Delicious food & a large variety of choices on the menu. The server, Christopher, was very polite and attentive with a genuine smile on his face the entire time we were there; He also had some nice drink suggestions that helped my wife choose scrumptious drinks. Brio offered an Excellent happy hour menu with some real delicious choices. The ambiance was very enjoyable, both inside & in the outside spacious patio area. We have had many enjoyable dining experiences at Brio this summer. read more

We visited on a Saturday around 11 AM and were able to choose any seat, so we opted for the patio. The restaurant was pretty much empty at that hour. Service was awesome. Our server was super attentive, especially with drink refills, and we never felt forgotten despite being the only ones sitting outside. I really wanted to love my Pasta alla Vodka (ordered without the pancetta), but it was a tad too salty for my taste. My husband ordered the ravioli and felt his dish was a little salty as well. However, we absolutely loved the bread board! The butter, whipped ricotta, and wine salts were delicious. The bread was soft on the inside with a light, toasty crunch on the outside. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered a second board. My husband also ordered the limoncello lemonade, which he thought was just okay. Overall, the service and bread board were definite highlights, though I wish our pasta dishes had been less salty. read more

Brio Italian Grille - Bread Board - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

The hostess and our waitress were both friendly, and we were seated quickly with our reservation. Unfortunately, the service was ridiculously slow. About 15 minutes for a cocktail from an essentially empty bar, followed by nearly an hour for our food! We were told the kitchen was behind, but the restaurant wasn't even that busy. And apparently the complimentary bread from the past is now $6. After making customers wait nearly an hour for their food, you'd think throwing in some bread would be the least they could do?! The staff was nice, but the painfully slow service really ruined the experience. We've had much better visits to BRIO in the past. 2.5 stars. read more

Pretty disappointing. We've eaten at our Brio locations and we've always found this a good option for large party with good and not so expensive options. This location is at the Irvine Spectrum. Since we had a reservation we were seated right away, the waitress was friendly but the rest was not so good. Wine glass was filthy (although waitress did replace it with another one), food took forever to come out, check took forever to get. I ordered the gnocchi Cacio e Pepe but it was bathed in like oil and Parmesan not the peppery flavors I was used to getting. Didn't taste good at all. Calamari was decent but food was just below average. read more

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Brio at the Irvine Spectrum has so much more to offer than just pasta! Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and made for a great meal. We started with the fresh baked bread served with butter, olive oil, and sea salt, along with the spinach and artichoke dip, which was the perfect appetizer. For our entrées, I ordered the lamb chops, which were cooked perfectly and full of flavor, and we also had the Chicken Limone, which was light, tender, and delicious. To finish the meal, we shared the tiramisu, and it was the perfect sweet ending. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere, the service was friendly, and the food exceeded my expectations. If you've only thought of Brio as a place for pasta, it's definitely worth trying some of their other dishes too. I'll definitely be back to explore more of the menu! read more

Brio Italian Grille - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

Came to Brio for happy hour (Monday to Friday, 3 to 6 pm in the bar area or patio) to meet some friends I haven't seen in a while. We sat outside in the patio which was nice overall. However, the table had a loose leg or missing piece and was balanced by a cloth napkin! I don't know who repaired it that way, but that didn't look right at all. It got in the way with my foot. There's a small parking structure right next to the restaurant. It was full and luckily I was near someone walking to their car. I followed him and felt like I was in college again searching for a spot to park. Started off with the red blend wine and she had the sangria. My friend and I shared three appetizers or "bites" $8 each. We had the calamari, which was not good. It was not hot and was full of breading. This quickly got even colder as it was sitting between the aioli sauce and red arrabbiata sauce. Would've made sense to put the sauces in a separate little dipping bowl to prevent the fried food touching cold liquid creating a soggy mess. We also shared the strawberry balsamic chicken salad. It was just alight. While it wasn't terrible, the spring mix salad was drenched with too much dressing. I'd suggest to ask for it on the side and that way you can control the amount. Good thing we also split the burger, which was edible, but not memorable. It was a bit dry and reminded me of food that's heated up. I liked the fries though. Other friends seemed to enjoy their sausage and pepperoni and margherita flatbreads as well as the shrimp and eggplant. Our server was nice and friendly. It was entertaining to see the cute dogs in this dog friendly patio. Not sure if I'd come back. read more

