Eldy - you are the salt of this earth - the way service used to be I came here two years after coming here for the first time on Valentine's Day. Now with my wife & daughter. What a gift of a place. 10 tables inside. Small service. Simple people. One page menu. Seafood pasta - all you need to know Calamari also fantastic Truly a gem. My daughter had her first taste of fresh lemon here. This is my spot. My home now. Protect at all costs read more

This was our first visit as we wanted Italian and also constantly see this place PACKED, inside and outdoor dining! We arrived around 7:00pm on a weeknight with a minor wait (basically waiting for the early patrons to finish and staff to clean tables). The place isn't really big, so I think coming at staggered time will help. (The demographic we saw that day are aunt-uncle age, young families -- all tend to prefer early dining versus late.) While we were waiting we were able to see what people were ordering, eating. We were caught off guard that they also have day specials - so we decided to get those (lamb and chilean sea bass). The meal came with complementary focaccia bread, salad, and pasta. It was all very fulfilling with leftover work lunch to spare! The price for this "combo" and portions given were very reasonable (we think) compared to bigger chain restaurants. The Chilean sea bass was 2 fillets (odd shaped, maybe that's why they gave 2), $4x with bread, salad, pasta side. The lamb was cooked to requested temp and was 5 pieces, $4x with bread, salad, pasta side. We both only ate about half our pasta sides so that we can 100% finish our actual entree, that's how deep/generous the pasta bowl was! We were able to fill up 2 takeout small black circle containers - perfect for lunch if you add your own leftovers protein! (Or TV dinner leftover for 1 person) My husband paid, so I didn't know the exact itemized prices. Will definitely come again! read more

Barolo Cafe - Day specials: Chilean Sea Bass, Lamb Chops - both come with pasta side, choice of white (garlic/olive oil) or red sauce (marinara) - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

Great food love the "old man" lol just like Sundays in the old days Try the seafood pasta its the best off menu don't ask for cioppino with pasta its seafood pasta read more

There's patio seating with shade and also indoor seating if you prefer. I suggest calling in a table or a reservation since the place got busy around dinner time. The owner says if you come on the right days, the Anaheim Ducks also have dinner here too! The service here is SO nice. The waiters are all very friendly and continuously talk to you throughout the night. They upsold me and my family on dessert at the end which we enjoyed. I think the food could've come out a little faster, but the restaurant was busy and booked up! The complimentary bread is delicious when it's fresh out the oven. It's very buttery on its own, and there's onions baked into it which give great flavor. The house salad was fresh and crunch, but we agreed the dressing is a little salty. We had mixed reviews about the pastas. Overall they were all very good and the portion size is fantastic and affordable. We agreed some of our plates like the Shrimp Scampi were perfect but others like the clam pasta and the pesto pasta need more flavor. The tiramisu is very good. It's light and not overly sweet. We enjoyed the tartness of the fruit. The macchiatos are a nice way to end the meal. read more

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Ok, this is arguably the BEST Italian restaurant in OC combined with reasonably priced food and wine. I love their complimentary bread and salad (which is rare these days at restaurants). Everything on the menu is excellent including their pork chops and seafood pasta. Good news, their desserts are equally tasty! Service is always top notch. Highly recommend. read more

Barolo Cafe - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

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For my 2,500th review I share with you Barolo. Unfortunately, it is also a WhereTF have I been, bc Barolo has been in biz a long time. The biz associate who invited me said Barolo is where all the financing guys in OC hang out. It is located in a strip mall off Newport & 6th near Old Town Tustin. Barolo is a quaint place w/ indoor & outdoor seating. I believe the owner's name is Giuseppe, who hails fr Genoa. In any case, he was a super nice guy, and let my associate order off the menu. The host's colleague and I had Chilean sea bass in a lemon caper sauce. My biz associate had pasta w/ calamari in white sauce (not pictured). The sea bass was excellent, and it was a big portion. The fish was moist and paired well w/ the sauce. You can get entrees w/ a side of pasta also. I didn't pay, but most of the entrees I saw on the menu were approximately $20. The servers were super friendly and nice. You really feel at home here, similar to a trattoria in Italy. I golf w/ some business colleagues occasionally nearby. I will have to remember Barolo the next time I am in the area for an after golf dinner. read more

Barolo Cafe - Chilean sea bass w/ steamed vegetables (eccelente) - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

