Il Forno Italian Restaurant Southside

Erica L 4 months ago

Had a wonderful experience at Il Forno Italian Restaurant Southside in Downtown Lakeland! I ordered the Chicken Parmigiana, and it was absolutely delicious. The chicken breast was lightly breaded, crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. It was topped with flavorful marinara sauce and plenty of melted mozzarella cheese, all baked perfectly. The pasta paired with it was cooked just right, and the sauce had that rich homemade Italian flavor. The garlic rolls on the side were warm, buttery, and the perfect start to the meal. I also enjoyed a glass of wine, which made the dinner feel even more relaxing. The atmosphere was cozy, the portions were generous, and the service was friendly and attentive. If you’re visiting Downtown Lakeland and craving authentic Italian comfort food, this spot is definitely worth trying!

DirtySouthRob 4 months ago

First off, the lasagna was bland—no flavor. Second, the pizza ordering menu is very confusing. It lists things like "Right Extra Sauce," "Right Pesto," "Right Steak," etc. But a pizza is round—there is no inherent "right side." If the restaurant means half of the pizza, they should just say "Half" or clearly explain "left half / right half." Starting the list with "Right" without any definition makes no sense to the customer. A better menu would first offer toppings for the whole pizza, then offer half-and-half options using the word "half," not "right." The way it's written now is just bad design and leaves people guessing. Then, the pizza wasn't even sliced all the way through. I had to use my own pizza cutter to get a slice. I paid almost $80 for one order of garlic knots, two 16" pizzas, and a serving of lasagna. If the food had been made well, I wouldn't feel so bad about this review, but the food was bland and poorly executed.

Agape Shakur 5 months ago

Definitely not my first choice but it was ok. The food was fairly decent, servers were very nice and attentive. Only thing I didn't like was we had to sit outside. I would have preferred inside but this was the best they could do.

Delize White 5 months ago

The food was SO GOOD, probably one of the best Italian places I've been to. Service was excellent. There was slim to no wait time for the food. I didn't get a picture of the pizza but as someone from New York, their New York style pizza, 10/10 omg! Whoever they have in the kitchen keep doing what youre doing. Our waitress was supper nice and attentive!

Betty C 7 months ago

If you are looking for exceptional italian food that will please all ages as well as delight even the pickest palate; this is the place for you. Have ordered the daily "special" twice now as well as had food from the menu. We were very very pleased. The portions are large. The servers are so nice, friendly and efficient. Oh, and the cheesecake was freshly made and fabulous. Try it and see if you don't agree!