket after basket of it. my personal favorites are the chicken marsala and chicken parmesan, but whenever i taste someone else's meal, its always great. come hungry because you won't leave disappointed!
(5)
Jessica L.
The food is a little heavy. I have had to make take out runs to this place several times for work. Overall the food is ok. The garlic bread is hard as a rock with little seasoning and cheese, the salad is not impressive. The people there are nice but it's a little expensive for what you're getting
(3)
Mary e.
Had dinner on a Sunday night with a party of 18. The food was very good ( I had the chicken picata with linguini in olive oil and garlic), it was very tasty! The calamari appetizer and the stuffed clams were not very good (the calamari was breaded and fried and it tasted of stale breading and oil and the clams were way too salty). My husband had a steak and while it did not look great, it tasted pretty good (although, if I wanted a great steak I wouldn't expect it at a place that specializes in italian food). The bread at this place is awesome and I love the dressing they use on the salad. Overall, a great meal. Our waiter (we only had one, which didn't seem enough for such a large group) was courteous, attentive and somehow managed to maintain our our water glasses and bread baskets full. A very nice meal. Parking is also not a problem on most days, and especially on a Sunday night. Although the place is located in a strip mall, the inside of the restaurant is small and cozy with a slight italian decor. I recommend it because you get a good meal for a very reasonable price.
(4)
Gianni D.
This is one of those spots that I go to at least once a month. They have been around for years. The waiting staff have been with the restaurant since it opened. The place is relatively small and has a great atmosphere. Very clean very well maintained. From what i remember the original owner of the restaurant was a Cuban immigrant with Italian parents. He has opened a number of other small family style restaurant in the west Miami area, specifically one called la Nona. The food is fantastic. Every meal is served with a house salad and you get some of the best bread. My wife swears by their lasagna and I always have either the chicken Marsala or the Florentine, The Florentine is a grilled chicken fillet served on ham/prosciutto and spinach topped with an amazing dark sauce. Most of the dishes come with spaghetti, but I always get it with baked Ziti. The cheese and ingredients they use are amazing. Overall Il Bambino will provide you with consistent great service and great food. Highly recommended.
(5)
Alana A.
I've been coming here for years, and I always come back. To start, the ambiance is really nice - the lights perfectly dimmed, Italian music softly playing, and nice paintings surround the restaurant. The waiting staff are really the best and have all been there since I've been coming to this place (years and years!). As soon as you are seated, you are quickly served perfectly crispy garlic bread. If you order an entree, it comes with a small house salad. I hardly ever eat salad but this one is always so fresh and comes with the perfect amount of dressing, that I always look forward it. My favorite plate is the chicken Parmesan which I order with penne in Alfredo sauce. I ask for the cheese on the chicken parm to be "toasted" because that's my preference and it tastes amazing that way. The chicken parm is thin and crispy and in my opinion, the best in Miami. The Alfredo sauce is thick and creamy and incredible. Cheese tortellini in vodka sauce is also awesome. Fried zucchini appetizer is the bomb. And a cannoli will end your meal perfectly. Oh and the prices - can't be beat! The price is affordable, especially given the excellent quality!
(5)
Cecilia S.
Excellent food, attention and atmosphere! Good for come with kids! I recommend 100%. Lovely place!
(5)
Andre V.
After many years trying to find a plate Raviolis I could really enjoy, I finally found it. They were just perfect for my taste. So well prepare, marinara sauce perfectly balanced. House Salad is very good. We went around 2:00 pm on a Friday, and it was surprisedly almost empty.
(4)
Diah A.
Olive Garden is a better Italian restaurant, and that isn't saying much. The bread was good, but definitely not Italian. It was Cuban bread with Italian seasoning. The salad would have been enjoyable, had it not been coated in copious amounts of creamy Italian dressing. We ordered the fried mozzarella for appetizer, and this was actually quite good, serving 2 uber-cheesy wedges with marinara. Our entrees literally took over 1 hour to arrive at the table, and during such time, the server did not check on us or offer apologies for the wait. By the time our food came we no longer had appetites. And good thing because the food was tremendously underwhelming. I ordered chicken Fettuccini Alfredo and received chicken linguine cream soup. Noodles were definitely not Fettuccini (which can be a big deal to some true Italians), and my food was literally submerged in a thin liquid cream sauce. I ate the chicken and left the noodly cream soup to the side. My girlfriend ordered chicken parm with a side of ziti and marinara, and she received chicken parm with a side of linguine Alfredo. At this point she did not want to send it back because we did not want to wait any longer. Her chicken wasn't too bad but the breading was soggy lacking the necessary crispy exterior chicken Parmesan should have. Our bill was only $36, so I cannot be too upset as I guess you get what you pay for.
(2)
David R.
Ill bambino restaurant, it's a restaurant I had never been before but my in-laws frequent often. They wanted to have some Italian food, and this was the choice for the day. The atmosphere and service of the restaurant were really good. I had the vegetable lasagna and it was really well-made. The fried zucchini we ordered as an appetizer was a little-bit too greasy for my taste, but nevertheless it tasted really well. Our server, unknowledgeable, accommodated our requests and had a very good attitude throughout the overall experience. It's a nice family restaurant. A nice option to have.
(4)
Vanessa J.
Came in here once and had such horrible service, but such gooood lasagna. Surprisingly, the calamari and the salad was garbage. We decided we would order take out from now on. The lasagna definitely gets 4+ stars. Don't think we have the courage to try anything else. I really just come to get my lasagna fix.
(3)
Gaby B.
My family has been coming to this restaurant for years. We have also ordered food for large parties from here. The food is moderately priced and isn't bad, but its not great. It's just A-ok Italian. Service is always pleasant albeit a tad slow at times. One thing I will admit I do love is their house dressing, the house salad on the other hand, could use some fresh veggies and a tomato (its literally lettuce and a few carrots). Anyway, the dressing is awesome. Not my first choice for Italian, but definitely good to feed a large group for a good price.
(3)
Mari M.
I have always loved the food here, but the service is not so great. The waiters always seem arrogant and snooty.. I don't even experience this at 5-star restaurants! I keep coming back for the grilled chicken, fettuccine and garlic bread, but always dread the service, especially from a particular server- Wayne. I don't even think Chris Rock can make him smile! IL Bambino really has to step up their game with regards to the service.. I have to subtract 2 stars for this!
(3)
Mike D.
Alright food except for the Cuban bread and Cuban salad. Absolutely horrible, rude service...bad enough to keep us from ever going back.
(1)
Allison H.
Miami isn't exactly known for its italian food, so I tried to keep that in mind when we settled in to our booth at Il Bambino. The atmosphere was quiet and casual, the service couldn't have been better, and the food was decent but not particularly memorable. The menu has a build your own pasta section with a large variety of noodles, sauces and toppings which is a plus, but it adds up quickly because each item is individually priced. The food definitely wasn't bad, it just didn't seem worth the $25 we paid for 2 meals and just water to drink. Not the best I've had, but if you need a quick spaghetti fix, it'll play.
(3)
Jason C.
Trying to find a quality affordable italian restaurant near Westchester Miami has not been easy, but alas, we have found one in Il Bambino Ristorante. The menu is great and they do offer specials! The menu includes pasta, fish and meats including several veal dishes. A build your own pasta menu exists with over 10 different pastas and 10 different sauces. On top of that, you can add over 10 different things to your pasta such as fresh tomatoes, eggplant, spinach, prosciutto etc. They serve Italian beers and wine. Everyone raves about the bread basket. It's good, but it's not Italian bread to me. It's more the Cuban style bread made into garlic bread. The Cuban bread is a very light white bread with a plain then crust. This is what you will find almost everywhere in Miami. Italian bread from NY or Philly is very airy inside, but firm with a thick hard crust usually covered with seeds. The airy inside is littered with holes, but not soft and squishable like your standard loaf of white bread. Enough bread discussion. The bread is good, but it's not Italian style. The mozzarella sticks came as two triangle wedges breaded like a traditional moz stick. My only complaint here is that they tried to make it seem to gourmet with the big pieces of mozzarella. It wasn't fresh whole mozzarella fried and breaded like you might find in a fancy restaurant, it was just your normal moz sticks you find anywhere. Therefor, I suggest to do away with the big triangle pieces and just go to the sticks. The italian soups were big and delicious. We had a meat lasagna, and two build your own pasta dishes. The lasagna appeared small, but was filling with all the cheese. We had a linguini with pesto, fresh tomato and prosciutto, and angel hair with marinara and eggplant. Both pasta dishes were delicious. The pasta is NOT homemade, but the sauces were great. Be careful with the add-ons because they are overpriced and your dish can become costly quickly. For desert we enjoyed the house Tira Misu and Tres Leches. Both were small, but delicious. The espresso was good too, but be sure to ask for no sugar if you prefer it that way. Cuban coffee is sweet, so normally it's ordered that way.
(4)
Ceci M.
I've never loved an Italian restaurant more than this place and it's sister La Nonna! The food is to die for, best Italian from a real Italian chef (old friend), they can do no wrong in my eyes (garlic rolls are heavenly)! The servers are very good and professional, never neglectful of anyone, and the prices cannot be beat for food of this quality! Go if you can, it's across the street from Tropical Park, in the big strip mall on Bird Road, worth every penny for real homemade Italian!
(5)
Julio H.
I no longer consider to have an infinite amount of meals left in my book. For that reason, I try to visit places that are attractive to me in taste, decor, and even ambiance. Coming to Il Bambino was one of those necessary hiccups in my visits. After years and years of hearing about Il Bambino, and seeing their long standing marquee on a busy shopping center across Tropical Park, I decided to pay them a visit. I have looked over their menu countless times, and never been able to muster enough courage to set foot at this eatery. Until I decided that there was nothing left for me to try around the area, other than this restaurant. Luckily I arrived on the day the meat lasagna was the special of the day. I was going to order gnocchi but the waiter recommended the lasagna. It is a good fall back anyway, or as I like to say, I nice measuring stick, because an Italian restaurant messing up lasagna is almost unheard of, and it will let you know the type of expertise the kitchen has acquired. So I was served garlic bread, which was good but not great, and a salad with ranch dressing, which tasted very much like the one Kraft makes. Then the lasagna came in the traditional oval baking dish. It looked well cooked, and it had lots of cheese. But after tasting it, it was a little bland, and a little under seasoned. For dessert I had the tiramesu, which was OK also, but not great. The plate was dressed with chocolate fudge which just killed the refined taste of the mascarpone cheese. It was a bad combination. The thing that was more memorable, for a lack of words, was entering in a realm where mostly seniors dwell on. I was the only person representing all age groups under forty. Seeing so many men and women with white hair, probably Medicaid recipients, made me feel like if I had arrived at an elephant cemetery poachers fantasize with, and where elephants withdraw to live the last days of their lives. I have never felt out of place anywhere until Il Bambino. The few men not sporting white hair were hooked on Just for Men. I felt very depressed to think that so many lives end at an "OK" Italian restaurant. To cheer me up, grandma and grandpa on the table next to me invited their teenage grandson to lunch. He drove from school and showed up within minutes. Grandpa welcomed Speed Racer with "eres un caballo", but before grandpa could finish his sentence, Speedy asked him what he thought about the new Air Jordan sneakers with a price tag of $220, the ones on the picture he just sent him. If you have parents, kids, or grandparents with purchasing power, you know how the conversation went. To me, it was enough to make me feel better knowing that a new generation is constantly sprouting, and that not everything ends at Il Bambino.
(3)
Jeff G.
Affordable Italian, yes! And it doesn't suck? YES! I only came here once a long time ago and remembered it was good, but I must say it was better than I remember this time. To add bonus points, I came with a large party of 28 (along with fellow Yelper Robert C) and everything that came out of the kitchen was well executed from the awesome garlic bread to my eggplant parm. It was probably the best I've had too. Did I mention affordable? Here was my order: Sangria Salad & Garlic Bread Eggplant Parmesan w/ Spaghetti and tomato sauce and desert Total bill: $17.95 I've been to mediocre places that charge that for the entree alone! Next time I'm in the area, I will be going back.
(5)
Eileen P.
