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Merenda

5.0 (1 review)
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9 months ago

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Pasta Sisters - Tomato & Basil Spaghetti with Burrata

Pasta Sisters

3.9(57 reviews)
0.0 mi
Family-owned & operated
Locally owned & operated

My wife and I are fans of the original Pasta Sisters location in Culver City. Their handmade…read morepastas are delicious, and we were excited to try their location on the border of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. The extraordinary thing about the Pasta Sisters is that they offer house made pastas, which guarantees a higher price point, but offers unparalleled texture. The spaghetti has a "bite" that you get from a true "al dente" pasta. Their cheese tortellini were incredibly rich and cheesy, but a touch salty. The drawback of this location is that it's a ghost kitchen. You order it online and the order will be ready for you when you come in to pick it up. The location does not have seating, and you eat it at your own convenience. If you live/work locally, then this can be definitely worth checking out. Because I live out of town, I have to enjoy it either in my car, after a long drive home, or at my wife's office; however, I want to enjoy these $20 pastas in a restaurant, with wine and good company. A ghost kitchen is very different than a restaurant experience. I hope they do choose to bring their restaurant to the OC one day.

I ordered online for pickup. They're one of the vendors in Costa Mesa Kitchens (ghost kitchen, so…read moreit's takeout only). It was my first time going there, so it's good to know in advance that there are cones set up where you can only enter on Rochester and only exit on Newport (at least that was the case when I went in Oct 2025). Tiny parking lot may be hectic during prime times. There's a touchscreen right inside the front doors where I entered my order info. I then was instructed to check a specific locker right around the corner to pick up my order. My order was ready on time and the food tasted great, but I don't recall the last time I was this upset about the quantity for the price. I ordered four different pasta dishes for an insane $88 as of Oct 2025. The servings were tiny. I probably could've eaten all 4 dishes myself and not even felt sick from overeating. I'll boldly state that if you're an average adult, you will not even be remotely full from one of their offerings. To charge that much for providing so little is criminal.

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Pasta Sisters - Tagliatelle pesto with burrata

Tagliatelle pesto with burrata

Pasta Sisters - Spaghetti bottarga

Spaghetti bottarga

Pasta Sisters - Pasta with tomato & ricotta

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Pasta with tomato & ricotta

Pasta Connection

Pasta Connection

4.0(688 reviews)
0.5 mi
•$$

I've been coming to Pasta Connection for years, and it never disappoints! The service is always…read moretop-notch, and the food is delicious. You can never go wrong with their pasta, but this time I decided to switch things up and try the steak with veggies. It was cooked to perfection! The atmosphere is cozy, quiet, and family-friendly, making it a great spot to enjoy a relaxing meal. And a bonus? They serve bread with chimichurri, which is such a delicious touch! Definitely a longtime favorite!

Pasta Connection is an absolute hidden gem! While I've never actually dined at the restaurant in…read moreperson, I've ordered from them through Uber Eats multiple times, and every single experience has been phenomenal! The food consistently arrives delicious, and honestly, everything I've tried has been outstanding. The Pasta Connection Especial is fantastic, and the Egg Fettuccine is another absolute standout. One of my favorite things to do is order the Egg Fettuccine, cook up some chicken at home while I'm waiting for the delivery, and throw it right on top when it arrives. Let me tell you, that combination is a straight-up 10/10! Such a simple addition that turns an already amazing pasta dish into an incredible, protein-packed meal. What really impresses me is how well the food holds up through delivery. Pasta can sometimes be hit or miss when ordering takeout, but Pasta Connection has consistently delivered on flavor and quality. I can't speak to the dine-in atmosphere or service since I haven't visited in person, but purely from a food and delivery standpoint, this place has earned my recommendation. If you're craving delicious, satisfying pasta without leaving the house, don't sleep on Pasta Connection! Great portions, fantastic flavors, and consistently excellent food. Definitely one of my favorite Italian takeout spots. Highly recommend!

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Pasta Connection - Inside

Inside

Pasta Connection
Pasta Connection

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Al Forno Caffe

Al Forno Caffe

4.5(851 reviews)
2.1 mi
•$$

5 Stars - An Absolutely Amazing Experience!…read more Alforno Cafe is truly one of those special places that gets everything right! From the incredible food to the beautiful ambiance and welcoming atmosphere, the entire experience was nothing short of exceptional. I honestly wouldn't change a thing! What really made our visit unforgettable was our waiter, Jaime. His outstanding service, genuine personality, attentiveness, and positive energy took our experience to another level. Jaime has that rare ability to make you feel like more than just another customer. His warmth, professionalism, and natural charm are exactly what great hospitality should be! The food was absolutely to die for, the entire staff was amazing, and the atmosphere couldn't have been more perfect. People may come for the incredible food, but it's people like Jaime who make them want to come back! Alforno Cafe is a true gem, and Jaime is an absolute asset to the restaurant. Five stars simply aren't enough. We can't wait to return!

Unfortunately the great waiter and fluffy free focaccia bread could not overcome the lackluster…read morechicken piccata and small portions. Chicken piccata should pack a punch of a lemony sauce but this was more of a tap. The dish was smaller than a closed fist but that fist went nowhere. Chicken was too thick also. Kids fettuccini Alfredo for $9 seemed good but $7 to add 3 small chicken strips was disappointing. Also the place was half empty and it still took about 30min to prepare food and another 10 to get the bill. Won't be back which sucks because the atmosphere is very welcoming and rustic.

