Il Pellicano — Restaurant in Fairfield

Bizarrely awful dining experience for a restaurant that had been recommended to us and I was very much looking forward to trying.

My wife arrived on crutches. After waiting for the hostess and giving my name, to which she curtly responded “I was wondering if you were ever going to show up” (we were less than 15 minutes late), we were seated in the middle of the restaurant at a small table in the middle of the main server traffic pattern, when a booth would obviously have been preferable for a disabled person.

When I approached the hostess stand to request a change, conspicuously holding my wife’s crutches in an attempt to check them, I was ignored by the hostess who was engaged in what appeared to be a personal conversation with three other patrons.

We ordered drinks, two appetizers, and entrees. Starters were octopus with sliced potatoes, a classic Ligurian dish I have ordered dozens of times, and an appealingly described flatbread with sausage and grilled peppers.

The octopus was overcooked and tough, the potatoes appeared boiled and mushy, and the dish was slathered in sweet peppers- the sort you would find in any Italian American deli- crispy pepperoni (?!), and drenched in the oil leavings of both. It was an inedible mockery of a classic dish with bizarre and irreconcilable flavor profiles.

However the “flatbread” was the tipping point, and appeared to be store bought flour tortillas filled with greasy sausage meat and the same roasted peppers that festooned the octopus. They were tacos- extremely bad ones.

I calmly asked the waitress to cancel the entrees and prepare the check. She appropriately asked for feedback, which I gave politely. Nobody visited our table, checked on us, or apologized in the 15 minutes we had to wait for our check despite our full plates being immediately cleared. With the check, the waitress told us that the least expensive item had been removed, leaving us a $60 bill including a 20% tip for 90% untouched food.

Despite the tenor of this review I am not an especially picky eater. As an Italian and a resident of Fairfield, an area with a large Italian presence, I was embarrassed for Il Pellicano to have served food this inescapably bad.

Beyond the food and customer service failures, the ambiance, decor, menu, and overall feel seemed painfully generic. It felt as if an owner, restaurant group, or uncreative algorithm conspired to create an “Italian restaurant” that could turn a profit and accomplish little else. A huge disappointment for a restaurant with a coveted downtown location which had significant...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had the pleasure of dining at IL PELLICANO in Fairfield, and I must say it was a truly exceptional experience! From the moment we walked in, the warm, inviting atmosphere set the stage for a memorable meal. The staff was attentive, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu.

The food was nothing short of spectacular! We started with the formaggi salumi, which was a beautiful selection of meats, cheeses and high-quality accompaniments. For the main course, I had the lobster risotto, which was so rich and flavorful. Every bite was perfection. My husband ordered the seared black cod and it was just cooked to perfection.

To top it all off, the dessert menu was a dream come true. We indulged in the tiramisu, which was the perfect blend of creamy and coffee-soaked goodness.

We weren’t ready to leave so we sat at the bar and Fallon was amazing! I had the best mezcal espresso martini and a couple of other drinks. She nailed everything we asked for.

Overall, IL PELLICANO exceeded every expectation. It’s rare to find a place that gets every detail right, but they did. If you’re craving authentic Italian cuisine in Fairfield, look no further. Highly...

Just went here for the first time last night, a busy Saturday and was so disappointed. The service was honestly insanely slow/ non existent. Our waitress looked like she either hates her life or hates her life. We ordered drinks and it was at least 20 min until we got them. Then we ordered food and it actually came out great pretty fast (the food is ok, and way overpriced) three mini metal balls $17! I know inflation has been the name of the game in the US but come on! After our food, we didn’t see the waitress again until we had a question on the bill. We lost our waitress for 45 min, which the restaurant was getting busy (we where a table of 5) so the guy running the front comes over and ask if we want dessert we said yes. He rushes us to take our order (they now needed our table) mind you our waitress no where to be found! We get our dessert and honestly again mediocre the ice cream is not gelato it’s ice cream and the tiramisu I make better at home. Then we have a question on the bill, and the waitress magically shows up. Gives a strong eye roll when we ask what something on the bill was then takes our card. Honestly, pasta is fresh portions are small,...