264 Fresco came highly recommended and it did not disappoint. Upon entering, we were greeted by a friendly hostess. We were sat in the covered Astro turf outside patio. I opted for a cocktail and the server suggested the cucumber cooler as a refreshing option. It was as described and not too sweet. We tried the lasagna which was excellent. Unfortunately, a power outage hit and the team was not able to serve our additional entrees. They did find us a candle so we could continue our meal. We would definitely try 264 Fresco on another night. read more

264 Fresco - Lasagna $28 - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Cute restaurant with decent selection. The roof is sort of separate from the main restaurant when it comes to seating and is also a very different vibe (louder, younger, more of a group / celebration environment) The service was okay and the seats outside were fairly uncomfortable. The house cab was excellent and the food tasted fresh. The serving sizes were perfect. The short rib parpadelle was very good and had a brown / oily sauce. The eggplant on the rigatoni was not fried which was excellent and the marina was very fresh tasting. read more

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Cool spot near the beach and within walking distance to the beautiful Carlsbad shoreline. If you're looking to catch a game, have a few drinks, and enjoy the atmosphere, this is a solid place to hang out. That said, if you're going for the food, I wouldn't recommend it. The dishes are overpriced for what you get, and the quality and presentation were pretty disappointing. Maybe the food hits better after a few drinks, but for me, it just wasn't good -- honestly, pretty underwhelming overall. Would come back for the drinks and vibe, but not for the food. read more

264 Fresco - wagyu steak - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Our first visit to 264 Fresco in Carlsbad, California was both interesting and delicious! It was a vibrant, busy Saturday evening and we were able to get a table before our scheduled reservation time which was nice. The hostess didn't seem to really understand my table request so she just kind of winged it and invited us to sit anywhere upstairs. Seemed rather impersonal and disengaged. Once we ascended the stairs and reached the upper deck, the vibe was decidedly more haptic and night club-like. Reminded me of some questionable times on Avenida Revolucion way back in the day but I digress. Despite my advancing age I actually enjoyed the fun and festive feel. The loud, pumping music was quite the mismatch for fine Italian food but that's ok. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, even if they couldn't hear the person speaking next to them. Since there is no house bread service here, I ordered their Rosemary Focaccia to start. It was excellent with a nice warm, soft center and crusty edges. Menu called out "whipped butter", but it was served with a small dish of olive oil and balsamic. I also ordered their Caprese which was outstanding. While it was rather haphazardly plated, I did appreciate their use of fresh, heirloom tomatoes. The mozzarella was more like burrata in that it was just all a soft blob at the base of the plate. The balance was noticeably off. Contained a lot more tomato than cheese unfortunately. For dinner I had the Chicken Parmigiana and it was delicious. Among the finer versions I've had. It comes with polenta, but I requested spaghetti instead. Overall the dish was beautifully presented and tasted great. Our waiter did a fantastic job and I really appreciated his personal, thoughtful style of service. read more

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Food: excellent Service: average Ambiance: above par I tried the ravioli bolognese and it was superb. Ravioli cooked just right, hearty sauce, good wagyu filling. A friend asked for bread for the table before we ordered (thinking it would be complimentary), but we got charged for two orders of the focaccia at the end of the night. The focaccia was fresh and tasty, but it would have been nice to have been told it was something we had to order and pay for. We also had to wait quite a bit of time to pay our bill (table was cleared, but we just sat and waited to be able to leave). read more

264 Fresco - Ravioli Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Came here on a Saturday during the day and was pleasantly surprised that we were able to get a table upstairs on the rooftop with no problem. The rooftop itself is beautiful and the ocean view makes it such a great spot to sit and relax. The food was a bit of a mixed bag. The beet salad and the steak and eggs were both delicious and definitely worth ordering again. Unfortunately, the chicken was the opposite -- it was pretty unseasoned and overcooked, so I wouldn't order that again. The biggest issue was the wait time for food and drinks. The restaurant was pretty busy and there was only one server covering the entire upstairs area. She was actually great and very friendly, but it clearly wasn't enough staff for how busy it was. We ordered at the same time as the table next to us and they received their food, finished eating, and we were still waiting for ours. By the time it finally came out we were starving (hence the photo of me already halfway through my meal). That said, I don't blame the server at all -- it seemed like a staffing issue rather than a service issue. Overall, the setting and some of the dishes were really great, and I'd definitely come back to try more of the menu. I'd just make sure not to arrive too hungry next time. read more

