Il Postale

Il Postale is an Italian gem of a restaurant in Sunnyvale. Lamb shank, fillet, artichoke appetizer, clam chowder, pasta pomodoro etc and lot more are there in Menu. Great wine collection. Excellent service. Parking facilities are also available. One of my favorite Italian restaurants. I can't wait to go back and eat there again!

Posted 11/12/08

Service was at best just average. Lively and noisy so if you're looking for a quiet dinner then go elsewhere. Calamari appetizer was average at best. Lots of selection on the wine list. Caesar salad was just so-so,.I expected a lot better at an Italian restaurant. My filet mignon was probably one of the best I've ever had. Cooked exactly the way I asked, medium rare. Tiramisu for dessert was a disappointment....we shared the dessert and only finished half of it (party of 4)....it was very mushy. The service was inconsistent...we were waited on immediately but had to flag her down afterwards for our appetizer order...then to get more water...then to place our entree order...then to order another bottle of wine..then to order our dessert...and the place was not at full capacity.

Would I go there again?...probably not due to the service and noise level...but the food was very good and the price was reasonable, but that's about it!

Pros: price, taste, portions

Cons: noise leve, service, caesar salad

Posted 07/17/07

My boyfriend took me to Il Postale for Valentine's Day, and I was floored. The moment we walked in, the owner greeted us and made sure we were comfortable while we waited for a table. He said it'd take 30 minutes, but it only took 10. Our waiter treated us like good friends, joking around with us and making sure that we were taken care of throughout the meal. Sounds cheesy, but I was blown away, especially because they were so busy. The food was ordered and on our table within 10 minutes, and it was delicious. I had the baked rigatoni with Pinot Noir, and tiramisu for dessert.

I was most impressed by the fact that it was Valentine's Day -- every table was taken -- but they were still personable, precise, and relaxed. They must be incomparable on a slow night!

When we left, several members of the waitstaff said goodbye to us. If you're looking for a warm, familiar restaurant in a romantic setting, there is no choice but Il Postale. I will definitely be going back.

Posted 02/14/07

One of my favorite Italian restaurants. They have a good variety of food and reasonably priced. Lots of parking in the area. I would much prefer to go there than Piatti.

Pros: Ambience, Parking, Service, Great Food

Cons: Not for large groups

Posted 12/31/06

my wife and i went there tonight afer reading the great reviews from here. upon entry the hostess was abot to lead us to a table when the manager screamed NO and sent us back to the door. then after about 5 minutes of standing there we were given a table right next to the door.
food: the bread was cold as ice! i had to ask the waitress to bring me warm bread and she just took it back to the kitchen, toasted it and brought it back to me. we ordered the spaghetti and gnocchi. the spaghetti was average at best and the gnocchi was terrible. i had to send it back to get it "fixed" before i could even eat it. very miserable. their wine list and drinks menu were extensive though and the wine i ordered was very good though quite overpriced.

Pros: Good wine list, nice waitstaff

Cons: Mgmt attitude, horrible food.

Posted 11/30/06

We've been regulars there for 10 years, and have never had less than excellent service. They have many great dishes: our favorites are the lamb shank, fillet, artichoke appetizer, clam chowder, and pasta pomodoro. Their wine list and martinis are very good.

Although the quality and cooking of their fish is excellent, those dishes tend to get suffocated from heavy sauces, so I would ask for sauce on the side. Also, desserts are not an emphasis there, though we rarely order it.

Overall, we love the place because of the atmosphere, location, great service, and plenty of great, reliable menu choices, and we look forward to the opening of their second restaurant in Campbell late 2006.

Pros: Service, food, price

Posted 08/12/06

On a recent trip to CA we had a chance to eat at Il Postale What a great place. Old world feel in a very quaint neighborhood. Great food Great service.

Posted 08/07/06

We went here for a friend's birthday. There was about 10 of us, so we made reservations. The atmosphere is nothing fancy, but the food is fantastic. The table started off with Calamar (which I don't eat) and everyone at the table thought it was really good. It was mixed with shrimp, too. I had the Penne Bolognese which was more than just good. It came with a HUGE meatball which was delicious. Everyone else got various items from the menu and not one person gave their dish thumbs down. Parking is hard to come by on the street, but I'm sure the good folks at Macy's across the way won't mind.

Pros: Decent size servings, Great food, good atmosphere

Cons: Parking

Posted 08/04/06

This is seriously one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. Our server, Jason, was awesome. He voluntarily left the restaurant briefly to go to another store so that he could get our daughter some apple juice, which they just didn't happen to have. How often does that happen? We loved the food, they were always right on the spot with water and lemonade refills, and the food came out quickly, hot, and exactly as ordered. We loved this restaurant! Don't miss it!

Pros: Service service service. Amazing. Food was excellent.

Cons: Can't think of any.

Posted 07/12/06

Since opening 7 years ago, il Postale has continuned to improve. My clients visiting Sunnyvale always insist on lunch or dinner there. The atmosphere is friendly and the food is consistant and delicious each and everytime. Food is generous and delicious - consistantly.

Pros: Friendly, Great Food, Good atmosphere

Cons: No bar to wait in

Posted 05/30/06

Was dissapointing really, given that it got a 9.1 rating. I had two things from the specials menu, a lobster bisque and a skirt steak with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The veggies
were overcooked and pretty tasteless, the mushroom sauce on the steak was insipid and pretty bland. The soup was OK, but pretty characterless - was more like tomato with a hit
of lobster than the intense flavour of some others I've had.

