Isola Pizza Bar

San Diego, United States

4

Closed now

21 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 619-255-4230
Website:
isolapizzabar.com
Address:
1526 India St, San Diego, CA, 92101
b/t Beech St & Cedar St
Little Italy
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
450 ftCounty Center/Little Italy
0.3 miSanta Fe Depot
0.3 miAmerica Plaza
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Trendy
Noise Level
Average
Good For Dancing
No
Alcohol
Beer & Wine Only
Happy Hour
Yes
Best Nights
Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check
No
Smoking
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Dogs Allowed
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (San Diego) 1:39 AM Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Isola Pizza Bar offers happy hour daily from 3 – 6 p.m.

Isola Pizza Bar offers 15 specialty pizzas created from family recipes, homemade gelatos, authentic Italian appetizers and desserts. The restaurant also features an extensive Italian wine selection including seven wines from the Rinaldi Family Winery in Italy.

Pizzas including the gamberetti (shrimp, asparagus, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella), ricotta (shiitake mushroom, fresh ricotta, mozzarella, basil) and 4 stagioni a modo mio (mozzarella, mushrooms, artichokes, speck proscuitto, olives, tomato) highlight the pizza menu, all created from owner/​chef Massimo Tenino’s family recipes.

Appetizers are highlighted by three variations of bruchetta and specialty appetizers including the fagioli al fiasco, assorted olives, burrata mozzarella, polipo and more. Isola Pizza Bar also offers salads, a selection of salamis, Italian desserts and gelatos made on site from an Italian-​imported gelato machine.

History

Established in 2012.

Owner Massimo Tenino says, «In San Diego, there is no place for this caliber of pizza with a great environment. I’ve lived in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, and nothing reminds me of my hometown like San Diego. It offers the perfect balance of the bustle of L.A. and the rural relaxation of the countryside.

Meet the Business Owner

Massimo M.

Business Owner

My nonna’s name was Isola, a wonderful cook who gave me a passion for food and fresh, simple ingredients.

I have vivid memories of my grandmother turning plain bread into amazing desserts, simple apples into incredible fritters sprinkled with a little sugar and honey, and even treating my sunburns with olive oil. Thirty years later, I still savor every meal and moment.

Isola is proud to serve the finest local ingredients, dalla vite, from the vine. I hope you enjoy every bite, plucked from my family tree for your table. Buon appetito!

— Massimo Tenino

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21 reviews of Isola Pizza Bar