264 Fresco - Steak and Eggs - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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We had made reservations a couple months ago as we were going to be in town for a birthday trip. We showed up an hour early from being hungry from walking around Carlsbad all day. We were greeted and told they could seat us early. Took a while for a server to come take our order but we got some drinks and the calamari and rosemary focaccia appetizers, both were very tasty, and the old fashioned was well mixed. We ordered our entrees, wife opted for lasagna and I went for the scallop risotto, these are our usual staples when available and we were not disappointed! The scallops were cooked perfectly with some sear but still tender and rare on the inside, the risotto was perfectly done and delicious. The lasagna was also very tasty and the portions were generous. Finished up with a carajillo which was also mixed well and very tasty. In the end we opted out of dessert because we were all stuffed. Service was a bit slow for it not being too busy but the food was very, very good. read more

264 Fresco - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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My parents and uncle and family were visiting from OC so Carlsbad was a perfect middle ground for us to meet up. We stumbled upon this cute place for dinner. They have open seating on there up stairs terrace With heaters period there is casual couch seating or high tops if you want more traditional Restaurant tables period There's also a bar if you just want to grab drinks and chill. We ordered a few of their woodfire pizzas, which were delicious and dough tasted fresh. My mom ordered the ravioli which she raved about the fresh tomatoes in the pasta sauce. It's a cute spot and great service If you are Carlsbad and looking for Italian food. read more

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Ridiculous! Everything from the cocktails to the desserts were bomb! We came in for a special girls weekend and were so happy we did! Our advice, share everything! We ordered at least 12 items and every single one was on the mark! You will not be disappointed! Loved sitting outside as well. read more

Wow. We went for happy hour and they have one of the better happy hour menus. The heirloom tomato caprese was off the hook. Oh my, it changed my way of viewing what caprese could be. It shifted how I prepare caprese. Thanks to them, I was able to create my own restaurant quality caprese at home. I kid you not. The meatballs were excellent as well. And the second floor patio is absolutely the perfect spot for a drink and a brunch. The staff were nice and because we went a little early for happy hour, they "waited" ten minutes till the prices kicked in. In general, San Diegoans are nicer than the LA crowd. Everyone was nice in SD. read more

My go-to spot to meet friends for lunch. They have a large space -- upstairs deck with a peek of the ocean, downstairs covered patio, elevated sidewalk deck, for people watching, and a nice indoor area with a large bar. We usually don't have trouble getting a table, but I love that they take reservations just in case it gets busy. Food is very good. I appreciate that they make vegetables very tasty and not boring. Everything is a bit on the salty side though. Their pasta dishes are also very good. I got one where the pasta was undercooked (no, it wasn't al dente, straight up still dry and crunchy in the middle), and they remade it for me without any fuss, then it came out perfectly. read more

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If I said that this place was noisy, that would be the largest understatement of my life.I am not joking.It will be very difficult for you to hear ... or at least it was tonight but that's always a good sign that this place has a lot of life and happiness in it. I won't lie it definitely smells good. As we showed up, we were greeted and seated pretty quick. I did ask to be moved because we were seated by a room next to the pizza oven, and I felt like we were slowly dying in an inferno. We removed to the dining area off the side of the bar and it had much more ventilation. Our server is super kind and has been very helpful so far. Only water's for us tonight and we are starting with the house cut fries, Focaccia, and the Beet and Burrata salad. I really did a lot of investigating online yelp and on google.And I will tell you that the menu does not quite match all of the delicious images I saw online. I also emailed the restaurant several hours before attending to try to get some clarity on my husband who has many allergies.And unfortunately, we did not get a response till the next morning but we risked it anyway and im so glad we did! While he couldnt eat much I REALLY enjoyed my food!! The Golden Beets omgosh.... that burrata. Soooo good! The Focaccia Equally good. The Fries are crisp and the lemon Aoli really packs a punch of flavors!! The fries, the bread and the salad were all so freaking delicious so so full.I really wanted to try the ravioli, but I just couldn't fit any more food. I'm so sad.I did not catch our waitress's name.Because she was so stinking kind!! Great service great food will definitely return!! read more

