This place is one of my favorite Italian places in the area where the food is just always a…read morecraving. I love their spicy vodka rigatoni and the hot honey & prosciutto pizza is one of my favorites. I will say I'm not a huge al dente person so sometimes the noodles are a bit too al dente for me but I still love the dish itself that I always reorder! The atmosphere is so nice and it's perfect for a date, families, or just a nice dinner! The service here is great, sometimes a little slow on busier days, but they are always super sweet.

First time here and last time…read more We were greeted at the door by a young man who checked our reservation and led us to a table. The tables for two are so small that you can only get two plates and a fork and then run out of room. We like to share so we always place some plates in the middle - we asked for a table for four - barely large enough for us as we looked at the tables and the young man switched to "snit mode" and took offense as he explained why - in a restaurant full of empty tables - they needed the tables for four to be available. We insisted and prevailed but not without a definite signal that we were now "on his shit list" of new customers. The server was excellent very attentive. Only disappeared once for 15 minutes but then showed up again (thank you Megan) and never lapsed again. The table arrangement tipped us off immediately. The tables were arranged in "rack and stack" mode with tables set side by side with only barely enough room for someone to pass between tables - a very thin person - and so immediately we saw rows of tables so close as to be uncomfortable. That and the extremely loud music had us getting up to leave almost immediately. It didn't help that the table next to us had three people having a liquid lunch and screaming and laughing at the top of their lungs (I think) perhaps we should have given more notice to the purple and green hair? We couldn't hear each other talk in a normal voice. The server came with menus so we decided to sit and take a look at the menu. Too bad we didn't act on first impressions. We decided to split a vegetable salad - very good and seemed fresh - and a lasagna - the pasta was clearly homemade in the kitchen (very good) and the meat sauce mediocre at best with no flavor and some very hard toast triangles to remind us what 70-year-old teeth feel like when trying to bite concrete for lunch. So a warning....this is not your dark and quiet relaxing Italian Restaurant....they have their own idea and believe me it's not relaxing....they envision stacking people into a very fast and efficient amazingly small table next to hundreds of people who are all competing to be heard across the table....this is kind of like NY Italian....servers one to take your order and other very strong gentlemen to deliver your food. And deliver your food they do very fast and unpleasantly. We might have enjoyed the food more but the loud music persisted and we finally left after ordering dessert - gelato and a cappuccino that we quickly vacated and left behind. Try this one if you must but just be aware that if you're looking for Italian and a relaxing experience you may be disappointed.

The pasta is delicious and house made. I had the truffle pasta and if you like truffle, you should…read moredefinitely get a pasta off the truffle menu. I'm still thinking about it. My friends got the Spaghetti allo Scoglio and Cavatelli Zucchine e Gamberi and they loved theirs too. We came for a birthday and they gave the birthday girl a small single person panna cotta with a candle which was delicious. The restaurant was really cute decor and the staff was super friendly.