Great portions good prices every meal comes with salad and garlic rolls very small place but everyone is really nice
(4)
Lourdes D.
Very quaint, had good and so-so experiences here. Affordable fare but not the best in town.
(3)
Camila A.
I chose yelo as my helper in choosin a nuce italian restaurant to take my mom for lunch. The place is small but very nice. Since it was mothers day it was busy. Every table was full. They had a mothers day special. I had one of the specials. Lobster ravioli and red sauce and jumbo shrimp. We started with a house salad that was amazing!! I am not a salad person but that dressing made it so delicous. Then we ordered fried calamari and we always have a ba experience with appetizers never arriving on time, but not here. It arrived very quick. Prices are average. I will come back here. I am super pleased with this restaurant.
(4)
Frank B.
This is a great neighborhood Italian restaurant. Best lasagna in town.
(5)
Ryan S.
We originally were going to go to the Venezuelan restaurant next door to Il Bambino, but once we got there, we were in more of an Italian mood. The food was very tasty, meat sauce was very good and the breaded chicken that I had was tasty. The bread, on the other hand, was dry and too crispy for me. I like the soft and almost chewy kind of bread. All in all, it was a moderately priced meal that was better than average taste. 4 stars from me.
(4)
Stef L.
After reading some of the past reviews I was a bit afraid of going there. The restaurant was lovely. It looked newly renovated... very nice. I ordered meat lasagna. My meal came with a salad and garlic bread. Both ok. The lasagna was a little salty for me but it came fresh and the cheese was soupy. Fabulous! I would quickly and happily recommend this restaurant.
(4)
Jim B.
My family and I have eaten at this establishment many times, in fact we have even had family celebrations such as graduation parties there . However, we will never be back there again after last experience. My husband and son in law both found hair in their salads . We were all shocked and appalled especially by the lack of any apology from the staff. We had to ask for them to brin them another salads. Imagine our repulsion when my son in law had a long hair in his entree right from the kitchen . When we showed the waiter he said this is not possible. Not only did they not care there was hair in the food he insulted my don in law . At that point we saw a woman with an apron and long hair ... No hair net come out from the kitchen . The waiter had said there were no people with long hair in the kitchen. They never apologized of offered any compensation or concern at all. There did not appear to be any manager there at all but we will be sure to call tomorrow and inform him of our experience.
(1)
Jeff H.
Where do I begin???... We thought this place was going to be great. It was awful. Our waiter was friendly, nice, and attentive. Unfortunately it was semi packed and he was working all alone and doing the best he could. We got our food. It was gross, my partners was missing the eggplant and it was just noodles and sauce. My dish the chicken Marsala was bland and gross. We kept hearing a lot of screaming from the kitchen. Then the Chef comes out from the back yelling at the only waiter, screaming in his face. The waiter was professional and just excused himself and walked outside while the Chef went on acting crazy in front of all of us. The funny thing is out of no where there was like 10 people from the back to help. The whole time the waiter struggled and did good but had no help at all just people demanding him. The chef needs to be fired and if he is the owner then he should sell it. No matter if the waiter messed up all day for which I don't know you never ever as a chef present yourself that way. And yell at someone and scream and point to their face at all and especially to the whole restaurant. So to add more to this, the little manager guy not sure who he was said how was everything and I said awful. He said sorry and brought us our check. Not asked why, offered to discount the bill, or anything. It was basically like a sorry but F U! This place is absurd. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!!!
(1)
David S.
I have been going to Il Bambino for over 10 years . Being that it is located inside a small strip mall at the entrance of Westchester, if you were to drive too fast, you may never know that it was there and pass up one of the best local spots for a great Italian meal. Il Bambino's employees from the greeters to the servers and all the way up to the chef's add an incredible personal touch to your visit. They have been there since the inception of the restaurant. You never have to look around to get a refill of water, or soda or wine. And, after your second or third visit, they will know you by name. In regards to the food, I personally consider that for the price of 1 person eating at the Olive Garden, two can eat at Il Bambino's without compromising quality, flavor or dedication to presentation. My personal favorite is their Chicken Parmesan. The size is perfect, well prepared and when you add the initial house salad and GREAT Garlic Bread it is a meal that will fill up any hearty appetite. By the way this is also Wednesdays Lunch special! $5.95 for: - House Salad - Garlic Bread (All you can eat) - Chicken Parmesan - Side of Pasta (any type, any sauce) You can't beat that with a stick. And, knowing you may be on a time crunch during lunch, it usually takes between 5-8 minutes for the main course to arrive. My wife and I frequent Il Bambino at least 3 times a month on date nights due to the high quality of their food, service and not putting a dent on my wallet, which gives us more time to enjoy other events after dining. I recommend anyone who has not tried Il Bambino to visit them and experience it for themselves. Highly Recommend!
(5)
Daisy S.
I really enjoy coming here for lunch!!! The price and lunch specials are great!!! Try the chicken franceise! Their garlic bread has some sort of Parmesan seasoning that is to die for. You will eat the whole basket of bread.. be advised! Their house salad has the most delicious dressing i have ever tried. Tip: ask for a side of it and dip your bread into it. You'll thank me later. :) In a nutshell.. great food, great price. good service as well. Its a must for lunch.
(4)
Alex H.
The Italian food here is authentic and priced well. I am tired of all these overpriced Italian restraints. The only complaint I have is the sauce is a little rich in the pasta and the food is a little greasy.
(4)
Adrian S.
Food was ok a little bland for my taste, chicken parmigiana was a popular choice amongst yelpers and it was nothing to brag about came out undercooked and very rubbery to there credit they replaced it without any questions. Ambiance was nice service was ok was looking for a new Italian restaurant nearby but the search continues....
(3)
Barby S.
The food tasted homemade and the staff was very friendly! I was really not that hungry so I had spaghuetti with olive oil and garlic. It exceeded my expectations by far! So delicious.
(5)
Katy S.
Four words: shrimp a la francaise !!! You will thank me later. Get it with a side of alfredo and you're set. To be honest, everything else besides this dish is mediocre. But it's worth visiting just for this dish alone.
(4)
Adalberto M.
This is one of these places that are tucked in and you forget about, until you finally go and tell yourself why did I wait so long to come back! . Great place for a casual experience. They'll serve you toasted buttered breads that you'll have to be careful not to eat the entire basket. Then, they'll serve you the house salad. Yes, it's complimentary. Anything on here is really good, I've had lots on this menu. My favorite is the chicken francese. It's so good here my wife had to learn how to make it (now her's is better lol). Dessert, go ahead and try their cannoli. OMG. You've already had lots of food, don't sweat it you won't pay much for it. Totally worth it.
(5)
Angela V.
My in-laws introduced me to this place 8 years ago and it's our favorite little Italian restaurant. We ordered catering for 30 this weekend. And it was so much delicious food that everyone got seconds and thirds and we STILL had so much food left over. I have to say the price was extremely reasonable for 30 people and for the amount of food we were given. I absolutely recommend this place! :)
(5)
Genesis S.
I LOVE Il bambino. It's my favorite Italian restaurant in Miami. The place is a romantic hole-in-the-wall. It's casual, yet intimate. I love it.Their service is top notch. The food is homemade Italian and for a great price! . First, the garlic toasted baguette, which youll begin to crave after you've left. That's how good they are. Secondly, comes e salad which is made perfectly. And finially, entree I love the cheese ravioli with pesto. It's delicious! You can taste the freshness in the sause! This is definitely a place to try!
(5)
Frank B.
This is a great neighborhood Italian restaurant. Best lasagna in town.
(5)
Allison H.
Miami isn't exactly known for its italian food, so I tried to keep that in mind when we settled in to our booth at Il Bambino. The atmosphere was quiet and casual, the service couldn't have been better, and the food was decent but not particularly memorable. The menu has a build your own pasta section with a large variety of noodles, sauces and toppings which is a plus, but it adds up quickly because each item is individually priced. The food definitely wasn't bad, it just didn't seem worth the $25 we paid for 2 meals and just water to drink. Not the best I've had, but if you need a quick spaghetti fix, it'll play.
(3)
Mike D.
Alright food except for the Cuban bread and Cuban salad. Absolutely horrible, rude service...bad enough to keep us from ever going back.
(1)
Jason C.
Trying to find a quality affordable italian restaurant near Westchester Miami has not been easy, but alas, we have found one in Il Bambino Ristorante. The menu is great and they do offer specials! The menu includes pasta, fish and meats including several veal dishes. A build your own pasta menu exists with over 10 different pastas and 10 different sauces. On top of that, you can add over 10 different things to your pasta such as fresh tomatoes, eggplant, spinach, prosciutto etc. They serve Italian beers and wine. Everyone raves about the bread basket. It's good, but it's not Italian bread to me. It's more the Cuban style bread made into garlic bread. The Cuban bread is a very light white bread with a plain then crust. This is what you will find almost everywhere in Miami. Italian bread from NY or Philly is very airy inside, but firm with a thick hard crust usually covered with seeds. The airy inside is littered with holes, but not soft and squishable like your standard loaf of white bread. Enough bread discussion. The bread is good, but it's not Italian style. The mozzarella sticks came as two triangle wedges breaded like a traditional moz stick. My only complaint here is that they tried to make it seem to gourmet with the big pieces of mozzarella. It wasn't fresh whole mozzarella fried and breaded like you might find in a fancy restaurant, it was just your normal moz sticks you find anywhere. Therefor, I suggest to do away with the big triangle pieces and just go to the sticks. The italian soups were big and delicious. We had a meat lasagna, and two build your own pasta dishes. The lasagna appeared small, but was filling with all the cheese. We had a linguini with pesto, fresh tomato and prosciutto, and angel hair with marinara and eggplant. Both pasta dishes were delicious. The pasta is NOT homemade, but the sauces were great. Be careful with the add-ons because they are overpriced and your dish can become costly quickly. For desert we enjoyed the house Tira Misu and Tres Leches. Both were small, but delicious. The espresso was good too, but be sure to ask for no sugar if you prefer it that way. Cuban coffee is sweet, so normally it's ordered that way.
(4)
Ceci M.
I've never loved an Italian restaurant more than this place and it's sister La Nonna! The food is to die for, best Italian from a real Italian chef (old friend), they can do no wrong in my eyes (garlic rolls are heavenly)! The servers are very good and professional, never neglectful of anyone, and the prices cannot be beat for food of this quality! Go if you can, it's across the street from Tropical Park, in the big strip mall on Bird Road, worth every penny for real homemade Italian!
(5)
Veronica D.
I was craving Italian, something other than Nunzios. I decided to follow yelper's recommendations and try Il Bambino. It was very yum. My hubby and I had the appetizer sampler which consisted of an array of meatballs, sausage, and egg plant. We followed the appetizer with entrees. We had the "make your own pasta" - Fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli (very yummy) and my hubby had the meat lasagna. A few downsides: service was very slow. They were very busy but I felt like we were left waiting quite a bit. My hubby also said that the wine tasted like it had been opened for a week. All and all, the food was great, so we will definitely be coming back soon!
(4)
Ryan S.
We originally were going to go to the Venezuelan restaurant next door to Il Bambino, but once we got there, we were in more of an Italian mood. The food was very tasty, meat sauce was very good and the breaded chicken that I had was tasty. The bread, on the other hand, was dry and too crispy for me. I like the soft and almost chewy kind of bread. All in all, it was a moderately priced meal that was better than average taste. 4 stars from me.
(4)
Lourdes D.
Decided to check this place out after passing by it about a million times and always wondering if it was any good. There wasn't a soul in the place and we got seated immediately. For starters, the service was great. Attentive and very pleasant. I ordered the chicken marsala, with a side of linguini in pesto sauce. My entree game with a small house salad and their delicious parmesan cheese bread. Everything was delish, but the chicken marsala came with what looked like canned mushrooms, which turned me off. My friend had the caprese salad and she annihilated it, while exclaiming how delicious it was. I got a tres leches for dessert, and for the first time EVER in Miami, it wasn't served in a Lila's container. It was served on a plate and was amazing to boot, so Il Bambino scored big points there. As for parking, huuuuuge lot, so plenty of options.
(4)
Anais M.
Why does this place have such great reviews? All the food lacked seasoning and not so pleasant servers. Won't be back, thanks!