No registration required
Place rating: 1
Encinitas, CA
Came in for lunch on Saturday and had a pretty disappointing experience. We ordered 2 pizzas, not sure what the name of the pizza my husband got but it had sausage and mushroom. He said it had almost no flavor and was really bland. I ordered the Quattro stagioni. My pizza was missing the olives, has 3 small slivers of artichoke all on one slice and one tiny piece of prosciutto on another slice. The rest of the pizza only had tomato sauce and a bit of cheese. It was terrible and certainly not worth $ 16. I called the waiter over to point this out and he told me that this is done for presentation. Presentation? It’s a pizza not art project. I expect my toppings spread out. We paid the bill and left, totally unsatisfied. I filled out a comment card with a note for the manager asking for him to contact me so I can explain the problem. It’s been 3 days so I don’t think it will happen and that’s why I’m leaving this review. I have heard good things abut this place, now I just don’t understand why.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
One of the best happy hours in town! The prices are very reasonable; a delicious pizza for under $ 10?! Being from the east coast I’m very picky about pizza, it’s so delicious here, will definitely be back, and often!
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Lived in Italy for three years, and this is the most delicious panna cotta I’ve tasted in my life! Seriously, it was a When Harry Met Sally moment. I was moaning. This pizza is among the most authentic I’ve had in the States. And the mozzarella plate allows you to taste delicate, delicious cheeses… particularly the straciatella. And the service was great! Our waitress was so friendly, gave great recommendations, and didn’t rush at all.
Place rating: 5
Oceanside, CA
A true Italian feast and pizza so authentic, you feel like you are in Italy at a pizza street joint. Everything tasted fresh and the wine pairing the waiter recommended couldnt have been better! Lighting creates good ambience.
Place rating: 4
Carlsbad, San Diego, CA
As much as I’m a deep dish pizza lover, this place was fantastic. Had the salsiccia (sp?) pizza and the brussel sprouts to start. Both were incredible. Service was great. It was wine Wednesday, and although I rarely drink wine, it seemed like a pretty good deal.
So why not 5 stars? This seems petty, but I only got about 17 mins of sleep last night:
After dinner, the decaf americano I ordered was decidedly NOT decaf.
I know, wah wah wah. But the trust issues I will likely have with coffee for awhile seem to warrant the loss of a star.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
This place is pretty awesome. They have a great atmosphere that reminds me of a Soho NYC vibe, the customer service was awesome, the food is decently priced and a great selection on their happy hour menu. I wished they served cocktails since they only serve wine and beer. But, I’m not going to take off any stars due to the lack of drinks. I absolutely loved this place and their dessert is to die for.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Just to preface: If you’re looking for a huge greasy pizza loaded with cheese (like an American pizza) then this is NOT the place to find it. If you’re looking for an authentic Neapolitan style pizza, thinner crust, made in a wood-​fire oven brought over from Naples Italy, cooked by a chef from Naples, then you’ve hit jackpot! I live a few blocks away and this is one of my go to spots for a casual lunch or dinner, especially if I have out of town guests visiting.
Food: They have a great selection of pizzas that are all about a medium size. Each pizza is cut into 4 big slices, so easily shared by 2 people. 3 – 4 slices for me is very filling. My favorite is the Margherita– simple yet soooo flavorful– it’s always a good sign for me if pizza places can make this basic pizza well. Quattro Formaggi is also great. I don’t eat meat but my husband has tried the Prosciutto e Arugula and the Tre Carni and loves them. We’ve tried about half of their pizzas and they’re all very tasty! I feel like you can’t go wrong with any of them. Their Bruschettas are also pretty good. Haven’t tried a lot of their other appetizers or salads (I usually go straight for the pizzas!). Tried the Beet Salad once, it was ok. Tried the pasta of the day one night and wasn’t that impressed.
Drinks: Wine list has a good variety of types of wine and prices, and from their own local winery.
Ambience: casual. Indoor has nice lighting. There is outdoor seating in front (best for 2 – 4 people), fun to people watch when the weather permits. Patio seating in the back is more quiet and secluded.
Service: very attentive staff, all very nice.
Happy Hour: I love their happy hours from 3−6pm– can try some appetizers, wine, and the Margherita pizza for $ 3 – 5 each.
Place rating: 4
Hawthorne, CA
While the prices are a bit high, they fit the area, so they are actually spot on. Portions are reasonable and the food taste divine. Rather «Shabby-​Sheik» atmosphere. You could be comfortable here in his shirt and tie or jeans and a T-​shirt, provided you were clean and smell good.
Service there is amazing. Everyone is so ready to do what it takes to make you happy. Very accommodating and they truly make you feel like a guest. This is something so many restaurants are lacking. This place has it in spades!
Please stop in and enjoy yourself here.
Place rating: 3
Maineville, OH
I’ll give this place 3 stars only because my wife and daughter liked it. This is not a place I would call a pizzeria because there is no combination of pizzas I recognize. Nor is it a place I would ever go into on my own.
The beet anti-​pasta was very good. The mussels were not cleaned so the were sandy and very tiny. The daily pasta dish was passable.
