4. Restaurants

Montalcino Ristorante Italiano

15 NW Alder Pl, Issaquah, WA, 98027
  • (425) 270-3677
  • Store is closed

Montalcino Ristorante Italiano Menu

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Visit below restaurant in Issaquah for healthy meals suggestion.

Burger King ( 1705 NW Gilman Blvd )

  • Bon Vivan T.

    We went back. This time, everything was 100% - from Blushing Bride's Penne Primavera con Salsicce, to The BOY's Lasagna Classico to the special I ordered (pasta with salmon and lobster). The service (this time) was just what you'd expect in a five-star restaurant, we were serenaded by Tony on the guitar, and the namesake wine was amazingly good. It's everything I look for in a good night out...and it's nearby to boot! I hate to give Montalcino Ristorante such a positive review - it'll surely drive more hungry gourmet diners into their wonderful restaurant, yielding fewer and fewer open slots for yours truly to enjoy this goodness. My advice to you: go to Denny's and free up seats for me here! ;-)

    (5)

  • Michael P.

    Wow. We have been going to Vino Bella's in front of Montalcino for years and know Claude and when he told me that he was subletting his sandwhich shop location to an Italian Restaurant I was skeptical, but the jury's out and it's guilty of being 5 star! I took my wife 2 weeks ago for lunch and the place was not only packed with people for a new restaurant, but my wife and I can't stop talking about the pesto gnocci. Absolutely a divine dish, prepared and cooked perfectly. I had the lasagna and wasn't as impressed with the flavor, but I was impressed with the quality of the presentation and I could tell that there was a legacy of a family recipe that went in to it, as it was unique and well thought-out. Server was very friendly and the atmosphere warm and cozy. This would be a great place for a date or to bring a client for lunch. Really not a bar atmosphere, so go here to dine, not to drink, unless you love wine.

    (5)

  • Martin N.

    Fernando & Cindy run one of the best Italian joints in the Seattle area. He is first generation Italian, and his parents Giovani and Michelina, who also help with the restaurant, are as Italian as they come which shows both in their food, hospitality and attitude. The waitresses are dressed sexy and have an awesome attitude, creating a pleasant, outgoing, appealing atmosphere with a nice Euro/Italian touch. Neither I nor my wife felt insecure about our relationship/marriage in the presence of these lovelies unlike some of the reviewers who do not like Montalcino's all-European/Italian flavor. The food is as authentic Italian as it gets, and I dare anyone who knows their food to say otherwise. Montalcino is Seattle's hidden gem - don't miss this even if you're far away!

    (5)

  • Brooke C.

    Several of my clients had raved about this little treasure in downtown Issaquah so I stopped in for a early Tuesday lunch with my Mom. (It was full by 12:15) So so sweet, really great atmosphere that had me thinking...WAY more like a Saturday date night with the hubby than just a lunch spot. Pasta was great, service was friendly and I'll definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Holly W.

    I love this place! I only wish they had a bigger spot or less customers so we could get in more often. Reservations are a must. The food is so delicious. My favorites are the caprese and pasta Gorgonzola, though I don't think you can go wrong with anything on their menu. The service has always been great and the staff are professional.

    (5)

  • Joanne W.

    This restaurant is a must if you are looking for an excellent Authentic, Italian restaurant in the Seattle area. We were first greeted by one of the owners when we first stepped inside the nicely decorated restaurant. it was small and intimate but not overcrowded.. I felt like I was in Italy with the Italian musician playing at our table. The food was exquisite. The mozzarella buffalo was fantastic as well as the halibut over spinach risotto. My boyfriend had the veal which was scrumptious. The staff was very friendly. I felt like I was eating in Mama's kitchen or at least like we were good friends of the family. The wine was an excellent accompaniment to our meal. For dessert, we shared the tarimisu which was the best I've ever had. We will sure be returning time and time again.thenk you for making us feel like we were guests in your own home.

    (5)

  • Tori M.

    Totally enjoyed our experience from appetizer to dessert (tiramisu was FAB!). Place is small so I wouldn't bring my 6 year old along (I'm sure others will bring their offspring as their kids are so well mannered & perfect). Plan to visit again soon. You won't be disappointed!

    (4)

  • Jennifer M.

    Best Italian in town. Bolognese is what you need to get. It's the best dish they have. Everything is home made. Very quaint. Love the customer service too.

    (5)

  • Dorothy L.

    I love this place. It's been on our list for ages and we finally dropped by tonight. Tuesday evening at 630 and we barely got a table--the last (and only) two top on the sidewalk (unfortunately no wine service when dining outside). Mozzarella di buffala salad was awesome with fresh mozzarella from Italy (not always available but we were lucky tonight!). fernando is a gracious, warm host who takes pride in the service and the food. His mom, originally from Napoli, Italy, comes in every morning to make the sauces. Pasta cooked perfectly. We plan to make our way through the menu...today: spaghetti and meatballs and linguine con frutta de mare. We'll definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Robin J.

    It was fine - not exactly what I expected. Our lunch for 2 (with water only) was $50 and I just wasn't wowed. I didn't think the flavors were that well developed and the several items we ordered could have been prepared (cooked) better. I was hoping for something spectacular in downtown but I am glad so many others enjoy it here.

    (3)

  • Tracy C.

    After seeing the strong reviews on this restaurant, I decided I needed to write about our experience. We've been twice and sadly going back the second time was a HUGE mistake. I wasn't overly impressed the first time either but to be fair we decided to try it again. My husband and I went in June for our anniversary after driving into Bellevue to find out our favorite Italian restaurant was closed on Mondays. We called from the car to see if they had a table. The owner said yes and we said we'd call back if we decided to go. We were contemplating other options. Not less then 3 minutes later, the owner called us back and asked if we were coming. ( Should have been the first red flag). We indeed showed up and we brought with us our own bottle of wine. We each started with a glass of prosecco and then ordered dinner. They opened our wine without mentioning a corkage fee. We expected to pay one as we always do. Our dinner was awful. My dish was a ragu of two different types of meat (rabbit and lamb if I remember right). I found at least 5 pieces of bone in my sauce. I don't even remember what my husband had because it was so bad. We decided not to have dessert because we were so turned off from dinner. We asked for the check and discovered the corkage fee was $30. When I gave my credit card to the server, I mentioned that their fee for corkage was steep and not competitive and that they should certainly tell people ahead of time. She said "OK we will take it off the check". Then she told the owner and he immediately came over and became very confrontational. I explained how we felt and he said "I'm in the wine business and when you bring your own wine it is like bringing your own ham into Subway and asking them to make you a sandwich" I replied by telling him he is in the food business and when you live in an area which produces a lot of local wines you should be more supportive of people bringing in their own wine. He continued to banter with us and was very rude. Once we paid and were leaving he apologized by saying "I'm Italian and I get very emotional" WHATEVER! He asked my husband's permission to give me a kiss. LAME! We went elsewhere for dessert. By the time we got home, the owner called us on our cell phone again to apologize. I can't believe he would call us- very out of line and inappropriate. I felt like he was stalking us at one point. They clearly don't know how to run a restaurant. I am happy if all of the good reviewers really enjoy it but that experience is unlike any I've had before and we are both in the industry. I agree with the others too about the ridiculous uniforms the servers wear.......TERRIBLE! On a side note- after posting this review the owner e-mailed me twice defending his actions and the fact that there were bones in my food. His version of the events is not correct and once again supports my point that he is argumentative and unprofessional. Obviously how a customer feels is not important to him. He wants to have the final word. His e-mails to me today reinforced why he should not be in this business.

    (1)

  • C E.

    Wow! What a wonderful place, great food, great service. We can't wait to go back again. Very small place so be sure and make a reservation or you might not get to experience this new addition to Issaquah.

    (5)

  • Dave L.

    Strange place. Good singer, but overly touchy owner and very mediocre food. Waitresses dressed like prostitutes. "Eat me I'm Italian" tshirts for sale - classy.

    (2)

  • Julia P.