(1)
Christina V.
I had been here once before and I guess it completely slipped my mind because I haven't reviews it yet. Anyway, this place is great. I came here last night with Mr.F and the dinner was just what we needed. I had the Veal with red sauce and spaghetti and my other half enjoyed a lemony chicken dish. Both were excellent and I'll be enjoying leftovers in the lunchroom in a few hours. (Can't wait) The pricing is really fair as well. Also, I must mention this, the bread is awesome! It is warm, flavorful, crispy, and just .... yummy. I loved it here and I will most likely be coming back. Its is cool place to come on a date but is also really open to groups as well. Very versatile.
(4)
David Y.
Came in for dinner on a Sunday night. Fast service, great food portions, and very well priced for Italian food in the area. They offer many good selections of pairings between meals, pastas, and appetizers. Definitely a fan and would recommend!
(4)
N S.
Food excellent & very reasonable. Service SUCKS!!!! So bad we won't go back or recommend. Consider takeout.
(2)
Madeline M.
I went with 3 friends for lunch. We were still eating our salads when they brought me, and only me, my entree. I ordered the linguine with pink sauce which had way too much sauce and not enough flavor. And the ricotta cheesecake? Terrible!
(2)
Michael S.
Not bad for a typical strip shopping center Italian restaurant. There were good and bad experiences during our lunch. I usually don't hold out much hope for the mix and match pasta/sauce types of places. There is a reason for the use of different shapes of pasta and the appropriate sauces. It looked like it was going to be a poor experience when I began by asking how they made their pasta Carbonara. First they asked me what type of pasta I wanted? That is like asking what type of pasta do you want with linguine and clam sauce. Then to add insult to injury, they said that there were onions in the carbonara. Strike one. I started with the minestrone, a very bland attempt at vegetable soup. I moved on to the cannelloni stuffed with chicken and spinach. Veal is usually used in this dish and the chicken was a bland substitute. My son had the pasta (generic choice) with Alfredo sauce and prosciutto, fair but swimming in sauce. My wife had large shrimp in a scampi type of preparation that was the highlight of the entrees. that was pretty good. The best part of the meal was the ricotta cheese cake, an excellent version but not as good as Nunzio's, further west on Bird, in fact nothing was as good as at Nunzio's, spend the time and drive another ten minutes west.
(3)
Janelle F.
I was craving some prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and tomato and didn't want to travel far from my "westchester" 'hood...So we decided to try out Il Bambino for dinner. Even though it's in a strip mall (which also houses my beloved Sushi Ko), once you step inside, the place is cute and quaint. There were plenty of people there for a Tuesday night, but service was quick. They start you off with some delicious parmesan garlic bread and a house salad with their special dressing. I'm not big on salad, but this dressing was fantastic. The bread was also dangerously good as I probably had at least 3 pieces of it. My caprese was great and so was my SO's lobster ravioli. I went with the gnocchi which was just okay. Fortunately, we shared half and half so I got to have some of the lobster ravioli. The lobster ravioli was $20 but it came with 3 jumbo shrimp prawns and the ravioli had actual lobster chunks in it, not processed/ground up stuff. The fresh tomato sauce it came in was divine...it probably would've tasted great as a dipping sauce for the bread, too. Either way-I'm glad I discovered Il Bambino, I have a feeling I'll be coming here again soon!
(4)
Lourdes D.
Very quaint, had good and so-so experiences here. Affordable fare but not the best in town.
(3)
Camila A.
I chose yelo as my helper in choosin a nuce italian restaurant to take my mom for lunch. The place is small but very nice. Since it was mothers day it was busy. Every table was full. They had a mothers day special. I had one of the specials. Lobster ravioli and red sauce and jumbo shrimp. We started with a house salad that was amazing!! I am not a salad person but that dressing made it so delicous. Then we ordered fried calamari and we always have a ba experience with appetizers never arriving on time, but not here. It arrived very quick. Prices are average. I will come back here. I am super pleased with this restaurant.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Jennifer S.
This place is sort of far for me, but it is the only Italian place I visit in Miami. I have 3 Italian restaurants between my house and this place, but they are all awful. I really love Italian food and am SUPER picky. They're spaghetti with meat sauce and their lasagna are AMAZING.
(5)Diah A.
Olive Garden is a better Italian restaurant, and that isn't saying much. The bread was good, but definitely not Italian. It was Cuban bread with Italian seasoning. The salad would have been enjoyable, had it not been coated in copious amounts of creamy Italian dressing. We ordered the fried mozzarella for appetizer, and this was actually quite good, serving 2 uber-cheesy wedges with marinara. Our entrees literally took over 1 hour to arrive at the table, and during such time, the server did not check on us or offer apologies for the wait. By the time our food came we no longer had appetites. And good thing because the food was tremendously underwhelming. I ordered chicken Fettuccini Alfredo and received chicken linguine cream soup. Noodles were definitely not Fettuccini (which can be a big deal to some true Italians), and my food was literally submerged in a thin liquid cream sauce. I ate the chicken and left the noodly cream soup to the side. My girlfriend ordered chicken parm with a side of ziti and marinara, and she received chicken parm with a side of linguine Alfredo. At this point she did not want to send it back because we did not want to wait any longer. Her chicken wasn't too bad but the breading was soggy lacking the necessary crispy exterior chicken Parmesan should have. Our bill was only $36, so I cannot be too upset as I guess you get what you pay for.
(2)Andre V.
After many years trying to find a plate Raviolis I could really enjoy, I finally found it. They were just perfect for my taste. So well prepare, marinara sauce perfectly balanced. House Salad is very good. We went around 2:00 pm on a Friday, and it was surprisedly almost empty.
(4)David R.
Ill bambino restaurant, it's a restaurant I had never been before but my in-laws frequent often. They wanted to have some Italian food, and this was the choice for the day. The atmosphere and service of the restaurant were really good. I had the vegetable lasagna and it was really well-made. The fried zucchini we ordered as an appetizer was a little-bit too greasy for my taste, but nevertheless it tasted really well. Our server, unknowledgeable, accommodated our requests and had a very good attitude throughout the overall experience. It's a nice family restaurant. A nice option to have.
(4)Vanessa J.
Came in here once and had such horrible service, but such gooood lasagna. Surprisingly, the calamari and the salad was garbage. We decided we would order take out from now on. The lasagna definitely gets 4+ stars. Don't think we have the courage to try anything else. I really just come to get my lasagna fix.
(3)Carlos J.
Recently moved into the neighborhood and decided to give it a try. Typical Italian spot, we were enjoying it and then... a roach fell from the roof onto my fiancés plate. She almost had a heart attack. There are roaches everywhere in south Florida whether you see them or not. I get that. While not ideal, I wasn't all that upset by the roach. However, the wait staff's reaction, or lack thereof, was troubling. Calm, as though he were reading us the specials, the waiter advised that they fumigate regularly. That's it. I don't need you to comp the meal, but if you ever want us to return, a simple apology would be a nice place to start. It's too bad because I was enjoying my chicken parm.
(2)Jp F.
Horrible service! Some brute picked up the phone after about a minute of ringing and answered with a "hello?", so I had to ask if I was calling the restaurant. When he finally confirmed me having the right number he asked me to "hold", aka "I'm going to put the phone on the table and have you hear all the conversations happening around the phone" and eventually the retard hung up. I don't know how people put up with this mediocre, to say the least, service.
(1)Jen J.
Sucks. So much hair in food. Insane! Service was subpar, if not unacceptable. The waiter insulted my brother, and called him a liar for showing him the CHUNK of hair in the pasta, accusing him of planting his own hair. He is bald...
(1)Vivian L.
I have dined in Il Bambino for many years now. It's located very close to Tropical Park in a small strip mall across from the McDonalds.The food is excellent there and very well priced. Italian food is my favorite, I like to eat it and cook it. The same staff has been there for years and they are super nice. The give you a complimentary green salad and garlic bread with your meal (those are ok). The food is definitely not salty, greasy, or Cuban at all.. As a matter of fact, I like the fact their food is on the low-salt spectrum, which I appreciate for some of my family members with high blood pressure. The restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Some recomendations: Veal or Chicken Pizziola, Chicken Piccata, Eggplant or Veal Parmagian, Caprese Salad. Their Tiramisu is really good.
(5)Adrian S.
Food was ok a little bland for my taste, chicken parmigiana was a popular choice amongst yelpers and it was nothing to brag about came out undercooked and very rubbery to there credit they replaced it without any questions. Ambiance was nice service was ok was looking for a new Italian restaurant nearby but the search continues....
(3)Barby S.
The food tasted homemade and the staff was very friendly! I was really not that hungry so I had spaghuetti with olive oil and garlic. It exceeded my expectations by far! So delicious.
(5)Katy S.
Four words: shrimp a la francaise !!! You will thank me later. Get it with a side of alfredo and you're set. To be honest, everything else besides this dish is mediocre. But it's worth visiting just for this dish alone.
(4)Veronica D.
I was craving Italian, something other than Nunzios. I decided to follow yelper's recommendations and try Il Bambino. It was very yum. My hubby and I had the appetizer sampler which consisted of an array of meatballs, sausage, and egg plant. We followed the appetizer with entrees. We had the "make your own pasta" - Fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli (very yummy) and my hubby had the meat lasagna. A few downsides: service was very slow. They were very busy but I felt like we were left waiting quite a bit. My hubby also said that the wine tasted like it had been opened for a week. All and all, the food was great, so we will definitely be coming back soon!
(4)Lourdes D.
Decided to check this place out after passing by it about a million times and always wondering if it was any good. There wasn't a soul in the place and we got seated immediately. For starters, the service was great. Attentive and very pleasant. I ordered the chicken marsala, with a side of linguini in pesto sauce. My entree game with a small house salad and their delicious parmesan cheese bread. Everything was delish, but the chicken marsala came with what looked like canned mushrooms, which turned me off. My friend had the caprese salad and she annihilated it, while exclaiming how delicious it was. I got a tres leches for dessert, and for the first time EVER in Miami, it wasn't served in a Lila's container. It was served on a plate and was amazing to boot, so Il Bambino scored big points there. As for parking, huuuuuge lot, so plenty of options.
(4)Anais M.
Why does this place have such great reviews? All the food lacked seasoning and not so pleasant servers. Won't be back, thanks!
(1)Christina V.
I had been here once before and I guess it completely slipped my mind because I haven't reviews it yet. Anyway, this place is great. I came here last night with Mr.F and the dinner was just what we needed. I had the Veal with red sauce and spaghetti and my other half enjoyed a lemony chicken dish. Both were excellent and I'll be enjoying leftovers in the lunchroom in a few hours. (Can't wait) The pricing is really fair as well. Also, I must mention this, the bread is awesome! It is warm, flavorful, crispy, and just .... yummy. I loved it here and I will most likely be coming back. Its is cool place to come on a date but is also really open to groups as well. Very versatile.
(4)Madeline M.
Celebrated my son's graduation with family & friends & we throughly enjoyed I'l Bambino's cozy family style restaurant. The food was delicious and plenty and the service was prompt considering the large group... Hint... Go early if you have a large group- no reservations!
(4)Tiffany G.
Visited Il Bambino yesterday for the first time because I was in the area and wanted to try something new for take out. When we entered we stood at the door and no one came to greet us or let us know that they would help/seat us soon. I didn't mind so much because they seemed to be understaffed but after a few minutes it just felt uncomfortable because there was no area to sit while waiting so you're just facing/staring at everyone as they eat (it's a small place). A waiter then pointed at a table from across the room signaling which table we could sit at (this didn't allow me the opportunity to let him know I was ordering to go). I checked out the menu for a couple minutes and ordered the fettuccine alfredo and broccoli cream soup. I also asked for a glass of wine while I wait for my food to be ready but the waiter said he couldn't bring me one unless I ordered an appetizer.... O.o that is the weirdest thing I have ever heard at a restaurant. My response was: "But I'm paying for the glass of wine and ordering food, I don't understand." The waiter simply shrugged his shoulders as if to say "sorry those are the rules" and just walked away. Never have I heard of a restaurant denying you a glass of wine unless you order an appetizer (which I was in fact ordering, but simply taking to go - the broccoli soup). I'm still confused by the situation and it is a shame because I enjoyed the food but I doubt I'll be returning.