Dear Owner, I…read moresincerely hope you take the time to read this because my experience at your restaurant was absolutely unacceptable. Your establishment is genuinely one of the biggest catfishes I have ever experienced. The way your restaurant is advertised online compared to the actual service and food quality is honestly embarrassing. First of all, let's talk about your bald male manager, because I genuinely cannot understand how someone with such a horrible attitude is placed in a management position. His customer service was absolutely nonexistent. He was rude, dismissive, unwelcoming, and completely unprofessional. This man had the personality of a rock, and it genuinely seemed like interacting with paying customers was an inconvenience to him. When I asked him what he would recommend from the menu for our table, he gave us absolutely ZERO suggestions. Not one recommendation, not one helpful answer, not even the slightest effort to guide us through the menu. How are you managing a restaurant when you cannot even recommend something from your own establishment? That is literally one of the most basic parts of working in hospitality. A customer should be able to ask about popular dishes, house specialties, or what the restaurant is known for and receive a helpful response. Instead, we were met with absolutely no enthusiasm, no knowledge being offered, and no interest in helping us. And here comes the most ridiculous part. This same manager adds the biggest tip for himself! I find that absolutely outrageous considering the level of service we received. How can someone put absolutely no effort into providing a pleasant dining experience and then expect to receive the largest gratuity? Tips should be earned through excellent service, not treated as an entitlement. If you are adding gratuities to customers' bills, there should be complete transparency about those charges and where that money is going. Now let's discuss the food. THE CALAMARI WAS UNDERCOOKED. I cannot believe I paid to eat at a restaurant only to be served seafood that did not appear to be properly cooked. That is completely unacceptable. Seafood needs to be prepared carefully, and the last thing a customer should have to worry about after eating at your establishment is whether they might wake up the next morning with food poisoning. Instead of enjoying my evening, I left genuinely concerned about what I had eaten. What makes this entire experience so frustrating is that none of these expectations are unreasonable. I was not asking for special treatment, free food, or anything extraordinary. I simply expected properly prepared food, a manager who could offer basic menu recommendations, and respectful customer service. Apparently, even those simple expectations were too much for this establishment. As the owner, you should genuinely be concerned about the impression your management is leaving on customers. Your employees, especially your managers, represent your business. When someone in charge cannot answer basic questions about the menu, treats guests with an attitude, and appears more interested in collecting tips than delivering decent service, it reflects poorly on the entire establishment. I strongly encourage you to review how gratuities are being handled, evaluate your management's approach to customer service, and address the quality control coming out of your kitchen. Nobody should be leaving your restaurant feeling disrespected, disappointed, and concerned about whether their food was safe to eat. Your restaurant might look appealing online, but attractive pictures mean absolutely nothing when the actual experience is this terrible. I spent my hard-earned money expecting a nice dining experience, and instead, I received rude management, zero menu guidance, questionable food preparation, and an experience I would never want to repeat. My advice to your bald manager: Before worrying about receiving the biggest tip, perhaps learn how to provide service that actually deserves one. A management title means absolutely nothing when you cannot demonstrate basic hospitality. I sincerely hope you take these concerns seriously because this was one of the most disappointing restaurant experiences I have ever had. ZERO STARS if I could. I will not be returning, and I certainly would not recommend this establishment based on my experience.

First Time at Il Fornaio We decided to spend our Monday…read morenight date night at Il Fornaio, and it definitely won't be our last! We grabbed seats at the bar, and from the moment we sat down, Mauricio made us feel welcome. He was friendly, attentive, and truly made our first visit memorable. He even topped off the evening with one of the best Il fogato I've had! I ordered the Linguine Mare Chiaro, and it was outstanding. Perfectly cooked linguine with fresh shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels in a light, flavorful tomato broth--it was fresh, comforting, and absolutely delicious. We also tried the Hot Honey Calabrese Pizza from the Happy Hour menu, baked in their wood-fired oven. The crispy crust, spicy Calabrese salami, gooey cheese, and drizzle of hot honey made for the perfect sweet-and-spicy bite. If it's your first time visiting, I highly recommend sitting at the bar and asking for Mauricio. His outstanding service made an already delicious meal even more enjoyable. We'll definitely be back!

Took my wife to Il Fornaio in Irvine for Valentine's Day. She's Italian and loves Italian food, and…read morethe reviews were looking pretty strong, so I figured it was a safe bet. It's right next to the huge Lifetime Fitness, so parking was easy, no circling around or stressing, which is a win on a holiday. The place honestly looked a lot prettier than I was expecting. Great entrance, and we got welcomed right away. They started us off with bread, butter, olive oil and a little balsamic, and it came out fresh, hot and warm, so that was a solid little starter. Now the food was a bit of a mixed bag. My wife got the filetto al vino rosso, the grilled filet with mixed mushrooms and mashed potatoes, and it came out too raw, so we had to send it back. Then we waited quite a while for it to come back, which was kind of surprising for Valentine's Day. When it finally did, the flavor just wasn't there. For a $44 dish you're expecting that buttery cut, that perfect color, that big meaty flavor, and the red wine and mushrooms just did not mix well for us. It was a real bummer. I got the pappardelle alla norcina con pollo, which is the thick pasta with chicken, and mine was really good. The truffle oil was definitely there, which is exactly what I was hoping for, super pungent and flavorful. My wife actually ended up liking my meal more than her own. The service was the saving grace. Our server was extremely sweet, welcoming and patient, and he checked on us two or three times while the steak situation was getting sorted out, which was really nice of him. We felt taken care of even when the kitchen missed. Overall the vibe and the staff were great, the pasta was good, but the filet just didn't hit for the price and the wait was longer than you'd want on a date night. Nothing too special, and the food kind of missed

Food is outstanding…read more I initially intended to order 2 happy hour items and then an entree and pizza to go. Sat down at the bar and watched a little bit of the MLB Playoffs. There's a lot of Happy Hour items and drinks at reasonable prices. An extensive menu. I don't think Ive ordered a pasta dish or meatballs at a restaurant for nearly 5 years but kept debating about the appetizer meatballs. Ordering took longer than expected and I felt uncomfortable so I opted to just pick two items for take-out. The Saporita pizza was phenomenal. It's on par with any pie Ive eaten at a Chef Bianco restaurant. Worth every penny. Quality ingredients and delicious. Irvine has a great pizza and Italian restaurant that does not get talked about nearly enough.

