Isola Pizza Bar

Joe W

Always the bomb. Great pizza. Super service. All you could ask of a solid Italian restaurant close to everything. A solid go to for my family.

Maria Mnatsakanova

It’s a pleasant Italian restaurant with cozy, simple seating - great for a gathering with friends or a family pizza night. Very kid-friendly. The service was great. Food was delicious, although I wouldn’t say, it was out of this world. I ordered sausage pizza, beet salad and panna cotta.

Yair Abed

Stopped in for a quick lunch. The food was really good, but the highlight of the visit was the most friendliest waitress I’ve ever encountered! Big smile and a great disposition. She definitely made our lunch extremely enjoyable….and she’s a Rolling stones fan :)

Mark Engel

OLAVO! Olavo was our server and you know you are in for a great evening when you have an extraordinary server. Food and atmosphere are very important but people make the difference. Olavo was out server this evening and he made out evening with detailed knowledge of the menu, great service and a clear love of chocolate. We started the evening with an appetizer of Farinata - french fries made with garbanzo beans served with atruffle dipping sauce. We then had the Verdure Al Forno - vegetables roasted in the wood burning pizza oven served as a salad with Pizza and Two Sunday Specials; Eggplant Parmigiana and Lasagna. All was excellent. We enjoyed a glass of a Super Tuscan which was a perfect paring for everything we had. DO NOT MISS the Budino. We tried to split one at the table but had to order more as it was so incredible. You can get Tiramisu anywhere so go for the Budino. We cosed the place down on a Sunday night a d the staff NEVER made us feel rushed. Will definitely return.

talia

Delicious food and great servers! We got the Lucca panini sandwich and I forgot the specific name but the spicy salami pizza. Both were great I especially loved the sandwich! Very nice seating indoors and outdoors, we sat outdoors and had a nice breeze and the waitress came by to give us water frequently! Food was quick and fresh so overall 10/10

Hank Overfelt

Best pasta I have ever had! I’ve been to Italy and this hands down beats it. I will definitely be back the next time I am here!

Henry Voros

Growing up as an only child, I remember occasionally experiencing boredom and loneliness during Summer breaks from school that, at times, seemed to just go on and on. During some of those stretches of time I vividly remember battling a game called “Labyrinth.” Perhaps you know that of which I speak. Even the slightest turn of either dial meant either another inch of progress towards that elusive finish line or your immediate demise. Peril was literally around each and every corner. While a search for Italian food does not typically resemble traversing a “Labyrinth” style course of challenges, a search for fresh and authentic Italian can be exactly like that. 😬 In service to the community, the Henry’s Take Bylaws require each Review Team to promptly report whenever great Italian food has been discovered. 😉 Recommended to us by John Huebner, this establishment beckons you to come and share its bounty of flavors. One of our Review Team Members marveled that the sauce was so “delicate” and offered an abundance of flavor, but was not heavy. Our communal conclusion was that every bite was an adventure and the smell was so amazing that it made you feel a little guilty eating it for fear that you were somehow defacing a work of art. While our meals were not inexpensive, they also weren’t exorbitant. If you are in search of Vegan options you will not be left wanting as they are plentiful on this menu. We recommend that you try Isola yourself and then promptly NOT keep it a secret. And that’s…Henry’s Take. #sandiegoitalianfood

The exterior of the building was a lovely brick design. It has a classic Pizzeria vibe. With a modern seating arrangement. In a lovely part of La Jolla. All the restaurants including this one have a clean cut look inside. They have street side seating with outdoor heaters. Keeping the vibe comfy while the night winds down. After getting seated, we had the Bruschetta with Mozzarella to start. My Spouse and I selected the Prosciutto e Arugula. Simply delicious and filling. Would enjoy another Pie or try the pasta next time.