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Wonderful Italian restaurant with lots of different options. The shrimp and eggplant appetizer is a must try, the shrimp are flavor bombs and the eggplant are so crispy and perfectly complementary. They have flatbreads instead of pizza. The entrees are well portioned and made with quality ingredients. Very helpful staff and warm ambiance. read more

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The food was not evenly cooked, especially the risotto. It was a bit clumpy and the shrimp were kind of burnt. My husband liked his spaghetti though. We picked this place because they have a nice beautiful outdoor patio that allows dogs. However, out of all the options, not sure this would be my top choice for Italian. Service was great. read more

Brio Italian Grille - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

I haven't been to Brio in a bit and was impressed by the large menu. All the food we ate was fantastic. They have a large inside and an even better outdoor patio with a fire pit. The service was fantastic as well. The only small negative is with the complimentary birthday sundae, we ended up finding a mushroom in it (kind of weird). read more

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Dinner was fantastic and our service was wonderful! Ask for Christopher G. to be your waiter. He was so gracious and professional. The food was fantastic too. I got the Chicken Marsala per his suggestion. We will definitely come back! read more

Brio Italian Grille - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

Celebrated getting my new car over some great food! All of the stuff we ate was very delicious, fresh in full of flavor. Service, not too much not too little. The place is big full of great Italian smell, wine racks as you enter to an open bar. The kitchen is completely open so you can see how the cooks prepare these awesome dishes! I gotta say Italian is my favorite outside of Japanese food read more

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Food is so good. Service is great. Greeter at the door was so helpful. It a lovely restaurant. read more

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Food excellent Ambiance excellent Service exceptional Shrimp & Eggplant delicious Calamari with 2 different sauce so good read more

Brio Italian Grille - Tropical Cosmo Espresso martinis - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

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Stopped by tonight for Happy Hour. The bartender was also our server. Diego was Great! Super nice guy who provided us with great service! Thank you, Diego! read more

We came on a Monday and this restaurant is quite empty. Which is great because we had a huge group event here. I think I know why it was so empty on a Monday night. Food.. Some food was really delicious, but some ...for the pricing, the portion is not that much. Service is low...We really didn't have enough servers for the amount of food and guests we only had one bartender and I think one server so I thought they were understaffed Parking is free and easy in the building right next-door We had better food at Nep Café and cha-cha Latin kitchen. But if you need space and quieter atmosphere for big groups, this might be the spot. read more

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Brio is one of the better restaurants I've been to serving Italian fare meals. The ambiance is classy and the host great you with smiles the moment you walk in. I have been to this venue a couple times but the most recent experience is my company holiday event The service and food is exceptional, the server came every 15 mins to check up on us. Water refills are automatic. I especially loved the pasta brio. It's loaded with chicken and flavors of red peppers, mushrooms, and spinach. I recommend this place if you ever feel like having Italian. Perfect for a nice family night out or date night! read more

Brio Italian Grille - Pasta Brio - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

Very disappointing experience. I specifically asked for no spicy food, but the eggplant added to my fettuccine Alfredo was spicy, so I couldn't eat it. The Alfredo sauce was extremely thick, and the pasta was not properly cooked. They did offer to replace the dish, which I appreciated, but when I asked for bread, I was told I had to pay extra. I've never been to an Italian restaurant where bread wasn't offered, especially after an issue with the meal. Unfortunately, the food and overall experience did not meet my expectations. read more

First time at Brio for lunch after walking around in the spectrum. We came shortly after opening on a Saturday so there was only one table occupied at the time. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating available as it's a large restaurant. Pasta Brio ($22.99): Rigatoni noodles in a creamy roasted red pepper cream sauce with mushrooms, chicken, red peppers, and spinach. I didn't see any mention of cheese in here but the sauce had a pretty strong cheese taste that was a bit too overpowering for me. Chicken Milanese ($30.99): We were recommended this dish by our server and it was an absolute 10/10. Herb pasta (more like fettuccine Alfredo) topped with two pieces of perfectly breaded chicken and mozzarella. WOW is all we could say after trying a bite of that chicken. A must order!! Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding ($9.99): Wish we didn't get an end piece with the side crust and the bread pudding came out hot as it had a lot of potential. The bread pudding was lukewarm on an ice cold plate. It was however a generous portion of bread pudding + ice cream for the price! Located at the Irvine Spectrum, closer to Fogo De Chao and Mastros. read more