After picking up a few things at Claro's market, I needed to find patio dining nearby so that my dog would be welcomed at dinner. This longstanding Italian place came up on Yelp. My husband, his uncle and I were lucky to get a table when we arrived around 6 as the restaurant was nearly full and they asked if we had reservations. The patio dining area is in the parking lot, but it's sectioned off nicely with some large blinds and the tablecloth covered tables make it feel like an extension of the restaurant. Upon sitting they gave us a basket of focaccia. I liked that the olive oil and balsamic dispenser was on the table and we didn't need to ask. Barolo's menu was not too overwhelming with just two pages and one being solely for wine/drinks. For food, I ordered the angel hair shrimp, my husband ordered the chicken piccata and his uncle got the meat ravioli. I liked that the meals came with a house salad and that the server brought over a bowl of Parmesan. I added a lot of Parmesan to my salad and entree. I liked the shrimp in my dish and my husband liked his chicken and the sauce, but found the red pasta bowl that came with it an odd choice. The pasta and sauce were fine, but the flavors didn't combine right with the plate of chicken. Overall the food was good, but nothing made us feel that we need to return right away, however I can see why this place is such a neighborhood staple. The service was great the entire time. I appreciate that they brought out water for our dog and it seemed that all the waiters were happy working there. read more

Barolo Cafe - Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

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I came here with a couple of friends for the very first time a while ago, and it was very homey and delicious. Our waiter was super friendly, treated us very well. Appetizers: - mozzarella caprese: nice and fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes! - scampi al vino bianco: slightly overcooked when we got it, but the sauce was amazing! Mains: - fettuccine bolognese: the sauce was one of my favorite bolognese sauces i've ever had, rich and hearty like they said. the pasta had a nice texture to it, and will definitely be getting it again. - cioppino kind of pasta: we weren't able to catch the name of it, but it was one of the specials! it had mussels, clams, salmon, sea bass, and was in a nice light and seafood-flavor filled sauce with spaghetti noodles. would definitely recommend asking for it! Dessert: - house made tiramisu: nice and light, a nice balanced coffee and sweetness read more

Barolo Cafe - fettuccine bolognese, cioppino-like pasta - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

One of the best Italian meals I've had outside of Italy! I can't believe we haven't been here sooner. I've lived here my whole life. If I can give this place more than five stars I would! The service was excellent! The host was super friendly and our waiter and everyone was just great. It's a very quaint and charming little family restaurant. It's not a very big place so definitely make reservations! You can also see the chef himself (who is Italian) cooking your meals. I just can't say enough from everything that we ate tonight from the bread, to the salad to the main course to dessert was just 10 out of 10! And I have family that live in Luca Italy, and they would 100% approved this place! I've had my share of an Italian restaurant here in the states, but this is probably the favorite! I love that they have a gluten-free pasta option for me because I can't have gluten. It was delicious! They custom made a meal for my husband because he said he wanted to have sausage with meat sauce and rigatoni and they just made it for him. I love the house balsamic vinegar that they make because it was the best thing that I've ever had. I wanted to take a bottle of it home. It was so good on the house salad! And the dessert menu needs a moment for itself. It is two pages long and there are pictures! That was impressive. I got the dairy free coconut gelato and it was out of this world. My husband got the lemon dessert and he said it was delicious. We had one of the best dates we've had in a long time with the best food! We cannot wait to make this our regular place. Highly highly recommend! read more

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Adorable family style Italian restaurant with some good authentic options! To start off with, the bread was outstanding to start the meal. We enjoyed the side salads before then splitting the Fettuccine Bolognese and the Linguine Cardinale. Both were delicious and very large portions. It was fun to be able to see the kitchen and the servers were great! read more

This is my second time going to Barolo Cafe for dinner. But my husband has been going here for a while and absolutely loves their salmon dish. I ordered a vegetarian fusilli pasta, absolutely perfect, sitting outside-the ambience was great, service???? can't beat it. Absolutely, this place will be a regular dinner place for our family read more

I've always been curious about this place whenever I pass by on my way to 7 Leaves, and I'm so glad I finally decided to give it a try. I walked in without a reservation and was seated almost immediately. I ordered the Ravioli alla Vodka, which came with complimentary focaccia bread served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, along with a side salad. The olive oil and balsamic vinegar were delicious, and the balsamic vinaigrette on the salad was especially tasty. The focaccia bread was quite good as well, topped with roasted onions. The ravioli was cooked perfectly and very well seasoned, with a generous amount of ricotta filling. The light tomato cream sauce was rich and flavorful without being heavy. The portion was large enough that I even had leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day. The ambiance was very cozy with a relaxing, welcoming vibe. read more