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Omg! This place is so good. The atmosphere is so fun and romantic especially at sunset on the rooftop. The food! Phenomenal! We tried calamari and fried mozzarella for our appetizers. Calamari was perfect: not greasy and not rubbery. Fried mozzarella was delish and the sauce served with it was the boss. For our entrees: cacio e Pepe, pesto gnocchi, broccoli rabe pizza, and the meatball pizza, as well as a salad "beet and barata" Everything was fresh and top quality. We had two desserts to share: the tiramisu and the ricotta cheesecake. Both were worth every single calorie. Drinks were stellar: scotch and soda, extra dry vodka martini with a tiny splash of cranberry for color, and the Tuscan apple mule Can't wait to come back to this amazing restaurant for the ambiance, food and great service read more

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We had such a lovely time here! The staff was beyond sweet and went out of their way to make sure our group of six was perfectly seated and comfortable. The ambiance is so cozy and inviting, making it the perfect spot to relax. We started with the Cesar salad and calamari (both delicious!), and the short ribs was honestly to die for! Paired with a glass from their wonderful wine list, it was the perfect night. Looking forward to go back to 264 Fresco soon to discover more delicious items on the menu! read more

264 Fresco - Short Rib with potatoes - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I have been wanting to try this I place out. This was a treat since I just finished going through a detox. We came here on a Saturday evening since we had family in town. We were seated outside. There seemed to be various seating areas - between the patio, inside, back patio, upper deck, etc.. The patio worked since it was lovely out. Our table ordered Rigatoni alla Vodka w/shrimp, Ricotta Gnocchi, (a dish I didn't get a chance to take a photo of of someone else's), and spaghetti with butter sauce and shrimp (for a child). We all loved our pastas (minus the kid who wanted the buttered pasta and shrimp but changed her mind since it wasn't Kraft Mac n Cheese). I had the Rigatoni alla Vodka with shrimp. The pasta was a perfect al dente for me, as well as the shrimp and sauce being tasty. Our wait person did a great job accommodating us and the food. All in all, we would definitely come back to try out other items on the menu. It's a great place to go when the weather is nice out too since they have quite a bit of outdoor seating. Parking: street parking, although I do believe they have valet. read more

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We came here on a weekday evening and the place was buzzing. The lower level is reserved seating and the upper level is seat yourself anywhere kind of seating. I didn't particularly like the upper level because it was really busy. We ended up sitting in a nice corner in the back. We had our privacy and liked the ambiance because it was bright. Our server was very kind. We are a little picky and she went along with it. We were here on Wed when a wine bottle is 50% off. We asked for a taste of a couple of whites before choosing the bottle and I'm glad that we did because we ended up choosing our safe option - the Sauvignon Blanc from Crowded House, NZ. The others that we tried (a viognier and a Sauvignon from California) were not good. The bottle was priced around $50 so we got a great deal! For food, we started with the spicy diavola pizza with tomato, mozzarella, spicy salami, evoo. The pizza was good. Thin crust, delicious, but not really spicy. It was pretty big - we got about 3 slices each. We ended up getting quite full but we wanted to try some of the entrees also. I got the chicken Marsala and my friend got the braised short rib. Both entrees were excellent. The short rib was a little too salty for me but my friend loved it. The meat fell off the bone very easily. The sauce was rich and the accompanying polenta and carrots were a good addition. The Marsala was one of the best I've had. Definitely on the side of more mushroom, which I love. The chicken was cooked well. The potatoes and veggies were cooked well too. Both portions were big and I ended up taking majority of the Marsala home. When eaten as leftovers the next day, it tasted delicious. For dessert, we ordered the tiramisu. It came in a bowl that matches the tiramisu colors so initially we mistook the bowl for the dessert. The portion is huge. The tiramisu itself was ok. It had a lot of more cream than the ladyfingers or Expresso. It was a bit more sweet that I would've liked. All in all, this was a good experience. We definitely like this restaurant more than their sister restaurant Fresco Cocina because these guys have more food options. Pricing wise, it is comparable to a nicer restaurant in Carlsbad. There is a street parking all around the restaurant. We shall be back! read more

