First Time Here We came for brunch on Sunday at 11 AM. Parking is a little difficult to find, there is a paid lot for $20 nearby. We walked from our hotel at Scripps Inn. The reviews on here for brunch talk about how small the portions are so it misled us into getting a bunch of items, but really for two, we could have done with one less pasta. Get the pasta and Focaccia. I highly recommend it. read more

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Marisi is a gem in La Jolla! Loved the cantaloupe margarita and for starters: Little gem salad Funghi dish For dinner we shared pastas: Rigatoni Carbonara Campanelle The interior patio is beautiful and we had the perfect corner table. Big shoutout to Christine for being such a great waitress. Can't wait to come back! read more

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My friend and I came here for brunch. The place is really cute and it wasn't even busy when we got there, so we didn't expect to wait that long. We ordered the spicy rigatoni, eggs napolitana, and pancakes. It took about 30 minutes for our food, and honestly it just wasn't good. Her eggs were fully cooked when they were supposed to be runny, and my "spicy" rigatoni wasn't spicy at all... like they forgot the spicy part lol. The pasta also wasn't even hot--some parts were warm, some were basically room temp and kinda hard. To be fair, the server and manager were really nice and tried to fix it. They didn't charge me for the rigatoni and offered to remake it, which I said yes to and just asked to take it to go. My friend decided to just switch her order to carbonara instead. But then it took another 30 minutes for the carbonara and pancakes to come out, so we were there for over an hour. The carbonara ended up being just okay--not really worth the wait. And on top of that, by the time we were ready to leave, my to-go rigatoni still wasn't ready and no one even checked in or let us know what was going on, so we just ended up leaving without it. The lemon ricotta pancakes were actually really good--the only thing I'd order again. Overall, it's pretty expensive and the food just didn't match the price. Cute place and nice staff, but I wouldn't come back. read more

Had an incredible dinner celebrating two friend's birthdays at Marisi. The food and drinks were fantastic, the vibes immaculate, and the service elevated the whole experience, shoutout to Justin and Britnee!! Enjoyed every moment, right down to the candle in the bathroom (which they sell... and yes, I absolutely couldn't leave without it ). read more

Marisi in La Jolla is absolutely beautiful. They have gorgeous decor paired with excellent service. We came for brunch and loved everything we ordered. The frittata, focaccia, and spicy rigatoni were all fantastic, and the homemade noodles were especially delicious. The presentation and flavors were truly on point. Everything felt thoughtful and well executed. I'm already looking forward to coming back to try their dinner menu. read more

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Beautiful ambiance and decor. 5/5 service, very attentive. Most of the dishes were delicious. Highlights were the tomato carpaccio and spicy rigatoni. The shakshouka was disappointing-- tasted like poached eggs in plain marinara sauce. read more

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Ambience is great and servers are generally very nice, but was let down by much more than those two things could make up for. We ordered the tomato carpaccio and after a couple bites it tasted like mush that blended all together. It was over seasoned and the seasonings distracted from what is supposed to be a simple dish. The carbonara was good at first bite, but after each bite it felt way too rich and way too salty. It seemed to get worse with each bite and sadly didn't finish it. Also ordered the filet mignon, which was probably the biggest let down. I ordered it medium rare and it came out very gray with a slight touch of pink. I usually am not the kind of person to bring something like this up but to pay $60+ for a dish I didn't expect the cook to be that off, it came out medium well and borderline well done. They were gracious enough to offer to recook it as soon as I brought up that the cook was off, but then when they brought out a new one it was now clearly undercooked and cooked unevenly. Got a picture that shows two pieces of the same steak clearly different from each other. This was the second time they brought it out, didn't get a picture of the first one. We ordered dessert hoping it would make up for a rather subpar meal, and it was just ok. Our server was very nice but after she took our orders it felt like it took forever before they brought our food and rarely checked on us. Ended up spending way more time there than we wanted because they had to remake the filet and they hardly checked in with us, just very slow service after the initial sit down. read more

Marisi - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

Second time visiting and the atmosphere is so beautiful and enchanting! We were greeted pleasantly but it did take quite awhile to just get water, after that service was great. We had three different starters that were all fantastic... the focaccia, bone marrow, and tomato carpaccio. I had the king crab pasta which was light and tasty!! We finished with the limoncello tiramisu and milk chocolate desserts that were so yummy! read more