    I am disappointed that I am giving this restaurant experience such a low rating because I REALLY wanted it to be a five start experience. My husband and I just got back from San Gimignano - part of the Tuscany region in Italy- and the food there was beyond belief. My understanding was that Montalcino offered food from the same region so I decided it was worth the hefty price tag to give it a try. The food was good- I enjoyed my Tortellini alla Panna e Pancetta very much and my husband liked his Bistecca Fiorentina although he was not blown away. The food itself was very good, probably four stars. The downside was the service. We had a reservation and when we walked in we were the only people there. They would not seat us until the reservation was confirmed, but since their system was down it took several minutes. I asked for a wine recommendation and the waitress, without hesitation, recommended the most expensive wine on the menu which I find inauthentic. The worst part was when the waitress advised us of the appetizer special, something of a sampler of their more popular appetizers. We ordered one to share but she returned with two. We stated we only ordered one and she apologized, and we stated it was fine, we would each enjoy our own and figured it would only be an additional $8 or $10, like most of the items on the starter menu. When our bill came we were stunned to see each appetizer was $26! It was completely outrageous and I still regret not making a bit of an issue over it. We felt ignored for most of the meal and while we were going to enjoy desert we decided it wasn't worth it and left. I would suggest going to Vino Bella next door and order off their dinner menu- same food, more wine, better pricing and superior service!

    (3)

  • Shana N.

    A friend of ours gave my sister a gift certificate to this restaurant so we had to try it! We made a reservation, which I think is a must! It's a very small space and it was bustling the entire time. When we arrived we were told it would be about 10-15 minutes so we decided to wait outside. Shortly after we stepped out a man, who I'm assuming is the owner, came out to get us, told us it was going to be a little longer than expected to get a table, invited us back inside and offered us complimentary champagne. As we waited and sipped champagne we took in the ambiance of this new find. It was 35 minutes past our reservation time when we were seated and let me tell you - well worth the wait! We started with steamed clams and mussels and a Caesar salad. Both we delicious and our waitress brought us bread to go with the clams and mussels. My daughter had the lasagna, poor thing because my sister and I could stop "trying" it. It was delicious, like no lasagna I've ever had before! I had the tortellini with cream sauce, peas and Italian ham. This was so rich and creamy and melt in your mouth goodness! I ate every bite, with some help! My sister had the lobster ravioli which was superb! It was so obvious in all our dishes that the pasta was homemade, the ingredients were fresh and everything was prepared beautifully. We also discovered Italian Champagne - Prosecco (sp?) - which was fabulous! For dessert we had an ice cream dish with chocolate over the top, I wish I could remember what it was called. It was delicious, rich and went great with our after dinner espresso. I will definitely be back! My sister actually went back 2 days later for lunch!

    (5)

  • Devon B.

    Visiting the Seattle area and stayed the night in Issaquah. I ordered one of the specials for the night, the short ribs with risotto and roasted carrots, asparagus and squash. In a word-- phenomenal! My husband also enjoyed his Kobe lasagna. The wine recommendation complemented my meal as well. The owner, an Italian woman, serenaded the dining room with song and chatted with us after. You just want to give her a hug after the meal... It's that good! Should we find ourselves in Issaquah again, we will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Mike P.

    What do you feel like tonight? Homemade pasta? Wonderful wine? Superb service? Then stop into Montalcino's. We stopped in on Friday 7/17, we did not have a reservation but we were eating a bit later ~7:15 or 7:30, after a very quick 10 min wait a table freed up and we sat down. The menu is amazing, we started with the Tiger Prawn and Scallop appetizer, my wife had the house Merlot and I had the Sangiovese; the appetizer was delicious. The Merlot had to breathe a bit but after 2-3 minutes of breathing it was very good. As a matter of face we finished off those glasses and ordered another round and we were not disappointed. For dinner My wife had the Tiger Prawn, Lobster and Scallop special while I had the wild Boar pasta, both dishes were wonderful. We couldn't rate the food any higher, clearly this family knows how to cook. If you've never had homemade pasta you will be amazed. To ensure that this wasn't a one hit wonder we went back on Sunday 7/19 - don't judge us :) we love to eat. The food was equally as marvelous, the Kobe meatballs are fantastic. The service is personal, quiet and eloquent, not stuffy or snobbish. We felt very welcomed both days, on Sunday they had a "family" entertainer that would sing for you. The restaurant is physically small but you don't feel crowded nor did we feel like anyone was hovering over us. We ate at our own pace and we were never rushed. I'm glad to have found this restaurant and I know we will be back very soon.

    (5)

  • I M.

    I don't like writing bad reviews, especially for places that are really good. I like their food but there was something very off about this place that's worth mentioning. When I first walked into the restaurant I was greeted with the smell of urine--kind of like downtown Seattle where the homeless people like to hang out. I almost wanted to get up and leave but my SO told me to just give this place a chance. Food came out pretty quick. I love the presentations and unique slanted bowls for our main dishes. We started with their tiger prawns and scallops and it was wonderful. My date had a lemon chicken dish and it was well cooked and well seasoned. I had the lobster ravioli and it was really flavorful! You could tell the pasta was fresh and homemade because of the texture. I asked an older waitress to box my ravioli lobster and she threw away my (less than) half eaten lobster tail! Of course, I didn't find out until I left the place. I was appalled, especially after paying $34 for my dish! I purposely didn't finish my main course so I could try their tiramisu, which, by the way, was very delicious. Food: 4.5/5 Service: 2/5 Atmosphere: 2/5 (3 pts taken for smell) Overall: 2.8/5 - will round up to 3 stars.

    (3)

  • Dani M.

    I was really craving Italian food. I used yelp to help me decide where to go. I ordered my food & was surprised at the simplicity & for the price was VERY DISAPPOINTED! $26 for rice w/cheese; $25 for penne pasta w/some vegetables. I never paid that much even when I lived in Italy. The ambiance was nice but the food & service was poor. I now know why the prices aren't posted!

    (2)

  • Smanda P.

    Pretty good. Obviously not authentic, but that's ok. I mean, no Italian American grew up eating kobe beef, lobster, truffle oil, caviar, saffron, etc. (and if you did, uh, invite me over to your nana's house sometime?) I'd call it Upscale Italian American inspired. I know it may seem weird, but my biggest gripe is that the portions are too big and the pasta is too rich. If one is to really enjoy a true Italian dining experience, meals should include a light appetizer, a first course of a small plate of pasta, a second course of meat or fish, vegetables as a side dish, and a dessert. The portions, prices and plating at Montacino don't allow for this: dishes are served as your plate, not meant to be shared. I'm not blaming the restaurant for this, as I assume the clientele haven't been asking for this. In fact, it looks like most of the other suburbanites seem to be excited by the Macaroni Grill sized portions they have here. I got just a first course and still had to take half of it home. It would just be...nice to try more than one dish instead of committing to a giant plate of one thing. The music is great: they somehow got James Spader to come play the guitar and sing in various languages. Cool. No problems with the service or ambiance. The restaurant is tiny and a lot of people have commented about reservations. They obviously have some anxiety about no-shows since they ask you to call them back to confirm your Open Table reservation and text you if you don't. This could easily be fixed by moving to a bigger spot and accepting both reservations and walk-ins. The best part of this plan: turn the current location into an Italian bakery, which are sorely missing from the entire Seattle area. Cannoli and amaretti for everyone!

    (4)

  • Thu N.

    We were here less than a couple of months ago for my bf's mom bday and we also celebrated mine as well. Have't had a chance to write this review since I've been traveling. Everything was great except the customer service. I had a lemon half on my entree with a sticker/label still on it. I told the server and she immediately got defensive and said verbatim... I remembered because I was appalled "what's wrong with that?" Are you serious?? For a restaurant with white table cloth, pricey menu items which are delicious but coming up short on the details is a big miss. Uh you probably didnt wash your lemons because u didn't take the sticker off...hello? "What's wrong with that?" What kind of response is that? Horrible customer service from our server. She told the manager who most likely is the son of the owner I believe and he came over. Try to brush it off like oh it was an organic sticker on the lemon and said "trust me you wanna see that label on there" walked away laughing. There were zero apologies....wow. if you're defending the lack of care on your plating and service that really means you don't care for your customers. At least say something like hey the kitchen missed it and thanks for letting us know because this doesnt normally happen and that's it. I was just letting you guys know hey you missed something here. There's better Italian food in Seattle-- we were there like I said for bf's mom's bday and happen to also celebrated mine. Not coming back due to poor service.

    (3)

  • Heather W.

    This is a lovely restaurant perfect to make an evening very special. We were treated as honored guests from the moment we walked in. Everything we tasted was delicious, from the homemade ravioli to the chocolate dipped cannoli. We were celebrating our anniversary and they made so many little touches to make our evening special. Somehow the small restaurant is arranged so that each table has its own privacy. I was also so appreciative of how cool and comfortable the restaurant was even though the day was quite warm and so many restaurants in older buildings heat up. The service was excellent and the food was incredible. Thank you for a magical evening. I cannot wait to return.

    (5)

  • Nebojsa S.