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Authentic food, family friendly, and huge portions. Been coming here more lately and their dishes were so good. The staff are friendly and they all help each other out to bring food to their guests. Great selection of wine, and the portions are big enough for sharing and bringing left overs home. Can't go wrong with their pastas, and their fish dishes were pretty yummy as well. Recommend giving them a try read more

Barolo Cafe - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

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Excellent seafood pasta with clams & shrimps. Great service and very efficient. Always busy ambiance as usual and still great service. read more

Barolo Cafe - Seafood pasta - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

The service! The food! The ambiance! All 5 We love Barolo! What keeps us coming back though, are the servers and chefs. You can feel the love in their food and service. read more

Marco treated us to a wonderful experience and our first time at Barolo Café. We were the first ones in at 5 PM on Sunday. After being seated, we immediately offered the specials menu, which is a long list. The tender beef short rib is highly recommended. The seafood stew contains salmon, Seabass, and large shrimp all in an oversized bowl. This will be our meal for 2 more days. Not pictured is the wonderful cannoli that we took to go. We are fortunate to find this restaurant even though they've been around for 33 years. Definitely a return trip is needed. read more

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Lowkey Italian spot in Tustin. Same parking lot as Kean's Coffee and Gen KBBQ. It's a big parking lot, but it's almost always full. I was actually trying to eat at OkiDoki, but the wait was two hours on a Saturday. We walked across the parking lot to Barolo to get Italian instead. We were pleasantly surprised. I saw the olive oil/balsamic vinegar bottles on each table, and I was so amused. It's a great invention. Our server was chatty but mindful. The menu was extensive; it was hard to choose. I like that the pasta and main dishes are served with a salad, which tasted so good! They gave us a big basket of bread, which was super toasty and almost hard. It tasted so good, I was eating like 4-5 pieces before the main dishes came out. I got the veal sorrento. It was delicious. The pasta that came with it was also tasty. It was a big portion for $27.95. I wish I saved room for dessert because they had a pretty big dessert menu too. Indoor + outdoor seating available. Credit card/Apple Pay accepted. Bathroom is past the kitchen. No Wifi. read more

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This is a nice little Italian restaurant with friendly service. They have indoor and outdoor seating. I went with the pork chop special. The chop is covered with a mushroom sauce, and comes with a side pasta. You also get a salad and a basket of bread. The chop was delicious, I really loved the mushroom sauce. The side spaghetti was a large portion. I like using the bread to soak up everything from the plate. You will leave here with a happy tummy. read more

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Eating the food at Barolo Cafe is like being transported back to eating in Italy; delicious, authentic, amazing! We've been here twice now (thanks Patrick from Orange Toyota for recommending!) and I had the generously portioned lasagna and my husband had the giant platter of risotto with calamari, clams, mussels, shrimp, etc. Both were outstanding. The dessert choices are more than Ive seen anywhere before--we had the vanilla gelato with chocolate chips and chocolate sauce. The prices are very reasonable, the server was efficient, friendly and humorous (true Italiano). We will be back soon--with friends...all the way from Carlsbad! It's worth the drive. read more

Easily my newest favorite Italian restaurant around... Ordered take out and am excited to actually get to dine in next time. Great staff, adorable environment, and phenomenal food imo. I ordered the sea bass with pasta and Fettucine con scampi e funghi to share between me and my wife, needless to say we were so happy. Next time you are craving delicious pasta, this an absolute must try. I came on a Friday evening and they were pretty packed so just keep that I mind, small location serving mouth watering food. read more

Food: Barolo absolutely hits the mark with their traditional Italian cuisine. My favorite staple is the Fettuccine Bolognese. The noodles are cooked to a perfect al dente every time and the sauce has a good balance between acidity, salty and savory. They provide a complimentary basket of bread which comes out warm, soft with a nice crust. Their bruschetta also wonderful if you like Tomato's. While not quite authentic Italian, the Calamari are lightly breaded, a good combination of crisp with a good bite in the center. I have also tried their various meat dishes such as the pork chop and their other pasta dishes which have been nothing short of stellar. The Spumoni is a nice sweet finish to end dinner. Service: They are always so nice and accommodating. Great wine recommendations and always so quick to address any issues you might have with the food. They never leave you hanging and make sure you have a great experience. Atmosphere: they have really updated their outdoor dining experience. During covid it was tables in a giant tent and they now have a fully built outdoor dining patio which accommodates larger parties. The inside provides a more intimate and personal, cozy atmosphere. Plenty of parking. Good place for business meetings or a date. I highly recommend this place! read more

