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    Monaco Italian Kitchen

    4.1 (123 reviews)
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    Order Monaco Italian Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

    Monaco Italian Kitchen Photos

    MONACO ITALIAN KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Romantic
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Monaco Italian Kitchen

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    Mimi P.

    Food was good ! Ordered the lamb bolognese and octopus. service was lacking, very disappointed. Might try again and hope for better service. We ordered a 100+ bottle of red wine and it came out ice refrigerated cold ! We had to warm it up with the napkins and our hands. Server just shrugged it off.

    Half Caesar Salad
    Howie C.

    Has potential but there were some puzzling misses here. Monaco has a great location with wall that opens up to become a dining patio facing the street. The problem on the night I went was that it was fully open on a December evening without heaters on in the restaurant. At 56 degrees outside and everyone inside with their puffy jackets on, that is not a preferable dining experience. Half Caesar Salad - I was appreciative that there was an option to get half Caesar for $9 instead of the full for $16 since it was only me dining. The romaine lettuce was fresh, the croutons light and airy. The dressing lacked zest and bite (more like a ranch with a touch of caesar flavor) and the diced pancetta chunks didn't work. The preserved ham was chunky and hard, like having cut beef jerky in your salad. It would have worked better without the pancetta or with thin sliced, grilled prosciutto pieces instead. Diavola Pizza - This was tasty as the san marzano tomato sauce, spicy calabrese and black olives worked well. The crust was okay. It was like a cross between NY and Neapolitan pizza, but the crust wasn't bubbly enough on the edges to be a fully neapolitan. This brought out with a pizza stand on a metal pizza pan... But I never received a plate. So I started on my first slice eating over the bar top counter hoping a plate would be brought out but that never happened. Then I tried eating it over the flat pizza pan, but it being on the stand made it too high to comfortably eat. I figured out a solution... After the pizza pan cooled, I took it off the rack and just had that as my plate flat on the table vs. suspended on the rack. The food here is okay, but given the issues mentioned above, it all makes for an awkward dining experience. This is the first time I've had pizza at a restaurant without a plate. Even providing a paper plate like at local pizza joints that T-ballers mob would have been acceptable. There was no one really around to ask for a plate, by the time I could've asked, the pizza would have been fully cold. My server and the seating host were both nice, no issues there, but overall Monaco needs to tighten up some operational things to make this an at least average experience for diners. They do validate for parking for two hours if you dine here.

    Lisa K.

    This place is literally my favorite Italian place I've been to in Irvine. Every time I go here, I leave so happy because the food is fresh and tasty. Their happy hour is my absolute favorite. Delicious cocktails, a huge salad, and pizza with fresh ingredients. The Diavola Pizza was a bit spicier than I anticipated but easy fix by just picking off all the red chilis. Wasn't sure if I was going to like the Caesar salad but the dressing was light and the amount of cheese on top was excellent. The bartenders are super friendly here and I love the indoor/outdoor seating. The interior walls and decor are modern and calming as well. If you want to watch sports, there's some TVs at the bar area for you but no sound.

    Willie L.

    Stopped by for lunch, since it was nearby the office. The restaurant was clean with simple decor. We have ordered several items to try out. The staff was attentive constantly checking if we needed anything. Beef tartare was tasty. Nicely spiced to spread over the bread. There was a hint of spiciness in the tartare. Chicken Cacio e Pepe had grilled chicken that wasn't too dry, but the over all noodles were a bit drier than I'd preferred. And Lamb Bolognese sauce was flavorful, but a few bites of the pasta was undercooked. Overall the flavor was good for a lunch service.

    Caesar Salad
    Gina N.

    This place looks better in person. I don't think the photos do it justice. It also doesn't seem to get crowded so you'll be fine without a reservation. You can get your parking validated. The pasta is handmade here. The pasta has a little kick but it's not spicy. You can get an espresso martini here but if you want fresh espresso it will be an extra $8. I had a great time celebrating my birthday here. They didn't give me a free dessert but they brought a candle out with my tiramisu. The service was great. The server was very attentive and nice.