(2)Karin P.
Highly disappointed. I remember coming to this place years ago and loved it. Today, I had tried a pasta dish with their pink sauce and it didn't taste like anything at all. I even had melted cheese on top. Tasted super bland and I was shocked. I guess I am used to the pink sauce that Whole Foods offers when you create your own pasta dishes there. Only thing that tasted like anything was their side salad, and that tasted really good. None-the-less, I am very disappointed. I would hope their tomato sauce is at least tasty.
(2)Mari M.
Excellent service! Great food..... Had the capellini carbonara, chicken cannelloni, and a simply fabulous cannoli. Had to order a second for the kids!
(5)Adalberto M.
This is one of these places that are tucked in and you forget about, until you finally go and tell yourself why did I wait so long to come back! . Great place for a casual experience. They'll serve you toasted buttered breads that you'll have to be careful not to eat the entire basket. Then, they'll serve you the house salad. Yes, it's complimentary. Anything on here is really good, I've had lots on this menu. My favorite is the chicken francese. It's so good here my wife had to learn how to make it (now her's is better lol). Dessert, go ahead and try their cannoli. OMG. You've already had lots of food, don't sweat it you won't pay much for it. Totally worth it.
(5)Lillian R.
I've had the most amazing ravioli here and the most disgusting chicken marsales all in the same night. The pear ravioli delish, the chicken marsales tasted like a can of cream of mushroom was opened over some tainted chicken. Our friends didn't like their dishes much funny part was how the staff only spoke Spanish at an Italian restaurant welcome to Miami indeed ....
(3)Damian R.
Hidden gem in an old cramped shopping strip. Food is amazing. All the pasta is to die for. Super friendly staff and great place for a romantic date.
(4)Willie G.
Best Italian restaurant in Miami! Whole in the wal mom and pop shop that excels over the competition in every category! Order anything and you will not be disappointed! And the price is amazing with ridiculous amount in portion! ***********
(5)Roberto C.
Best Italian food for the price good service good food best garlic bread
(5)Jim B.
My family and I have eaten at this establishment many times, in fact we have even had family celebrations such as graduation parties there . However, we will never be back there again after last experience. My husband and son in law both found hair in their salads . We were all shocked and appalled especially by the lack of any apology from the staff. We had to ask for them to brin them another salads. Imagine our repulsion when my son in law had a long hair in his entree right from the kitchen . When we showed the waiter he said this is not possible. Not only did they not care there was hair in the food he insulted my don in law . At that point we saw a woman with an apron and long hair ... No hair net come out from the kitchen . The waiter had said there were no people with long hair in the kitchen. They never apologized of offered any compensation or concern at all. There did not appear to be any manager there at all but we will be sure to call tomorrow and inform him of our experience.
(1)Stef L.
After reading some of the past reviews I was a bit afraid of going there. The restaurant was lovely. It looked newly renovated... very nice. I ordered meat lasagna. My meal came with a salad and garlic bread. Both ok. The lasagna was a little salty for me but it came fresh and the cheese was soupy. Fabulous! I would quickly and happily recommend this restaurant.
(4)Carolyn W.
this is definitely one of my favorite places in miami. my family goes alllllll the time and i have never had a bad experience. we're always seated promptly, the waiters are always friendly and knowledgeable, and we never have to wait an eternity for our food. seriously the only complaint i can even come up with is that salad is a little overdressed. the bread is heavenly; we go through basket after basket of it. my personal favorites are the chicken marsala and chicken parmesan, but whenever i taste someone else's meal, its always great. come hungry because you won't leave disappointed!
(5)Jessica L.
The food is a little heavy. I have had to make take out runs to this place several times for work. Overall the food is ok. The garlic bread is hard as a rock with little seasoning and cheese, the salad is not impressive. The people there are nice but it's a little expensive for what you're getting
(3)Gaby B.
My family has been coming to this restaurant for years. We have also ordered food for large parties from here. The food is moderately priced and isn't bad, but its not great. It's just A-ok Italian. Service is always pleasant albeit a tad slow at times. One thing I will admit I do love is their house dressing, the house salad on the other hand, could use some fresh veggies and a tomato (its literally lettuce and a few carrots). Anyway, the dressing is awesome. Not my first choice for Italian, but definitely good to feed a large group for a good price.
(3)Mari M.
I have always loved the food here, but the service is not so great. The waiters always seem arrogant and snooty.. I don't even experience this at 5-star restaurants! I keep coming back for the grilled chicken, fettuccine and garlic bread, but always dread the service, especially from a particular server- Wayne. I don't even think Chris Rock can make him smile! IL Bambino really has to step up their game with regards to the service.. I have to subtract 2 stars for this!
(3)Lucy P.
I ordered take out when i got the food it was in a broken box the food fell on the floor. when i called them to complain they just gave attitude and said they couldnt do anything the customer service is terrible. I ordered here because i live near by but wouldnt order here again the food is ok when you order a chicken parm and they ask you if you want it with red sauce? Um hello?
(1)Julio H.
I no longer consider to have an infinite amount of meals left in my book. For that reason, I try to visit places that are attractive to me in taste, decor, and even ambiance. Coming to Il Bambino was one of those necessary hiccups in my visits. After years and years of hearing about Il Bambino, and seeing their long standing marquee on a busy shopping center across Tropical Park, I decided to pay them a visit. I have looked over their menu countless times, and never been able to muster enough courage to set foot at this eatery. Until I decided that there was nothing left for me to try around the area, other than this restaurant. Luckily I arrived on the day the meat lasagna was the special of the day. I was going to order gnocchi but the waiter recommended the lasagna. It is a good fall back anyway, or as I like to say, I nice measuring stick, because an Italian restaurant messing up lasagna is almost unheard of, and it will let you know the type of expertise the kitchen has acquired. So I was served garlic bread, which was good but not great, and a salad with ranch dressing, which tasted very much like the one Kraft makes. Then the lasagna came in the traditional oval baking dish. It looked well cooked, and it had lots of cheese. But after tasting it, it was a little bland, and a little under seasoned. For dessert I had the tiramesu, which was OK also, but not great. The plate was dressed with chocolate fudge which just killed the refined taste of the mascarpone cheese. It was a bad combination. The thing that was more memorable, for a lack of words, was entering in a realm where mostly seniors dwell on. I was the only person representing all age groups under forty. Seeing so many men and women with white hair, probably Medicaid recipients, made me feel like if I had arrived at an elephant cemetery poachers fantasize with, and where elephants withdraw to live the last days of their lives. I have never felt out of place anywhere until Il Bambino. The few men not sporting white hair were hooked on Just for Men. I felt very depressed to think that so many lives end at an "OK" Italian restaurant. To cheer me up, grandma and grandpa on the table next to me invited their teenage grandson to lunch. He drove from school and showed up within minutes. Grandpa welcomed Speed Racer with "eres un caballo", but before grandpa could finish his sentence, Speedy asked him what he thought about the new Air Jordan sneakers with a price tag of $220, the ones on the picture he just sent him. If you have parents, kids, or grandparents with purchasing power, you know how the conversation went. To me, it was enough to make me feel better knowing that a new generation is constantly sprouting, and that not everything ends at Il Bambino.
(3)Jeff G.
Affordable Italian, yes! And it doesn't suck? YES! I only came here once a long time ago and remembered it was good, but I must say it was better than I remember this time. To add bonus points, I came with a large party of 28 (along with fellow Yelper Robert C) and everything that came out of the kitchen was well executed from the awesome garlic bread to my eggplant parm. It was probably the best I've had too. Did I mention affordable? Here was my order: Sangria Salad & Garlic Bread Eggplant Parmesan w/ Spaghetti and tomato sauce and desert Total bill: $17.95 I've been to mediocre places that charge that for the entree alone! Next time I'm in the area, I will be going back.
(5)Eileen P.
Great portions good prices every meal comes with salad and garlic rolls very small place but everyone is really nice
(4)Jeff H.
Where do I begin???... We thought this place was going to be great. It was awful. Our waiter was friendly, nice, and attentive. Unfortunately it was semi packed and he was working all alone and doing the best he could. We got our food. It was gross, my partners was missing the eggplant and it was just noodles and sauce. My dish the chicken Marsala was bland and gross. We kept hearing a lot of screaming from the kitchen. Then the Chef comes out from the back yelling at the only waiter, screaming in his face. The waiter was professional and just excused himself and walked outside while the Chef went on acting crazy in front of all of us. The funny thing is out of no where there was like 10 people from the back to help. The whole time the waiter struggled and did good but had no help at all just people demanding him. The chef needs to be fired and if he is the owner then he should sell it. No matter if the waiter messed up all day for which I don't know you never ever as a chef present yourself that way. And yell at someone and scream and point to their face at all and especially to the whole restaurant. So to add more to this, the little manager guy not sure who he was said how was everything and I said awful. He said sorry and brought us our check. Not asked why, offered to discount the bill, or anything. It was basically like a sorry but F U! This place is absurd. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!!!
(1)Z Z.
YUMMiest Italian food in town! Authentic Italian cook in the kitchen. Great ambiance and service is amazing! Highly recommend!
(5)Christa C.
This place is sad. The storefront is reminiscent of a shady strip mall marque. The interior was cozy enough and would have been cute had my view not been of the McDonalds drive through 200 feet away. The space was more than half full and nearly all of the patrons were quite the crowd that might visit the Golden Corral. I had the chicken parm with spaghetti and red sauce. And a glass of sangria. The chicken was super greasy, overcooked, and had a few cheese slices on top. The pasta was nice and al dente, but the sauce tasted like it came straight from a can, with a brief stop in the microwave. The sangria was the worse I've ever had, and I've had canned sangria in Japan. Cheers!
(2)Eliza C.
Just came back from a party we held at this restaurant and unfortunately I don't have much good to say. After making reservations for 14 to celebrate a graduation we planned to bring a couple of our own table decorations just for presentation when everyone arrived. Our request was simple, let us put our cake on the table and we will remove once everyone arrives so that it is not in the way of the food. The owner could not grasp this concept and kept telling us that she couldnt do that because they would be serving food on the table. We explained multiple times that the idea was to remove the cake before the food was served. After much struggle and argument they finally agreed to let us do this. (Something we have never had an issue with at any other restaurant). Despite the owner of the restaurant being unaccommodating, difficult to work with over this issue and rude to both my mother and aunt i still had no intention of leaving this review until the owner proceeded to call my aunt rude and say that she had an attitude problem. This is unacceptable behavior from an owner of a business in the hospitality industry. Not even the good food was enough to make up for the owner's attitude with us! This is not the type of service I expected from a restaurant we have frequented and held parties at before. Two stars only because the food was good and the waiter was great to us.
(2)David S.
I have been going to Il Bambino for over 10 years . Being that it is located inside a small strip mall at the entrance of Westchester, if you were to drive too fast, you may never know that it was there and pass up one of the best local spots for a great Italian meal. Il Bambino's employees from the greeters to the servers and all the way up to the chef's add an incredible personal touch to your visit. They have been there since the inception of the restaurant. You never have to look around to get a refill of water, or soda or wine. And, after your second or third visit, they will know you by name. In regards to the food, I personally consider that for the price of 1 person eating at the Olive Garden, two can eat at Il Bambino's without compromising quality, flavor or dedication to presentation. My personal favorite is their Chicken Parmesan. The size is perfect, well prepared and when you add the initial house salad and GREAT Garlic Bread it is a meal that will fill up any hearty appetite. By the way this is also Wednesdays Lunch special! $5.95 for: - House Salad - Garlic Bread (All you can eat) - Chicken Parmesan - Side of Pasta (any type, any sauce) You can't beat that with a stick. And, knowing you may be on a time crunch during lunch, it usually takes between 5-8 minutes for the main course to arrive. My wife and I frequent Il Bambino at least 3 times a month on date nights due to the high quality of their food, service and not putting a dent on my wallet, which gives us more time to enjoy other events after dining. I recommend anyone who has not tried Il Bambino to visit them and experience it for themselves. Highly Recommend!
(5)Daisy S.