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The service though nice was slow, even with the restaurant not being fully sat. Not a big rave within our party about their dishes except for a shout out about the salmon. Salt and pepper were put on the table, which my pasta was in need of, wasn't placed on the table till halfway way through the lunch. This wasn't my pick. read more

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Had a generous welcome gift ($30 off $50) to use at Brio. Have not been here in so long (over 7 years perhaps). The staff provided friendly and attentive service. The server was knowledgeable and provided good recommendations. We had a question on how the Tuscan pork chops were prepared and actually appreciated that the Chef came out which helped us make our decision. We are "trying" to eat smaller portions these days (for health reasons) so we opted for 2 antipasti: Tender Lamb Chops w Gorgonzola crust and marsala sauce and the Shrimp and Eggplant. Both were excellent choices. I've been on a mission lately to compare Lamb Chops and so far 4 places that I've had them were all excellent. It really boils down to how tender the meat is. I wasn't sure what to expect with the gorgonzola crust and our server made sure to mention - if you like gorgonzola (which we do), then it is a great choice. The only request I will make for next time is for less garlic on the side of spinach. The crispy eggplant with shrimp was a revelation. Perfectly-crisped eggplant with pan-seared shrimp in a black pepper cream sauce was delicious. read more

Brio Italian Grille - Gorgonzola Lamb Chops - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

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Came 9/17/2025 Food: 2/10. The food was awful. Here are some pointers. 1. Stale chips with the artichoke dip 2. The $56 NY strip steak was tough and bland. Tasted like a $10 steak 3. I ordered a $10 side of asparagus. 12-13 measly, skinny sticks came out. 4. Fried shrimp and eggplant was way too salty. 5. $40 porkchops were tough and bland. Only good dish was the shrimp risotto appetizer at $16. I cannot emphasize enough how bad the food was and how poor the value I felt that I got was, ESPECIALLY the $10 side of asparagus (picture attached). Service: 8/10 good. They only have one waiter working a large section of a dinner shift so goes to show the state of the restaurant. I forgot her name but she was nice and prompt. Tried her best. Meanwhile managers are on their phones and talking amongst each other. Ambiance: 6/10 Olive garden? A little sterile, outdated. Open kitchen which is cool. Not much to be said here. At least it was clean. Overall: Would never come again until they revamp the menu, lower prices, and make the food better. What a joke the steak and asparagus were. read more

Brio Italian Grille - 9/17/2025 $10 side of asparagus. Only about 12 pieces. Total ripoff. - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

Loved the atmosphere at this spot, and we opted for the "Dinner for Two" fixed menu. The meal started off strong with a fresh, crisp salad and ended nicely with a delicious crème brûlée. Unfortunately, the main course--the Crispy Lemon Chicken--was a total disappointment. Despite a promising menu description, it was almost entirely a rock-hard, over-fried crust with virtually no actual chicken inside. Great ambiance and solid starters and desserts, but I definitely cannot recommend the Crispy Lemon Chicken. read more

Brio Italian Grille - Crispy Lemon Chicken - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

Enjoyed a quick dinner at Brio's with my daughters after a Back-2-School shopping trip @ the Spectrum. Food tasted great and my favorite was their Lobster Bisque. Our server was attentive and checked on our table throughout our meal. Definitely will be back! read more

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First the place is beautiful with clean bathrooms. And the service is very much some of the best I've seen. Very courteous and kind and helpful. And the food is sublime. Shrimp, lobster fettuccine is just a decadent as it looks. Cooked to perfection. These guys worked as a well orchestrated team and we absolutely loved it. Will definitely come back read more

Brio Italian Grille - Lobster & Shrimp Fettuccine - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

