I took two steps into a quaint restaurant that instantly placed me in Italy. The ambiance was clean, comfortable and great customer service. As we were seated, we were greeted and immediately asked about beverages. The laughter and positive vibes of other customers brought a wonderful surrounding. The appetizers oh my goodness and then the dinners arrived. The food was amazing. I would definitely return again read more

Amazing food and service. Our server, Mirla, was fantastic. Highly recommend the rack of lamb and lava cake!

I met long time friends from the east coast there for dinner! Had to drive around the complex to find this gem, but well worth it! The food was excellent! Although we don't get to Bonsall, often! This place will be on the list for special meals! read more

This place was very calm, clean and beautiful. Our lovely waiter Andrea helped us and was SUPER nice. Helpful and beautiful! 100% recommend this place. read more

We've been eating here for many years. Everytime we come to the Lawrence Welk Resort, we have a fabulous meal At Fresco Grill. I always have the lamb chops. Wonderful! All of the pasta entries are very good, too. I'm so fpglad they arr still there. read more

My wife and I went to Fresco Grill in Bonsall to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We had reservations for 6:00pm and was seated by the owner/chef of 22 yrs chef Leone. He was very cordial and friendly and welcoming. We decided to try the antipasti salad of mix greens with tomato, artichoke with a long stem, barassa cheese and prosciutto. The cheese really highlighted the dish it was soft and creamy with a mild taste. Almost like fresh mozzarella cheese but softer and creamier. The artichoke was amazing and ask the chef about it he said it is imported from Italy and marinates for 2 yrs. Dressing was a light balsamic dressing with a flavorful olive oil. I would give it 8 out of 10. We got the rack of lamb which was double cut 2 ribs of 4 cuts. It was delicious and I liked that it was not traditional Franced but had meant on the ribs to chew on. I had the Lasagne with homemade sheets of pasta with a flavorful bolognese sauce and topped with a light pomodoro sauce with creamy mozzarella.lamb 9 of 10, lasagne 8-10.. we had the tiramisu which was the highlight of the meal. 10 of 10. I would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant for family meals, sports, date or casual dining. Something on the menu for everyone. We will be back. Also learned that the chef runs 2 other Italian restaurants in downtown Carlsbad. We will try there next. read more

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Great service. & great food. what you expect from a chill italian restaurant. enjoyed watching chef marco make the pasta in the front of the house tonight. so fun. will be going back! read more

Fresco Grill - Italian Near Me - Bonsall, California

Second time coming here! the food the drinks the ambience was AMAZING! This is true Italian food! They have a forever customer with us!

Waiter was good - on top of our requests and very friendly. Good wine and drink selection. My wife and I split the Insalata Di Noci. Good salad and enough for 2 people and they split it on plates for us with no extra charge. The salads my wife's parents got were huge but served in a bowl so lettuce kept falling out onto the table as they tried to get to the toppings, so maybe ask for a plate like they use to use to serve it on instead. My wife always gets the Ravioli Di Zucca. Smaller portion than the other dishes, but it's really good. I got the stuffed Pork Chop Valdostana and tried it with the mushroom sauce (there are 2 sauce options). Really-really good and the portions on the plate enough that I had a little meal to take home (normally I'm able to eat what I order). Definitely will order this again! read more

Food has been consistent. Love the happy hour portions. It allows you to taste several dishes without having too much food. Had a celebration dinner in the outer room at a large table. It was a great evening with food drinks and wonderful service read more

Always great atmosphere and food. Love the local vibe, but sticking to some authentic Italian styles with many options. Andrea is so welcoming and gives great service! Always looking forward to coming back! read more

We came to celebrate a pre Valentine's Day dinner. The ambiance was truly like you were in Italy. I tried the peach drink, I didn't care for. For appetizers we had the calamari which had a little spice to it but not too spicy just added flavor. The bread service was delicious. Freshly baked bread came with oil & vinegar. I had the seafood fettuccine in a red sauce which was very delicious. My friend had the special Halibut over gnocchi and risotto in a creamy green & white sauce. Both dishes were very delicious. Good portions. Friendly service. Would come back to try something different. read more

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My Italian friends love Fresco Grill. I always order enough to take some home and relive the rapture.