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Had a fun experiencing dining at Marisi. Overall I felt like it was slightly overpriced but figured I was paying for the ambiance and experience as a whole. For two we shared the local crudo, bone marrow, funghi, spicy rigatoni and duck lasagna. Our favorite dish of the night was the funghi. Really good flavor and had a good portion size. The presentation of the bone marrow was really fun as well! Service was friendly and attentive. If you're looking for an upscale dining experience, Marisi can be a fun place to check out! read more

The restaurant is so beautiful and I love how open the patio is! Our waiter Nick was so nice and gave great recommendations! He was so accommodating with all my questions and food restrictions. The focaccia doesn't photograph well, but it's incredible! We ordered it last minute and am so glad we tried it. The pasta and mushrooms were tasty as well. There's so many more incredible dishes to try we will definitely be back! read more

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Came here for my early birthday dinner while on vacation. The restaurant is such a vibe - moody, cozy, and chic. We could only get reservations for super late but they let us in a little earlier which was nice since we got there super early just to try. Our waiter was really nice and personable. He gave us complimentary champagne shots, which was sweet. The Caesar salad was great and the focaccia. I didn't love the branzino - a little too fishy for me but the spicy rigatoni was good! We enjoyed it here! read more

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Came to Marisi for a birthday dinner and loved the atmosphere, it's beautiful and great for a special occasion. However, the lobster ravioli was over $45 for a very small portion, which was disappointing for the price. Overall, while the ambiance was nice, the value didn't quite match the cost, so I probably wouldn't come back. read more

Marisi - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

Instagram worthy. It is all about the ambiance. Excellent service. Great date location or girlfriends night out. Cocktails are delicious $19-30 primi or secondi and $42-70 for entrees ( meats) Pastas are small portions so order a beet salad or caesar to accompany Main meat entrees are shareable One person likely needs to order one primi for a couple to share and two pastas or one pasta and a 1/2 chicken entree to be satiated If you order 1 pasta dish per person for dinner you may not have enough to eat and may need to head out for takeout pizza later worth trying but be prepared to order 2-3 courses for a full meal per person and drop big bucks if you order wine and entrees. We love their: 1. Foccacia bread 2. beet salad 3. agnolotti 4. Rigatoni 5. 1/2 chicken entree 6. soft serve ice cream 7. the porn star cocktail We had a small intimate engagement venue of six persons and it costs $500+ with primi and secondi with wine and shared dessert (but without any meat entrees) read more

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Coming from out of town, we chose Marisi based on the social media hype. The crew here is incredible. everyone from the host stand to our waiter was friendly, fast, and professional. The atmosphere is 10/10. Sadly, the food didn't match the energy. The Focaccia butter was a miss for us, but the King Crab Agnolotti was the real kicker not in a good way. For the price, the "sample" size felt like a mistake. My fiancée couldn't eat it, so I took one for the team and traded my (actually decent) Carbonara so she wouldn't starve. I ended up finished the night at a pizza shop. Marisi, your staff is an A+, but that crab dish needs an apology tour. read more

The food was delicious and the service was even better! Justin and Britanee were phenomenal!

I cannot believe how much we paid for 7 pieces of King Crab Agnolotti. I'm not exaggerating- 7 pieces for $46 ??? The amount of time we waited for it was way longer than how much time we spent eating it. That was how small the serving was. The flavors were nothing special. Also, service was awful. Our server didn't recommend what's good on their menu, didn't ask how we were, or how the food was. When she served the Birthday fireworks on our table- she didn't even say anything. It would be nice if she greeted my friend Happy Birthday. There was no amount of friendliness among the servers. No matter how nice the ambiance- if food and service were not good enough, it would not be worth going back to. read more

Marisi - The 7-piece King Crab Agnolotti... $46... was it worth it? NO! - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

This restaurant came highly recommended, so we were really excited to try it. I chose it for a special meal with loved ones I hadn't seen in a while and wanted a beautiful setting. Unfortunately, the experience fell short. We were seated and initially greeted within a reasonable amount of time. We ordered bread, a tomato carpaccio, and two pastas: the carbonara and the short rib pappardelle. When asked if we wanted the appetizer before the entrées, we said yes, without any indication this would result in a 45-minute gap between courses. We had a child with us who was extremely hungry but handled it very well. We checked in once about the entrées and were assured twice that they were "coming out soon," but they did not arrive as expected. After about 1 hour and 30 minutes with only bread and an appetizer, I politely asked to speak with a manager. When she came over, I explained that our server had been friendly, but the issue was the timing of the food. The response felt dismissive, with repeated references to "miscommunication" and "how they do things," despite acknowledging that courses are usually spaced closer to 20 minutes apart. Given that we were dining with a hungry child and not a group looking to linger, the response felt a bit lack luster. I also asked whether the restaurant was especially busy, as we would have been more understanding if that were the case. I was told they were not. Our server was apologetic and genuinely kind, and it was clear she cared about our experience. While the pastas were comped, which we appreciated, we took them to go because we were ready to leave. Unfortunately, the food itself was underwhelming. The carbonara was fine but not memorable. The short rib pappardelle was not enjoyable; the flavor and presentation didn't work well together, and the sauce didn't complement the short rib. We didn't eat it. Overall, the dishes felt very very overpriced for the flavor. The ambience is lovely and the space is very pretty, but that was the main highlight. L We won't be returning, but hope future guests have a better experience. read more