Posted 05/12/06

Il Postale failed to honor a basic contract between it and the customer: posted hours. I went there recently because they were a recommended late night place to go. I checked their website, and they advertised open until 10pm weekdays. I arrived at 9:20pm. Their door also had hours posted that indicated they were open until 10pm. I entered, and the staff informed me they had closed. No emergency, they just sometimes close early if they want.

There aren't that many things a restaurant can do to motivate me not only to never come back, but to bother to write a negative review, but this is one of them. My advice is to go elsewhere. Il Postale doesn't care about it's customers.

Posted 04/04/06

I don't even like Italian food that much, but this place was pretty good. Shellfish spinach salad was mostly just spinach and shrimp - not very interesting. Seafood risotto was excellent - nice mix of shrimp, clams, mussels, scallops, and just the right consistency. Seared Ahi Tuna was ok. Chicken in Filo Dough was tasty, especially with the rich garlic cream sauce (also good for dipping your bread). Ate in the main dining room because it was too cold to eat outside despite the heat lamps. Inside had garish lights and was loud, but I can see how outside can be romantic in warmer weather. Inside would be improved with softer lighting and at least a partial barrier between the kitchen and bar and dining room. Service was excellent and friendly. They don't take reservations unless you have a large party, so you might have to wait.

Pros: Italian food, Service, Decent price

Cons: Ambience of indoors, Wait

Posted 03/08/06

My wfie and I have visited Il postale atleast 3 times in past 6 months and love it! The food is always great, good portion size and even for us veggietarians, has good choice. Service is really great and they have a great wine collection. One suggestion to them - serve warm bread before the entre arrives!

Pros: Great Selection, Good parking nearby

Cons: Lil pricy, Bread srved isnt warm

Posted 02/12/06

This place has a wonderful selection of entrees to choose from-it's got so much more than your average spaghetti and meatballs. If you're looking for a real flavorful dish, try the Chicken Saltimbacco. YUM! I can't wait to go back and eat there again!

Pros: great service, excellent food

Cons: small space

Posted 10/24/05

Out of curiosity, we decided to try Il Postale on a Friday night. Amazing food, the best service I've had in a long time combined with the friendly, welcoming atmosphere have made this place my new favorite! Joe (the Owner) is right in the middle of the place, making sure everyone is taken care of. I loved it, my husband loved it, and we will definitely be back. The food is authentic Italian, with an excellent variety of sauces. Try it......you'll be hooked

Pros: Atmosphere, Service, Food

Posted 08/17/05

We enjoyed my Mothers 50+ birthday din. and had a great time. The staff is fun and prof. The food is great. We didn't expect to have the birthday cake at Il Postal, but the deserts were sooooooooo awsome. My mom loved the wine and gillato.

Pros: food, staff, wine

Cons: bathrooms

Posted 06/07/05

If you want customer service like it used to be, this is the place to go. The servers are always smiling, friendly and very welcoming. From the moment you step into the door, no matter how crowded, no matter how busy everyone is enjoying themselves. Everytime I've been there, the food has been wonderful and the crowd is always bustling but happy. It's truly the place to eat. The desserts are to die for, the drinks are deeeelicious...especially the martinis. Check it out...it gets crowded, so be prepared to wait!

Pros: Excellent Service, Delicious Food, Wonderful Staff

Posted 03/21/05

There are so many wonderful dishes and excellent wines that you must visit over and over to truly experience how superb this little establishment is. The waitstaff is very knowlegable and gracious, their understanding of the food and wine pairings is pretty good for a smaller restaurant. The prices are reasonable considering that you have leftovers for days. The marinara is the best I have ever had. Try it out, then come back a few times, you'll love it.

Pros: Food, Wine, Service

Cons: Fills up quick, No reservations for 2

Posted 12/16/03

The food is overpriced and the atmosphere is bleak.
The servers do not know the first thing about hospitality. I will never return

Cons: overpriced, poor food quality, terrible service

Posted 08/28/03

The restaurant decor was OK but they would benefit hugely from some air-conditioning - I couldn't wait to leave it was so hot.

Food and wines not bad and priced OK for the area - shame they don;t take reservations.

Nothing to write home about overall.

Cons: Heat, No Air-con, Cramped

Posted 08/02/03

We first went here two years ago and had the best experience. We loved the seafood risotto and the waitstaff was the best. Since, we've gone about four more times. The risotto is still excellent but other dishes (linguine with clams) aren't any better than frozen Michelina's. The really great waitstaff seem to have left, leaving some waiters who are fine but others who don't seem that interested in helping you. If you want great risotto, try Il Postale but not sure if I can recommend anything else. The fact you can't make reservations for less than 8 is a big negative since the wait can be long.

Posted 12/07/02

I am still dreaming of the seafood risotto I had there last year. Unfortunately I haven't been back since we live too far away but the food was really good. The service was a bit distracted and intermittent. The acoustics could be improved - the open kitchen doesn't help. Overall though, a very good dining experience.

Posted 09/25/02

The people are friendly and never in a hurry. They are always ready to serve you.

Pros: atmosphere

Cons: small

Posted 08/13/02