I really enjoy coming here for lunch!!! The price and lunch specials are great!!! Try the chicken franceise! Their garlic bread has some sort of Parmesan seasoning that is to die for. You will eat the whole basket of bread.. be advised! Their house salad has the most delicious dressing i have ever tried. Tip: ask for a side of it and dip your bread into it. You'll thank me later. :) In a nutshell.. great food, great price. good service as well. Its a must for lunch.
(4)Alex H.
The Italian food here is authentic and priced well. I am tired of all these overpriced Italian restraints. The only complaint I have is the sauce is a little rich in the pasta and the food is a little greasy.
(4)Angela V.
My in-laws introduced me to this place 8 years ago and it's our favorite little Italian restaurant. We ordered catering for 30 this weekend. And it was so much delicious food that everyone got seconds and thirds and we STILL had so much food left over. I have to say the price was extremely reasonable for 30 people and for the amount of food we were given. I absolutely recommend this place! :)
(5)Genesis S.
I LOVE Il bambino. It's my favorite Italian restaurant in Miami. The place is a romantic hole-in-the-wall. It's casual, yet intimate. I love it.Their service is top notch. The food is homemade Italian and for a great price! . First, the garlic toasted baguette, which youll begin to crave after you've left. That's how good they are. Secondly, comes e salad which is made perfectly. And finially, entree I love the cheese ravioli with pesto. It's delicious! You can taste the freshness in the sause! This is definitely a place to try!
(5)David Y.
Came in for dinner on a Sunday night. Fast service, great food portions, and very well priced for Italian food in the area. They offer many good selections of pairings between meals, pastas, and appetizers. Definitely a fan and would recommend!
(4)N S.
Food excellent & very reasonable. Service SUCKS!!!! So bad we won't go back or recommend. Consider takeout.
(2)Madeline M.
I went with 3 friends for lunch. We were still eating our salads when they brought me, and only me, my entree. I ordered the linguine with pink sauce which had way too much sauce and not enough flavor. And the ricotta cheesecake? Terrible!
(2)Michael S.
Not bad for a typical strip shopping center Italian restaurant. There were good and bad experiences during our lunch. I usually don't hold out much hope for the mix and match pasta/sauce types of places. There is a reason for the use of different shapes of pasta and the appropriate sauces. It looked like it was going to be a poor experience when I began by asking how they made their pasta Carbonara. First they asked me what type of pasta I wanted? That is like asking what type of pasta do you want with linguine and clam sauce. Then to add insult to injury, they said that there were onions in the carbonara. Strike one. I started with the minestrone, a very bland attempt at vegetable soup. I moved on to the cannelloni stuffed with chicken and spinach. Veal is usually used in this dish and the chicken was a bland substitute. My son had the pasta (generic choice) with Alfredo sauce and prosciutto, fair but swimming in sauce. My wife had large shrimp in a scampi type of preparation that was the highlight of the entrees. that was pretty good. The best part of the meal was the ricotta cheese cake, an excellent version but not as good as Nunzio's, further west on Bird, in fact nothing was as good as at Nunzio's, spend the time and drive another ten minutes west.
(3)Janelle F.
I was craving some prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and tomato and didn't want to travel far from my "westchester" 'hood...So we decided to try out Il Bambino for dinner. Even though it's in a strip mall (which also houses my beloved Sushi Ko), once you step inside, the place is cute and quaint. There were plenty of people there for a Tuesday night, but service was quick. They start you off with some delicious parmesan garlic bread and a house salad with their special dressing. I'm not big on salad, but this dressing was fantastic. The bread was also dangerously good as I probably had at least 3 pieces of it. My caprese was great and so was my SO's lobster ravioli. I went with the gnocchi which was just okay. Fortunately, we shared half and half so I got to have some of the lobster ravioli. The lobster ravioli was $20 but it came with 3 jumbo shrimp prawns and the ravioli had actual lobster chunks in it, not processed/ground up stuff. The fresh tomato sauce it came in was divine...it probably would've tasted great as a dipping sauce for the bread, too. Either way-I'm glad I discovered Il Bambino, I have a feeling I'll be coming here again soon!
(4)Florence Y.
I chanced upon this place because Sushi Ko (a couple of suites down) was closed on a Sunday...and I was so happy walking out of there! TV showing soccer on a Sunday...it was entertaining!! The place isn't too big, seating was no problem. The service was amazing. My waiter was very patient and knowledgeable about the menu, he explained the different sauces for the "make your own dish" to me, and my glass of water was never half empty! They were extremely attentive! I ordered the gnocchi and frutti de mare (seafood sauce) for $15.95-ish and it was SOOOOOOO good! It had fish, small scallops, shrimps, claims, mussels and calamari...and the sauce must have been cooking all day, it was so flavorful! And the gnocchi wasn't like the thick, starchy, i-feel-guilty-for-eating-carbs kind...it was rather 'light' for a lack of better word! And the garlic bread/toast...light and flaky and toasted...topped with cheese!!! We polished off the whole basket! A small salad was served prior to the entree. I will DEFINITELY come back!!! The service was great, compared to the generic olive garden service!! Small place and personable service and great food, you can't beat that! Tip-bits: Parking wasn't a problem, even for a Sunday. There are healthy options: grilled chicken and steamed vegs. Seemed like they had a good selection of wine!
(5)Jose S.
I've been coming here on and off since I worked down the road 13 years ago. The food is great. The price is right. The staff is excellent. Not to mention it's pretty much been the same staff the whole time I've been coming here. I had another place in mind for my late lunch (Sushi-Ko), but I'm happy I stopped here. Never dissapointing.
(4)Caro F.
Salty and greasy on top of terrible service. Not real Italian at all.
(1)Eric R.
Went there with my wife last Friday. I have gone years back when i was smaller and had forgotten how good the food was. You want tranquil, family oriented Italian restaurant, Bambino is for you. My wife had the meaty Lasagna (DAM!!) If your a meatlover then your purpose in life is this. !VISIT IL BAMBINO AND EAT MEATY LASAGNA! Cannoli not so good. it was like eating toothpaste with a hinty taste of chocolate.
(4)Carlos R.
Big fan of this place. Service is always excellent and menu is fairly large. You even have a "make your own dish" option, which is always fun. Over the past 3 years they've remodeled it a bit, it's always spotless. Parking is never a problem as it's in a strip mall. Usually have specials that they switch up routinely to keep it exciting. Go and enjoy.
(4)Linda N.
we came here for a rehearsal dinner and it was fabulous. The food was great, I had the lasagna and it was delicious. Other family had the lemon chicken and the chicken parmigiana and everyone was so happy and full. The place is small but cute and its a great place to go. By the way the bread is awesome. They toast slices of bread and put garlic and cheese. Yummy!
(4)Erudito C.
Nice place ,great service friendly and efficient .Prices are moderate ,I go for lunch almost everyday.
(4)Damian R.
Hidden gem in an old cramped shopping strip. Food is amazing. All the pasta is to die for. Super friendly staff and great place for a romantic date.
(4)Willie G.
Best Italian restaurant in Miami! Whole in the wal mom and pop shop that excels over the competition in every category! Order anything and you will not be disappointed! And the price is amazing with ridiculous amount in portion! ***********
(5)Roberto C.
Best Italian food for the price good service good food best garlic bread
(5)Mary e.
Had dinner on a Sunday night with a party of 18. The food was very good ( I had the chicken picata with linguini in olive oil and garlic), it was very tasty! The calamari appetizer and the stuffed clams were not very good (the calamari was breaded and fried and it tasted of stale breading and oil and the clams were way too salty). My husband had a steak and while it did not look great, it tasted pretty good (although, if I wanted a great steak I wouldn't expect it at a place that specializes in italian food). The bread at this place is awesome and I love the dressing they use on the salad. Overall, a great meal. Our waiter (we only had one, which didn't seem enough for such a large group) was courteous, attentive and somehow managed to maintain our our water glasses and bread baskets full. A very nice meal. Parking is also not a problem on most days, and especially on a Sunday night. Although the place is located in a strip mall, the inside of the restaurant is small and cozy with a slight italian decor. I recommend it because you get a good meal for a very reasonable price.
(4)Lucy P.
I ordered take out when i got the food it was in a broken box the food fell on the floor. when i called them to complain they just gave attitude and said they couldnt do anything the customer service is terrible. I ordered here because i live near by but wouldnt order here again the food is ok when you order a chicken parm and they ask you if you want it with red sauce? Um hello?
(1)Gianni D.
This is one of those spots that I go to at least once a month. They have been around for years. The waiting staff have been with the restaurant since it opened. The place is relatively small and has a great atmosphere. Very clean very well maintained. From what i remember the original owner of the restaurant was a Cuban immigrant with Italian parents. He has opened a number of other small family style restaurant in the west Miami area, specifically one called la Nona. The food is fantastic. Every meal is served with a house salad and you get some of the best bread. My wife swears by their lasagna and I always have either the chicken Marsala or the Florentine, The Florentine is a grilled chicken fillet served on ham/prosciutto and spinach topped with an amazing dark sauce. Most of the dishes come with spaghetti, but I always get it with baked Ziti. The cheese and ingredients they use are amazing. Overall Il Bambino will provide you with consistent great service and great food. Highly recommended.
(5)Nelson R.
Personally I consider this place one of the best-bang-for-the-buck Italian restaurants in Miami. They have excellent lunch specials at around $7, every M-F. Their lunch specials come with a basket of garlic bread and a house salad. Their service is extremely friendly, efficient and attentive. I love the escargot a la Medici, deliciously bathed escargot in a wonderfully well balanced vodka sauce. I recommend their lasagna, cannelloni filled with chicken and spinach, their chicken Marsala and chicken picatta are wonderful and last but not least linguine with white clam sauce. Their prices are very reasonable and tuned with the amount and quality of food they serve. Enjoy Il Bambino!
(5)Eliza C.
Just came back from a party we held at this restaurant and unfortunately I don't have much good to say. After making reservations for 14 to celebrate a graduation we planned to bring a couple of our own table decorations just for presentation when everyone arrived. Our request was simple, let us put our cake on the table and we will remove once everyone arrives so that it is not in the way of the food. The owner could not grasp this concept and kept telling us that she couldnt do that because they would be serving food on the table. We explained multiple times that the idea was to remove the cake before the food was served. After much struggle and argument they finally agreed to let us do this. (Something we have never had an issue with at any other restaurant). Despite the owner of the restaurant being unaccommodating, difficult to work with over this issue and rude to both my mother and aunt i still had no intention of leaving this review until the owner proceeded to call my aunt rude and say that she had an attitude problem. This is unacceptable behavior from an owner of a business in the hospitality industry. Not even the good food was enough to make up for the owner's attitude with us! This is not the type of service I expected from a restaurant we have frequented and held parties at before. Two stars only because the food was good and the waiter was great to us.
(2)Z Z.
YUMMiest Italian food in town! Authentic Italian cook in the kitchen. Great ambiance and service is amazing! Highly recommend!
(5)Christa C.
This place is sad. The storefront is reminiscent of a shady strip mall marque. The interior was cozy enough and would have been cute had my view not been of the McDonalds drive through 200 feet away. The space was more than half full and nearly all of the patrons were quite the crowd that might visit the Golden Corral. I had the chicken parm with spaghetti and red sauce. And a glass of sangria. The chicken was super greasy, overcooked, and had a few cheese slices on top. The pasta was nice and al dente, but the sauce tasted like it came straight from a can, with a brief stop in the microwave. The sangria was the worse I've ever had, and I've had canned sangria in Japan. Cheers!
(2)Madeline M.
Celebrated my son's graduation with family & friends & we throughly enjoyed I'l Bambino's cozy family style restaurant. The food was delicious and plenty and the service was prompt considering the large group... Hint... Go early if you have a large group- no reservations!
(4)Tiffany G.