Service, great! Wine selection very good I guess (not a wine person) beer selection, poor. Ask for water, you get 6 oz glass. Their «bread» isn’t. It is pizza dough.
Lightning, too dark, music without a theme. Oh and it’s $$$ not $$.
Place rating: 3
Vista, San Diego, CA
This was a nice atmosphere and everything on the menu looked good so it was hard to decide! Pretty reasonable prices. We settled on the fungi (mushroom) pizza and the roasted pepper appetizer. The peppers were tasty after we added salt. The pizza was pretty good, good fresh mozzarella and mushrooms, but not super flavorful and the crust was a little chewy. I ate peppers with it to give it some kick and that helped. Our waitress was efficient but not very friendly. She gave us dirty looks when we didn’t order wine. We refrained from saying «look, we just came from a substantial tasting at Ballast Point so all the people on the freeway between here and the 78 will thank us for forgoing the wine.» It wasn’t that busy and there were open tables, no need to glare at us for not spending a fortune!
Place rating: 3
San Diego, CA
Great place for large groups! I came here for a birthday celebration — birthday girl’s pick. Knowing her, it was just the right place but not not really my food style. I’m more of a plain old American pizza (Chicago Style or New York Styles) and even some Italian pizza from Southern regions of Italy is what I’m accustomed to. This is definitely not your typical pizza and I realize some people would add two more stars just for that, so to each his/​her own.
I wasn’t a big fan of the Margherita pizza because it had no sauce. I also tried a slice of a custom pepperoni pizza but the pepperoni was too spicy and there wasn’t any cheese on it — at least any that I could recognize. Also, unfortunately for me, everything had at least one thing on it that I don’t like so it was hard choosing a menu item. I ended up being down with OPP (other people’s plates), lol. Oh shut up, I paid the bill, ok?
I will say that all of the ingredients tasted very fresh and the effort to present something special was definitely noticeable. On the downside, our waitress was a little aloof, so that didn’t help things much. She was very kind and pleasant but wasn’t really around much when we needed her. She never came back to check on us unless she was summoned. She had to be waived down from the table several times and we had a really large party so it was a bit awkward. Several water carafes went bone dry during the visit and I really wish we would have been told that the wine was sourced from a family vineyard in Italy. If that fact was on the menu, I guess I missed it while trying to figure out what I wanted to order. I think it should have been verbally highlighted before our order was taken.
I think I would go back for happy hour or for an another occasion. with my wife — who loved the place. So did the birthday girl. Both left very positive reviews.
Place rating: 4
Hartford, CT
This happy hour is a force to be reckoned with! Can’t say no to sizable $ 5 margherita pies. A dinner for two for $ 10? Yes, please! My sister and I stopped in earlier this week while wandering around for delightful happy hour deals in Little Italy. Luckily, Isola delivered! We started with a glass of cabernet, then moved on to the pizzas (perfect balance of delicious crust, tangy sauce, rich mozzarella and fragrant basil) before heading off to meet a friend. We were in and out within an hour, which is always a bonus. While we ate outside, the interior is warm and cozy, perfect for a relaxed meal for groups of friends. Wouldn’t hesitate to return!
Place rating: 5
Kearny Mesa, San Diego, CA
After going to a Unilocal event and meeting some Isola members, I decided to try out the restaurant for brunch. I sat outside with my lovely company, and we ordered the Anguria salad, Panino del Mattino, pizza insalata, mimosas, and for dessert, their notorious chocolate mousse-​like delicacy (the name escapes me).
Let’s start with the Anguria salad. This refreshing salad contains watermelon as a component and let me tell you: it definitely ties the salad together. Helpful hint: if you like mojitos, this salad is for you.
The Panino del Mattino is the bee’s knees. This breakfast sandwich consists of sliced hard boiled eggs, delicious pancetta, tomato, and greens, all contained between two slices of delicious panini bread.
The pizza insalata is like a delicious salad on a pizza. The mozzarella provides a soft pillow for the fresh tomatoes and baby spinach. The reason I like this pizza above many is because the dough is fresh and it tastes as close to Italy as you can get.
Last but not least, the dessert. It’s chocolate. It’s beautiful. Get it, don’t even think twice. Seriously, you will regret not eating it.
The service, the atmosphere, and the food. This place has it all. If I could do it again, I would… and I will.
Tip: happy hour from 3 PM to 6 PM. Eat like a king on a college budget.
Place rating: 2
Phoenix, AZ
We stopped here due to the Unilocal reviews. So disappointed. First of all sat out at the end of the curb by pipes. Margerita Pizza, ugh. Undercooked, no flavor. So disappointing, I mean we only had limited meals to enjoy before we went home, so a true bummer. Waiter kinda blew us off because we were sitting so far away…
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Little Italy has several pizza restaurants/​shops, many of them are good but this is hands down my favorite. It’s located in the heart of Little Italy right off of India. You can sit on the front patio, inside, or the back patio. I recommend the back patio especially if the weather is nice, which it is 95% of the time. The back patio has a cute Alice in Wonderland feel. I love the hanging lights and greenery surrounding it.