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Wow! My husband, son, and I visited this place on a random Tuesday to celebrate a late anniversary. It was quite lively with families, coworkers, and friends having food and drinks. They have quite a wine menu and a full bar, i was more impressed by the food! We ended up ordering way too much but it was delicious. Our server was a nice Italian man who was extremely attentive and mindful of checking in on us. We had the calamari, smash burger, pizza and drinks, i have to say this was extremely enjoyable and there was quality and quantity in each dish. The prices are fair for such a nice place by the beach. Parking can be tricky but it's worth coming here once! Will be returning in the future read more

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Came here after a movie on Saturday night and glad we made the choice to come. From the moment we came in the host was friendly and our server attended us right away asking if we wanted drinks or apps. He was knowledge of the menu which was impressive. The layout is great because looked like it was full of people enjoying the restaurant. Finally we got our food the lasagna looked gorgeous which matched the taste, adding ricotta cheese on top added perfect balance. My pasta did as well what knocked it out of the ballpark was the shrimp flavor and temperature. Would definitely recommend coming here for a date night. The chef and cooks certainly know how to make excellent dishes. read more

264 Fresco - Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp , lasagna , and Fresh Baked Rosemary Focaccia - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Stopped to have a cocktail at the bar! Rebecca is the best, so fun and engaging. Food is amazing too, I suggest come for happy hour. read more

264 Fresco - Aperol spritz - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Got seated right away for Happy Hour on a Wednesday. The waiter was very attentive the entire time which was great! The prices for happy hour were fair. My friend and I shared the meatballs and some bread and butter. The bread was delicious and fluffy. I think the butter was whipped so it was like cream. Overall amazing! The meatballs were good too. Moist but not wet. Definitely a classic dish done well! It wasn't too busy for happy hour which was nice but definitely started to get busy closer to dinner time! Pleasant happy hour spot. read more

264 Fresco - Meatballs and Focaccia - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

624 Fresco is literally a 30 second walk from a staircase that will show you one of the most breathtaking sunsets of Carlsbad, San Diego county. The restaurant has its own small parking lot and has a gorgeous interior and patio area. Very generous servings; I had the scallop risotto and it was amazing. Had a bit of a seafood smell to it but it didn't really bother me. Great margaritas; the La Madonna and the Tropical Margarita is awesome. Great place to do a sunset watch before starting your dinner. A clear local gem. Parking clears up after the sun sets because everyone leaves to go home aftwards. read more

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Living here in Carlsbad I've heard people talk about this place and we have driven by it multiple times . We finally made it in on a busy Friday night . Next time we will probably come during the week because the parking on weekends feels impossible but we drove around long enough to find a spot . I did make a reservation and we got seated instantly, so I'm not sure how long the wait would have been if we just showed up . We wanted to sit on the top deck but unfortunately there was a private event and it was closed . I think next time I'll call and see if they have anything on their calendar. The restaurant had music going as well as the top deck so it was just too much in my opinion . We ordered the moz sticks , pepperoni pizza and gluten free fettuccine Alfredo. I think the moz sticks were the least impressive but honestly still decent. The wildfire pizza was so good , but the Alfredo was delicious. The sauce had so much flavor , lots of garlic ! My wife had a spicy margarita and said it was the best one she's had in a very long time . Over all I think it was a great time and great food . But I'll definitely check and make sure there isn't an event next time . read more