Visited Il Bambino yesterday for the first time because I was in the area and wanted to try something new for take out. When we entered we stood at the door and no one came to greet us or let us know that they would help/seat us soon. I didn't mind so much because they seemed to be understaffed but after a few minutes it just felt uncomfortable because there was no area to sit while waiting so you're just facing/staring at everyone as they eat (it's a small place). A waiter then pointed at a table from across the room signaling which table we could sit at (this didn't allow me the opportunity to let him know I was ordering to go). I checked out the menu for a couple minutes and ordered the fettuccine alfredo and broccoli cream soup. I also asked for a glass of wine while I wait for my food to be ready but the waiter said he couldn't bring me one unless I ordered an appetizer.... O.o that is the weirdest thing I have ever heard at a restaurant. My response was: "But I'm paying for the glass of wine and ordering food, I don't understand." The waiter simply shrugged his shoulders as if to say "sorry those are the rules" and just walked away. Never have I heard of a restaurant denying you a glass of wine unless you order an appetizer (which I was in fact ordering, but simply taking to go - the broccoli soup). I'm still confused by the situation and it is a shame because I enjoyed the food but I doubt I'll be returning.
(2)Karin P.
Highly disappointed. I remember coming to this place years ago and loved it. Today, I had tried a pasta dish with their pink sauce and it didn't taste like anything at all. I even had melted cheese on top. Tasted super bland and I was shocked. I guess I am used to the pink sauce that Whole Foods offers when you create your own pasta dishes there. Only thing that tasted like anything was their side salad, and that tasted really good. None-the-less, I am very disappointed. I would hope their tomato sauce is at least tasty.
(2)Mari M.
Excellent service! Great food..... Had the capellini carbonara, chicken cannelloni, and a simply fabulous cannoli. Had to order a second for the kids!
(5)Alana A.
I've been coming here for years, and I always come back. To start, the ambiance is really nice - the lights perfectly dimmed, Italian music softly playing, and nice paintings surround the restaurant. The waiting staff are really the best and have all been there since I've been coming to this place (years and years!). As soon as you are seated, you are quickly served perfectly crispy garlic bread. If you order an entree, it comes with a small house salad. I hardly ever eat salad but this one is always so fresh and comes with the perfect amount of dressing, that I always look forward it. My favorite plate is the chicken Parmesan which I order with penne in Alfredo sauce. I ask for the cheese on the chicken parm to be "toasted" because that's my preference and it tastes amazing that way. The chicken parm is thin and crispy and in my opinion, the best in Miami. The Alfredo sauce is thick and creamy and incredible. Cheese tortellini in vodka sauce is also awesome. Fried zucchini appetizer is the bomb. And a cannoli will end your meal perfectly. Oh and the prices - can't be beat! The price is affordable, especially given the excellent quality!
(5)Cecilia S.
Excellent food, attention and atmosphere! Good for come with kids! I recommend 100%. Lovely place!
(5)Lillian R.
I've had the most amazing ravioli here and the most disgusting chicken marsales all in the same night. The pear ravioli delish, the chicken marsales tasted like a can of cream of mushroom was opened over some tainted chicken. Our friends didn't like their dishes much funny part was how the staff only spoke Spanish at an Italian restaurant welcome to Miami indeed ....
(3)Carlos J.
Recently moved into the neighborhood and decided to give it a try. Typical Italian spot, we were enjoying it and then... a roach fell from the roof onto my fiancés plate. She almost had a heart attack. There are roaches everywhere in south Florida whether you see them or not. I get that. While not ideal, I wasn't all that upset by the roach. However, the wait staff's reaction, or lack thereof, was troubling. Calm, as though he were reading us the specials, the waiter advised that they fumigate regularly. That's it. I don't need you to comp the meal, but if you ever want us to return, a simple apology would be a nice place to start. It's too bad because I was enjoying my chicken parm.
(2)Jp F.
Horrible service! Some brute picked up the phone after about a minute of ringing and answered with a "hello?", so I had to ask if I was calling the restaurant. When he finally confirmed me having the right number he asked me to "hold", aka "I'm going to put the phone on the table and have you hear all the conversations happening around the phone" and eventually the retard hung up. I don't know how people put up with this mediocre, to say the least, service.
(1)Vivian L.
I have dined in Il Bambino for many years now. It's located very close to Tropical Park in a small strip mall across from the McDonalds.The food is excellent there and very well priced. Italian food is my favorite, I like to eat it and cook it. The same staff has been there for years and they are super nice. The give you a complimentary green salad and garlic bread with your meal (those are ok). The food is definitely not salty, greasy, or Cuban at all.. As a matter of fact, I like the fact their food is on the low-salt spectrum, which I appreciate for some of my family members with high blood pressure. The restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Some recomendations: Veal or Chicken Pizziola, Chicken Piccata, Eggplant or Veal Parmagian, Caprese Salad. Their Tiramisu is really good.
(5)Jen J.
Sucks. So much hair in food. Insane! Service was subpar, if not unacceptable. The waiter insulted my brother, and called him a liar for showing him the CHUNK of hair in the pasta, accusing him of planting his own hair. He is bald...
(1)Florence Y.
I chanced upon this place because Sushi Ko (a couple of suites down) was closed on a Sunday...and I was so happy walking out of there! TV showing soccer on a Sunday...it was entertaining!! The place isn't too big, seating was no problem. The service was amazing. My waiter was very patient and knowledgeable about the menu, he explained the different sauces for the "make your own dish" to me, and my glass of water was never half empty! They were extremely attentive! I ordered the gnocchi and frutti de mare (seafood sauce) for $15.95-ish and it was SOOOOOOO good! It had fish, small scallops, shrimps, claims, mussels and calamari...and the sauce must have been cooking all day, it was so flavorful! And the gnocchi wasn't like the thick, starchy, i-feel-guilty-for-eating-carbs kind...it was rather 'light' for a lack of better word! And the garlic bread/toast...light and flaky and toasted...topped with cheese!!! We polished off the whole basket! A small salad was served prior to the entree. I will DEFINITELY come back!!! The service was great, compared to the generic olive garden service!! Small place and personable service and great food, you can't beat that! Tip-bits: Parking wasn't a problem, even for a Sunday. There are healthy options: grilled chicken and steamed vegs. Seemed like they had a good selection of wine!
(5)Jose S.
I've been coming here on and off since I worked down the road 13 years ago. The food is great. The price is right. The staff is excellent. Not to mention it's pretty much been the same staff the whole time I've been coming here. I had another place in mind for my late lunch (Sushi-Ko), but I'm happy I stopped here. Never dissapointing.
(4)Caro F.
Salty and greasy on top of terrible service. Not real Italian at all.
(1)Eric R.
Went there with my wife last Friday. I have gone years back when i was smaller and had forgotten how good the food was. You want tranquil, family oriented Italian restaurant, Bambino is for you. My wife had the meaty Lasagna (DAM!!) If your a meatlover then your purpose in life is this. !VISIT IL BAMBINO AND EAT MEATY LASAGNA! Cannoli not so good. it was like eating toothpaste with a hinty taste of chocolate.
(4)Carlos R.
Big fan of this place. Service is always excellent and menu is fairly large. You even have a "make your own dish" option, which is always fun. Over the past 3 years they've remodeled it a bit, it's always spotless. Parking is never a problem as it's in a strip mall. Usually have specials that they switch up routinely to keep it exciting. Go and enjoy.
(4)Linda N.
we came here for a rehearsal dinner and it was fabulous. The food was great, I had the lasagna and it was delicious. Other family had the lemon chicken and the chicken parmigiana and everyone was so happy and full. The place is small but cute and its a great place to go. By the way the bread is awesome. They toast slices of bread and put garlic and cheese. Yummy!
(4)Erudito C.
Nice place ,great service friendly and efficient .Prices are moderate ,I go for lunch almost everyday.
(4)Nelson R.
Personally I consider this place one of the best-bang-for-the-buck Italian restaurants in Miami. They have excellent lunch specials at around $7, every M-F. Their lunch specials come with a basket of garlic bread and a house salad. Their service is extremely friendly, efficient and attentive. I love the escargot a la Medici, deliciously bathed escargot in a wonderfully well balanced vodka sauce. I recommend their lasagna, cannelloni filled with chicken and spinach, their chicken Marsala and chicken picatta are wonderful and last but not least linguine with white clam sauce. Their prices are very reasonable and tuned with the amount and quality of food they serve. Enjoy Il Bambino!
(5)Carolyn W.
this is definitely one of my favorite places in miami. my family goes alllllll the time and i have never had a bad experience. we're always seated promptly, the waiters are always friendly and knowledgeable, and we never have to wait an eternity for our food. seriously the only complaint i can even come up with is that salad is a little overdressed. the bread is heavenly; we go through basket after basket of it. my personal favorites are the chicken marsala and chicken parmesan, but whenever i taste someone else's meal, its always great. come hungry because you won't leave disappointed!
(5)Jessica L.
The food is a little heavy. I have had to make take out runs to this place several times for work. Overall the food is ok. The garlic bread is hard as a rock with little seasoning and cheese, the salad is not impressive. The people there are nice but it's a little expensive for what you're getting
(3)Mary e.
Had dinner on a Sunday night with a party of 18. The food was very good ( I had the chicken picata with linguini in olive oil and garlic), it was very tasty! The calamari appetizer and the stuffed clams were not very good (the calamari was breaded and fried and it tasted of stale breading and oil and the clams were way too salty). My husband had a steak and while it did not look great, it tasted pretty good (although, if I wanted a great steak I wouldn't expect it at a place that specializes in italian food). The bread at this place is awesome and I love the dressing they use on the salad. Overall, a great meal. Our waiter (we only had one, which didn't seem enough for such a large group) was courteous, attentive and somehow managed to maintain our our water glasses and bread baskets full. A very nice meal. Parking is also not a problem on most days, and especially on a Sunday night. Although the place is located in a strip mall, the inside of the restaurant is small and cozy with a slight italian decor. I recommend it because you get a good meal for a very reasonable price.
(4)Gianni D.
This is one of those spots that I go to at least once a month. They have been around for years. The waiting staff have been with the restaurant since it opened. The place is relatively small and has a great atmosphere. Very clean very well maintained. From what i remember the original owner of the restaurant was a Cuban immigrant with Italian parents. He has opened a number of other small family style restaurant in the west Miami area, specifically one called la Nona. The food is fantastic. Every meal is served with a house salad and you get some of the best bread. My wife swears by their lasagna and I always have either the chicken Marsala or the Florentine, The Florentine is a grilled chicken fillet served on ham/prosciutto and spinach topped with an amazing dark sauce. Most of the dishes come with spaghetti, but I always get it with baked Ziti. The cheese and ingredients they use are amazing. Overall Il Bambino will provide you with consistent great service and great food. Highly recommended.
(5)Alana A.
I've been coming here for years, and I always come back. To start, the ambiance is really nice - the lights perfectly dimmed, Italian music softly playing, and nice paintings surround the restaurant. The waiting staff are really the best and have all been there since I've been coming to this place (years and years!). As soon as you are seated, you are quickly served perfectly crispy garlic bread. If you order an entree, it comes with a small house salad. I hardly ever eat salad but this one is always so fresh and comes with the perfect amount of dressing, that I always look forward it. My favorite plate is the chicken Parmesan which I order with penne in Alfredo sauce. I ask for the cheese on the chicken parm to be "toasted" because that's my preference and it tastes amazing that way. The chicken parm is thin and crispy and in my opinion, the best in Miami. The Alfredo sauce is thick and creamy and incredible. Cheese tortellini in vodka sauce is also awesome. Fried zucchini appetizer is the bomb. And a cannoli will end your meal perfectly. Oh and the prices - can't be beat! The price is affordable, especially given the excellent quality!
(5)Cecilia S.
Excellent food, attention and atmosphere! Good for come with kids! I recommend 100%. Lovely place!
(5)Andre V.
After many years trying to find a plate Raviolis I could really enjoy, I finally found it. They were just perfect for my taste. So well prepare, marinara sauce perfectly balanced. House Salad is very good. We went around 2:00 pm on a Friday, and it was surprisedly almost empty.
(4)Diah A.