A bit disappointed. The inside was so warm. Hard to be comfortable. Seated right next to another table that had older people . Not smart when you have a 3 year old. Lots of room to sit. Meaning the waitress/staff should know better. Brought tap water, warm and no ice! All the food we ordered was so salty. Obviously the chef does not taste his own dishes. Not impressed and won't be back. Great location !! read more

Living in Fallbrook, we have been wanting to try the Bonsall Fresco since we have been to the Carlsbad Fresco and loved the food ! These 2 restaurants do not share the same menu ! We had the veal piccata, very salty lacked depth of flavor , lemon was nowhere to be found . We also had the Fettuccine with Scallops and prawns , seriously under seasoned and the green pasta looked like lime green and was a total turn off ! If you are going to make a green pasta , maybe a much darker color to resemble a spinach or pesto color/ flavor ! The shrimp and scallops had zero char and was very bland !! Lastly the dishes were brought out luke warm, should just sent it all back but didn't since we were with 2 other couples and didn't want to have an awkward moment. ! read more

Visiting from AZ and this restaurant was recommended. Fresco Grill did not disappoint! Food was delicious and the service was great! Thank you Andrea! We will definitely be coming back. read more

Omgggg .... Don't come here... if you like delicious amazing fresh pasta! If you do then wow! This place is a gem. Our new favorite coming back from Italy. How is this tucked into the back roads of Vista/ Fallbrook??? Maria was an absolute legend with her recommendations. I ordered the carbonara (had this 2x in Italy) and this was hands down decadent and amazing. Husband had the lasagna.. layered in meats and cheese- good but maybe a touch jealous of my dish. With a nice Montepuciano it was a perfect combination. Will be stopping here after visiting the winery up the Road - Monserate - what a fun afternoon read more

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The food was decent overall. Of the four dishes we ordered, the short rib pasta stood out as very good, while the other three ranged from okay to slightly above average. The service was excellent, and the restaurant could have easily earned 4 stars if not for issues related to misrepresentation. First, drinks ordered at the bar during happy hour were "conveniently" charged to our table at full price, rather than the advertised happy hour rates. This alone was disappointing. Worse yet, the restaurant is still listed on the Synergy website as participating in their program, but when we attempted to use our Synergy card, staff informed us that the owner no longer honors it. Misleading customers in this way feels unethical and detracts significantly from what could've been a decent dining experience. read more

Alex was our server and he was so friendly and amazing! The food was so good especially the cheese ravioli, the sauce was so fresh and tasted amazing! We also had the tiramisu was so fresh and soft! I definitely recommend for any event or just a night out! recommend 100% read more

Fresco Grill - Cheese Ravioli al Formaggio di Capra - Italian Near Me - Bonsall, California

We just moved to Bonsall and are so happy to have found affordable upscale dining that is not pretentious. Authentic, delicious food and ambiance. We already made plans to return with another couple! Our server was excellent! Next time: dessert! read more

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The Chef has made a few changes - which add nothing but flavor to menu items. The fettuccini with scallops and shrimp goodness, pure goodness The bruschetta - flavorful and perfect in presentation / my husband who would never try anywhere - absolutely LOVED IT !!! The balsamic drizzle killed it. Of course in the most delectable way. Such an awesome experience of flavor and well presented dishes. Thank you Chef Stas Excellent new touches!! read more

Fresco Grill - Special of the day pizza - so delicious - Italian Near Me - Bonsall, California