I came here for a work lunch event and I had a great experience. The interior decor and…read morearchitecture exudes a luxe restaurant atmosphere. The servers were quick to attend to our group and take our orders. Since we were a large group, we ordered family style with pizzas all around. My favorite was the prosciutto pizza, which had mozzarella burrata, prosciutto di parma, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. The toppings were cooked well and the aroma was divine. Each bite was delicious from the fresh mozzarella burrata and prosciutto. The crust was baked well with a crispy bite. It was a great time with my co workers and I would come back for primi entrees.

what a beautiful venue and delicious food. but I'll mostly return because of the incredibly…read morefriendly and fun staff. Bartender was attentive, made a delicious lavender ginger gin beverage. And Becah and other wait sgaff were wonderful!!

Nothing changes for me that NY has the best Italian pound for pound in the US. That said, there are…read moregood Italian places in California and this is one of them. First and foremost, it's in Irvine Spectrum which is a HOT MESS getting in and out on a weekend. So just prep for a lot of time to find parking and walking here. But once you get here, the roomy restaurant is eclectic and ultimately a fun place to have dinner as a group. Not great for dates because it's so loud but perfect if you want to have a group dinner. The service is great, with frequent check ins and when our server realized she had given us the wrong dish, she fixed it and gave the other dish on the house with no hesitation. I like that you can order some dishes family style as it brings that Italian family restaurant vibe. We got a pepperoni pizza, the soppressata pizza, the rigatoni bolognese, the bucatini amatriciana, and the whole fish to share amongst 6 of us. I didn't love the pepperoni pizza with the sweet/savory combo but some people love that. I much preferred the soppressata pizza which had tangy, spicy, and meaty flavors all combined with creamy cheese and a just sturdy enough crust. I didn't love the whole fish as the flavor lacked a little but it was a nice break from all the carbs. The bucatini amatriciana is classic in its flavors and a crowd favorite. Perfectly al dente pasta and hearty meaty flavors. The rigatoni was different in terms of contrast in flavors with the brightness and tartness of the lemon contrasting the creaminess of the ricotta. If the pasta had been cooked just a minute longer. All in all, other than the location, it was a fun meal and that's all you can ask for.

We made a reservation the day in advance or 6:30pm on a Friday. We were seated quickly. There's…read moreparking in the structure that you can get validated for 2 hours. I ended up getting the burger option with truffle fries on the menu. The burger was delicious. The cheese was exquisite. I opted for Medium well. The ketchup tasted like it was made in house. Definitely scooped some home for the to-go fries. The dessert drink was a nice night cap and truly felt like drinking a dessert. Beware it can keep you up at night. The Espressor Martini has two options. You can have the regular one with Espresso that's a little old and the second is freshly made Espresso which is more expensive. Sadly the Espresso Martini does not come with any coffee beans. The hostess and server knew we were here to celebrate a birthday. Our server sang happy birthday with us which was cute. She also came over to our table frequently so we were never desperate to get attention and were well taken care of. Highly recommend the Tiramisu dessert. It was enough to split with a table of 4 while attempting being conscious of our a1c.

Cute place tucked next to other restaurants and kind of under a parking structure when you walk…read morethrough the entrance. We are always greeted when walking in and have been regulars here on Mondays. Ellie is our girl that always helps us and has remembered our orders haha I have tried a few varieties of food items here but my go to will always be the burger. Everything else I have tried, I thought was okay. The burger is good and I enjoy what it comes with, see the picture. The garlic truffle fries are delicious and I like that they are thin and crispy. Like that there are two dipping sauce for the fries as I'm not a ketchup girl so the aioli is perfect. Overall food is decent and will recommend the burger!

I've been eyeballing this place for a while now. I usually ride past it when heading to Dainese and…read morethe outdoor decor has always intrigued me. It's full of greenery and beautiful art. I didn't get a chance to see the inside. Even the bathrooms were located outside. Lorenzo was our server last night and even on a Tuesday evening, the place seems to get pretty busy so make sure to make reservations. Lorenzo was excellent in handling his area and made sure we were always taken care of. The tables were often cleaned up as well which was much appreciated. We ordered the Amalfi pizza to share between two. If you're not super hungry and want to have an appetizer or dessert, then the single pizza is a good way to go. My favorite were all the simple flavors of the toppings as well as the well made crust. We will be coming back to try pasta next time around!

