This place has a nice atmosphere but when it came to the food I wish we had passed. The bolognese and shrimp scampi was terrible.

Best restaurant in Avalon. Service was amazing (thanks Lauren!). Food... heads above other places here. Must try.

I went to M resteraunt a couple nights ago and ordered the swordfish. The swordfish and rice were cooked perfectly and tasted delicious. However, the vegtables were not as good. They were kind of bitter and I didn't really eat them. Our waitress was kind and friendly as were all the other staff members. I was sitting inside and I asked to be switched outside and they were happy to accomidate. The dining room was clean and so were the bathrooms. I will be back for a second review! read more

Went for a celebration, server had no idea about the food, and served a ceasar w no dressing, then the steak mrare was well, and the marinara was def out a jar. No manager just a place that serves terrible food to tourist who won't be back, so they don't care. When in Avalon eat cheaper thats were the best food is waisting you money and time looking for real food is pointless. M for meh read more

Best restaurant on the Island. Beautiful place and waitress was really nice and helpful. Had the charred octopus with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Only negative was the chimichurri sauce lacked some flavor. Wife had the chicken parm, tasted great! Came with pasta and a summer succotash. Definitely recommend coming here! read more

Came here after a dive day to get down dinner before heading back to the mainland. We were going to be a little tight on time (about 75 mins to get to the dock), but with efficient service we would have been good. Once we were sat, we waited probably 5-10 minutes for service to come to our table. We were never acknowledged by the wait staff, and due to our relative timing crunch decided to just leave. No one spoke to us on our way out either. Unsure if it was just "island time", but really I felt a bit judged for our attire- which to an empty restaurant shouldn't really matter IMO. I might come back and give this place a chance, but for now.. they are on my skip list. read more

The food was tasty but the service wasn't attentive nor friendly. I'd return but only if I'm desperate.

This is probably the least favorite dining experience we had in the 3 days we spent in Avalon. The waitress was great but they were out of our favorite wines. My octopus was chewy so I sent it back for swordfish which was better. read more

We didn't particularly notice this restaurant as we walked by ............. but our noses really made our heads turn towards The M Restaurant. They have an Italian flair menu with patio dining, and indoor dining with a great opening to their patio - perfect for Catalina weather. The service was slow, the wine was okay but the food was good. We started with the Manilla Clams. Admittedly while the clam meat portion is always the smallest portion of this type of dish, they were tough, but it was more than offset by the great broth. The broth was superbly seasoned with a pinot grigio wine base. The garlic ciabatta bread had the perfect balance of toastness (another word in my dictionary) and airiness that soaked up the broth. (We ordered additional bread for $3). The key here is to use your fork to strain the broth for the juicy and flavorful bits at the bottom of the bowl to put on the bread. Our main course was the Scallop Pesto Linguine (We told our server we were going to share this dish, and the kitchen divided it for us. So my pic is actually my half of the dinner portion). These scallops were on the small side but they were cooked perfectly with very tender insides and the nicely seared outside. The linguine was cooked al dente. The creamy basil was on point - rich but not over powered by too much cream and had ample basil to shine through. The pine nuts offered the right amount of crunch to an otherwise "soft" dish. read more

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BEST FOOD we had on Catalina. It's a large spacious Italian restaurant in Avalon with nice outdoor seating and large doors that they keep open when not too cold on both sides of the interior. Even if eating inside it feels like "outside-in". The details were nice, the cutlery was nicely polished and wrapped in napkins neatly and every table had different fresh flowers on them. Raul was our server and was super courteous and amazing. Negroni and Raspberry Mule: The first things that were brought to the table and I knew it we were in for a good meal because the Negroni was absolutely right and my wife loved her Moscow Mule variation. Sanddabs Fish Special: crusted on the outside and cooked perfectly, nothing like super fresh fish, the sauce and capers were a perfect pairing that complemented. They sides were also as good as the mains with creamy mashed potatoes and vegetables that were a nice vibrant color and still slightly firm. Cioppino: My wife came here because she was sick of seafood and wanted meat and oddly ordered the one dish that was a crazy seafood combo. It's unlike anything we had in San Francisco where this dish originated. I want to say its more pepppery but not in a bad way. The garlic bread it came with was amazing. Kids Pasta Marinara and Flatbread Pizza: My kids were super quiet eating this because they were too busy stuffing themselves. We threw some of the penne into the Cioppino an it was very good like that. We loved it came with fresh cut fruit on the side and it looked so much better than just something brown/yellow/carb-y that is normally what you get with kids food. read more