A shockingly distasteful experience the last time my family and I went that has permanently lost us as local customers (after frequenting their restaurant for over 2 years) Service has always been somewhat sub-par. That's partially why my last review lost a star. Hosts are never friendly and the servers are always phoning it in. However, the food had been very solid, which is why I have continued to go -- up until our most recent visit, which was supposed to be a special occasion Not only was my dish absolutely terrible, but the service was a complete disgrace. I got the lobster ravioli (which mind you, I have gotten EVERY single time I've gone for the past 2+ years) and it tasted kind of odd and was undercooked. The pasta was very hard and the dish was not enjoyable to eat. I also know it was not just me, as two other people in my party got the same dish and also claimed it tasted odd or had a weird texture. I called my server over and told her it was a bit weird and asked if it could possibly be remade. Not once was I rude or accusatory. If you're going to have a pasta dish that's roughly $30, imo it better be dang good. The manager comes to our table and approaches me in the most rude and accusatory way possible. He tells me in a gross tone that it is "always made like that" and that he "doesn't know what I even want." He appeared to be so riled up and loud for absolutely no reason. I think I was pretty clear in that I just wanted them to cook it longer? Mind you, he only singled out me despite two other people in my party having sent the dish back as well. I believe this is for a certain reason however I won't even get into that... Eventually, I get my dish back, and it tastes even worse. They also put two less ravioli than they normally do, probably as a petty jab. The lobster was extremely fishy (tasted kind of old?) and was not puréed. It was chunky and gross. I was able to stomach a few but couldn't even eat the rest. Apparently, the manager came back to apologize when I used the bathroom. Of course, he didn't apologize to me, the one person he'd singled out and accused of over-exaggerating. Instead, he apologized to my dad and uncle, then proceeded to blame the whole thing on the kitchen staff. How responsible and considerate of him. Oh and guess what? I had an upset stomach the following day. Yeah, something tells me the fish was spoiled or old. I simply just can't come back here and support this business. If your loyal customers come to you politely and tell you their dish is wrong, maybe it's wrong. Not once did I raise my voice or "complain" in a way that should have warranted that response. I will never be back here. Italian culture has always been extremely hospitable and welcoming. This restaurant is in no way a proper representation of that. Obviously, the quality and experience cannot keep up with the price... Want good Italian with good service? Try Ciao's in Vista, Blade 1936 in Oceanside, or Brother's Bistro in Fallbrook... read more

Of note, we went on Christmas Eve and it was packed! So that probably had an affect on our experience and meal. First, we did make a reservation but, upon arrival, was told we might have an additional 15 to 20 minute wait. I could see why. Again, packed! Every table in the dining area was taken, there were people standing outside and several standing around the host table waiting to be seated. As I approached the host, the customer in front of me was having a discussion about the party of 7 reservation for her that they could not find. Three of the women behind the host station were working to figure it out. Eventually, they had to ask her to wait and asked if they could help us. As noted, a wait time was mentioned but, since there were only two of us, the bar area was also mentioned. They have open seating in there and would serve a full dinner. We picked that option as we were hungry. We did find two seats quickly, both at the bar, but their eclectic choice of chairs made finding two that were of a good dining height challenging. After swapping a couple, the nice people sitting next to us let us know they were just done and we could have their chairs. Apparently they changed their seats and found some with the right height. Since it was packed, the three people working behind the bar with filling orders from the wait staff and taking care of the patrons at the bar. It took a bit to get our order in, get our bread and our meal but it wasn't horrible. They did forget to bring a salad we ordered but we cancelled it after receiving out entrees. The food was mixed, my risotto was piping hot and very good. My wife's braised beef pasta was lukewarm and tasted okay. We knew, based on the volume of customers they were going through that night, that this was probably as good as it was going to get. Overall, this seems like it would be a great place to visit when not quite as packed as they had a number of very tasty looking entrees on the menu. Pick your night carefully and...enjoy!!! read more

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We were there to enjoy an afternoon lunch. Unfortunately at 1:00 pm there is only a dinner menu available. The pricey food turned out to be disappointing. My husband's veal was so overcooked it was curling up on the plate. Also the food was very over spiced. The speaker playing the music was so loud we were unable to carry on a conversation. Then they decided it was an appropriate time to turn on a noisy portable vacuum cleaner to cleanup the carpet at the next table after it was emptied. read more

Went here with my family for my mom's birthday. Ambiance was delightful, elegant and approachable, clean and attractive. Food was delicious and reasonably priced. The owner was super hospital and friendly, and made us feel very welcome and comfortable. A great spot for dinner and drinks in North County. read more

Never got to try the food, so I won't comment on that. But called to make a reservation and change my mind by the tone of the staff voice, and a RUDE man answered. Answers the phone like it's a residential home, and won't identify him self, apparently doesn't like being questioned and hung up! Not a very customer friendly vibe, to say the least! So the 3 couples I was going to dinner with went to another Restaurant in Fallbrook! Let us remember there are many Choi out there. Very good ones too! read more

Great place for groups. Balanced cocktails, great food and service. I recommend the short rib pasta, the veal scallopine (capers and lemon sauce), or the ravioli langosta (lobster) for mains. I really enjoy the caprese, or calamari to start. Save room for dessert because the limocello and creme brule are divine and freshly made. read more