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Came here recently and I have mixed feelings. The food was honestly amazing -- everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and definitely the highlight of the visit. I would absolutely come back for the food alone. Unfortunately, the service didn't match the quality of the kitchen. The hostesses were noticeably rude. When I politely asked where the restroom was, one of them told me to "wait a moment before asking a question" -- even though she was just pushing in a chair right next to me. It felt unnecessarily dismissive for such a simple question. Our waiter wasn't bad, just not very attentive. It took over 10 minutes for us to even be acknowledged after being seated, which set the tone for the rest of the service. Bottom line: come for the food (it's worth it), but just be aware the service may be hit or miss. read more

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I've been here a few times and each time was pretty good. While it is a bit pricey for what you get, it's still has a great atmosphere. I like sitting on the rooftop deck and looking at the ocean while drinking a spritz. My go to order (so that I can pick a little bit from everywhere when here with friends) is a Caesar salad with a side of salmon, the truffle fries, the brussels sprouts, the focaccia, and my drink is the Capri. I'm not even a gin girl, but that Capri is delicious. I've heard great things about their woodfired pizza as well, but have yet to try it. The servers here have always been incredibly nice. Definitely give this place a try if you're in the area, but please note that parking can be a bit of a hassle! read more

Street or lot/valet parking only. Reservations are accepted or you can try self seating upstairs. Perfect for groups. Came here for a catch up dinner with friends and sat upstairs. Our server was horrible, we were constantly calling him over because he wasn't checking on our table or we had to keep reminding him of things we needed because he kept forgetting! We were able to excuse that it was getting busy, but we noticed several times other servers tending just fine to their tables or sometimes we saw our server helping other tables, just not us -__- The food and drinks were amazing! Thoroughly enjoyed our calamari and truffle fries while drinking our mezcalitas! Loved that all the pasta was made in house and it showed. So delicious! Dessert wasn't that great, the panna cotta was too firm and a slight chew to it, I would never get it again. Overall, love the ambiance, view, and food/drinks, but I would definitely make sure to get a new server. Our server really brought down the score for our whole party. read more

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Nice restaurant in the middle of Carlsbad with outside second seating. We stopped by for a drink and pizza to share which was good. Lively atmosphere for a Saturday night and good service. Would definitely come back! read more

Seriously cannot say enough good things about this spot - it's the absolute perfect restaurant. From the beach view rooftop, the amazing italian dishes, and extraordinary service, this is a must go in SD. As an Italian and someone who frequents Little Italy, i've deemed this Rigatoni Vodka the best i've had in the city. That combined with the crispy brussels and insanely delicious focaccia makes for a death row meal. Our waitress (i think her name was Sophia) was absolutely incredible and so attentive despite the busy crowds. read more

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My favorite Italian place to take people visiting. A block to the beach, free street parking. They also have a valet but I never have to walk more than a block. This is a big place with 3 seating options- inside, on an Astro turf patio (was put up during Covid) or up on the rooftop. Food is fantastic. They pipe ricotta around a lot of the plates as a finish and it's yummy! From braised beef to a hearty watermelon salad, I have loved everything! read more

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My friends and I were quite pleased with the service and food here. To top it off, the decor, inside and out, was so beautiful. Whoever designed the place had really great and exquisite taste. They have outdoor roof top as well as outdoor in the first floor. We really wanted to sit on the roof top but a large party had reserved the spot an hour after our arrival. Devin was our server and he was super cool and attentive. Very easy to talk to and welcoming. You could tell he loves what he does. We really appreciated his above-and-beyond service. I ordered the smash wagyu burger and it was the juiciest most flavorful burger I've had in such a long time. The smash patties paired with the pork belly and the sauce was a match made in heaven. My tongue was salivating for bite after bite. I'm glad we chose this spot for lunch. Definitely a cute area as well if you're visiting the beach. read more