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Service was very good. We were seated quickly at about 7:30pm. The calm chowder was the best of the three places we had chowder this weekend. I loved my arugula salad. The tequila shrimp pasta was just too salty. The ribeye was okay. Cappuccino mouse was amazing. Too much for one person, a must share read more

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We came to the restaurant based upon the reviews only to be extremely disappointed. Every dish that we ordered was extremely salty, the steak and potatoes were cold and the lobster linguini was abysmal. Never again, what a waste of time and money. read more

Me and my wife made a reservation for indoor seating since the weather on Catalina was cold and wet. When we showed up the hostess told us there was only outdoor or bar seating. When I informed her we had made a reservation for indoor she didn't seem to understand what making a reservation meant. We decided to go eat elsewhere. It's a shame we looked forward to dinner here since the reviews seemed strong. Never mind. If this is how they treat people I'd rather go elsewhere. read more

We had my husband's 60th birthday party (for 30+ people) at the M Restaurant this past weekend, and it was fabulous! While the restaurant hosted a wedding reception inside the restaurant, we had out party outside on the back patio, and it was perfect! Steve, the event coordinator/owner, was very helpful in the planning, making sure the tables were set and ready to go. And the food? Their chicken fettuccini alfredo and sand dabs were the best (along with the Avalon flatbread.) Raul, plus 3-4 others, catered to our every need; they sure were on top of everything. They even cut our cake that we brought in. It was a wonderful evening at the M. Many thanks!! Jenny F. read more

Hosts were so sweet. Dinner was delicious & can't beat the views. Ordered the Catalina chicken and subbed the mashed potatoes for penne with creamy pesto--highly recommend! read more

M Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Avalon, California

Dropped by this restaurant for brunch! Their lunch starts at 11am sharp so I'd recommend coming for either breakfast or lunch. We came at an awkward time (10:40) so we waited 20 minutes for the lunch menu. The food quality was great and the dishes we got were flavorful. The prices are affordable and the interior was clean and aesthetically pleasing (lavender on the tables). Our server was friendly and our food came out fast! I'd definitely come back to try other dishes on the menu :) read more

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Really enjoyed our post race meal at the M. The service (Allie) was friendly and attentive. The food was yummy. The French onion soup was piping hot and perfect for a chilly evening. The accompanying crouton was perfect to soak up the soup. The cioppino was flavorful. The seafood was plentiful and had to order an extra side of garlic cheese bread to have with the broth. Overall highly recommend am if Italian is what you're craving. read more

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Very nice place. Great atmosphere. The bar area is lively and cozy. I wish we had something like this where we live. The staff was was wonderful everyone worked well together and took good care of us. Our food was so good. I had the arrabiatta which was very good and just a little spicy so it didn't overwhelm the sauce. My husband had the chicken parm and it was also very good. It came with pasta a olio, which was very bland. Ask for red sauce on your pasta because their red sauce was great. The servings were on the large side and we should have shared Next time for sure. This restaurant is actually part of the Hotel Metropole where we stayed. Also a great find. Enjoy read more