I rarely write reviews, whether I'm asked to or not but this experience was not your typical experience especially with a large party of over 20. They nailed it. From calling on a Saturday for the party to be on the following Sunday. From given 1 hour to decorate and having a long table for everyone to sit together. From the manager Edgar making it so easy and being so accommodating. The energy was excellent from the first call to the last step out the door. Christopher was our waiter and he handled all 25 of us with ease. No complaints, no waiting a long time. He even got everyone their drinks, extra bread. He was amazing. Speaking with Edgar and the Chef and Katie on the phone asking questions and they took so much stress away and made the evening a memorable evening that we will never forget. If you are looking to do a large party or even just enjoy great customer service and food, Brio is the place to go for Italian food. Right at the Irvine spectrum and easy to get to from valet and parking structure, just the closest building next to the parking structure. Food is excellent, service was incredible and the staff there at Brio are so respectful and accommodating! Thank you Brio, for your help to make our evening stress free!!! read more

Brio Italian Grille - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

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Food was Amazingly delicious, in a very elegant restaurant with great ambiance!! Great service Emilio Greated us kindly and brought Our orders in a tímely manner. I will definitely be back soon. Especially for the Tiramisu dessert i can't stop thinking about. read more

Attentive service from Evangeline tonight. We tried the Winter Al Forno specials tonight and tried the PIZZA TORINESE $9.99 on and the BAKED GAMBERI FETTUCCINE $20.99. The pasta had nice ingredients and was a great value for the price. The pizza was good flavor but us super thin crust and not enough cheese...tasted more like a flatbread. We had a coupon from joining their email club tonight, so it was an amazing deal. read more

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Came on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. Upon arrival, there was no one at the hostess stand so we did have to wait about 5 minutes however, we were able to get seated immediately after the hostess returned. Despite the restaurant being only a quarter full, service was slow. Complimentary bread is provided which was a nice touch however, the exterior of the bread was a bit burnt and really tough to bite so we only were able to enjoy the interior of the bread. We opted for the "Grilled Chicken Marsala" ($30.99) and the "Sausage Rigatoni Arrabbiata" ($26.99). I enjoyed the sauces of both dishes however, they were a bit on the slightly salty side (which I didn't mind). Standard good Italian food, but slow service and the prices felt a bit stiff for the the value of the food. read more

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We ordered the new York cut with mash potatoes and veggies, so delicious! Meat cooked perfect medium rare! My neighbor had a chicken dish and some ordered pasta. I'm coming back to order the others. read more

I stopped in with my wife Saturday around 3:30. The place was empty, but no one took our order for a long time. The staff was too busy messing around and having a good time. 20 minutes went by and we still didn't have our drinks. So we bailed and ate somewhere else. read more

I can't say this place is good but it was pretty empty on a Sunday night so it seemed easy if you don't want to wait... They have a kids menu with kids spaghetti and lasagna which my daughter enjoyed. Service is pretty slow except the kids entree came super quick, almost too quick... Our waitress was very young and seemed inexperienced and kind of out of it. She didn't even ask if we wanted the complimentary bread but I saw other tables hand it so asked. I had the ravioli which could've been good but was extremely salty and my husbands chicken entree was meh. read more

Brio Italian Grille - Chopped salad - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

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On Saturday, July 26th, I went to Laguna Beach with my family, and afterward, we had dinner at an Italian restaurant called Brio inside Irvine Spectrum Mall. The atmosphere was nice, and the staff were very attentive and nice. The Pomodoro spaghetti was good, but the Italian Sausage Carbonara was really bad. I only had a few bites and ended up leaving the rest. That night, I had a terrible stomachache after eating it. OMG. The other dishes were okay, but I definitely don't recommend Carbonara. . But, I like their service. read more

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Surprisingly so good even though this restaurant is only getting 3 starts here on Yelp, don't believe it - try for yourself and be surprised like I was! The appetizer was so good, great flavor for the dip and the I ly thing I wish is that it came with bread to use as a dipper versus Parmesan crisps. The salad was really good and I was not disappointed at all. Good flavor, good portion. Our waitress was polite and attentive, make the whole experience very nice. read more

Brio Italian Grille - Spinach & Artichoke Dip. - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