Was really excited to try this place. Ambiance was nice but felt service was lacking. Our waitress seemed fake nice and barely checked in on us. We ordered the focaccia, which was really delicious and the prosciutto for appetizers. It took an unusually long time to come out, and the restaurant was not busy at the time. My friend ordered hot water that never came. We ordered the lemon ricotta pancakes (tasted dense IMO), rigatoni and carbonara for our entrees. By the time they came out (which again, we waited for a long time), it was clear the carbonara had been sitting for a while (see photo) and the sauce had solidified a bit. We had also asked for more bread, which never came and I had to ask for it "to go". I had higher expectations for this place and based on our experience, would not go again. read more

Marisi - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

Dakota was amazing!!!!!! First timers here and he was fabulous. He recommended the pesto pasta and it was the best dish on the table.

Went on a Sunday post-yoga to try their brunch menu. It was surprisingly quiet -- probably due to the gloomy weather. Anyhow, I love the ambience and decor. The service was attentive and helpful with suggesting menu items. We decided to go with the dip sandwich and sourdough cinnamon rolls. I loved the sandwich; the meat had great flavor, and the bread was a softer texture than I had expected (in a good way). The sourdough cinnamon rolls were a little hard, but I enjoyed the flavor. read more

Marisi - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

They used to have carbonara like when I was in Rome eating in one of my favorite restaurants in Trastevere. Not anymore. Things changed. Apparently the chef is new. The carbonara guanciale is more like chorizo guanciale or finely minced meat (and its all mixed in together with the pasta, you can't even tell it's there.) Not a favorite anymore. I'm extremely disappointed with this change. Perhaps try another place in Little Italy that's more authentic. (Trader Joe's carbonara is now better than this option.) read more

Marisi - "Carbonara" - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

This folks really know how to treat you well! Our pasta was delayed and they brought us a rose' to try, and olives and crudités. But I want to say the star of the show is the Pornstar Martini. What a drink. Comes with a side of champagne and passion fruit. The best drink I have had. I didn't care for my pasta dish the king crab agnolotti. But I did taste my friend's rigatoni which was delicious and my other friend liked her carbonara. I would definitely return. Service was top notch. read more

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My fiance surprised me with the best engagement party and Marisi was the perfect venue for it! He reserved the whole patio and we had around 70 guests. There was a preset menu of appetizers, main dishes, drinks, and desserts. It was open bar so you were actually able to order off the menu. The staff were so amazing and made sure everyone had a drink in hand. The food was amazing too! Everyone loved the pasta. We were able to take home the leftover food as well! read more

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Took my mom here this past weekend as an early Mother's Day for us both. Kinda bummed because I thought we'd get patio seating, but got sat right inside near the bar on stools. They had a big reservation so most of the outside was taken up. Aaliyah was our server and she was great. She recommended the focaccia and that ended up being our favorite dish. The items we ordered felt a bit salty to us, but that could just be how it's meant to be? It was our first time eating this type of cuisine at a restaurant, so we're not sure. For us, it was a bit salty, but nothing to ruin the meal. Definitely still delicious. I ordered their sandwich and my mom got the carbonara. Ended up taking it all home (thanks Michael for boxing it up for us!) Ambiance and decor wise, just wow! So incredibly beautiful. Parking is a nightmare, so take that into consideration. We ended up parking at The Ivanhoe garage for $25. read more

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Where should one even start? The decor was beautiful! It honestly felt like I was in Italy without having to travel. We had a reservation at 5:45 on a Saturday evening...reservations fill up quickly so I highly recommend planning ahead! All the dishes we had were done so well. If you're a fan of bone marrow, I highly recommend ordering that to share (the biggest bone marrow I have ever had) not to mention, it was delicious! The beet salad and the pate stole the show for me. I could've honestly ate those all day. They also treat you to a birthday card and sweet treat :) will for sure be back! Thank you, Marisi for a great birthday celebration. read more