M Restaurant - Cheese bread. So good! - Italian Near Me - Avalon, California

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My partner and I were out and about during our weekend stay in Catalina when we decided to try this place. We weren't craving pasta, yet we saw they had flatbread pizza so we decided to give it a go. We arrived without a reservation on a Friday night and were seated promptly. The place is nice, definitely nicer inside than outside. We ordered three things; the flatbread pizza, the tequila shrimp pasta, and the clam chowder in a bread bowl. The flatbread pizza was great! It was everything we wanted and more. Nice and cheesy with peppers and a tasty Italian sausage. The crust was very crunchy. I would rate this a solid 8.6/10 and would order this again. The tequila shrimp pasta on the other hand was quite the opposite. Though it wasn't terrible, we didn't end up enjoying this pasta because the sauce was too runny. We didn't like the cream that the sauce was made with and overall, it lacked flavor. I also didn't enjoy the fact that it had pepper pieces in the pasta. We decided to send it back and replaced it with their clam chowder. The clam chowder was decent. Not the best I've tried but it certainly was not the worst. The sourdough bread bowl was okay. Overall, I would come back for the flatbread. It was quite tasty and was certainly the better pizza option on the island. The service was okay, I appreciate the bussers going around filling up water but our server didn't swing by that often to check up. read more

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My favorite restaurant on the island! No matter what you order on the menu, you're going to love it! Don't forget to try their ravioli bites read more

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The food was excellent. The service is good even though they are very overwhelmed because of lack of staff. The waiters work really hard. No cappuccino. read more

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The food was very tasty and came out hot, which was nice. Many restaurants we've been to on the island don't seem to pay attention to that detail. We had the burrata, which was amazing and came with a little salad. The clams were delicious and the sauce was super flavorful. I tried the Chicken Catalina and my husband had the Surf & Turf. Bother were very good. read more

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So yummy!! Ravioli were amazing! Pastas were also very good. Definitely coming back. Definitely recommend if your a pasta lover

This review solely pertains to the Thanksgiving evening dinner service. We made reservations via OpenTable, which I was required to confirm via email, text message, and phone call the day before. This felt excessive, but I figured this meant it would be busy. In a way, it was, but it was also incredibly hectic and poorly managed. When we arrived, there were multiple tables empty and, when we were finally sat, it took over 20 minutes for a server to greet us. Two of the heaters outside were turned off, one of which broke during the service. I received the wrong salad (of two prix five choices) and we received the wrong bottle of wine, which we politely asked to be switched for the wine we ordered. This took another 5 minutes or so. We were ultimately charged for the initial, more expensive wine and had to ask our server to fix the bill, which took about 5 minutes. Once we ordered, service was incredibly fast (almost too fast--the food was pre-prepped and ready to go as if it were a caterinf line, which made us question to ourselves the slow service). I asked for all white meat turkey, and the meat was obviously from a frozen or pre-made turkey breast, not from a whole bird. It was also rubbery. My guest ordered the ham, which was fine. The highlight was the mashed potatoes--the lowlight was the stuffing muffin thing, which was too hard on the outside and too mushy on the inside. Our pie was very obviously store bought or frozen and was served on a saucer with a plastic fork. Considering the price, I expected much better. Our server informed us there were large parties being served inside, which I believe likely influenced how the other tables were serviced. This was not on the floor staff, but rather on management for not properly staffing and for the low-quality food and meal experience. I assume they figured they could make some quick cash by serving a holiday meal, which they did, but at what cost. I never write reviews, and I was hesitant to write this one, but there is absolutely no way I would recommend this restaurant nor would I return. There are nicer places with the same view--don't waste your time or money. read more

They overcooked the lobster linguine and arrabiata pasta beyond belief. Pasta was mush and the lobster was so rubbery it lost all its flavor. I've had pasta from fast casual places better than this. Avoid. read more

Seated right away. Very friendly and accommodating people. They tried to make us comfortable. We ordered all the veggie appetizers and veggie breads they had. All of them tasted amazing. We were very satisfied with the food and service. read more

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We went here for the final night of our honeymoon on Catalina Island and were not disappointments! We went around 5PM for an early dinner and had a wonderful server who gave us amazing recommendations for the cheesy bread, wine, and later pasta dish we shared. Didn't get any pics of the food, we were hungry! But the overall vibe was great and more up-scale than the other places we tried on the island. Would recommend! read more

M Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Avalon, California

A very pleasant place to choose for dinner, well appointed with pleasant hostesses and waiters. I chose the burrata and cioppino expecting a variety of sea flavors. What I got in the cioppino was a broth so full of spices, no fish flavors came through, only texture of clams, salmon and shrimp (sadly mussels were left out). The burrata, as I recall should have been served over tomato slices which were also missing only having a few small cherry sized tomatoes for a variety of flavor over a bed of arugula. If the chef was to eat the food, changes would be made for sure, unfortunately a lack of attention in the kitchen lowered the standard that this restaurant could have. read more