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I've been here about 15 times in the last four years. The ambience and service are great. The food has really gotten to be a problem. They have removed solid entrees like chicken under a brick and linguine with clams and now have chicken with no char in over salted sauce and a variety of not good pastas. It's far from cheap. Frankly they need to redo the menu. read more

Beautiful restaurant, very clean & quiet. The staff is amazing and so attentive and the food is delicious.. we had the tomato bisque, halibut & gnocchi.. all amazing! And the lava cake for dessert was delightful. We live in Riverside and its well worth the drive, such a wonderful experience! Thank You read more

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The Fresco Grill was delightful. My boyfriend and I went in with high hopes and Fresco did indeed deliver. We initially forgot to take pictures because the food was so good. The tiramisu is a must. It didn't even have a chance to be photographed! read more

Fresco Grill - Strawberry salad - Italian Near Me - Bonsall, California

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Great service. excellent fresh Italian food. one of the best I ever had better than Olive Garden or a cheesecake factory. does spaghetti carbonara with the egg was superb!! crème brûlée dessert was perfect. best place for dinner or a dinner date. you'll never find a Italian place that is so fresh and make everything from scratch! read more

Wanted to like this restaurant since we are located close by. However, I ordered the Chicken Alfredo which lacked flavor and salt but when I took a bite with the chicken it was extremely salty. I don't think that is meant to work like that. The owner on the other hand came by our table twice to chat which was nice but didn't ask how our meals were. read more

My friend and I had an amazing girls night tonight at fresco Grill. Myrna, our server was truly amazing she offered us all the specials along with the favorites that she recommended. She was so kind and was on top of our whole experience. Drinks were Amazing ambience was very calm and relaxing yet Beautiful. We rate the food and overall experience a 20 out of 10 . They even offered to take pictures of us since they saw me and my friend struggling to get a nice pic in . We will be definitely going back! Thank you Myrna for your wonderful Customer service. read more

The service was amazing and the food even better really happy and will return with my loved ones thanks jimmy read more

My family and I have been going to Fresco's for a while now, especially on holidays. As my father got older we were taking food to go on the weekends. My father recently passed away and we decided to do dinner with the immediate family after the service. The owner and staff were extremely accommodating. They opened one hour early for us, and we had a great dinner. Service was awesome and Andrea took care of all our needs. Food was excellent, and we were in a part of the restaurant that was quiet and isolated so we could all talk. It was a difficult time for us and Fresco helped make it so much easier for us. Thanks again for awesome service, food, atmosphere and being there for us. read more

Cameron was a wonderful server. He made us feel at home which was perfect on Christmas Eve. The food was delicious. So worth the drive from San Marcos. We will go again!!! read more

Fresco Grill - So good!!! - Italian Near Me - Bonsall, California

Great food and most wonderful service! All three of our meals were so good! the service was excellent!

If you're looking for an authentic Italian experience, this restaurant is it. The ambiance is cozy and charming, making you feel like you've stepped right into Italy. The owner, who's also the head chef, really knows his stuff--he's from Italy and it shows we I explored the menu. I absolutely fell in love with the prosciutto burrata salad. It took me straight back to Tuscany! There's also a secret "off menu" appetizer of the artichokes... from what I learned from the waiter they are imported from Italy. This app is so good, you eat the whole article and they are sorta baby size- it's quite unique. The quality of the food is top-notch, and I was thrilled to learn they only use olive oil--NO SEED OILS! It's hard to find that these days. They have a fancy espresso machine... which is also tough to find in the Fallbrook/Bonsall area. Evon and Andrea made our cappuccinos and they had the same vibe from Venice... it must be the bean they use. If you want real Italian food made with love, you won't be disappointed here. I've tried about 50% of the pasta dishes and my recommendations would be ravioli di aragosta(lobster stuffed) or the spaghetti carbonara. The patio is pet friendly and has Edison bolbs everywhere so it's super fun for snapping photos when we get together with our friends. read more

Went to fresco grill Monday, they have the best Mozzarella Caprese I've tasted and it was freshly made. We paired it with a nice glass of wine. Their bread with olive oil and a tab of vinaigrette also hit the spot. I paired this with their happy hour chicken Alfredo pasta, deliciousness. If you're looking for some good quality Italian food I recommend fresco grill, the staff was also amazing in providing excellent customer service. I will be coming back! read more

Was very good but they removed the sprouts from the menu and service can be slower than expected so we try again