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I never give 5 star reviews and I have ZERO doubts that this place doesn't deserve this 5 star reviews. To start the ambiance is amazing. There is Outdoor seating, there's inside but feels like outside seating near the bar, and then there's intimate indoor seating with darker lighting and smaller tables. The server was so knowledgeable and able to define or explain and describe everything on the menu. Super helpful The menu is short but every single thing is amazing. When each dish came out it was presented beautifully, the portions are strong, and and flavors are incredible. I literally said "I think this is the best _______ I ever had" about every dish. I can't wait to come back. read more

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Was so lucky to have found parking here - especially on a Sunday where you can park for as long as you want for free. I was pleasantly surprised that this restaurant gave a hand-made card for my birthday. The drink I had was the cantaloupe margarita and I honestly did not like it as much as I thought. I truly didn't taste anything cantaloupe flavored - it just tasted like a margarita to me without any salt or sugar rim. I really enjoyed some of the appetizers such as the focaccia bread (we added the brown butter for an additional charge), the crudo was delicious as well. We all kind of shared the appetizers - burrata was pretty good too but pretty small. Carbonara is my absolutely favorite pasta so i was glad to see they served it here. It was a great portion and I really enjoyed the al dente part of the pasta. For dessert, I had the milk chocolate. I was also a bit disappointed in this - the berry layer was way too tarte and I just feel like the mousse being the only description of this dessert, it just wasn't a hit for me. I think I would've gone for the nonna cake or the chocolate/hazelnut swirl ice cream next time. Waiters/host were all pleasant, they were very timely and attentive. I love the atmosphere inside, it's very pretty and intimate. Would definitely come again! read more

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We had such a great meal here! We've been many times and it never disappoints! But this time we had the best server Denisse! She was so friendly and made our night! The restaurant is beautiful and the dishes are incredible! Make sure to get the Lemoncello tiramisu! The best for any nice night out! read more

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I highly suggest making a reservation ahead of time as they can get quite busy. As soon as we arrived we were seated and given excellent service/attention from our server and various other servers. We had a great experience overall, but just certain food items were slightly lacking especially for the price. The patio seating is beautiful as well! We started out with the burrata and I was pleasantly surprised at how sweet the stone fruit was that paired well with the burrata. The house made Rosemary chips were a delectable addition. When we ran out of chips, our server did offer another plate so we could finish our burrata. I did start off with the pornstar martini as well. The martini was fantastic! It was on the sweeter side. It came with a small glass of brut champagne and half a passion fruit to eat. It really did all pair well together. Our entrees took a while to come out, but I had the rigatoni and my husband had the carbonara. We both agree the carbonara was the absolute best. Just so creamy and a rich yolk and pepper flavor. The rigatoni was very underwhelming. Nothing special and honestly a bit disappointing as there was almost no flavor. Both dishes were a bit small for an entree too, but it was expected for this type of restaurant. We would both come back for the carbonara alone. We were celebrating an anniversary so we each did receive a complimentary glass of rose, which was a nice touch. Very refreshing before our dessert. We ordered two desserts to share, the Budino and Gelato Della Nonna cake. The Budino was brought out incorrectly (I believe they gave us tiramisu with the doughnuts from the Budino) but our sever noticed it and did deduct it from our check which was very appreciated. We enjoyed the tiramisu with doughnuts though! The gelato cake was just like an ice cream cake, but only one layer was distinguishable from the others. We had consistent service throughout our dinner which we loved the most! read more

Came here for a birthday with my girlfriends and was excited to try this place because of what I've heard, unfortunately this place was mediocre at best. The food came out cold and overly salted. The only thing saving this review is the little gem salad. read more

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Britnee at Marisi is truly exceptional. From the moment we sat down, she made us feel so welcomed and taken care of--it honestly elevated the entire experience. She struck the perfect balance of being attentive without hovering, and her timing was flawless throughout the night. Her knowledge of the menu and recommendations were spot on, and you can tell she genuinely cares about creating a great experience for her guests. Every detail felt intentional, and she made our night feel special without it feeling over the top. read more

Denisse was amazing. Incredible recommendations - wonderful professional attitude and warmth. Best meal my lifelong bestie and I have ever had. Absolute heaven! The tomato carpaccio was epic. Spicy rigatoni exceptional. Limoncello tiramisu was perfection! read more