Now on to the food. Apps: get the Brussel Sprouts ($ 10) and the burrata mozzarella ($ 12) and upgrade to the prosciutto (extra $ 4). I love Brussel sprouts and these are especially tasty. Who can resist wood fired Brussels?! The bruschetta here is also super tasty. I have tried the original ($ 6) and the pomodoro fresco ($ 8) and again do yourself a favor and add the mozzarella and prosciutto for an additional ($ 4). It’s worth it! I went with some friends and made them order their own because I didn’t want to share. I have only tried the pizzas here but will be back for the pasta soon. My favorites are the margheritta ($ 12) and spicy salami ($ 16). The pizzas are big enough for 2 people to share.
Place rating: 5
La Jolla, CA
Came here for happy hour, 3 to 6 pm everyday.
It was a Sunday evening, not too busy so no wait for a table.
Margherita pizza — I always like their pizza, the crust is perfect for my taste, not too dry and not too soggy. Came with 4 huge slices.
Gamberetti alla ‘nduja — it was a smaller portion of shrimps. very flavorful
Bruschetta burrata and carciofini — it was my favorite among everything. I love burrata and I love prosciutto. Can’t go wrong with that combination
Isola have delicious sangria too if you feel that it, if not they have a decent wine list as well.
Place rating: 3
San Joaquin County, CA
Based solely on your reviews, i booked barked this place about a month before heading to San Diego.
After arriving and orbiting the blocks about four times looking for a parking spot, we finally found one a block away. After a short walk, we arrived and were seated right away.
While waiting for our drink orders, I made good of the down time by checking the place out. Very swag and swanky interior and, the mens restroom was designed by a person who knows what a man wants.
I retuned to my seat to find my house merlot waiting and our waiter ready to take our orders.
We opted for two pizzas and I wanted to try their pasta which had a vegetable called Rapini, something I never tried before.
During our meals, I round tabled my families thoughts on their meals and the verdict was pretty unanimous. The food here is average.
I did like the restaurants modern looks and cleanliness. And i really enjoyed the Rapini but, I don’t think i will be retuning here to dine anytime soon.
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
GREAT happy hour! Definitely recommend this place if you like quality wine & italian food.
The bruschetta burrata along with a glass of red wine. yum yum amazing combo! The bruschetta is a simple appetizer but they take it up about 20 notches… I come here solely for this item!
The cheese plate is also a winner. I’d also recommend their salad as it pairs well with everything.
I wouldn’t say that their pizza is my favorite but I’m just not a huge fan of burnt crust pizza.
The staff is always very helpful, attentive and asks around for finals orders before happy hour ends which is a plus.
This place is definitely worth trying and the prices are phenomenal (particularly happy hour). Sophisticated little italy vibe & scrumptious food.
Place rating: 5
Bellevue, WA
Went again and got to meet the manager/​partial owner of this establishment (Alonso). He went out of his way to make our dining experience extraordinary! This place is his life and he is so clearly passionate about it. His love for the food, his customers, and this industry was made apparent in just one dining experience.
Alonso explained how the flour they use for their pizza comes all the way from Naples! As well as their pizza oven! All the way from Naples!?! Their pizza chef comes straight from Italy and is under contract… they brought him here from Italy just to make us amazing pizza! Evidently he was born and breed to make pizza has been training since he was very young (they take their pizza very seriously) letting the dough rise for two days before being molded into the amazing thin crust pizzas they are so famous for.
They also serve wine from their families Vineyard which we had the opportunity to try and it was divine! As well the chocolate mousse like dessert that changed my life! I can’t find the right name for it anywhere but it was incredible! A chocolate mousse with salted caramel and a whipped cream that brought me to the moon and back. It was almost too hard to share!
I work at a hotel and when anyone asks for a recommendation I send them here. I’ve had such great feed back! They loved it, I loved it, you will too… Go nuts.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Come here for the Happy Hour if you can! 3−6pm every day, so it’s pretty legit and worth checking out if only for the Margherita pizza. It’s a great date-​y spot with stiff drinks and plenty of small plates to share.
— Margherita pizza: a generous individual portion topped with basil and pillows of mozzarella cheese on a bed of tomato sauce. I am normally not a fan of tomato sauce on pizza as the flavor masks the toppings, however their tomato sauce is very fresh and light. A steal at $ 5 for a wood-​fired pizza!
— Bruschetta burrata & carciofini: the burrata cheese is very creamy (reminiscent of goat cheese!)
— Gambaretti alla ‘nduja: wood-​fired jumbo-​sized shrimp, sausage and fresh herbs — delicious. the descrpition speaks for itself.
We ended our early dinner with dessert, three scoops of gelato with a waffle chip to share. I’m a fan of the mixed berry sorbet, although I’m not sure if the gelato flavors change daily.
The ambiance is a bit romantic with candles lighting up each table and the vibe is more cozy and homey, as opposed to an upscale steakhouse. I’ve always appreciated these kinds of restaurants as the patrons and waitstaff are neither pretentious nor welcoming. I’ve been itching to go back, but never make it in time for happy hour. Perhaps I’ll have to fly solo next time; forever alone status, yo.
Place rating: 4
Estados Unidos
La pizza margaritha de lo mejor, acompañada de un buen shiraz del valle de Napa y llegar a la hora del amigo (2×1) para después caminar por el malecón