    Spectacular in it's simplicity, elegant yet understated... Montalcino delivers the rare combination of quality and atmosphere so rare in this area. Fernando and his staff are extraordinary hosts who "sweat the small stuff". Their attention to detail comes through in every corner of the ristorante. The food is plentiful and delicious, and the wine list leaves nothing to be desired. The service is wonderful, and the cost exceedingly reasonable. Looking for a taste of Italy in the Pacific Northwest? Look no further!

    (5)

  • Marianna S.

    This is an amazing place with great atmosphere and delicious food. There are only 10 tables so I suggest to make a reservation. I ordered grilled prawns and scallops in saffron souse and it was delicious! They do have great choice as antipasti. The dish of the day was pasta with octopus and crabs and I can't recommend it more!

    (5)

  • Carrie M.

    I'd give this a 3.5 almost 4!!! Very fresh! Nice staff!! Great waitress/server. Very helpful. Great decoration. The pasta was homemade. Portion size was way big. Felt i was eating out of a trough. But good for leftovers ( or splitting if allowed) Caesar salad was delicious. The lobster with saffron sauce was amazing ($35). Enjoyed the Wildboar pasta ($26) although i expected it to be ground (Like bolognese)versus pulled. We had a very nice bottle of wine that they said got 96 PTs. Very good but not sure it was worth the $85 price tag. The italian music played was nice until they put One Direction and other top 40 songs on as they wrapped up for the evening with setting tables and eating end of night meals out in the restaurant. I'd recommend when folks are out for a romantic break to keep the music Italian and meals consumed behind the scenes. Makes the price tag easier to swallow. Overall a very nice experience in the quality of food and kind, helpful staff!

    (3)

  • Whitney G.

    Pretentious and definitely overpriced. The food was okay but not great, I would skip this Italian place and try another restaurant in downtown issaquah. Totally not worth it.

    (2)

  • bobby w.

    Love this place. Great vibe and food. Service is slightly lacking, but not too bad. Would give it a 4.5 if available.

    (4)

  • Michael G.

    Simple Italian food that was tasty, fresh, and well prepared except for one seafood dish that unfortunately did not taste fresh at all. Service was warm, but not always attentive, and we felt quite rushed through our entire visit. One item that we asked for was even forgotten (or ignored). The cozy atmosphere and music on the other hand was wonderful. Many good aspects, but for the high prices they charge, the experience should be significantly improved. Although most ingredients seemed to be of good quality, something was wrong with the taste of the clams we had, and that was a big disappointment. :-( I hope they pay more attention to seafood quality (specifically shellfish) going forward. Service was friendly and mostly good, but it felt like we were seriously rushed through the whole meal, which was not so nice. I really did not like it when they tried two times to clear away a plate that still had food on it, which I was still trying to enjoy. Also, as mentioned above, it is never nice when you ask for something and it is forgotten (or ignored). They also placed down the check as fast as possible at the end of the meal, kind of ruining the opportunity to enjoy the end of the experience. Sometimes, I love to dine fast, but here they did not seem to give the customer much option in terms of the pace they wish to enjoy the meal. Everything was so fast. I wish they would be more focused on making the dining experience wonderful than rushing customers through there, and making mistakes along the way. The place seems to have a lot of potential. I am hoping somebody there reads this and makes a few adjustments...

    (3)

  • Nicolette T.

    This place is deserving of four stars, but there were some things that could have been improved on for the price. This place definitely has tons of potential and I definitely recommend eating here. The white wine menu could have been more extensive. I got the risotto and I felt it was a bit dry, but nonetheless it was still decent. The lobster ravioli was awesome. Their menu in general was pretty extensive and awesome. I wanted to order multiple items but their plates are so huge! Definitely a bonus for the price. The balsamic vinegar was great and they use Parmesan Regginao cheese instead of Pecorino Romano which I always feel is a plus and a good indicator of an expensive Italian restaurant if they're willing to shell out the extra bucks for better quality cheese. Server was knowledgable, but could've been more attentive. All in all a nice experience and I would come back to try other dishes.

    (4)

  • Sam T.

    Awesome food, great service, wonderful ambiance. The only reason I am Not giving them a 5* is Price. They're very pricy!! When my wife and I went for dinner with our toddler son, they were very nice and considerate despite my son making a mess under the table. They also brought out the homemade truffle cheese on the house for us to try which was very yummy. The food (I got mushroom ravioli) was very rich and portions were quite big. Their bruschetta was to die for. My wife's crab was alright. However just with an appetizer, 2 glasses of wine and 2 entrees, we were at $100+, which was a bit overpriced to me!!

    (4)

  • Elysia C.

    I am always so excited to visit this restaurant. From the fabulous food to the tasteful wine selections, to the ambiance and the music... just my favorite Italian restaurant!

    (5)

  • Lindsay M.

    What an amazing restaurant! Ambiance, very dim lit and romantic. After my boss raving about this place so many times my fiancé and I decided to try it out while my mother was in town. The bruschetta was the best I've ever had! For dinner we had (excuse me I don't remember the proper names) spaghetti and Kobe meatballs, mushroom ravioli in cheese sauce and braised ribs. We all could not stop talking about how every bite was better then the last and had to keep sharing because it was all so tasty! A few really nice touches (besides the great service and amazing food) were a sampling of truffle cheese made by the owners mother, we got a slice of tiramisu on the house when we decided we were too full from dinner to order dessert, and a nice sampling of dessert wine. One of my favorites was watching the owner come around to see how everyone was doing and making sure to personally thank everyone upon departure. A very sincere guy and you can tell he puts his heart into this place! He even ran outside to say thank you and shake hands with some guests that were in their way. My fiancé and I thought the food was amazing and my mother told me it brought her back to her travels through Italy and swore the food was the best she has eaten in her USA travels. Give this place a try, I highly doubt you will be disappointed!!

    (5)

  • Soumow D.

    Service was very good and fast! I took the lamb shank which was absolutely delicious! My husband took the seafood pasta and he found extremely delicious. Portions were HUGE! We also took a starter: tomato mozzarella, it was really good! We finished with excellent desert: we took the homemade tiramisu and the homemade cannoli with chocolate which become my favorite desert of all time, it was extremely delicious! Amazing place. Awesome service! Awesome food!!! Pricy but worth it!!

    (5)

  • Amber O.

    Very intimate setting with great decor and ambiance. Very large portions. Started with the assorted app platter which I recommend if you can't decide on "one". Don't like the olives though; they could use some more love. Felt a little "straight out of the jar". I had the wild boar papardelle. The sauce was really great and flavorful with a bit of heat to it. My dining companion had the mixed grill. The lamb was cooked perfectly. The chicken was just ok. The sausage was good - not sure if it was house made though. My only challenge with that dish was the sauce. It was the same on all three proteins. I think I would have liked it better had each protein been featured with a different sauce because in the end, it ended up being a dish about the sauce.

    (3)

  • Gina M.

    This is about as good as it gets everyone! I heard Mama makes the bread daily, the cannoli's are handmade and each entrée I have had is exquisite along with fabulous presentation! As Italians go you know the saying "No one makes it as good as we or our family does" but here you will be proud to take your Italian family members and not be disappointed. Crisp white table cloths, beautiful wines, and even live music a few days a week. It is worth the drive from wherever you live.

    (5)

  • David W.

    My most favorite Italian intimate dining place - I was blown away by the ambiance, great live music, fantastic food freshness and quality, and look forward to returning.

    (5)

  • Brendan K.

    The poor reviews on this restaurant reflect bitter or neurotic people, not the quality of this restaurant. This restaurant was suggested to me about a year and a half ago. I was blown away the first time, upon returning last night I saw that nothing had changed. I had an upset girlfriend on my hands and suggested we go to a gorgeous authentic italian restaurant. She scoffed and said "All the way out here? I don't see an Olive Garden around here big spender." I chuckled and called Montalcino. The gentleman answered the phone and I requested if they had an open table. He replied realistically "If you can get here in 15 we may have an opening.". I know the size and demand for this restaurant. I was there in ten. Upon entering my girlfriend was greeted with live italian music, a rustic authentic feel and aromatic smells. I romantically (and regretfully) whispered in her ear "in your face." as we were brought wine while waiting for the table to open up. We were seated , brought menus and the most delicious bread ever baked. The server was extremely knowledgeable and offered practically an extended menu right from the top of her head. A feat of memorization reserved for Buddhist monks and ancient Greek scholars. We settled on the Bruschetta, the Crab Cakes and the Wild Boar Pappardelle. Things got a little tense when I revisited the Olive Garden comment (I'm a glutton for punishment) but the onslaught of well deserved life criticism was instantly silenced by the gorgeous presentation of the Bruschetta. The emasculating tirade that was poised to thoroughly destroy my ego was replaced by wide eyes, bated breath and "That looks really good.". If an $8 appetizer can save me that much verbal abuse, keep it coming!! The Crab Cakes were superb and the Pappardalle was cooked to perfection. Those who complain about things being cooked al dente' have either never been to Italy, or gathered their italian culinary prowess from a blue box of macaroni. The crab cakes were delicate and accented, not smothered in a delicious sauce. For those who say the food is bland, not all food must be coated in high fructose based syrup disguised as "chipotle" or "honey ranch". If that is more of your style, I'm sure there is an Applebee's in close proximity. Montalcino's is the epitome of a small family owned italian restaurant. My girlfriend finished the evening apologizing for the snide remark. (that's right. Apologized) and proceeded to tell me how special she felt by me taking her to that restaurant. The quality is unparalleled and the service is exquisite (not tacky). Those turned off by high value recommendations can either know what they want when they come in or not be blown away by the price of an upscale dining experience. My girlfriend and I will return here because the food and wine selection is outstanding, the atmosphere is warm and inviting and the staff makes us feel special. I could not ask for anything more in an italian dining experience.