We first found out about Isola by having visited their Little Italy (San Diego) location while on a date a handful of year ago and since then, we knew we'd have to come back. Since discovering their second location in La Jolla, which we have eaten at at numerous occasions and always walked away with the biggest smiles, and even bigger bellies🫄 😂 . The food is nothing short of delicious, it is priced very well, and the service and atmosphere have always been top-notch. In the last year, my (now) wife and I decided to get married in La Jolla and so we went on a hunt for a food vendor. Little did we know, we were sleeping on the fact that Isola also caters events and has a mobile pizza oven. There are a few, important points I want to mention here. 1) Staff - Rachel R. was introduced to us to help coordinate the event. While our venue was a walking distance from their brick'n'mortar, we ran into a handful of snafus while wedding planning. Rachel was always patient, receptive and above all helpful at every stage. She helped clarify any/all details, appease any complications, share meaningful resources, and ultimately also helped serve day of our wedding. I also want to give a shout out to Alonso who is the Manager there (apologies if I misspelled your name bud), as he helped facilitate payments and, no question, runs an amazing team. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making our day so special, and our journey there a breeze. 2) The Food - In our experience, each time we visited the restaurant the food always hit above it's weigh-class, no doubt. But in case of our wedding food, we wanted to make sure that we didn't end up overpaying for steak, poultry or fish that would sit in a tin tray for a few hours just to be heated back up only to end up dry. Though some of our guests were initially skeptical of a mobile pizza oven and thought of it as a bit passé, everybody who attended our wedding ended up raving about the food. That's right, from non-believers, to converts! I very much cared that the food was served fresh and did not lose quality due to commutes, storage, or re-heating. The mobile pizza oven forwent all of those concerns. Everything was served fresh, piping hot, and picture-perfect. From appetizers and hors D’oeuvres during cocktail hour, to on-going rounds of fresh salad and pizza rotating on the dinner tables, to the dessert coup de grâce of a to-die-for-tiramisu to finish of the festivities. It was perfection, and won over people's heart for a good reason. Cannot recommend this potion enough! 3) Price - With food vendors charging obscene prices for aforementioned, re-heated options, Isola was our knight in shining armor in terms of wallet-friendly, fresh, and delicious food service option. Once you inquire, pricing is broken down in an easy-to-follow, logical fashion and I have yet to find a better value option at this high of quality. If I sound like a paid spokesperson for them, I am not. I paid them, and they simply knocked it out of the park. Once again, thank you Isola team. We shall be back soon! 🫶

We walked over to pick up take-out pizza on our second night visiting the area and were blown away. So good! Proper Neapolitan style pizza. Crust is excellent - thin, chewy and perfectly baked. Sauce is well balanced and the most delicious base for what ever toppings you choose. Appreciated there was an option without cheese! We tried several (individually sized for sharing) and can’t wait to go back. Highly recommend.

I came in for lunch and ordered pasta and dessert both were outstanding, full of flavor, and prepared perfectly. What truly made the evening special was the service. I was greeted by Paulina, who was warm, welcoming, and incredibly attentive from start to finish. She made me feel right at home and elevated the entire experience. Highly recommend this spot for anyone looking for great Italian food and amazing service. I’ll definitely be coming back!

bash q

I came in for lunch and ordered pasta and dessert both were outstanding, full of flavor, and prepared perfectly. What truly made the evening special was the service. I was greeted by Paulina, who was warm, welcoming, and incredibly attentive from start to finish. She made me feel right at home and elevated the entire experience. Highly recommend this spot for anyone looking for great Italian food and amazing service. I’ll definitely be coming back!

JorAlor8

The exterior of the building was a lovely brick design. It has a classic Pizzeria vibe. With a modern seating arrangement. In a lovely part of La Jolla. All the restaurants including this one have a clean cut look inside. They have street side seating with outdoor heaters. Keeping the vibe comfy while the night winds down. After getting seated, we had the Bruschetta with Mozzarella to start. My Spouse and I selected the Prosciutto e Arugula. Simply delicious and filling. Would enjoy another Pie or try the pasta next time.