Marisi - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

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We have been going to Marisi since it's opening and it was one of our favorites in the area, but, our recent visit with the new chef it was not the same, The bread, the salad and pesto pasta are still very good but the best carbonara in town is replaced by a totally different one that does not come close to the old one, I truly hope they bring back the original one. Also, they run out of branzino, another favorite and the local fish and it was disappointing. Their wine list is very good but we were served a flat Prosecco by the glass, they replaced it but it would had been nice not to have to go through this. Service was excellent, as always and atmosphere very nice read more

Our first time visiting Marisi! Popular restaurant in La Jolla. We came on a rainy night, but the restaurant was still packed! Showing how popular this place is! The ambiance was great for a date night. Large heated patio area that's perfect for a cozy dinner. It has a smaller inside dining area which has a large bar. We sat on a high table near the bar. The service was simple, but to the point. We had two entrees, carbonara bucatini and filet mignon. My carbonara was very creamy and thick, which isn't typically my go-to pasta style but I wanted to give a try. The bucatini was great. Overall, I didn't like my pasta that much. Just very creamy and the flavors felt flat. The filet mignon was okay, as you would expect in a nice restaurant. The steak was salty and nothing too special. We really liked their espresso martini. Overall, I was expecting more at Marisi. I would try other dishes to see more what they can offer! read more

Marisi - Carbonara Bucatini - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Espresso martini great, they also have an N/A version, carbonara was so good that I inhaled it before taking a photo, and the limoncello tiramisu was a great way to end our meal. read more

Marisi - Marisi Espresso Martini - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Came here on a Friday night with my wife. Seated with my back directly in the walkway to entrance. Felt odd, but I was able to look past it. Ordered drinks and the local crudo. Crudo and drinks were great. Entrees: wife ordered the carbonara and I ordered the duck lasagna. Carbonara was cold. Definitely had been sitting so we sent it back. Duck lasagna, sent back as well. It had no flavor and seemed like shredded beef with a tomato water. Round 2: received carbonara at an appropriate temp, and it was actually good. I had ordered the filet mignon instead of lasagna to reduce the risk of dish being underwhelming. Unfortunately steak was cold. It was also rare instead of medium rare like I ordered. Wife was able to eat and enjoy her carbonara. I sent back my steak and asked for the check. In conclusion. I would not come back here due to the restaurant fumbling a filet after letting us down with two previous dishes. The lead or maybe shift manger did come to the table to apologize and gave a gift card to try restaurant again. I live in Oceanside. I would not go out of my way to come here again unfortunately unless it's for just drinks. The server was attentive but extremely slow once it came to getting the check. read more

Everything tasted delicious and our servers were so attentive. I love all things bread and the focaccia was no exception. I'm picky about Carbonara but it passed my standards and the Campanelle was an excellent pesto dish. The surprising highlight however was the Little Gem (a fitting name). What business does a Caesar salad have being THAT good at an Italian restaurant? I don't know, but we can't stop raving about it. read more

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The food here was delicious! Highly recommend the carbonara and also the beef carpaccio. The pornstar martini was also very good and they had good presentation with it. They gave you small glass of champagne to cleanse your palate and an actual passion to eat from after. Employees were so friendly - I came for my bachelorette party and they gave me a cute card. Highly recommend read more

Marisi - Pornstar martini - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

In town and our son made a reservation here as he lives in La Jolla. Let me start by saying this place is pricey, however it is worth the price. The food and service were excellent. We shared two appetizers, 2 pastas, and their porterhouse steak. My only complaint, and it is becoming more common, is they add 4% to the bill for employee insurance. People I speak to about this usually deduct it from their tip. read more

Marisi is one of those places that makes a *stunning* first impression. The **ambiance is absolutely beautiful** -- from the elegant decor to the warm lighting and carefully curated playlist, it feels upscale without being stuffy. The **table settings** are equally gorgeous, making it perfect for a special night out or celebration. But once we got past the aesthetics... things got a little rocky. Despite having a reservation, we experienced **long wait times** and were left standing awkwardly at the front with barely an acknowledgment from the host. The **staff was surprisingly curt** throughout the evening -- not exactly what you'd expect from a fine dining experience at this price point. Now for the food and drinks: **Drinks were great** -- well-balanced and creative cocktails that lived up to the setting. The **food was just okay**. Beautifully plated, yes, but the **portions were small** and the prices were steep even by La Jolla standards. The **branzino**, in particular, was disappointing -- overly **fishy** and didn't feel as fresh as it should have. Definitely not worth the \$40+ price tag. Marisi is a great spot *if* you're going for drinks and vibes. But if you're coming hungry -- or expecting exceptional service to match the bill -- you might leave underwhelmed. read more