264 Fresco - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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3.5 stars Indoor and outdoor seating available. We were seated outdoors (tented) and enjoyed the ocean air (only a block away). Service was friendly and attentive throughout our stay. Crispy Brussels Sprouts ($15): Served in a small cast iron skillet with pancetta, agrodolce sauce (slightly sour/sweet sauce), and topped with cheese. Good portion size for sharing though the sauce did make the bottom brussels sprouts quite soggy by the time you got to it. Short Rib Pappardelle ($27): Thickly cut noodles served in beef jus, mushrooms and cheese. Short rib was tender and portion was good, but the dish was overly salty with every bite. Overall, food was subpar but I did enjoy the ambiance and for a restaurant so close to the beach, pricing was considerably fair. We were able to find street parking without any issues around 5:30pm but it does seem a bit more challenging during prime peak hours. read more

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Our go-to restaurant every time we're in Carlsbad! Good Italian restaurant to bring the kids too! Lots of pizza & pasta choices to choose from. Truffle fries are super delish & a must if you dine here! They have $8 valet parking right next door to the left of the restaurant. Great service & a cute little cozy ambiance! :) read more

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The restaurant was easy to find. I was very pleased to see that they have their own private lot. I came around lunch time on a beautiful day so I met up with my friend & we ate outside on the deck. The servers are nice, gave good recommendations, & were attentive. DRINKS La Vita Bella- My girlfriend ordered this & she liked it. It was a tequila & pineapple cocktail mix giving a refreshing taste Hibiscus Mezcalita-I loved this. I almost got the same drink as my girlfriend, but the server told me it was one of the more popular drinks so I got this one instead. It did not disappoint! FOOD Truffle Parmesan Fries- This was pretty good. I give it a 4 out of 5. It was like any other truffle fries, not exceptionally impressive, but not bad. My daughter liked it too. Chicken Caesar Salad- My girlfriend enjoyed this. The greens were super crisp, fresh, & the chicken was cooked well. Short Rib Pasta- This was amazing, 5/5. I asked the server which pasta was most popular & she said this one. I was worried that the short rib would be a little heavy, but it wasn't. It was flavorful & pasta was served al dente. I can't wait to come back & order this dish again! read more

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My friend and I found this cute spot while on a little staycation in Carlsbad! There's so much seating both indoor and outdoor. The rooftop area is super cute and has great views! Plenty of parking on the street and in the lot. We were seated right away, service was great, and food was delicious!!!! Definitely recommend if you're in the area. Food review: Pinot Grigio: (2/5) I wasn't a fan of it. I can't put my finger on it. Wouldn't order again. Lychee cocktail: (3/5) Drink was very lemon forward and the lychee flavor was very subtle. Rosemary Focaccia: (5/5) OMG this was soo delicious with the whipped butter. Lasagna: (5/5) This was a huge slice and super tasty! There was a little savory/sweetness to it. I loved it. Definitely recommend. Pepperoni pizza: (4/5) The crust was a little too hard and burnt in my opinion. Overall, the pepperonis were delicious and the hot honey was a nice touch! Shareable but also can be personal pizza too depending how hungry! read more

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Really sweet place for a 1st date or try something new to impress your girl. Date night type vibe. Service is accommodating with full bar and good wine choices. Fresh bread by order but homemade. Carbonara is always a hit. I had the sea bass it was a good size piece the only thing is i wish the fish wasn't so thick. I feel it was less tender because of the cut. Otherwise still an amazing beach vibe being able to feel the ocean breeze from your seat. read more

Solo date with my dog. Dined Al fresco. Got lucky with street parking. Conveniently located near the beach. I ordered the short rib pappardelle dish which tasted like a beef mushroom stroganoff with noodles. I read previous reviews about this dish being salty so I had requested to have the cheese on the side and make it less salty. It wasn't too bad, just underwhelming for its price tag. Service was quite disappointing. The hostess pointed to where I was going to sit, rather than actually walk me to the table, not far away from where she was posted. There wasn't a line behind me and I had to confirm that I was going to the right table. I had to request one of the customers to move for me as I would've bumped by the stairs. My server was nice but I had to raise my hand for attention to request chili flakes. He really didn't check up on me until the end; wasn't sure if he was on break. I skipped dessert. Not sure if I plan to give this place another chance. read more