    (5)

  • Colette H.

    We took our mother here for her birthday tonight and had a good meal. The restaurant is family run which is charming and the small size made the experience very personal. This was definitely a plus. However, our waitress was definitely a committed up seller. While we weren't particularly worried about price, we felt even when we made a clear decision on our wine or entree, the waitress made an additional attempt to up sell which was just tacky. She started our evening by pushing an $87 bottle of wine which we very comfortably told her we were not interested in. We ordered a moderate wine and she again pushed for a wine a few dollars more which I ended up agreeing on because her explanation that the blend was special to her family intrigued me. To be fair, she did say the $87 bottle was a variety that her family was famous for. We then ordered some starters where she again pushed that we order in multiples because the sizing was meant for a single person. We ordered the special heirloom caprese and the caesar. Imagine our surprise when two very ample large salads arrived at our table. (I will add pictures) The special salad was topped with a delicious buffalo mozzarella. However, it also had a shaved parmesan which was pretty unnecessary. My sister and I felt the caesar had too much on it. The dressing was good enough on it's own but they added roasted bell pepper and cherry tomatoes. We felt the salad could have stood alone with the house dressing, croutons, and parmesan. My mother, however, really enjoyed it as is, so not everyone at the table agreed. Our entrees arrived and were also incredibly ample. We all agreed that we could have split two starters and one entree between the three of us and left comfortably. I had the truffle and caviar pasta which had what I think is house made ravioli in a heavy cream sauce with caviar and truffle. It was decadently delicious but mostly because of things like cream and cheese. There wasn't a complex flavor profile and the truffle and caviar were very very subtle. However, the pasta was really perfect in texture. My sister ordered the lobster ravioli (which again the waitress attempted to up sell us to the day's special--again a little tacky. We heard the specials and my sister made her decision. We were also ordering the two most expensive pastas on the menu, chill waitress, chill. If all the regular menu items aren't worth it, why are they on the freak'n menu?) Her dish, despite not being the special, was also deliciously rich with a slight tang for balance. I agree with the other reviews that the flavors were not complex, but the preparation is really on point. Again, pasta texture was really top notch. My mother enjoyed Pasta alla Champion. Her sauce was slightly peppery with sun dried tomatoes and nutty whole olives. Good balanced flavors, no complaints there. At this point our waitress was fairly disengaged with us and a gentleman, maybe the owner, maybe the manager checked on us from time to time. He was very gracious, brought us the dessert menu upon our request and brought us a lovely slightly sweet sparkling red (on the house) to to accompany our tiramisu. The tiramisu was excellent, rich and creamy with the perfect amount of spongey spring each time we cut into it, without being chewy or mushy. We spent about $200 (for 3 people) and I tipped 20%. While the waitress delivered everything very timely, I wish she'd been more interested in respecting our decisions when we made them. I appreciated her knowledge of the menu very much and I appreciated the opportunity to hear about our options but found the aggressive up selling a bit uncomfortable. For the record, we really did enjoy the wine we agreed upon but I also wondered about the other wine we ordered which was typically my mother's favorite style of wine. Still, I tipped 20% because I think servers should be paid for their time. (I bet you never get docked pay for making a mistake at work or going into work grumpy!) Overall, the meal was very good, especially for a small town like Issaquah. The atmosphere was charming, the family is so friendly. . I'm rating it at $$$ because it's easy to spend a lot if you do wine, appetizers, entree, and dessert. However, there are plenty of delicious looking and affordable $18-$22 entrees that are enough for one person without ordering anything additional.

    (4)

  • Arvind N.

    Superb experience overall. Very cozy place with dim lighting and wonderful ambience. Food was special, the service impeccable. The owner went out of the way to make sure my mother (who is an elderly person) was comfortable, and when we decided we wanted to skip dessert they brought us dessert on the house! Needless to say I left a tip well over 20% ;) i highly recommend this place, and we will definitely be coming back!

    (5)

  • Miranda T.

    Food is amazing! Homemade pasta with generous portions and authentic flavors. Our only regret is they allow only 90 minutes to eat this fabulous meal, worthy of 2+ hours to savor and linger. We ended up taking half our meal home. The service is overly efficient to the point of rushed. Staff move quickly around the tables to serve and clear. A race to the end. It's high end fast food. They also didn't want us to bring our own wine and abruptly let us know. No finesse here, though the owner reluctantly allowed it. I would probably Not go back. There are other Italian restaurants that are warm, relaxed and friendly. If you're going to go out for a special night, know it will be brief here.

    (3)

  • Jerry L.

    Nice family run restaurant that is always booked on Friday evenings. I've tried many times before realizing I should probably reserve a couple days in advance if I wanted to have dinner there on a Friday. Stepped into a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Immediately served waters and warm toasted bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar drizzled on top. Live music played by a good and loud singer. He went around each table asking what song we would like him to play. And we asked for some Frank Sinatra. We ordered the shrimp and scallops as an appetizer. While scallops could use a little caramelization and seasoning, it was still good and I enjoyed it. We then ordered the salmon with pesto and served with risotto, and tagliatelle with lobster, prawns, and scallops both were specials. Also we got the lamb chops, and the lobster spaghetti. The food is not overly cheesy like most restaurants would have, in fact, very clean and fresh on the palate. They offer you olive oil, parmesan, and red pepper, if you want. Again, the scallops and shrimp were cooked the same way but it came with a lobster tail and saffron sauce. Generally, food served here is on the light side, not too salty... just the way I like it, but I think a little more seasoning would go better. Upon finding out that I was celebrating my 21st birthday, the waitress recommended the Limoncello gelato and liquor. She topped it with a candle. The guy with the guitar came along and played me a happy birthday song in Italian. I also got a Montalcino hat to wear while I was eating the gelato. Overall a very warm and friendly place. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, and eating good Italian food. Excellent place for a small group and remember to make a reservation!

    (5)

  • Hailee L.

    Montalcino hands down, has some of the best Italian food in the area. The quaint seating area is small and intimate, perfect for dinner with a significant other or a few friends. Montalcino is family owned and one of the few places that still does authentic Italian food, both of which I truly appreciate! The food is simple and fresh, what Italy is best known for!! MAKE RESERVATIONS!! Especially for dinner! Finding small local gems like these also means planning ahead to enjoy all they have to offer, so be sure to make dinner reservations as they are usually busy then. I highly recommend trying out Montalcino if you haven't already!!

    (5)

  • Stephen H.

    This place is pleasant enough, but in no way justifies all of the five star reviews it has received. We had the Insalata di Montalcino (green salad), the Mozzarella di Bufala (caprese salad with buffalo mozzarella), the Gnocchi al Sugo di Carne (gnocchi in meat sauce), and the Pasta alla Champion (penne in spicy-ish tomato sauce). The dishes all delivered exactly the ingredients listed on the menu, but none of them had any extra vim or spark -- ultimately nothing we ate was particularly flavorful or memorable. Also, I hate to mention it, but our waitress was dressed and made up like a server at a gentleman's club. I'm all for that in the right environment (like, say, at a gentleman's club), but it's frankly a bit inappropriate and thus off-putting when you're trying to have a romantic dinner with your wife.

    (3)

  • Tony B.

