Went here on a Wednesday evening for dinner to meet some friend that were in town. We had…read morereservations and seated right away. It was located right off the freeway and parking was super easy. It wasn't crowded at all. It was a cute little place with indoor and outdoor seating. The waitress was super nice and explained the dishes. She kept checking on us at the right time when we ran out of wine! Perfect! We started with foccocia and caprese salad. It was very delicious. Every one but me order a pizza but I've been to other Buona Forchetta before and know the pizza are amazing. Pasta is great, too but pizza is my fav. I ordered now o forget the name but it only had cheese and tomatoes and they allowed me to add a meatball which was giant and buratta. It was soooo good! I also had Sauvignon blanc from Napa that was amazing. Now, I was so excited to see my friend forgot to get pics but it was great. Highly recommend.

This cozy little spot on the main road in San Clemente offers some tasty Italian eats…read more The restaurant lacks dedicated parking, so you will want to plan ahead to use the attached garage or hunt for a street spot nearby. The inside is inviting and features a nice little patio. The interior has an industrial vibe, but they did a great job with the decor to tie the space together and make it fun. Service was warm, friendly, and quick. The servers answered all our questions thoroughly and were highly knowledgeable about both the dinner and wine menus. The charcuterie platter was mid. Given this is an Italian restaurant, pepper jack cheese felt like the wrong choice, and it was a mistake to trim all the fat off the prosciutto di Parma. The presentation was great, but I would pass on it next time. The special menu had some promising dishes. I tried the asparagus risotto with chili shrimp. The flavor was there and the shrimp was cooked nicely, but the risotto was way too liquidy. I also tried the pappardelle with due pomodori and added guanciale. This was delish, and I would order it every single time I dine here. All in all, this is a great little date spot or a fun place to share food and wine with friends. Check them out!

Great local spot, in the heart of downtown San Clemente…read more Reservations are recommended but not required. Ok for groups. Ok for kids. Happy Hour offered. Something on the menu for everyone. Prices are fare, quantity is good and the flavor was fantastic. Indoor and outdoor seating available.

Chef was in the dining room the entire time we were there. Place was busy so it makes me wonder who…read moreis cooking. Plus, the bartender wasn't very attentive. He acted like he was a mixologist and I can appreciate that but if a guest asked for water with their cocktails, don't forget the request. Attention to detail is everything in hospitality. I will say they had good spirits and we enjoyed the ambience beyond no AC. It was hot in there and the staff was sweaty in FOH. That leads me to wonder how sweaty were the cooks, sorry.

Everywhere I go that's Italian that's not Sonny's I always wish I just came here instead! I have…read moregotten the lemon cavatelli pasta every time I've been here and never switched up! Same with my husband who gets the chicken parm every time. The ambiance is great and the service is always good, too! This place is a true San Clemente gem!

We came here for a date night on a Tuesday and the restaurant was packed! It's clearly a local…read morefavorite and we can see why. Food was delicious and service was great! Spicy calamari - The flavor was good but it wasn't crispy at all which was kind of disappointing, the breading was soggy Spicy ragu - I chose the Tomato cream and this waa our favorite dish! 10/10 would order again Sonny's Stuffed Shells - These were also delicious, we wish there were a couple more shells but the flavor was great! They also serve a side of garlic bread that is fresh and delicious. Parking is easy as there is a lot and street parking. Our waitress came to check on us often. Would definitely come back again!

The food was good nothing exceptional... we got the clam chowder which was delicious, the Melanzane…read moreParmigiana ( eggplant) was good, the steak eggs Benedict was ok, the monte cristo was so so and the kid's mac n cheese is ok too (taste like it came out of the box) Overall we had a good time the ambiance was great and our waiter was attentive too! I love that they have a bottomless mimosa with pineapple too!!!

Don't waste your time or money here. Came with my family -- service was careless, food bland. I…read moreordered a carbonara to-go for my wife, and they completely forgot to cook it. I had to ask where it was, and instead of apologizing they just asked for my credit card. No make-good, no accountability, just a $35 charge for the most basic pasta on earth. Clear they just wanted to go home. I won't be back.

Delicious food, great service, nice atmosphere! I like the outside patio for dining. Big menu!read more

We finally made it to Limoncello…read more I had the salmon and my husband had the lasagna. Both dishes were very good. Salmon was perfectly cooked and not too dry. Just checked with my husband. Said he liked his lasagna. He said he likes my homemade lasagna better as I put plenty of meat on each layer of the lasagna. I usually do three to four layers. Ha ha. But I do not cook at home anymore as I do not have time. Way too busy! Overall everything was great. Food was good, service was good. We enjoyed the music and the place was packed on a Sunday evening.

Excellent food excellent service…read more Good wine more people should go there to enjoy their dinner

Love this restaurant even for DoorDash! Comes hot and delicious! Thanks Rocco's!…read more This was my husband's 83 bd and he ordered the Chilianbass and it was absolutely perfect!

Absolutely the best Italian food I've ever had. Armando was our server. He has a wonderful attitude…read moreand wonderful mustache. The food is top tier. We got tortellini bolognese, spaghetti marinara, and three cheese penne. All of them were so fresh and flavorful and all the sauces are made in house. Entrees come with bread + oil and balsamic vin. Highly HIGHLY recommend for a nice Italian lunch. Porch is nicer than indoors on warm days, but its beautiful. If you're a wine type, their wine selection is very expansive.