Valet parking. The…read morehost was welcoming. Service was okay. Ratings: Rustic bread | 7.8/10 | bread itself is good. The green spread was pretty okay, it would have been better with salt to bring out the flavors. There is a little kick of spice in the spread. Trenta salad | 8/10 | the dressing was nice. Green apples with lemon juice didn't pair well with the salad for me. Granny Smith apples are usually known to be tart and sour already, so adding extra sourness from the lemon makes it overpowering in the salad. I liked the cheese, walnuts, blueberries. Arancini Verdi | 8.8/10 | it was crispy, cheesy, and soft. I would have liked it a bit more hot, but other than that I recommend getting this. Paccheri al pistachio | 9/10 | I've never had pistachio pasta before and I'm not a huge fan of mushrooms, but this was creamy, mushroom flavor, delicious ! The pistachio was like a nice breadcrumb topping that I liked. And they seasoned it well. Spaghetti Alla Carbonara | 4/10 | it was made how we know carbonara pastas to be. It was like scrambled eggs with pasta instead. We were not very impressed when we received this dish. Server was kind enough to switch it out for us. Replaced dish Cacio e pepe | 7/10 | it was better, usually not supposed to have watery sauce, but it was still good. Tartufo al Pistachio | 9.8/10 | I enjoyed this dessert. The pistachio paired very well with the ice cream. Ice cream was hard, usually people don't like their ice cream too hard, but for me it was perfect! The filling was also yummy.

My wife and I are fans of the original Pasta Sisters location in Culver City. Their handmade…read morepastas are delicious, and we were excited to try their location on the border of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. The extraordinary thing about the Pasta Sisters is that they offer house made pastas, which guarantees a higher price point, but offers unparalleled texture. The spaghetti has a "bite" that you get from a true "al dente" pasta. Their cheese tortellini were incredibly rich and cheesy, but a touch salty. The drawback of this location is that it's a ghost kitchen. You order it online and the order will be ready for you when you come in to pick it up. The location does not have seating, and you eat it at your own convenience. If you live/work locally, then this can be definitely worth checking out. Because I live out of town, I have to enjoy it either in my car, after a long drive home, or at my wife's office; however, I want to enjoy these $20 pastas in a restaurant, with wine and good company. A ghost kitchen is very different than a restaurant experience. I hope they do choose to bring their restaurant to the OC one day.

I ordered online for pickup. They're one of the vendors in Costa Mesa Kitchens (ghost kitchen, so…read moreit's takeout only). It was my first time going there, so it's good to know in advance that there are cones set up where you can only enter on Rochester and only exit on Newport (at least that was the case when I went in Oct 2025). Tiny parking lot may be hectic during prime times. There's a touchscreen right inside the front doors where I entered my order info. I then was instructed to check a specific locker right around the corner to pick up my order. My order was ready on time and the food tasted great, but I don't recall the last time I was this upset about the quantity for the price. I ordered four different pasta dishes for an insane $88 as of Oct 2025. The servings were tiny. I probably could've eaten all 4 dishes myself and not even felt sick from overeating. I'll boldly state that if you're an average adult, you will not even be remotely full from one of their offerings. To charge that much for providing so little is criminal.

my first visit a couple years ago when they had just opened! I came in with a bit of skepticism…read moresince I wasn't sure if people came here for the vibes or convenience. They're located in one of the busiest plazas

It was my first time going to Postino Park Place last night, and my girls and I had such a great…read moretime. The ambiance, drinks, food, & friendly service were great! Thank you to Jamie who took such good care of us from the moment we sat down 'til the sun went down lol. We'll definitely be back!

Second time eating here, this time for my Mom's birthday yesterday (10/04). Been showing my family…read morearound the KEI concept restaurants and they absolutely loved it! Everything we ordered was a hit - I personally loved the duck ragu despite some negative reviews I read. Truffle cheese bread: insane. Spicy miso carbonara: chef's kiss. Everyone else's orders were enjoyed too. Will be back for more celebrations in the future! I didn't get the name of our server, but we were seated in the back room with a party of 8, reservation for 11am. Tall, Vietnamese guy served us and made sure we were taken care of; service was wonderful and professional. So thank you to him!

DERICK!! He was the best server and he had great service. He was kind and checked on us a lot…read more Awesome man.