    I moved from out of state to the area about 9 months ago and its been very tough to find great Italian food in the Pacific Northwest. We have dined at Montalcino about 8 times since and is by far the best Italian food we've had. The owners are friendly and welcoming (as well as the staff). We have tried numerous dishes (same and different) on their menu and each time its the same great taste, quality, & presentation. The ambiance is very warm and welcoming, and the service is quick. The location is very quaint, so reservations are highly suggested (regardless of the day). I am very happy they added the apertif and digestif menu's - highly appreciated. The only item that would make it perfect is improved espresso. I am an espresso snob (being Italian and all) and they might change suppliers or espresso machine. Otherwise, great food and service. We plan on coming back many times. I highly recommend Montalcino.

    (5)

  • Jilian R.

    Holy yum! A real Italian place in Issaquah! After years of eating lunch at Tutta Bella and Pogacha, Montalcino is a welcome addition to the Issaquah restaurant scene. Lunch starts with free crostini and cheese samples, which is nice. On the server's recommendation I tried the pesto gnocchi with sausage, which was creamy and delicious - filling, but not too heavy like you might expect. My co-workers were all equally impressed with their meals. For dessert, we split the tiramisu - hands down best tiramisu I've ever eaten - light, creamy and flavorful; the texture was right on, and not at all soggy. The dining area is very small, so be sure to make reservations. Ambience is classier than most places in Issaquah, so it's a great place for birthdays or other special occasions. Hoping I have the chance to go back soon! Hopefully for dinner so I can have wine...

    (5)

  • Paul W.

    Our 2nd visit started with complimentary glass of Perseco from owner. We are from East Coast and know good Italian food and Montalcino was as good as we've ever had. We had special- quail over mushroom risotto and wild boar pappardelle. Both were abundant and excellent. Teramisu was outstanding. Another complimentary after dinner drink. Great service. Will be back---- many more times. facebook.com/brandi.weil…

    (5)

  • Mary K.

    Several weeks ago, I made a reservation at this restaurant for Christmas Eve. Today, the 22nd. I received a call, with a "restricted" number listed, from a man who did not identify himself, who asked for my credit card to hold the reservation. I told him I did not believe in this practice & told him to cancel my reservation. I have never encountered this practice. I am a world traveler & have enjoyed many "fine dining" restaurants. I left a voice mail on the restaurants #, & received a call back from a man who said he was the manager. I told him how upset I was & that with the recent credit card scammers, I would never give out my personal information. He offered to keep my reservation. I said no. I will never go there. I will also spread the word.

    (1)

  • Nisa T.

    Me and my boyfriend came here for date night, a special date night out of our normal budget. the owner was very kind and kept on checking up on us. I had the flight of wine and we ordered two pastas. The lasagna was really yummy and I would definitely recommend that.

    (3)

  • Drew P.

    We brought a client here for dinner and had a great experience. This is a quaint, authentic Italian restaurant. Great food, generous promotions and fantastic service.

    (5)

  • Lesley D.

    The food at Montalcino is only surpassed by the hospitality. The staff's personal attention to detail makes you feel like an honored guest. The warm and inviting atmosphere is very romantic. They have an interesting take on the Caesar salad ($8) by adding a drizzle of sweet balsamic vinegar to it . I thought it complemented the cheese very well. The real show stopper was the Truffle and Caviar Pasta ($34). Its one of those dishes that manages to be delicate yet rich and powerful at the same time. They added olives to both the salad and the pasta, which initially seemed like random garnish, but I found myself enjoying them in between bites despite the pits. Pros Atmosphere Hospitality I don't think you could go wrong with a pasta dish here! Cons Small (not good for groups, wouldn't do more than 4 in a party) Busy (probably because its so good!) reservations recommended

    (4)

  • Chet M.

    Alright here we go..... I went here the other night to take a family member out for her birthday. She has been raving about this place since her and her friends went there so I figured hey this will be a good place to go. We walk in and I take a quick look and immediately wonder "crap I hope they have something other then wine..." We get seated and get the menus quickly along with a wine list. Food choices look good and I start reading. The waitress comes over and asks if we would like anything to drink. I ask if they have alcohol. The answer is no, but they have beer............................... Being a brewer I realize hmmmm this shall be interesting. "what kind of beer do you have available." The waitress says "we have a lager, mumbles, mumbles, mumbles, and a German one." I ask "Oh what kind of German beer." I was thinking maybe it's a German style of beer... She says "it's darkish." At this point I wanted to bang my head against a WALL! Oh and Lager means nothing to me since you can make a lager really taste any way you want......... Oh and everything on the menu DOES NOT HAVE TO BE YOUR FAVORITE! Every time I asked what was good she said it's her favorite. This girl needs to work at a coffee stand..... Needless to say I did not order anything to drink other then water! When she obviously couldn't tell me the beer selection properly she says "we have soda." At this point I could have given a crap about the rest of the meal to be honest since I like to pair a mix drink or beer with my meals (I can not drink wine due to a reaction with my jaw). We get the antipasti plate which every else loves, but for me it was more rabbit food then any kind of meats or cheeses. I mean really it was basically tomatoes a piece of cheese and some fruit... The food on the menu sounded great and the specials sounded amazing as well. I order the Veal Chop with Marsala. It sounds great and I'm interested in how good it will be. Now generally I have a rule of NOT ordering any red meat while I'm out since I can always cook it and pick it better then a restaurant. I will generally only order red meat if it's at a place that only does steaks. I get the plate after a pretty long wait which is fine, but they did have a good amount of fruit flies/nats flying around which was annoying. I have spend my fair share of time eating in not so awesome places around the world so bugs don't kill my appetite, but at a place like this it annoys me! The food looks AWESOME! Well long story short I got about 2 to 3 small cuts off the Veal before it was all fat and gristle. I would have to say this was by far the WORST cut of meat I have ever had at any restaurant I have ever been to. The flavor was good, but it was either bland or rich. Nothing was complex or all that interesting. Well I finished what I could eat and could only think. Hmmmmmmm I could really go for a dinner now....... Well the only decent thing was the desert and the cannoli is a good cannoli.... Over all its too much money for what it is. If you want great Italian food this place is a miss. It's just a disappointment!

    (1)

  • Joe M.

    We made a reservation at Montalcino. There was some screw up with the date. When we spoke with somebody from the restaurant they sounded outright rude, and unhelpful. When I asked if they could fix the date of the reservation the person said no and just hung up on me. Not sure about the food there, but I think I'll take my business to a place with more professional customer service.

    (1)

  • Andrea D.

    Was searching through Yelp and saw the reviews about this Italian place! Always looking for a good Italian restaurant, and this did not disappoint! I made reservations for 5:30pm on a Thursday night. When I walked in I was amazed how cute this place was, given that it was very small....only seats maybe 35 people. Very nice ambiance with table linens, candles, it made the place very cozy. What I also love about it, was it was a family business! I was waiting for my husband and the gorgeous waitress ( I think she's the owners wife) greets me and tells me about the specials for the night! She's one of those women who is so gorgeous you want to hate her, but you can't cause she's so nice!!!!! :) My husband joins me shortly after I arrive and he decides to have a glass of the pino, while I am sticking with water. The menu looks great with a variety of appetizers, salads and main dishes. We started off with the Manila clams, unfortunately, not pleased with them. For the price, you don't get that many clams or mussels and the broth was really weird, not a good flavor I ordered the spaghetti & meatballs, while my husband choose something new. It was a caviar and cream sauce pasta. I know caviar is very salty and I asked her about it. She said with the cream sauce, it's not salty, very flavorful & probably one of the best dishes they make there......Lord I hope so for $34. Drake decided to try it. We got our food and it looked and smelled awesome! I bite into my meatball and it was amazing, great texture, cooked perfectly. Pasta was great too! I'm particular about my sauce and found it was just a tiny bit on the salty side, but in no way was it horrible....I still ate every bite! Drakes pasta was amazing. I had a bite and was sorry that I didn't' order it. Everything about the dish was perfect. Caviar blended in just right, just the right amount of cream sauce. Drake likes to try different things at restaurants, but he said that he might have to be "monogamous: and keep ordering this!!!!! Bill came to a little over $100 with appetizers, food, Tirimisu & 3 glasses of wine. At the end of the evening, we were walking out and the owner says "Ciao Bella" (which means goodbye beautiful in Italian.....blushing ) and I gave him a big hug and said it was wonderful, and we would be back!! If you are in Issaquah, this cute lil joint is a must!

    (5)

  • Doug D.

    Great food! I had an antipasti for lunch-- it was like sitting on a piazza in Rome and enjoying the delicately flavored meats and sublimely sharp cheeses. With rich strong Italian coffee and grilled bread w/ olive oil - finishing touch lemoncello gelato a perfect ending to a great lunch . The owner introduced himself and told us a little of the history. It is a warm, comfortable and intimate ambience with a feeling of hospitality. A Great spot.!