    @coffeeshopsofoc on insta  for more reviews
    Destinee M.

    Monaco in Irvine was such a solid dinner spot. We ordered a little bit of everything and every dish hit. The prosciutto pizza with honey was the standout for me. The sweet and savory combo worked perfectly and the crust was done just right. The pepperoni pizza had a slight kick to it which made it more interesting than your usual classic slice. We also started with the grilled octopus appetizer and it was tender and flavorful, not chewy at all. For an entrée, the chicken Alfredo came with thick noodles and a rich, creamy sauce that felt really comforting and filling. To finish off the meal we shared the tiramisu and it was light, balanced, and a great way to end the night. Overall, everything we tried was well executed and satisfying. Monaco is a great option if you're looking for Italian food in Irvine that feels elevated but still approachable. I'd definitely come back

    Christian G.

    Came here for Happy Hour Drinks and the whole restaurant was empty. There's plenty of seating like restaurant seating, bar seating, and outdoor patio seating. We opted for the patio and the booths were big and comfortable. Our bartender/waitress was nice and helpful. Only downside was I asked her for well drinks and she told me to choose which, we did but a lot of them were charged as specialty drinks, wish she would have told me they were specialty and not well drinks before I ordered.

    Napoleon pizza w Caesar Salad
    Tricia S.

    Enjoyed happy hour with a coworker on a Thursday afternoon. Espresso martini was fantastic to start the evening - sweet and flavorful! I didn't expect the napoleon pizza (can't remember the name but it had prosciutto, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, olives, and arugula) ... it came out looking like a sandwich, tasting like a pizza! I enjoyed the salty flavor of the prosciutto and all the fresh veggies. The Honey Cesar salad was a perfect pair with the "pizza". Great atmosphere where the outdoor seating was connected to the indoor, perfect evening! They validate parking up to 2 hours and there was lots of restaurant parking in the garage.

    Prosciutto Pizza
    Serapina C.

    Discovered that there was a new Italian spot in OC so I had to check it out and try their menu! First off, the inside is very nice, clean, and modern chic, and the entrance is right next to the parking lot and Goldfinch/Izakaya Osen. My friend and I got the prosciutto pizza and the canestri all-amatricana, which was like a tomato sauce pasta with bits of pork/pancetta (?). The pizza dough was nice and fluffy, and I like the prosciutto x honey x arugula combo - imo I think the pizza could use more honey as it wasn't as prominent and the prosciutto was overpowering the flavors because it was so salty. Similarly, the pasta itself was decent but was on the saltier side from the pork and I personally think it could greatly benefit from incorporating other seasonings/herbs to enhance the sauce as it is a simple tomato base, but that's more so my opinion as someone who's not a chef. Overall, I genuinely think adding less salt dishes can definitely improve them as otherwise it was a good meal and the service was super nice as well. Would love to check out their other pizzas/pastas though + their brunch menu as I'm sure there are other hidden gems to try out!

    Arancini
    Anh D.

    Love this place already. I came at the tail end of happy hour and got Arancini and Meatballs from the Antipasti menu. Both were superb, so flavorful and so juicy (the meatballs!). We also got Cacio e Pepe with a side of prawns (came on a nice bed of greens). I really appreciate how our server kept our waters full, staff such as busser and manager checking in, and being so detailed (eg. when serving dessert, the server put down a napkin folded in a triangular shape to show off the name of the restaurant). The restaurant itself is gorgeous and they have some TVs and complimentary valet parking (depending on hours) and/or validated parking.

    Spaghetti alle vongole x2 and Cacio e Pepe with chicken
    Stephanie S.