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I am so disappointed at the decline of this restaurant. Before the pandemic, this was our go-to restaurant. Whether it was for happy hour or to celebrate a birthday, we knew the food would be good. Not anymore. We went last week and the food was horrible. The chicken in two of the dishes we ordered was almost rubber, flavorless and inedible. I felt bad for the girl serving us because it was not her fault. Prices went up, from $20 a plate to over $30 while the quality went all the way down. read more

Shocked how it's not as packed. Service was great and food was simple but soo good. I would recommend their shrimp and eggplant. The sauce on it is so addictive! I wanted to get the sauce on the side for everything . The carpaccio and lasagna was good too read more

Brio Italian Grille - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

Christopher was absolutely amazing!! The greatest service I've ever had at Brio - we will be coming back often!

Decent experience. We had a large party of 13. Even with a reservation, the enormous dining room wasn't super full at 8pm on a Thursday night. Our server was very helpful and attentive. Vegan options aren't the greatest but that didn't bother me too much. I inquired about the Spaghetti Pomodoro and learned that the pasta contains egg. So our server recommended I get the gluten-free pasta (fusilli), which is fully plant-based. After an additional modification to nix the cheese, I had a pretty tasty vegan entrée. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/brio-italian-grille-irvine-2?start=2970&select=z-TYudYdOhqNP1CM_7KK0g I also inquired about the side of Broccolini and asked if it was cooked in butter. The server said she could ask the kitchen to steam it instead. Perfect! This was a good addition to balance out the fusilli dish. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/brio-italian-grille-irvine-2?start=2970&select=0Qo0iRBVRUPIF-sy--CuhA My meal was quite large and our server offered to grab us to-go boxes. I stepped away from the table briefly while family was still sitting at the table. When I came back, my leftovers were gone. I was sad that I didn't get to take home my leftovers but I guess that was the universe's way of saying I didn't need the extra carbs...lol! Other pluses about Brio, I like that it's right next to the parking structure. Gorgeous restaurant btw. Very upscale! Good spot for a fancy celebration. read more

Brio Italian Grille - Broccolini - Italian Near Me - Irvine, California

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Brio is honestly one of my must stop spots every time I'm at the Irvine Spectrum. I can never resist popping in for a delicious bite or one of my all time favorite drinks, the Sangria Rosa. I stopped by today and it was just as perfect as always. The food smelled amazing the second I walked in, the flavors were incredible, and that drink was everything. The restaurant is beautiful inside and out. Their outdoor seating is gorgeous and relaxing, and the indoor space is always spotless and inviting. The whole vibe just makes you want to stay and enjoy your meal. The service is great the food is consistently delicious and the drinks are always superb. Brio never disappoints and I always look forward to coming back! read more

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Not surprising to find out this company filed for bankruptcy. Dined here for an early dinner last week with my husband and son and it was an odd experience. The restaurant itself is very spacious and they have a nice sized outdoor patio... but it felt so dead. The patio looked kind of neglected with a broken chair on the side (it had 3 legs and I was surprised they left it there where someone could unknowingly try to sit on it and get hurt) and a smashed martini glass in one of the planters. Service was nice but felt unpolished... my husband arrived several minutes after my son and I were seated and we asked to wait for him to order, but then ended up having to wait a long time and flagging someone down to finally take our order. The food was good but overpriced for the quality. Fried calamari was crispy but you couldn't taste calamari so it was like eating fried crispy batter. The eggplant shrimp appetizer was tasty and rich . The lobster bisque arrived with a film on the top. The entrees my son and husband got (pasta dishes) were pretty good, but I don't remember what they got at this point. Drinks were also pricey ($18) but for the quality and the vibe of the place it just felt severely overpriced... it really felt like Chili's quality but Gulfstream pricing. Maybe this place is good for takeout pasta with a discount but I personally wouldn't return. read more

A group of friends, we go there often and will probably continue to go as the food is pretty good. But... have you ever heard of an Italian restaurant that was out of chianti? This was early evening a month ago. The most recent visit, again early evening, they were out of Aperol, in one of their promotional drinks as well as on their menu. We just found that curious and hopefully, they are well stocked next time we go read more