Kamil Sliwinski

We first found out about Isola by having visited their Little Italy (San Diego) location while on a date a handful of year ago and since then, we knew we'd have to come back. Since discovering their second location in La Jolla, which we have eaten at at numerous occasions and always walked away with the biggest smiles, and even bigger bellies🫄 😂 . The food is nothing short of delicious, it is priced very well, and the service and atmosphere have always been top-notch. In the last year, my (now) wife and I decided to get married in La Jolla and so we went on a hunt for a food vendor. Little did we know, we were sleeping on the fact that Isola also caters events and has a mobile pizza oven. There are a few, important points I want to mention here. 1) Staff - Rachel R. was introduced to us to help coordinate the event. While our venue was a walking distance from their brick'n'mortar, we ran into a handful of snafus while wedding planning. Rachel was always patient, receptive and above all helpful at every stage. She helped clarify any/all details, appease any complications, share meaningful resources, and ultimately also helped serve day of our wedding. I also want to give a shout out to Alonso who is the Manager there (apologies if I misspelled your name bud), as he helped facilitate payments and, no question, runs an amazing team. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making our day so special, and our journey there a breeze. 2) The Food - In our experience, each time we visited the restaurant the food always hit above it's weigh-class, no doubt. But in case of our wedding food, we wanted to make sure that we didn't end up overpaying for steak, poultry or fish that would sit in a tin tray for a few hours just to be heated back up only to end up dry. Though some of our guests were initially skeptical of a mobile pizza oven and thought of it as a bit passé, everybody who attended our wedding ended up raving about the food. That's right, from non-believers, to converts! I very much cared that the food was served fresh and did not lose quality due to commutes, storage, or re-heating. The mobile pizza oven forwent all of those concerns. Everything was served fresh, piping hot, and picture-perfect. From appetizers and hors D’oeuvres during cocktail hour, to on-going rounds of fresh salad and pizza rotating on the dinner tables, to the dessert coup de grâce of a to-die-for-tiramisu to finish of the festivities. It was perfection, and won over people's heart for a good reason. Cannot recommend this potion enough! 3) Price - With food vendors charging obscene prices for aforementioned, re-heated options, Isola was our knight in shining armor in terms of wallet-friendly, fresh, and delicious food service option. Once you inquire, pricing is broken down in an easy-to-follow, logical fashion and I have yet to find a better value option at this high of quality. If I sound like a paid spokesperson for them, I am not. I paid them, and they simply knocked it out of the park. Once again, thank you Isola team. We shall be back soon! 🫶

My husband and I went on our first date in SD since moving here. It was also Valentines Week so we decided to go out and check out Isola! It did not disappoint! We both had wine, shared calamari, Pizza and a pasta dish. The atmosphere was super chill and we really enjoyed our night! Staff was great! The only thing was the pasta felt like it could have boiled a bit longer but over all it was great! Already planning to come back ;)

Caught dinner before a show on our anniversary. Cute corner booth to enjoy a nice, relaxed meal next to the open kitchen. Service was outstanding. I had the beef carpaccio, which was a standout for me as my main entree; lots of lemon in the arugula, which I loved, but was too much for my husband. He enjoyed his pizza well enough but wasn't blown away. We shared the calamari, which was excellent, and salumi misti which was a nice portion.

Vibe is great, food tastes good too. Their pasta is decent and reasonably priced. Their lamb dish was okay. Would just go for their pizza and pasta. Their pizza is top notch in my opinion

Great pizzas with spotty service. We all ordered pizzas here. They are the real star. Great crust and nice amount of toppings. The price was fair for what is a quality Italian style pizza. If you have been to Italy you will appreciate that these pizzas are probably a bit larger even than found there. The service was a low point. The server couldn’t comprehend which pizza corresponded to prosciutto even when saying it the Italian way. Fine even if you want to say it a different way it’s hard to confuse it for a different pizza. Not a big deal. More of an issue though my little glass of water never got refilled. Most annoying at the end is the server hovering while entering the tip.