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Al Forno Caffe - Inside

Inside

Al Forno Caffe - Salmone al Forno, $28

Salmone al Forno, $28

Al Forno Caffe

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The Red Room - The beautiful entrance to the Red Room

The Red Room

4.9(294 reviews)
0.4 mi
Luxury
Speaks Spanish

We celebrated my wife Cheryl's birthday at Red Room Speakeasy Supper Lounge, and it was an…read moreabsolutely wonderful evening from start to finish! The host and owner, Domenico, was fantastic. He was warm, welcoming, and made us feel like special guests from the moment we arrived. You can tell he truly cares about his restaurant and the experience he creates for his guests. The service was excellent, the atmosphere was unique and intimate, and the food was outstanding. Everything came together perfectly for a memorable birthday celebration. Thank you to Domenico and the entire Red Room team for making Cheryl's birthday dinner so special. We'll definitely be back!

The Red Room is one of my favorite places not only in OC but ANYWHERE…read more My husband and I stumbled upon this place when they first opened and now whenever family or friends are in town it's a must visit for them to experience it. Not many places hit every box of amazing food, service, ambience and entertainment but Domenico and his team go above and beyond. I took my parents sister and husband here for my bday dinner and they did not disappoint. From being greeted by the amazing beautiful Petra to amazing drinks by the bartender Brett and our server Laurent. They made my birthday dinner perfect. Domenico makes you feel like family and this is always my go to spot when we want date night or amazing Italian food. Thank you Red Room!

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The Red Room - Top Shelf Bar

Top Shelf Bar

The Red Room - Dinner and live jazz

Dinner and live jazz

The Red Room - Interior Red Room

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Interior Red Room

Massimos Pizza and Pasta

Massimos Pizza and Pasta

4.4(638 reviews)
0.7 mi
•$$

The folks here are super friendly! Very chatty. They make you feel like you're guests in their…read morehome. There are 8 big screen TVs in this small establishment! Great place to watch FIFA as they had 2 games on at the same time!! Thank you. I love that they have a build-your-own pasta menu which is what every Italian restaurant should have. You pick your pasta, your sauce (they had many!) and toppings like mushrooms, meatballs, or sausage. Lots of different combinations can be created! They also have cold and hot subs. I got a slice of pepperoni and mushroom. I enjoyed their pizza very much and the crispy thin crust was perfect. My son got the rigatoni with pink sauce (delish and was highly recommended) with meatballs. The rest of the party shared a large Massimo Special. The food didn't all come out at the same time. The pasta came out first, then a few minutes later, the slice. But the whole pizza took a while. I noticed there were a lot of pick up orders. So the pizza must be a neighborhood favorite. Well, they made a fan out of me! Next time I'm in SoCal, I'd stop by here again. I want to order that pink sauce again!

If you're always looking for new pizza places like I am, I usually keep it simple and order a slice…read morefirst. If that one slice is great, I'll come back for a whole pizza. If not, I'll move on to the next place. This place has been family owned for three generations, and the owner was really friendly, which got me excited to try it. I ordered a traditional pepperoni slice, and he even gave me a sample of their marinara sauce, which was a nice touch. The pizza itself was just average. The sauce, cheese, and pepperoni were all okay, but nothing really stood out. My biggest issue was the crust. It was really floppy and didn't have that light crunch on the bottom that I look for in a good New York style slice. When I picked it up, it just folded over. The marinara sample was decent too, but it also tasted pretty average. I always try to be fair with my reviews, and this definitely wasn't a bad slice. It just wasn't one that made me want to come back for more. Hopefully other pizzas on the menu are better, but based on this first impression, I'll probably keep searching for my next favorite pizza spot.

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Massimos Pizza and Pasta
Massimos Pizza and Pasta - Rigatoni with Pink Sauce and meatballs

Rigatoni with Pink Sauce and meatballs

Massimos Pizza and Pasta

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The Original Mama D's Italian Kitchen - Penny's Chicken Parmigiana

The Original Mama D's Italian Kitchen

4.6(7.6k reviews)
1.8 mi
•$$

Mama D's Italian Kitchen is one of those places that feels like home the minute you walk in. You…read moreinstantly feel welcomed into Mama D's house, and you can taste that love in the food. I went with the build-your-own pasta, penne with Mama D's original pink sauce and shrimp. Nothing fancy, just simple and delicious. And of course I had to have a Peroni with it, my favorite Italian beer. This is definitely one of my favorite Italian spots for any time of the day, but I especially love coming here during the winter. There's just something about the cozy, warm, family feeling that makes it even better.

Visited Mama D's on a Thursday night and it was a wonderful experience! The place was very lively,…read morebut right away we were greeted by a super friendly hostess and we only had to wait around 10 min for a table of 4. It felt like the perfect neighborhood Italian joint, not too prissy at all but comfortable and warm. Our server Caden was super friendly and attentive! He recommended the pink sauce which was absolutely delicious. We really enjoyed our food and the portions were very generous! I was also in heaven as a vegetarian, as most of the pastas are already vegetarian, and you can add protein for an extra charge. So there were so many options which was really exciting for me haha. The cherry on top of our amazing meal was when they brought out warm cookies for us with our check. It was such a nice touch that we appreciated :) Would definitely come back here!!

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The Original Mama D's Italian Kitchen - Front of house.

Front of house.

The Original Mama D's Italian Kitchen - Chicken and sausage Capri

Chicken and sausage Capri

The Original Mama D's Italian Kitchen - Conplimentary dish.soooo good

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Conplimentary dish.soooo good

Merenda - italian - Updated October 2026

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