Olive Garden is a better Italian restaurant, and that isn't saying much. The bread was good, but definitely not Italian. It was Cuban bread with Italian seasoning. The salad would have been enjoyable, had it not been coated in copious amounts of creamy Italian dressing. We ordered the fried mozzarella for appetizer, and this was actually quite good, serving 2 uber-cheesy wedges with marinara. Our entrees literally took over 1 hour to arrive at the table, and during such time, the server did not check on us or offer apologies for the wait. By the time our food came we no longer had appetites. And good thing because the food was tremendously underwhelming. I ordered chicken Fettuccini Alfredo and received chicken linguine cream soup. Noodles were definitely not Fettuccini (which can be a big deal to some true Italians), and my food was literally submerged in a thin liquid cream sauce. I ate the chicken and left the noodly cream soup to the side. My girlfriend ordered chicken parm with a side of ziti and marinara, and she received chicken parm with a side of linguine Alfredo. At this point she did not want to send it back because we did not want to wait any longer. Her chicken wasn't too bad but the breading was soggy lacking the necessary crispy exterior chicken Parmesan should have. Our bill was only $36, so I cannot be too upset as I guess you get what you pay for.
(2)David R.
Ill bambino restaurant, it's a restaurant I had never been before but my in-laws frequent often. They wanted to have some Italian food, and this was the choice for the day. The atmosphere and service of the restaurant were really good. I had the vegetable lasagna and it was really well-made. The fried zucchini we ordered as an appetizer was a little-bit too greasy for my taste, but nevertheless it tasted really well. Our server, unknowledgeable, accommodated our requests and had a very good attitude throughout the overall experience. It's a nice family restaurant. A nice option to have.
(4)Vanessa J.
Came in here once and had such horrible service, but such gooood lasagna. Surprisingly, the calamari and the salad was garbage. We decided we would order take out from now on. The lasagna definitely gets 4+ stars. Don't think we have the courage to try anything else. I really just come to get my lasagna fix.
(3)Gaby B.
My family has been coming to this restaurant for years. We have also ordered food for large parties from here. The food is moderately priced and isn't bad, but its not great. It's just A-ok Italian. Service is always pleasant albeit a tad slow at times. One thing I will admit I do love is their house dressing, the house salad on the other hand, could use some fresh veggies and a tomato (its literally lettuce and a few carrots). Anyway, the dressing is awesome. Not my first choice for Italian, but definitely good to feed a large group for a good price.
(3)Mari M.
I have always loved the food here, but the service is not so great. The waiters always seem arrogant and snooty.. I don't even experience this at 5-star restaurants! I keep coming back for the grilled chicken, fettuccine and garlic bread, but always dread the service, especially from a particular server- Wayne. I don't even think Chris Rock can make him smile! IL Bambino really has to step up their game with regards to the service.. I have to subtract 2 stars for this!
(3)Mike D.
Alright food except for the Cuban bread and Cuban salad. Absolutely horrible, rude service...bad enough to keep us from ever going back.
(1)Allison H.
Miami isn't exactly known for its italian food, so I tried to keep that in mind when we settled in to our booth at Il Bambino. The atmosphere was quiet and casual, the service couldn't have been better, and the food was decent but not particularly memorable. The menu has a build your own pasta section with a large variety of noodles, sauces and toppings which is a plus, but it adds up quickly because each item is individually priced. The food definitely wasn't bad, it just didn't seem worth the $25 we paid for 2 meals and just water to drink. Not the best I've had, but if you need a quick spaghetti fix, it'll play.
(3)Jason C.
Trying to find a quality affordable italian restaurant near Westchester Miami has not been easy, but alas, we have found one in Il Bambino Ristorante. The menu is great and they do offer specials! The menu includes pasta, fish and meats including several veal dishes. A build your own pasta menu exists with over 10 different pastas and 10 different sauces. On top of that, you can add over 10 different things to your pasta such as fresh tomatoes, eggplant, spinach, prosciutto etc. They serve Italian beers and wine. Everyone raves about the bread basket. It's good, but it's not Italian bread to me. It's more the Cuban style bread made into garlic bread. The Cuban bread is a very light white bread with a plain then crust. This is what you will find almost everywhere in Miami. Italian bread from NY or Philly is very airy inside, but firm with a thick hard crust usually covered with seeds. The airy inside is littered with holes, but not soft and squishable like your standard loaf of white bread. Enough bread discussion. The bread is good, but it's not Italian style. The mozzarella sticks came as two triangle wedges breaded like a traditional moz stick. My only complaint here is that they tried to make it seem to gourmet with the big pieces of mozzarella. It wasn't fresh whole mozzarella fried and breaded like you might find in a fancy restaurant, it was just your normal moz sticks you find anywhere. Therefor, I suggest to do away with the big triangle pieces and just go to the sticks. The italian soups were big and delicious. We had a meat lasagna, and two build your own pasta dishes. The lasagna appeared small, but was filling with all the cheese. We had a linguini with pesto, fresh tomato and prosciutto, and angel hair with marinara and eggplant. Both pasta dishes were delicious. The pasta is NOT homemade, but the sauces were great. Be careful with the add-ons because they are overpriced and your dish can become costly quickly. For desert we enjoyed the house Tira Misu and Tres Leches. Both were small, but delicious. The espresso was good too, but be sure to ask for no sugar if you prefer it that way. Cuban coffee is sweet, so normally it's ordered that way.
(4)Ceci M.
I've never loved an Italian restaurant more than this place and it's sister La Nonna! The food is to die for, best Italian from a real Italian chef (old friend), they can do no wrong in my eyes (garlic rolls are heavenly)! The servers are very good and professional, never neglectful of anyone, and the prices cannot be beat for food of this quality! Go if you can, it's across the street from Tropical Park, in the big strip mall on Bird Road, worth every penny for real homemade Italian!
(5)Julio H.
I no longer consider to have an infinite amount of meals left in my book. For that reason, I try to visit places that are attractive to me in taste, decor, and even ambiance. Coming to Il Bambino was one of those necessary hiccups in my visits. After years and years of hearing about Il Bambino, and seeing their long standing marquee on a busy shopping center across Tropical Park, I decided to pay them a visit. I have looked over their menu countless times, and never been able to muster enough courage to set foot at this eatery. Until I decided that there was nothing left for me to try around the area, other than this restaurant. Luckily I arrived on the day the meat lasagna was the special of the day. I was going to order gnocchi but the waiter recommended the lasagna. It is a good fall back anyway, or as I like to say, I nice measuring stick, because an Italian restaurant messing up lasagna is almost unheard of, and it will let you know the type of expertise the kitchen has acquired. So I was served garlic bread, which was good but not great, and a salad with ranch dressing, which tasted very much like the one Kraft makes. Then the lasagna came in the traditional oval baking dish. It looked well cooked, and it had lots of cheese. But after tasting it, it was a little bland, and a little under seasoned. For dessert I had the tiramesu, which was OK also, but not great. The plate was dressed with chocolate fudge which just killed the refined taste of the mascarpone cheese. It was a bad combination. The thing that was more memorable, for a lack of words, was entering in a realm where mostly seniors dwell on. I was the only person representing all age groups under forty. Seeing so many men and women with white hair, probably Medicaid recipients, made me feel like if I had arrived at an elephant cemetery poachers fantasize with, and where elephants withdraw to live the last days of their lives. I have never felt out of place anywhere until Il Bambino. The few men not sporting white hair were hooked on Just for Men. I felt very depressed to think that so many lives end at an "OK" Italian restaurant. To cheer me up, grandma and grandpa on the table next to me invited their teenage grandson to lunch. He drove from school and showed up within minutes. Grandpa welcomed Speed Racer with "eres un caballo", but before grandpa could finish his sentence, Speedy asked him what he thought about the new Air Jordan sneakers with a price tag of $220, the ones on the picture he just sent him. If you have parents, kids, or grandparents with purchasing power, you know how the conversation went. To me, it was enough to make me feel better knowing that a new generation is constantly sprouting, and that not everything ends at Il Bambino.
(3)Jeff G.
Affordable Italian, yes! And it doesn't suck? YES! I only came here once a long time ago and remembered it was good, but I must say it was better than I remember this time. To add bonus points, I came with a large party of 28 (along with fellow Yelper Robert C) and everything that came out of the kitchen was well executed from the awesome garlic bread to my eggplant parm. It was probably the best I've had too. Did I mention affordable? Here was my order: Sangria Salad & Garlic Bread Eggplant Parmesan w/ Spaghetti and tomato sauce and desert Total bill: $17.95 I've been to mediocre places that charge that for the entree alone! Next time I'm in the area, I will be going back.
(5)Eileen P.
Great portions good prices every meal comes with salad and garlic rolls very small place but everyone is really nice
(4)Lourdes D.
Very quaint, had good and so-so experiences here. Affordable fare but not the best in town.
(3)Camila A.
I chose yelo as my helper in choosin a nuce italian restaurant to take my mom for lunch. The place is small but very nice. Since it was mothers day it was busy. Every table was full. They had a mothers day special. I had one of the specials. Lobster ravioli and red sauce and jumbo shrimp. We started with a house salad that was amazing!! I am not a salad person but that dressing made it so delicous. Then we ordered fried calamari and we always have a ba experience with appetizers never arriving on time, but not here. It arrived very quick. Prices are average. I will come back here. I am super pleased with this restaurant.
(4)Frank B.
This is a great neighborhood Italian restaurant. Best lasagna in town.
(5)Ryan S.
We originally were going to go to the Venezuelan restaurant next door to Il Bambino, but once we got there, we were in more of an Italian mood. The food was very tasty, meat sauce was very good and the breaded chicken that I had was tasty. The bread, on the other hand, was dry and too crispy for me. I like the soft and almost chewy kind of bread. All in all, it was a moderately priced meal that was better than average taste. 4 stars from me.
(4)Stef L.
After reading some of the past reviews I was a bit afraid of going there. The restaurant was lovely. It looked newly renovated... very nice. I ordered meat lasagna. My meal came with a salad and garlic bread. Both ok. The lasagna was a little salty for me but it came fresh and the cheese was soupy. Fabulous! I would quickly and happily recommend this restaurant.
(4)Jim B.
My family and I have eaten at this establishment many times, in fact we have even had family celebrations such as graduation parties there . However, we will never be back there again after last experience. My husband and son in law both found hair in their salads . We were all shocked and appalled especially by the lack of any apology from the staff. We had to ask for them to brin them another salads. Imagine our repulsion when my son in law had a long hair in his entree right from the kitchen . When we showed the waiter he said this is not possible. Not only did they not care there was hair in the food he insulted my don in law . At that point we saw a woman with an apron and long hair ... No hair net come out from the kitchen . The waiter had said there were no people with long hair in the kitchen. They never apologized of offered any compensation or concern at all. There did not appear to be any manager there at all but we will be sure to call tomorrow and inform him of our experience.
(1)Jeff H.
Where do I begin???... We thought this place was going to be great. It was awful. Our waiter was friendly, nice, and attentive. Unfortunately it was semi packed and he was working all alone and doing the best he could. We got our food. It was gross, my partners was missing the eggplant and it was just noodles and sauce. My dish the chicken Marsala was bland and gross. We kept hearing a lot of screaming from the kitchen. Then the Chef comes out from the back yelling at the only waiter, screaming in his face. The waiter was professional and just excused himself and walked outside while the Chef went on acting crazy in front of all of us. The funny thing is out of no where there was like 10 people from the back to help. The whole time the waiter struggled and did good but had no help at all just people demanding him. The chef needs to be fired and if he is the owner then he should sell it. No matter if the waiter messed up all day for which I don't know you never ever as a chef present yourself that way. And yell at someone and scream and point to their face at all and especially to the whole restaurant. So to add more to this, the little manager guy not sure who he was said how was everything and I said awful. He said sorry and brought us our check. Not asked why, offered to discount the bill, or anything. It was basically like a sorry but F U! This place is absurd. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!!!
(1)David S.