Great place!!! Great Location!!! The food was excellent!!! Delish!!! Serving sizes were as expected. Our Server, Lauren was friendly, knowledgeable, and Accommodating!!! I'm going to try the Espresso Martini tomorrow... read more

Great food in the heart of Catalina. Cheesy garlic bread and their house sangria were my favs read more

M Restaurant - Catalina chicken - Italian Near Me - Avalon, California

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First off, (and I can't believe I'm saying this) massive props for free water. Though, no free bread which seemed unusual for an Italian restaurant. The dishes were altogether just standard Italian fare - we got arrabbiata, fettuccine and, if I recall, a seafood dish. The chicken fettuccine Alfredo was pretty bland, no parmesan was offered or included and there was no salt or pepper handy either. The arrabiata was acceptable but nowhere near the offerings off the island. Interestingly, the waiter insisted that the dishes were quite small and sharing would be unlikely, but as expected none of us finished our meals. There were several birthdays so lots of singing. The atmosphere was nice, if you eat outside you can see the water. The staff was at least attentive and efficient. read more

This was a hidden gem! We enjoyed brunch on the patio. The breakfast menu, cocktail menu (great mimosa flight variations and if you're looking for bottomless mimosas, this is the place), coffee and food were all on point. We had the Florentine Benedict, Avocado Toast, and Brioche French Toast with fresh berries and whipped cream. Service was fantastic. Highly recommend. read more

Amazing service and the food was delicious. The location was beautiful. Right in front of the water.

Favorite meal of our stay. Clams, onion soup, cheesy garlic bread, scampi, and tequila shrimp. BOMB read more

I had my wedding dinner reception here. This was one of the few restaurants on the island that takes reservations. My family ate in the outside courtyard area and were well taken care of by Ali/Alison and other staff. She was so sweet and attentive!!! My new auntie-in-law is Italian and she says this place is legit! I loved everything here, from the calamari, burrata, chicken Milanese, the cioppino (5 of my 11 family members ordered it!), Manila clams, blackened swordfish, pesto linguini with scallops (this was my order... yum!)... I mean you really can't go wrong with most orders here. Btw, if you bring your own champagne like we did there was a $25 cork fee. A little pricey imo, but worth it given the TLC the provided by Ali and the other staff. Will be back! read more

M Restaurant - Pesto linguini with scallops - Italian Near Me - Avalon, California

So disappointed... took my BFF for her birthday with my adult daughter so 3 of us. Beautiful spot but food was not good and service substandard. My daughter ordered the Sand Dabs that came over cooked no sauce. It was sent back for a rare fillet that came medium she didn't eat that either. Even though I made the reservation for a birthday and we saw other tables get a birthday dessert, she did not. I guess cause we returned a plate so they didn't like us? Total bill $350+ we should have just gone to Coney Island for a hotdog! read more

M Restaurant - Entrance to Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Avalon, California

Delicious breakfast. Cool views on an enclosed patio and attentive service made for a lovely breakfast. Tangy mimosas were a hit. read more

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First of all, our server, Lauren, was excellent. She was attentive and very personable. We were dining with family members who can be challenging and she breezed right through. Our meals were excellent. We all had pasta dishes, lasagna, manicotti and scallops with pesto. Needless to say, we cleaned our plates. The atmosphere was also wonderful. read more

The service was good. This is supposed to be more fancy but they do not have a dress code. Garlic bread for kids had the most amazing red sauce. The portobello was good but not expected to be a single mushroom. The side noodles and veggies really made it great. We had other stuff and it was also good. Their salad dressing was very good. Ambiance was great. Ocean breeze from the patio area, which is mostly enclosed, gave the full experience of being at the beach. Prices were reasonable. read more

Great food, nice service . Recommendations would be that the bus staff doesn't clear plates while people are eating . Also water was never refilled . read more

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