264 Fresco - Short Rib Pappardelle - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Nice restaurant on the fancier side in terms of atmosphere and decoration. Service was great and really friendly and they gave us a free dessert with a candle for my friend's birthday. Food was kind of average though Calamari: 3/5. Definitely too salty and had to eat it with the sauce to balance out the saltiness Spaghetti pomodoro: Grilled shrimp was really good but the portion overall was kind of small for the price and the pasta was undercooked I don't have photos but we also ordered two pizzas and I thought they were too doughy and the crust took up like 1/3 of the pizza so there wasn't that much sauce or toppings read more

264 Fresco - spaghetti pomodoro - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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2 words; Chicken Parm! I mean, this thing is big, hearty and delicious so I highly recommend it! Also, the location is awesome and they have a rooftop deck with attentive bartenders and a bit of an ocean view. This restaurant is one of a kind in carlsbad village. read more

264 Fresco - Bar upstairs - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Beautiful restaurant. Great service. Mediocre food. - Margarita pizza: 2. Honestly the worst I've had at an Italian restaurant - lasagna: 3.5. could have been a 4 if it came with sauce - short rib w/ polenta 3.5: very generous portion of meat but it was overcooked (a bit drier/harder than it should have been). Polenta was delicious but there was only 2 tablespoons of it. Recommend they serve 2-3x more polenta read more

Such a lovely experience and the food was AMAZING. Firstly, our server was awesome, Im so sad I forgot his name, maybe Jose? But we sat at the rooftop and were happy to find the wine was half off. My friend and I split a bottle of wine, had some delicious Brussel sprouts as an appetizer, and the absolute best gnocchi I have ever had. We finished it off with a cannoli. We had a stunning view of the sea and had a great time all around! read more

264 Fresco - Dinner - Italian Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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My first experience at this restaurant is with a group of my medical colleagues of approximately 150 people for dinner. The conference sponsored this dinner and except for the few dietary restrictions that were handled wonderfully, everyone received the same series of entrées in family style form. The dinner was on a Friday night starting at 6 PM during the Valentine weekend, so most businesses were very busy. Recognizing this, we all took limousine buses down to the location so parking wasn't an issue. I gave the Resturant a call ahead of time whether I could drive my own car at 4 PM and find parking. They said that their parking lot was already full and to avoid the area for parking at all cost during this holiday weekend. That was good advise. We were given the main center ground floor restaurant area with Bar, and we were immediately greeted and offered drinks and allowed to set anywhere we wanted to in this closed off area. Servers were all exceptionally nice, courteous and responsive for the large group they were dealing with. Seating was setup for groups of 6 to 12/table. The best way to describe my experience is to grade everything served on a scale of zero to ten, 10 being A+ and 0 being avoid. Portion sizes varied greatly which makes no sense to me and should concern anyone hosting a large group. That is something I would address upfront with the Resturant. My table ended up with 4. I had one colleague that was allergic to garlic and another one that could not eat beef. The issue of avoiding garlic in the dishes served was a problem starting right off with the bread, olive oil and balsamic dip. One said there was no garlic in the Focaccia, only rosemary and olive oil, the other said there was garlic in the bread. There is garlic baked into the bread. I tasted it and we avoided that event. The Focaccia was an 8/10 (see pic). Next their Crispy Brussel Sprouts, the smallest Brussel sprouts I have ever seen. I gave them a 6/10. Next was a Insulata di Noci, serving was way too small for the table, rating 7/10. Next was Ravioli Bolognese, again, a small serving for 4 people, but an 8/10 (see pic). We then were served a half-eaten plate of pork belly cubes (see pic). That is how we received it, shocking....and a 6/10 (and it was not on the menu, so not sure if it was just something shared with the group specially, so this rating may be taken completely out of context). We then had 2 dishes of Short Rib Pappardelle and one dish of Ricotta Gnocchi. Both were a 9/10 and I would order those two dishes again. Bottom-line, great service, great location, parking challenges, can handle large groups inside and outside. As for italian, it is a typical beach Resturant and overall, food for the price is good. read more

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