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If you want classic, authentic, quality Italian food, then this is your place. Barolo is a GEM. We came here with about 8 other friends on 4th of July and it was packed. We were accommodated and there were so many gluten free and vegan/vegetarian options. As someone who is gluten-free and vegan (with an egg allergy) I was so excited that there were options for me to eat comfortably and with pleasure. The owners and staff are just wonderful. So friendly and warm (treat everyone like family) and the atmosphere is just lovely. There is patio seating as well but it was nice to watch the chefs cooking inside. Let the pictures of the food speak for themselves. Just delicious. One other thing to note is that your money goes FAR here. The portions are HUGE and just so generous especially for what you pay. Such a good deal. I left stuffed and comfortable. Honestly cannot wait to come back. I live in LA and would drive down just to come back here! read more

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I had the linguine alle vongole, and it was absolutely amazing. It was lacking in salt though, so I doused the plate with as much parmigiano as I could. The complimentary bread is a quick focaccia with some onions for taste. It pairs pretty well with the EVOO/balsamic that they leave at every table. I would skip the calamari next time. It was fried quite nicely, but didn't come with lemon wedges that were desperately needed, and didn't seem to be salted at all before being plated. The server, who I think is part of the family business, was absolutely on top of everything. He caught a dish with the wrong noodle as part of a customer's request before it ever reached the table. We will definitely return for the amazing pasta, but maybe we'll get a more traditional appetizer next time instead of the calamari. read more

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Came here for my boy's graduation. Great service and fantastic food. The complimentary bread is so good! We decided to bypass an appetizer to enjoy the bread. I got the farfalle with pesto and chicken which was great. My wife had the ravioli with vodka sauce. We split the tiramisu and it completed a great meal read more

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I have been in this shopping center many times but never tried out this small family restaurant before. Definitely a hidden gem hiding in plain sight. I tried one of the specials, salmon poached with butter, lemon and capers. Wow, this was amazing and considering that my dish was two large pieces of salmon a steal at the price they set. A salmon dish half the size would have been about the same price at other popular restaurants. Also, the home made bread was fantastic, could go there just for that. Ambiance was very much what you would expect in this type of small family place, very cozy and quaint. Another good sign was that many people, staff and customers, were speaking Italian. I always take that as good sign of authenticity. read more

My guy Dale told me about this place... and are. You. Kidding. Me!? Easily the best Italian food I've had in OC, maybe ever. Not sure, it's currently the next day as I'm typing this and I'm still processing it. Anyways, for sure the best cannoli I've ever had. Tiramisu is unbelievable. Pasta incredible. Giuseppe is a master at his craft. Highly recommend. read more

A very good spot for Italian food in the Tustin area. They have both indoor and covered outdoor seating available. You can see partially into the kitchen which also adds to the experience. They have fairly good service and they always have specials on the menu. The items on the daily special menu usually stay about the same, but they are always very good. Everything that we ordered was full of flavor and was cooked perfectly. The portion sizes are fairly large and their dishes are great for sharing. It's not always listed on the daily special menu, but we their seafood pasta is one of the best options that they have. The fish is always cooked well and is never dry. It's also packed with an extremely generous amount of all different types of seafood. The calamari was light and crispy and the bruschetta was covered in bright and fresh tomatoes. The pork chop was cooked well and came with a side of either vegetables or pasta. The bolognese had a very hearty sauce and the pasta was cooked al dente. We finished our meal with a spumoni bomba and the dark chocolate shell complimented the ice cream really well. I've really enjoyed everything that I've tried from their menu and I always look forward to the leftovers that we bring home. read more

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So happy. Two for lunch. We had chopino to share and we still took some home. We only added an extra salad. Bread with oil and vinegar and a salad to start and tiramisu to finish with a cup of coffee. The service was impeccable with table cloths and glass. Nicely appointed. read more