    (5)

  • Mitzi V.

    Great service from owners and staff. Mama singing to the room (!). Ambiance is awesome; intimate and warm without being stuffy or pretentious. Wide ranging menu of well prepared food accompanied by a nice variety of wines. If you go on the weekend, leave time to find parking. Friday at 7 p.m. in downtown Issaquah is way more happening than you might think. Restaurant is tucked away behind Vino Bello on Front and Alder. Pop into Vino Bello before or after dinner for live music and fun crowd.

    (5)

  • Carl Z.

    We had read that this restaurant had a good review on Opentable.com . Reserved a table for four at 5pm on a Sunday via opentable.com . Day before the res., rec'd a phone message asking me to confirm the res. for 5-7pm. That was weird, as I didn't know there would be an ending time. Learned at the restaurant that they need to turn over the tables frequently, so they proclaim an ending time to your table. Good grief. Arrived on time, seated at a table right in front of the front door. Cold and drafty. Then, the server tried to explain the specials, but we could not understand him. He had a very strong Italian accent. We were later told this is an uncle from Italy, just arrived and wanted to help out at the restaurant. Not only could we not understand him (trust me, we're very patient and understanding), but he also couldn't understand us. I ordered the filet mignon medium rare. Lamb chops arrived. Then, my other three guests ate their entrees while I waited. Finally, my filet arrived. Way undercooked. Trust me, this wasn't even close to med-rare. It wasn't even rare. Apparently, the owner and other staff quickly recognized that "uncle" wasn't working, so they stood behind him while her took orders, so they could try to get it right. Overall, a disaster. This was supposed to be a very nice quiet dinner for four. The service was honestly horrible. Items delivered were wrong, then not properly prepared. Plus, they had a guitarist/singer performing songs, way too loud for the small dining room. He was singing loud opera songs. Good grief. This was honestly one of the worst dining experiences at an alleged great restaurant I have ever experienced. Then, I did not receive the usual OpenTable.com invitation to provide a review, as I know they knew how horrible it was. I think they hoped deleting my opentable.com reservation confirmation would help them not get a negative review. The ultimate insult.

    (1)

  • Kerstin A.

    Still one of my all time favorite restaurants. Every time I visit my tastebuds and tummy both leave happy. On one occasion I wasn't 100% happy with my order and the owner had the kitchen make me anything I asked for (thankfully just simple linguine in red sauce) and didn't charge me for either which the definitely didn't need to do but I appreciated the gesture. A few nights a week there is a lovely guitar player who roams the restaurant playing Italian classics and, if you're lucky, some fun on-demand requests. The restaurant is small, romantic and the staff, lovely. Such a treat to eat here and can't wait for my next visit .

    (5)

  • Tim F.

    Took my brother here who was visiting from out of town and was dubious of a nice place in Issaquah. This was my 3rd visit and it was a similar experience. Nice ambiance, excellent service, nice live music and excellent food of course. The portions for the mains are large and the pricing is quite reasonable as well. I left over stuffed after apps + main + portion of the Tiramisu. My brother was quite pleased with the whole event as well. This is a local gem.

    (5)

  • Anne Marie R.

    I used to frequent this restaurant for lunch and went a few times for dinner, but for various reasons it has probably been at least a year since my last visit. Until tonight -- and that did not go well at all! I made reservations for 4 people using the OpenTable link from their website. I received confirmation voicemail (asking me to call back and confirm - which I did). Also stated an odd - 1.5 hour table limit. I thought, strange, but didn't give it much more thought. We joined friends there (who had suggested several restaurants in Seattle, but I suggested Montalcino) and were given a great table! Excited for the evening... Wine/Corkage: As we enjoy fine wine and have our own collections, we each brought a bottle of wine. We were informed they do not allow outside wine. News to us - I'm sure we brought wine in the past and our friends had even looked at their website for information about their wine list and policies. No mention of not brining wine. They finally agreed to open the wine for us. Later we were informed that there was a $25 corkage fee (even though they don't allow outside wine at all). We certainly aren't opposed to corkage fees - and always pay them - but how did they go from we don't allow this, to we have a $25 fee?? Seemed pretty arbitrary. Ambiance Lovely music playing tonight -- and special song at our table! Food The food was excellent! lasagna, lobster ravioli, gnocchi w/pesto; tiramisu & lemon cello gelato. "Kicked Out" Remember the 1.5 hour table limit on our reservation? The owner/manager came over to us (~2 hours) and said, your Open Table reservation allows you 1.5 hours - I've extended as long as possible, but need to you to leave. (or close to that). Wow!! I realize this is a small restaurant and turnover is important (and so must be their own wine list markup). However, the attitude sealed the end of the restaurant for us and hopefully for you. I'm so disappointed as I enjoy the ambiance and certainly the food. I do not expect to go back. They could have handled this much more professionally and cordially - friendly style vs "rule". Attitude is everything - and being rude cost them at least 4 customers....who then tell 4 more about their experience, who tell 4 more ...and you get the picture. Update: 11/9/13 When we got home, we had an email from Open Table stating that at 8:55 our reservation at Montalcino was cancelled. Mmm...that was just about the time we left. Did they cancel it so they didn't have to pay the fee to Open Table? Did they cancel so we could not leave a negative review on Open Table? Next step - we will certainly let Open Table know about the full experience!

    (2)

  • Maria K.

    This is easily the best Italian food I've eaten in Seattle. I hesitate to post this publicly, because it will be even harder to get a reservation! Definitely try the wines from the family winery in Italy.

    (5)

  • Paige W.

    Love this place! Super romantic, cozy and the service is spectacular. I will go there time and time again.

    (5)

  • Elliot S.

    Best restaurant in Issaquah.

    (4)

  • Kerry M.

    I'd heard some buzz about this restaurant and was very interested in checking it out. For the record, my favorite Seattle Italian restaurants are Machiavelli & La Spiga. They just keep it simple and get it right every time. However, going to Seattle every week isn't always an option, so here we go with Montalcino Ristorante. When we arrived our table was waiting and we were warmly greeted. Our server, sweet as she was, was truly all over the place. We were just trying to get settled and take a look at the wine list/menu when she walked over with a bottle of wine and tried her best to explain that it was their "special" wine of the night. When we asked what type of red wine it was similar to she said "oh, like a Merlot or a Cab.." at that moment we knew she had no idea, but she did state that it was $100. Next the owner/manager came by with the same bottle and gave his explanation of the wine - using words like "bold and smooth" and something about being "strong" that didn't really make sense. Since we weren't getting a good explanation of what this wine was really like, I asked for a taste and was told "no, we don't give tastes." So we thought "ok, then I won't be considering your $100 bottle of wine!!" This was just the beginning of an evening with a little too much involvement/inquires about how our food was, how were we doing, did we need anything else (great service should be balanced and barely noticed)? The food was just ok. The meat/cheese plate was unimpressive, small chunks of meat and cheeses that were hard to decipher because they looked so similar. We asked about getting some prosciutto and almost ended up with "bruschetta." Our entrees were decent - (lasagna, lemon chicken) but the come in these HUGE bowls and just felt a little overindulgent vs simplistic and something you want to devour. It was so rich that I only had a few bites. The restaurant itself is darling and romantic. They let us linger and have dessert and Apéritifs. I would prefer a more simplistic menu rather than the dense menu and laundry list of daily specials that we had to listen to. Next time I crave Italian, I'll make the drive back to Capitol Hill. Too much of our night was spent listening to our waitress vs. enjoying our date night and talking to each other.

    (2)

  • Sugar B.