Overall: Great option for a pizza night. The good: Good location and menu, with friendly service. The dough was soft yet charred well, and had a decent amount of toppings on it. Prices are reasonable and the pizzas are sized well. On a colder night, with our baby, they turned up the heaters outside for us (was full inside). They had a nice outdoor space with 5-10 tables. The not-so-good: Not much! The pizza wasn't 10/10, but we still had a great experience. Food/drink: 8/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 8/10

The server was pretty kind. The ambiance is really beautiful; really nice at night. The food was delicious as well. The server never brought me my lemonade (they only had sparking) but I just asked them to take it off the check at the end and they apologized and did so.

Hyeonghun Kim

Vibe is great, food tastes good too. Their pasta is decent and reasonably priced. Their lamb dish was okay. Would just go for their pizza and pasta. Their pizza is top notch in my opinion

Emily Engstrom

Caught dinner before a show on our anniversary. Cute corner booth to enjoy a nice, relaxed meal next to the open kitchen. Service was outstanding. I had the beef carpaccio, which was a standout for me as my main entree; lots of lemon in the arugula, which I loved, but was too much for my husband. He enjoyed his pizza well enough but wasn't blown away. We shared the calamari, which was excellent, and salumi misti which was a nice portion.

Jazmin Hernandez

My husband and I went on our first date in SD since moving here. It was also Valentines Week so we decided to go out and check out Isola! It did not disappoint! We both had wine, shared calamari, Pizza and a pasta dish. The atmosphere was super chill and we really enjoyed our night! Staff was great! The only thing was the pasta felt like it could have boiled a bit longer but over all it was great! Already planning to come back ;)

Robert Heath

Great pizzas with spotty service. We all ordered pizzas here. They are the real star. Great crust and nice amount of toppings. The price was fair for what is a quality Italian style pizza. If you have been to Italy you will appreciate that these pizzas are probably a bit larger even than found there. The service was a low point. The server couldn’t comprehend which pizza corresponded to prosciutto even when saying it the Italian way. Fine even if you want to say it a different way it’s hard to confuse it for a different pizza. Not a big deal. More of an issue though my little glass of water never got refilled. Most annoying at the end is the server hovering while entering the tip.

Kyle Dahl

Overall: Great option for a pizza night. The good: Good location and menu, with friendly service. The dough was soft yet charred well, and had a decent amount of toppings on it. Prices are reasonable and the pizzas are sized well. On a colder night, with our baby, they turned up the heaters outside for us (was full inside). They had a nice outdoor space with 5-10 tables. The not-so-good: Not much! The pizza wasn't 10/10, but we still had a great experience. Food/drink: 8/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 8/10

Lovely place. The pizza is good but not the best, good options with food. At the end on my receipt had a surcharged fee. I was not okay with it but manager took it off my balance. First time in the area, someone recommended this place but at least I was glad my husband and I stopped for pizza

Marie M

Lovely place. The pizza is good but not the best, good options with food. At the end on my receipt had a surcharged fee. I was not okay with it but manager took it off my balance. First time in the area, someone recommended this place but at least I was glad my husband and I stopped for pizza

Service was good! The food was awful, bad taste for all 3 dishes we tried and pizza was burnt. Papa Johns should be proud of their product even at a lower price. Mandatory 20% tip was charged for lunch, but we even paid $5 extra for the service with nice attitude. I wouldn't visit back again. Not recommended.

Di Wu

Service was good! The food was awful, bad taste for all 3 dishes we tried and pizza was burnt. Papa Johns should be proud of their product even at a lower price. Mandatory 20% tip was charged for lunch, but we even paid $5 extra for the service with nice attitude. I wouldn't visit back again. Not recommended.

J C

Everything was going well 8/27 dinner service from the sweet host, prompt water refills, food coming out quickly but then at the end, waitress made us wait 25+ mins to pay the bill and ghost us. We aren’t sure what happened but it really soured our night. The restaurant was not busy, she just decided to clean silverware and chitchat at the kitchen area. Another waitress called her to come check on us but she decided to go to the bar and other tables instead. It really ruined the dinner experience for us.