Barolo Cafe - Just like italy. Warm and amazing food. - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. I have heard so much about this place so I was excited to finally get the opportunity to try it out. We didn't have reservations as tables were supposed to be on a first come, first serve basis, so it was a surprise when we arrived and there was a reservations list. We got seated outside and as we were putting in our orders, I told our server that we were celebrating a birthday. He ignored me and walked away before I could finish the sentence which was incredibly awkward. Throughout the evening, our server came to drop off our food and take away our plates, we didn't get a check in outside of that. I noticed that they were very cordial with other tables so it gave us the impression that they have a preference for regulars. We ordered calamari to start, seafood pasta, and linguini vongole. The entrees came with a side salad and we were given complimentary bread. The bread was a foccacia so we expected it to be soft and fluffy. It was dry and a bit hard instead. Such a shame because their olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping was really good. The side salad had a nice, fresh tasting dressing, but it had a soggy texture. Calamari- This was decent. I would have liked a bit more crisp on the exterior but the inside was nice and chewy. Seafood pasta- It was loaded with fish and clams and the portions were huge which I appreciate. The pasta was perfectly cooked. However, it lacked flavor. I would have liked a bit more shrimp on mine since my friend who ordered the same item got several whereas I only had one piece. Linguini Vongole- I once more appreciate the generous serving and the copious amount of clams that came with the pasta. The sauce, however, was on the bland side and needed more flavor. I was really looking forward to dining here but I wasn't impressed with the food and the service was lackluster. It felt like you have to know someone to be welcomed. It didn't help that we were celebrating a special occasion. read more

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I love the high quality food and fresh seafood at Barolo Cafe. My lunch special seabass were grilled to perfection and the salad and pasta were the perfect complements to our lunch. The staff were friendly and attentive. The ambiance was of a cute mom and pop Italian restaurant with outdoor seatings and indoor too. Highly recommended! read more

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We moved to Tustin in 1991. Hubby doesn't remember that we've had dinner at Barolo in the past. A few weeks ago, we had a late Saturday night dinner. We were seated immediately at a nice table near the kitchen. The place is small with about 10 tables inside and several outdoor tables. Our dinners included a generous house salad and a full basket of homemade focaccia. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar are available on the table for dipping. Hubby's Linguine Vongole had a delicious white wine sauce. I was given a choice of options for the risotto. I selected seafood, and a huge, beautiful plate filled with clams, mussels, calamari, fish, and shrimp arrived. The white wine sauce for my dinner was more subtle. I enjoyed the leftovers for a couple of meals at home. Our dessert was a creamy tiramisu. Friendly wait staff with ample parking in the shopping center. The only disappointment is that they close between 2 and 5pm during the week. read more

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Great little hole in the wall gem. Spotted it with a line out the door on the weekend and felt I needed to come try it out! Sonia was our waitress and she was so nice to connect with and guide us toward customer favorites. We went with the pesto chicken bow tie pasta, lamb chops which were very good, short ribs special and the seafood pasta special. Highly recommend getting the calamari frittata to start, lamb chops and short ribs, tiramisu for dessert. Everything is made In house and service was great!! I'll be back! read more

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This little neighborhood gem offers fantastic pasta and wine. Food and service was excellent..family friendly neighborhood restaurant They get quite busy in the evening so make sure you either make an appointment or come early! read more

Marco was excellent. Everything we ordered, sea bass, pesto chicken fusilli, calamari, pork chop was delish. The spumone is amazing

Just don't get the tiramisu, it's a mushy mess of mostly cream, not enough main ingredients. Food is 3 star, service is 4 star. Friendly and fast service. read more

Barolo Cafe - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted warmly and seated quickly. The atmosphere was cozy with just the right amount of buzz -- perfect for a casual dinner or a date night. The tortellini bartaluchi was flavorful and rich without being too heavy. You could tell the pasta was fresh, and the sauce had a great balance of creaminess and spice. The lasagna was good too hearty, comforting, and full of flavor, with layers of tender pasta, well-seasoned meat, and just the right amount of cheese. It had that homemade feel that's hard to come by. Service was attentive, and the staff made us feel well taken care of without being overbearing. read more

Authentic Italian Gem in Tustin Barolo Cafe is a true hidden gem. Cozy, unpretentious, and genuinely authentic--this place feels like a little slice of Italy. The food is fresh, perfectly prepared, and full of classic Italian flavor, and the service is warm and welcoming. If you're craving real Italian cuisine in a relaxed neighborhood setting, this spot is a must. Five stars, no question. read more

The food was delicious, service was amazing and the ambiance was super cute! I can't wait to be back! A hidden gem for sure!

Phenomenal! This dish was bursting with flavor! The salmon was tender and juicy with the perfect amount of citrus and capers! So good! Service is amazing and the starter bread is a must try. Veggies have a great texture with still crunch in the bite but cooked through. Yum! read more

Barolo Cafe - Salmon - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

The seafood pasta I ordered is very delicious! The portion size is huge. A mom and pa restaurant with a very reasonable price. Will for sure come back. read more

Barolo Cafe - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California