    Not sure why this restaurant has such high ratings. Went for a Saturday night date with my husband. Pros: 1 star: Live music and ambiance. Man playing guitar and singing Italian songs. Was nice music and volume and fit the ambiance of the restaurant. Cute, small and nicely decorated. 1 star: Dessert. Tiramisu and Cannoli are both excellent. Cons: 1. When received a confirmation call for our reservation, message specifically said our table was available for 1.5 hours. Now, for my husband and I, this is probably adequate time, but I felt rushed before we even got to the restaurant knowing we had a time limit on how long we were able to spend there. The message also wanted me to call back and confirm. Didn't get message and do so right away and they called again. Was unable to answer at that time and received a 3rd confirmation call. Was able to answer this one and confirm. I guess since I am a responsible and organized person, I take offense to this as I know I made a reservation and I'll be there. 2. Food is really bland, flavorless and nothing at all to rave about. I ordered the lobster ravioli, husband had halibut/risotto special. Raviolis were fine. Came with with a lobster tail and I'm pretty certain the menu didn't mention that I would have to take the meat out of the tail myself (saw another customer cracking his king crab legs himself, as well0. I am not a fan of this and would only do it if I knew what I was getting myself into. We were out for a nice meal and I was not expecting to have to deal with the actual shell. Once I got the meat out, it was very bland and I don't think cooked just right. Shame since lobster is one of my favorite treats when dining out. Creamy red sauce it came with was nice enough, but whole dish could have used some seasoning. Salt and pepper not provided at table, so couldn't add any ourselves. My husband's halibut had absolutely no seasoning on it and I thought it tasted odd. His risotto was very very al dente and runny, not creamy. So glad I didn't end up with that dish. He said it was ok. I would not have been able to eat it. We ordered a sampler special appetizer. Nothing special there. 3. Food is served on serving platters and bowls. Seriously, they are huge, larger than anything you've ever seen. They made me feel very uncomfortable. You'd think it would make you feel like you're getting a good deal and a nice large portion, but was actually the opposite. Very strange. The ravioli was served in a weird, huge, angled/sloping bowl. There was no where to rest your utensils, so table cloth ended up filthy by time I was done eating. Use knife to cut ravioli, no where to set it except tablecloth. I was very disappointed in this restaurant. I am part Italian and love Italian food. We don't eat out very often so was looking forward to a nice Italian meal with my husband. Glad dessert was tasty so we could at least finish on a good note!

    (2)

  • Michelle U.

    And the staff have been harassing me via email since I wrote this review. Super mature! Also, why would I take the time to write a detailed review if it wasn't true? Feel free to browse the other reviews I've left. I'm not on some kind of mission to hurt people's feelings. I seldom hand out bad reviews. I see I'm not the only one that had something to say about the attire choice either. I've only seen women serving food in tank tops at bars and places like Hooters. If you are at a nice, Italian restaurant, paying around $20 a plate - do you picture your server wearing low cut tank tops - or a collared shirt? At the very least, maybe a black t-shirt. It just seems like the wrong setting for that.

    (1)

  • Dan P.

    My girlfriend and I came back again on 11/27/2013 and nothing has changed. The service is still exceptional and the food is even better than I remember. The scallops and prawns were cooked to perfection. The tiramisu was some of the best you'll ever have. The wait staff is still as attractive as everyone says, but they're extremely professional, not cheap. I want to reiterate that point; our waitress was one of the best I've ever had and I don't just mean here. I dine around often at Seattle's "finer" restaurants and most could stand to learn a thing or two from the staff here. We were serenaded by the guitar player making our evening even better than before. Get some reservations and book! This place is amazing! There are a few one-off experiences I see, but trust the majority, this place is amazing. Just leave your insecure girlfriend at home.

    (5)

  • Charles T.

    Our second visit has confirmed our first impression. This is the definitive Italian dining experience in the greater Seattle area. The service is magical, the cuisine quality and presentation is exceptional and is complemented by an incredible wine list that includes their family wines from Tuscany. Be advised this is a small venue and reservations are essential.

    (5)

  • Sara H.

    This one lives up to the hype, folks! Finally tried this place with a few friends recently and had a lovely evening. The atmosphere is festive and fun. The dining room is tiny- just 24 seats, so a reservation is a must. On our visit (7:30 on a wednesday) the place was packed right through to closing. Everything we tried was delicious (risotto, gnocchi, spaghetti and meatballs, caprese, bruschetta). The service was attentive, but not intrusive. The Brunella di Montalcino is worth the 15/glass. If you enjoy live music- they have a signer on staff wed, fri, sat. It's a small space, so if live music cramps your style, best to chose a different night. I am coming to the conclusion that issaquah has a good thing goin' on in terms of locally owned, neighborhood style places. Will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Candy T.

    My husband and I have been wanting to visit this restaurant for some time, and finally decided to do a "date night." While parking for someone with mobility issues can be a challenge, he was able to find a parking spot on Front St. not far away. They did tell us about the 90 minute limit per table. Thought that was kind of odd, but since it is a small establishment, it made sense. The service was extremely efficient - we had our wine just minutes after ordering! Our food also came out quickly, almost too quickly. Almost. It worked out great! We ate our fabulous dinners (I had the lamb shank and my husband had the gnocchi), and then we were able to stay for awhile, enjoy our wine and the wonderful live guitar music. We had plenty of time and didn't feel rushed at all. We will definitely be back for another "date night.

    (5)

  • Mac F.

    Small and romantic Italian restaurant in downtown Issaquah. We dined here for the first time last night. We had the cheese and meat appetiser (good quantity for the price), wife had the Agnello di Vino (grilled lamb chops) and me Misto Mare (seafood in wine/tomato sauce). All dishes very good. Discreet and attentive service. If there was any negative, we thought the music (kind of pop Italian?) was a bit loud, but not an impediment to conversation. Also, the complimentary, small glasses of dessert wine -- gesture appreciated, but we do not drink. We did make a reservation and am glad. Restaurant has very limited seating and ,this being pre-performance time at the Village Theatre, the place was filled to capacity.

    (4)

  • A A.

    Truly a 5 star restaurant. The family owned business is exactly what you would expect in Italy. They have their own wine from their family vineyard as well as the mother's own family recipes. This restaurant will not disappoint. The tables are serenaded and you are treated like family. The owner comes by and introduces himself and when you return, he remembers you. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this restaurant. Everything we had, was delicious. My husband, son and myself sampled each others dishes and they were fabulous. The dessert is something you don't want to miss out on. No matter how full you are, it is worth it!

    (5)

  • Hay O.

    The food here is amazing, but the service and attitude considerably less so. As our server was going through the specials, she mentioned a special wine...the "family red" from the owners vineyards. Then she asked my date if she would like some wine, and my date said no thanks. She then asked me, and I said I'd try the family red. That would have been the time to inform me that the family red was only available by the bottle, and that the bottle would cost me $80. But she did not, then when the bottle arrived, tried to pour a glass for my date who had previously told her she didn't want wine. This bottle of what I can only describe as a mediocre red cost more than our two entrees combined. We debated for a while whether it was just an incompetent server, or if it was part of their overall approach. Looking around the room, we saw the same bottle on most of the tables, so clearly it was a "push" item. On the positive side, my date's veal was good, and my pasta with wild boar meat sauce was one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had. Too bad I'll never go in there again due to their bait and switch approach.

    (2)

  • Mary Lee L.

    What a special treat to have found this Italian gem so close by. It is as good as eating in Italy. The service, food, and ambiance are all superb. I thoroughly enjoyed my Pollo Montalcino. My husband claimed his lasagna is the best he has eaten. Reservations are a must as this restaurant is small and intimate - and very popular.

    (5)

  • Gary F.

    If Frank Sinatra lived on Cougar Mountain, this is where he'd eat. Montalcino Ristorante is that most unique dining experience; one in which the restaurant owner himself greets you and monitors all aspects of your visit. Though he has a very fine staff, you may find the owner seating you, giving you your menu, helping you select the wine, or crushing the black peppercorns over your salad. He's not intrusive or all up in your business but it's kind of refreshing to have the person that owns the place take an interest in your dining experience. The decor is rich and understated, and the ambience is kind of what you make it. If you're wanting a romantic dinner, you're afforded that coziness; if you've got a family or group, the setting is very nice. If there is a line between "excellent" and "spectacular", then Montalcino Ristorante's fare falls short of spectacular but that of course is largely subjective. The pasta is cooked to perfection, the ingredients fresh and of high quality, and I admit it's hard to pinpoint any shortcoming. I suspect this is because being our first visit to the restaurant we opted for the safer bets on the menu. I will be more adventurous in my future visits.

    (4)

  • Michael G.

    Admittedly I was a little leary to try after the negative reviews I've read. The owner, however is very nice and she, along with the rest of the place, oozes Italian, which is cool. Ton of character, the interior is pristine and the singer was also a nice touch. As you can read from others, it is small (I assume purposely so, to preserve the character, which I admire). 3 stars because I wasn't in love with the food, honestly. I'm not sure why but they don't serve liquor and there are times where nothing else will do, in my opinion. Perhaps the food is "real" italian, simplistic ingredients, etc... but all I could think of is that they needed a Food network chef in the kitchen screaming for more seasoning. Had the lamb shank (on special) and the clams linguine. In a place you almost feel petrified to try something "normal" like "mama's spaghetti and meatballs" we found ourselves wishing we did.

    (3)

  • Doug T.

    The appetizers are great. The desserts are limited to chocolate types but still good

    (5)

  • S C.