Crivello's Ristorante has been sitting there in that parking lot for years, handsome bar, inviting…read morepatio, one of those places you keep meaning to try and somehow never do. Wednesday night, dead quiet. Most of San Juan was a few blocks away at the concert, leaving us with the rare luxury of a peaceful patio and a little breathing room. We found a beautiful bottle of Italian wine, listened carefully to the specials like civilized adults pretending not to already know what we wanted, and split a Caesar to start, solid, classic, no nonsense. Then came the real business. Sylvia went with shrimp and angel hair. The shrimp? Perfectly cooked. That elusive sweet spot so many kitchens miss by a mile. Not rubbery, not underdone. Just right. I went for the Osso Buco, boldly promised to rival my grandmother's. Dangerous claim. But they backed it up. Deep, rich, slow-cooked soul food, the kind of dish that tastes like somebody's been standing over it all day, caring. They even brought the marrow spoon, which tells you everything you need to know about intent. Food? Five stars. Wine? Five stars. If I'd tweak anything, it's the details. The waiter and bartender were both in oversized black T-shirts with the logo. Functional, sure, but swap those for black collared shirts and the room instantly feels more polished. The patio could use a little love too. Nothing dramatic. Just tighten it up. Because in this business, especially now, the margins between good and unforgettable are razor thin. Crivello's already has the hard part nailed. A little sharper presentation, and they're dangerous.

This place is awesome! Came in on a Friday night with a group of 9, ordered pizzas and enjoyed the…read morelive band! It is kid-friendly, which I loved, but feels sort of like a dive bar at the same time. It was really the best of both worlds. They have a quieter side away from the live music, along with the other side where they have a full bar. Also, pizza was unbelievable. Highly highly recommend coming for the pizza alone! Pretty great spot and we'll definitely be back.

Fun time. Pizza Beer & Live music. Every once in a while I…read morecrave the Deep Dish Detroit Style Pizza at Gibroni's Pizza! Always satisfying. Even on a Friday Night, I got great service.

We came with a party of 6. Two of which were my elderly in-laws. They seated us at a high top table…read morenext to the bar. The older folks weren't sure how to feel about being sat in the bar area. It is a bit noisy, and they don't do super well with high chairs. But, it ended up working out. Our server was helpful, and took care of us. The food was really great. Everyone liked their meal. The beef stroganoff was missing some of the creamy sauce that you would except, but the short rib was prepared perfectly. We got the wedge, with the steak on the side. The buttermilk dressing was perfectly tangy and delicious, we asked for more. The swordfish special really stole the show. It was really great. We got some cocktails and wine. They did a great job. Not pictured- two wonderful old fashions. We also got the oatmeal raisin cookie crumble as a lovely gratis desssert, as it was an anniversary celebration. That was super thoughtful of the team to do. We will definitely be back. Next time we come, I will request to be sat in the dining room, and not the bar area.

Service was slow. Waited 10 minutes to order to take order. Server was pleasant. Chef split our…read moresalad and beef stroganoff and presented the dishes nicely. This restaurant is hopping, open communication between staff and management. Worth another try selecting other dishes and their special of the day. Flavor was 7. Meat was tender. We got seated by the kitchen so we could the staff cooking. The ambience was great 6. Energy was 9. Bay Area Food critic 8/21/26.

It's Monday afternoon and the weather is perfect. The hostess seats us in the front, an L-shaped…read morebooth where we both sit facing outside. Rectangular bistro tables in front of us run along the wall. The rest of the restaurant is darker with more intimate lighting. My friend and I have the same order, Bistro Plate. It's a little bit of everything; soup, salad, and entree. Soup of the day is a Red Pepper Bisque topped with a crostini and a dollop of goat cheese. Salad is slaw style, lightly dressed. Filet mignon, ordered medium rare, is definitely petite; sitting on crispy garlic toast, topped with what seems to be chimichurri (though the menu only mentions steak butter). All of it, perfection. We enjoyed our cocktails as well. Both of us with a Coco Rita in hand. It felt like a vacation. We enjoyed the cocktail so much that we sat in the bar for another one after paying the bill and moving our cars (due to the 3 hour parking limit). I live in Oceanside and would love to come back here. Old Town San Clemente has it's own charm. It felt like a little getaway though was only a girls day outing.

Most everything was great here. I had the prime rib dip. It was delicious. Offered different…read morehorse radish options. Au jus was tasty and the meat was sliced thin and cooked perfectly. My wife got a burger cooked the way she liked. Had fries and my wife ordered the tomatoes with blue cheese. Some of the best tasting fries I've had. Both of us really liked the tomatoes. The restaurant was well decorated with a varied menu. Aldan, our server did a terrific job. Never left us for too long, kept the water filled as well as the ice tea. Their desert was great. It was huge and very flavorful. I had two minor issues. They only had mango ice tea. Also I ordered a Diet Coke, it was $4 for a miniature bottle. Maybe only 6 oz. Kind of skimmpy. Other than that I loved this place.