    This place needs to be more popular! I've been here 3x in one month LOL it's a fairly new restaurant in Irvine and I love the vibe. The restaurant is cozy and intimate . I've been here for happy hour and dinner, the drinks and food are so delicious. Drinks: Espresso martini White lotus Hugo spritz Il Dulce All their cocktails are absolutely amazing, but i would have to say the Hugo spritz is my favorite. It's refreshing and I love how they add yuzu to it. Food: Prosciutto pizza Focaccia Spaghetti alle vongole I would order everything again! The focaccia is baked to perfection, the rosemary and the garlic butter compliments the bread very well. The prosciutto pizza is my favorite. The honey drizzle on the pizza adds the perfect touch. I love the clam pasta - generous portions of clams and flavorful. If you're looking for a happy hour spot or dinner date, you have to try Monaco. They validate parking for 2 hours and service is very friendly. I can't wait to go back!

    Jessica W.

    女人如花,每個季節都有不同的美,你就是最好的自己,無論歲月如何變遷,都該散發著只屬於妳的獨特光芒~ 上個月跟朋友到爾灣來吃了一家西餐廳,上個月覺得不便宜,但最近六月份到處吃吃喝喝之後突然間發現也沒那麼貴了,因為東西好像又更貴了的感覺,一樣要吃飯,就是要找環境看起來優雅,東西好吃,一起吃飯的人也總要能說的上話,看得下去,對吧,三道菜,章魚腳,魚片,義大利麵都很棒,可以來這邊吃個商業午餐,也適合朋友們小聚,就在名店 Izakaya Osen, 同一個plaza, 吃膩日料的話, 可以換換義大利口味歐!

    Caesar Salad
    Mary Ann P.

    Nice little bistro with super friendly staff. Our waiter Joseph was very knowledgeable and made some good suggestions. We were able to take advantage of the daily happy hour from 3 to 6 PM and it has lots of great options. We started with the Caesar salad which was really fresh and delicious. The second course was the octopus appetizer and it was seasoned well and very tender. We had the prosciutto pizza nicely charred and topped with mushrooms and artichokes. Very Tasty We really enjoyed the aperol spritz and Hugo spritz. They are both on the Happy Hour list Large patio area as well as indoor dining

    Octopus $21

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    6 months ago

    The food was delicious. The service was so good. Ellie was amazing. It's such a chill vibe there. I'll definitely be back.

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    Thank you for the great review! Look forward to seeing you again soon!

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Monaco Italian Kitchen

    Do they have happy hour?

    Yes they do!!

    Do they have fries or roasted potatoes?

    They have crispy potatoes, not sure about fries. I didn't see any on the menu.

    What's the parking situation?

    They validate parking at the parking garage attached to the restaurant.

    Do u have private room for 30 guest?

    I did not see a private room inside, although there is an outside area that can accommodate quite a number of people

    View All 5 Questions

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    Everything is great except for the jumping prices. Looking through old pictures of past menus (on…read moreYelp) shows how several price increases in the past 3 years. Price increases in our past three years are certainly expected, however, the hike since April's menu to yesterday (10/3/2026), seems unreasonable. The Churrasco entree (Cuban herb chimichurri with sharp citrus notes) for $50 gives you a very thin skirt steak with a corn cob, white rice, and black beans in a skinny ramekin (tiny, tall egg cup in this instance), whose price seems unjustified. However, $44 dollars would make more sense, including the value-add of the remarkable ambiance and terrific service. The next time, I will ask them how many ounces meat dishes before ordering to negotiate price to product. Be certain to ask for your corn cob to be served off-the-cob: it has sprinkled cotija cheese and a thin coat of unseasoned enchilada sauce on it. The *curved blade of the steak knife that comes with this entree is almost impossible to cut the kernels off of the cob without making a disaster. I asked for more of the churrasco sauce, with a citrus tang that was served minimally, under the skirt steak -- it was also outstanding with the corn and white rice.

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    Solstice - Strawberry Yuzu Butter Cake

    Strawberry Yuzu Butter Cake

    Solstice
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    Monaco Italian Kitchen - cocktailbars - Updated October 2026

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