    Good food and nice service. Not really kid friendly but great for a date.

    (4)

  • Baby A.

    When I came here for the first time I decided to go the "safe" route and get spaghetti and meatballs. Actually, they do one big meatball. Lets just say it was disappointing, and I'm not a picky eater. When I spend the kind of money they charge for a pasta dish it should be spot on, every time. I don't have a huge amount of disposable income so paying a LOT for something subpar really got to me that day. The meatball was very very dry, dense as a rock, and lacked any kind of extraordinary seasoning (which you would expect at an expensive restaurant). I was really excited to go out, get a GOOD basic pasta dish from a nice place, and I was let down. So sad, I love spaghetti and meatballs! The reason I'm giving 3 stars is because the place has a nice ambiance and friendly staff. It has a cozy, warm, inviting feeling to it. Also because the rest of the dishes our party ordered seemed to be okay. Oh, I have to add that I just saw the picture put up showing a girl wearing the restaurants tshirt that states, "eat me, I'm Italian" ... Ummm, Wow. There are no words. Trashy, not classy.

    (3)

  • Iman E.

    Update: I would have given Montalcino 3 stars (as I said earlier, the food isn't horrible, but it truly has no pizzazz); I gave 2 stars due to what I felt was poor customer service (in that they have some kind of parking drama with their neighboring lot, and know that customers may get towed, but really don't seem to care). This poor attitude with customers is totally confirmed by the owner's response. Very classy indeed. First of all, by suspecting me of being the lot owner that has complained to you about your customers parking in their space, your comment confirms that *you DO know* parking is an issue for your customers. Not to mention in my two visits to your place, both times, someone was ready to greet me as I walked from that parking lot - they were looking RIGHT AT ME, so it's actually not ridiculous to assume that they'd mention, "Hey, sorry, but that's not our lot and we don't want you to get towed", and perhaps make a suggestion for where I could park. A better approach than condescendingly telling paying customers to "read the sign" would be to put a helpful, readable sign in your OWN window; a friendly reminder to those that make your business thrive that they may get towed if they park in the parking lot that is naturally assumed by many to be a Montalcino parking lot due to its proximity to your restaurant. If you want to advertise yourself as an upscale place, act with some class. Try showing gratitude toward your 5-star reviewers and responding to them with thanks, instead of trashily jumping down the throats of anyone who gives you less than stellar reviews, telling them that they know nothing about food if they happen to not like your food. (By the way, "authentic" Italian doesn't mean "good" Italian. Those two words are not synonymous and, as other reviewers have also pointed out, your food can be quite insipid.) Yelp is a place where patrons share their experiences with other patrons. If you want to run a business and have a public image, you might need to grow thicker skin.

    (2)

  • Tim M.

    Good, but not "all that." I would really like to give Montalcino 3.5 stars but am erring to the lower side as likely my expectations were a bit high from all the personal and Yelp raves. Hands down the personal service and intimate setting give Montalcino a leg up. The restaurant is very small (only seats around 30) and entire staff makes you feel at home and comfortable. The singer, Tony, was fantastic! Just reading over the menu will make your mouth water. They take Italian food and change it just enough to make it not your average Italian affair. The night my wife and I went there were three lobster dishes. The sauces are a bit lighter than I'm used to which is good, but it certainly made the food less hearty. The tiramisu, which they make daily, was light and very tasty. My biggest gripe is that they food, while very good, didn't seem to be as flavorful as I was expecting. I had the lasagna, but it tasted as though they used ground beef instead of Italian sausage...it does make a difference. My wife had the lobster ravioli which was flavorful but the pasta was a bit hard. All in all, a great little place in Issaquah where we don't have many good dining option. We will go back and try it again. Just a bit let down from our expectations.

    (3)

  • Dana R.

    No more parsley confetti around every dish; no more drenching chocolate on the tiramisu (still powdered sugar, but much less of it); well cooked proteins (chicken, lamb and spicy pork sausage). Pastas were perfectly cooked al dente (they are hand crafted pastas which Giovanni Nardone (one of the owners) imports for the restaurant and to sell. A small thing, but I'll still pass on the bread -- not of interesting quality ... they should look at bringing in Columbia City Bakery's crusty white or baguette or something of that caliber ... they use high quality pasta ... I'd like to see the same for the bread. I had dinner with the owners, Giovanni and Michelina Nardone, yesterday -- their son, Fernando, who runs the restaurant also joined us occasionally. Extremely delightful and friendly people, beautiful wine, and wonderfully prepared dishes. We started with huge, perfectly grilled, shrimp and scallops in a well-balanced saffron sauce. Then had a round pasta (looked a bit like calamari rounds) with a lovely cream sauce (there could have been just a tad more of the sauce), then a creamy and rich tagliatelle bolognese (made with finely ground beef and veal and with a touch of cream), then an entree with perfectly cooked carrots and broccolini and a pounded chicken breast, 1 lamb rib medallion, and a butterflied spicy pork sausage from Isernio -- all of the proteins were very well cooked and had a nice grill char flavor to them. The sausage and chicken were my favorites, as the lamb had a bit of a gameyness to it. We finished with the damn-near-perfect tiramisu ... perfect texture and now only a drizzle of chocolate and a dusting of powdered sugar. We enjoyed a beautiful bottle of the acclaimed 2004 Nardone Brunello di Montalcino, as well as a quite lovely 2009 Bibbiano Chianti Classico. The wines are all reasonably priced as they do not engage in the standard triple mark-ups that most other restaurants do. Tony's songs still contribute to the intimate, authentic and enjoyable atmosphere, but, at least as to last night, he sat on stool strumming and singing at a good decibel level ... you could hear him but his song didn't prevent you from having a conversation at your table. Will definitely be back ...

    (4)

  • Mark S.

    A good friend had been telling me repeatably about out of this world Italian food being served up on the Ridge in Snoqualmie. Unfortunately for me, by the time I got around to joining him, the restaurant had changed hands. Luckily for me, one of the original owners opened in a quant little room off of Front Street in Issaquah. Literally are only 6-7 tables with a total occupancy on the front door reading no more than 35 patrons at a time. We sat in a little booth they call the VIP table. Kind of off to the side of the small restaurant, but a little more privacy than other tables. Everything served but the fresh meats and veggies at this establishment are imported by the Owner's small Italian import business. Straight from the homeland. We started with an antipasti plate that was out of this world. Especially loved the olives. Next course was Caesar, and it was not your everyday Caesar. Light nuances of lemon and just enough salt made me want to order an additinal salad. We tried prying the dressing recipe from the cook, but to no avail. Family Secret Recipe. Next I enjoyed what was probably some of the best home made lasagna I have ever had. Mama cooks this daily and my mouth waters just thinking about enjoying it again. I also had to try the house gnocchi which was spot on. Not overdone like most I order. We also enjoyed the house wine, which was a 2000 Family Estates Merlot that was above average, and at $28 very affordable. We finished with a beatifully palate cleansing lemoncello desert and nicely brewed espresso. All this on top of an older Italian gentleman playing guitar and singing Italian classics. I felt like I was dining with the Rat Pack at their private restaurant. Just make sure that you call ahead for a reservation. Must of been at least 2 dozen folks that unfortunately had to be turned back at the door because the place was full. Wow, I cannot wait to come back.

    (5)

  • Mark B.

    Really liked it. The food is made with care and skill, you can tell. The clams and mussels were prepared just right... Not too heavy on the broth and just enough to add flavor. The Bolognese was just perfect. Went there for lunch and plan on trying it for dinner.

    (4)

  • Cynthia S.

    This is the best Italian restaurant in Issaquah. Hat's off to "mama" the chef. The wait staff and the owner are very personable. I wish the restaurant was bigger so that making last-minute reservations on the weekend was easier.

    (4)

  • Richard R.

    Probably the best meal, service and ambiance we've experienced since moving to Issaquah. The food was well made...the roving guitar player was interacting well with the customers and sang great. The best tiramisu we've ever had. The owner was great and interacted with the tables and guests and went out of his way to be friendly and funny. We enjoyed it and will definitely go back. Staff was great. Make sure you make reservations because it's very small.

    (5)

  • Alan D.

    Excellent, the best Italian food in the Northwest this side of Little Italy in NYC. The food was excellent, a bit expensive but worth every cent. We are definitly going to be back on a regular basis although it difficult to get a reservation at times as this place is small. We would highly recommend this gem.

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

    Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Intimate
    Noise Level : Average
    Music : Live
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : No
    Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
    Coat Check : Yes
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Categories

Italian Cuisine

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.

Montalcino Ristorante Italiano

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