I have been going to Il Bambino for over 10 years . Being that it is located inside a small strip mall at the entrance of Westchester, if you were to drive too fast, you may never know that it was there and pass up one of the best local spots for a great Italian meal. Il Bambino's employees from the greeters to the servers and all the way up to the chef's add an incredible personal touch to your visit. They have been there since the inception of the restaurant. You never have to look around to get a refill of water, or soda or wine. And, after your second or third visit, they will know you by name. In regards to the food, I personally consider that for the price of 1 person eating at the Olive Garden, two can eat at Il Bambino's without compromising quality, flavor or dedication to presentation. My personal favorite is their Chicken Parmesan. The size is perfect, well prepared and when you add the initial house salad and GREAT Garlic Bread it is a meal that will fill up any hearty appetite. By the way this is also Wednesdays Lunch special! $5.95 for: - House Salad - Garlic Bread (All you can eat) - Chicken Parmesan - Side of Pasta (any type, any sauce) You can't beat that with a stick. And, knowing you may be on a time crunch during lunch, it usually takes between 5-8 minutes for the main course to arrive. My wife and I frequent Il Bambino at least 3 times a month on date nights due to the high quality of their food, service and not putting a dent on my wallet, which gives us more time to enjoy other events after dining. I recommend anyone who has not tried Il Bambino to visit them and experience it for themselves. Highly Recommend!
(5)Daisy S.
I really enjoy coming here for lunch!!! The price and lunch specials are great!!! Try the chicken franceise! Their garlic bread has some sort of Parmesan seasoning that is to die for. You will eat the whole basket of bread.. be advised! Their house salad has the most delicious dressing i have ever tried. Tip: ask for a side of it and dip your bread into it. You'll thank me later. :) In a nutshell.. great food, great price. good service as well. Its a must for lunch.
(4)Alex H.
The Italian food here is authentic and priced well. I am tired of all these overpriced Italian restraints. The only complaint I have is the sauce is a little rich in the pasta and the food is a little greasy.
(4)Adrian S.
Food was ok a little bland for my taste, chicken parmigiana was a popular choice amongst yelpers and it was nothing to brag about came out undercooked and very rubbery to there credit they replaced it without any questions. Ambiance was nice service was ok was looking for a new Italian restaurant nearby but the search continues....
(3)Barby S.
The food tasted homemade and the staff was very friendly! I was really not that hungry so I had spaghuetti with olive oil and garlic. It exceeded my expectations by far! So delicious.
(5)Katy S.
Four words: shrimp a la francaise !!! You will thank me later. Get it with a side of alfredo and you're set. To be honest, everything else besides this dish is mediocre. But it's worth visiting just for this dish alone.
(4)Adalberto M.
This is one of these places that are tucked in and you forget about, until you finally go and tell yourself why did I wait so long to come back! . Great place for a casual experience. They'll serve you toasted buttered breads that you'll have to be careful not to eat the entire basket. Then, they'll serve you the house salad. Yes, it's complimentary. Anything on here is really good, I've had lots on this menu. My favorite is the chicken francese. It's so good here my wife had to learn how to make it (now her's is better lol). Dessert, go ahead and try their cannoli. OMG. You've already had lots of food, don't sweat it you won't pay much for it. Totally worth it.
(5)Angela V.
My in-laws introduced me to this place 8 years ago and it's our favorite little Italian restaurant. We ordered catering for 30 this weekend. And it was so much delicious food that everyone got seconds and thirds and we STILL had so much food left over. I have to say the price was extremely reasonable for 30 people and for the amount of food we were given. I absolutely recommend this place! :)
(5)Genesis S.
I LOVE Il bambino. It's my favorite Italian restaurant in Miami. The place is a romantic hole-in-the-wall. It's casual, yet intimate. I love it.Their service is top notch. The food is homemade Italian and for a great price! . First, the garlic toasted baguette, which youll begin to crave after you've left. That's how good they are. Secondly, comes e salad which is made perfectly. And finially, entree I love the cheese ravioli with pesto. It's delicious! You can taste the freshness in the sause! This is definitely a place to try!
(5)Frank B.
This is a great neighborhood Italian restaurant. Best lasagna in town.
(5)Allison H.
Miami isn't exactly known for its italian food, so I tried to keep that in mind when we settled in to our booth at Il Bambino. The atmosphere was quiet and casual, the service couldn't have been better, and the food was decent but not particularly memorable. The menu has a build your own pasta section with a large variety of noodles, sauces and toppings which is a plus, but it adds up quickly because each item is individually priced. The food definitely wasn't bad, it just didn't seem worth the $25 we paid for 2 meals and just water to drink. Not the best I've had, but if you need a quick spaghetti fix, it'll play.
(3)Mike D.
Alright food except for the Cuban bread and Cuban salad. Absolutely horrible, rude service...bad enough to keep us from ever going back.
(1)Jason C.
Trying to find a quality affordable italian restaurant near Westchester Miami has not been easy, but alas, we have found one in Il Bambino Ristorante. The menu is great and they do offer specials! The menu includes pasta, fish and meats including several veal dishes. A build your own pasta menu exists with over 10 different pastas and 10 different sauces. On top of that, you can add over 10 different things to your pasta such as fresh tomatoes, eggplant, spinach, prosciutto etc. They serve Italian beers and wine. Everyone raves about the bread basket. It's good, but it's not Italian bread to me. It's more the Cuban style bread made into garlic bread. The Cuban bread is a very light white bread with a plain then crust. This is what you will find almost everywhere in Miami. Italian bread from NY or Philly is very airy inside, but firm with a thick hard crust usually covered with seeds. The airy inside is littered with holes, but not soft and squishable like your standard loaf of white bread. Enough bread discussion. The bread is good, but it's not Italian style. The mozzarella sticks came as two triangle wedges breaded like a traditional moz stick. My only complaint here is that they tried to make it seem to gourmet with the big pieces of mozzarella. It wasn't fresh whole mozzarella fried and breaded like you might find in a fancy restaurant, it was just your normal moz sticks you find anywhere. Therefor, I suggest to do away with the big triangle pieces and just go to the sticks. The italian soups were big and delicious. We had a meat lasagna, and two build your own pasta dishes. The lasagna appeared small, but was filling with all the cheese. We had a linguini with pesto, fresh tomato and prosciutto, and angel hair with marinara and eggplant. Both pasta dishes were delicious. The pasta is NOT homemade, but the sauces were great. Be careful with the add-ons because they are overpriced and your dish can become costly quickly. For desert we enjoyed the house Tira Misu and Tres Leches. Both were small, but delicious. The espresso was good too, but be sure to ask for no sugar if you prefer it that way. Cuban coffee is sweet, so normally it's ordered that way.
(4)Ceci M.
I've never loved an Italian restaurant more than this place and it's sister La Nonna! The food is to die for, best Italian from a real Italian chef (old friend), they can do no wrong in my eyes (garlic rolls are heavenly)! The servers are very good and professional, never neglectful of anyone, and the prices cannot be beat for food of this quality! Go if you can, it's across the street from Tropical Park, in the big strip mall on Bird Road, worth every penny for real homemade Italian!
(5)Veronica D.
I was craving Italian, something other than Nunzios. I decided to follow yelper's recommendations and try Il Bambino. It was very yum. My hubby and I had the appetizer sampler which consisted of an array of meatballs, sausage, and egg plant. We followed the appetizer with entrees. We had the "make your own pasta" - Fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli (very yummy) and my hubby had the meat lasagna. A few downsides: service was very slow. They were very busy but I felt like we were left waiting quite a bit. My hubby also said that the wine tasted like it had been opened for a week. All and all, the food was great, so we will definitely be coming back soon!
(4)Ryan S.
We originally were going to go to the Venezuelan restaurant next door to Il Bambino, but once we got there, we were in more of an Italian mood. The food was very tasty, meat sauce was very good and the breaded chicken that I had was tasty. The bread, on the other hand, was dry and too crispy for me. I like the soft and almost chewy kind of bread. All in all, it was a moderately priced meal that was better than average taste. 4 stars from me.
(4)Lourdes D.
Decided to check this place out after passing by it about a million times and always wondering if it was any good. There wasn't a soul in the place and we got seated immediately. For starters, the service was great. Attentive and very pleasant. I ordered the chicken marsala, with a side of linguini in pesto sauce. My entree game with a small house salad and their delicious parmesan cheese bread. Everything was delish, but the chicken marsala came with what looked like canned mushrooms, which turned me off. My friend had the caprese salad and she annihilated it, while exclaiming how delicious it was. I got a tres leches for dessert, and for the first time EVER in Miami, it wasn't served in a Lila's container. It was served on a plate and was amazing to boot, so Il Bambino scored big points there. As for parking, huuuuuge lot, so plenty of options.
(4)Anais M.
Why does this place have such great reviews? All the food lacked seasoning and not so pleasant servers. Won't be back, thanks!
(1)Christina V.
I had been here once before and I guess it completely slipped my mind because I haven't reviews it yet. Anyway, this place is great. I came here last night with Mr.F and the dinner was just what we needed. I had the Veal with red sauce and spaghetti and my other half enjoyed a lemony chicken dish. Both were excellent and I'll be enjoying leftovers in the lunchroom in a few hours. (Can't wait) The pricing is really fair as well. Also, I must mention this, the bread is awesome! It is warm, flavorful, crispy, and just .... yummy. I loved it here and I will most likely be coming back. Its is cool place to come on a date but is also really open to groups as well. Very versatile.
(4)David Y.
Came in for dinner on a Sunday night. Fast service, great food portions, and very well priced for Italian food in the area. They offer many good selections of pairings between meals, pastas, and appetizers. Definitely a fan and would recommend!
(4)N S.
Food excellent & very reasonable. Service SUCKS!!!! So bad we won't go back or recommend. Consider takeout.
(2)Madeline M.
I went with 3 friends for lunch. We were still eating our salads when they brought me, and only me, my entree. I ordered the linguine with pink sauce which had way too much sauce and not enough flavor. And the ricotta cheesecake? Terrible!
(2)Michael S.
Not bad for a typical strip shopping center Italian restaurant. There were good and bad experiences during our lunch. I usually don't hold out much hope for the mix and match pasta/sauce types of places. There is a reason for the use of different shapes of pasta and the appropriate sauces. It looked like it was going to be a poor experience when I began by asking how they made their pasta Carbonara. First they asked me what type of pasta I wanted? That is like asking what type of pasta do you want with linguine and clam sauce. Then to add insult to injury, they said that there were onions in the carbonara. Strike one. I started with the minestrone, a very bland attempt at vegetable soup. I moved on to the cannelloni stuffed with chicken and spinach. Veal is usually used in this dish and the chicken was a bland substitute. My son had the pasta (generic choice) with Alfredo sauce and prosciutto, fair but swimming in sauce. My wife had large shrimp in a scampi type of preparation that was the highlight of the entrees. that was pretty good. The best part of the meal was the ricotta cheese cake, an excellent version but not as good as Nunzio's, further west on Bird, in fact nothing was as good as at Nunzio's, spend the time and drive another ten minutes west.
(3)Janelle F.
I was craving some prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and tomato and didn't want to travel far from my "westchester" 'hood...So we decided to try out Il Bambino for dinner. Even though it's in a strip mall (which also houses my beloved Sushi Ko), once you step inside, the place is cute and quaint. There were plenty of people there for a Tuesday night, but service was quick. They start you off with some delicious parmesan garlic bread and a house salad with their special dressing. I'm not big on salad, but this dressing was fantastic. The bread was also dangerously good as I probably had at least 3 pieces of it. My caprese was great and so was my SO's lobster ravioli. I went with the gnocchi which was just okay. Fortunately, we shared half and half so I got to have some of the lobster ravioli. The lobster ravioli was $20 but it came with 3 jumbo shrimp prawns and the ravioli had actual lobster chunks in it, not processed/ground up stuff. The fresh tomato sauce it came in was divine...it probably would've tasted great as a dipping sauce for the bread, too. Either way-I'm glad I discovered Il Bambino, I have a feeling I'll be coming here again soon!
(4)Lourdes D.
Very quaint, had good and so-so experiences here. Affordable fare but not the best in town.
(3)Camila A.
I chose yelo as my helper in choosin a nuce italian restaurant to take my mom for lunch. The place is small but very nice. Since it was mothers day it was busy. Every table was full. They had a mothers day special. I had one of the specials. Lobster ravioli and red sauce and jumbo shrimp. We started with a house salad that was amazing!! I am not a salad person but that dressing made it so delicous. Then we ordered fried calamari and we always have a ba experience with appetizers never arriving on time, but not here. It arrived very quick. Prices are average. I will come back here. I am super pleased with this restaurant.
(4)