My wife and I dined at North Italia today at the Brea, CA mall. Our server was very attentive and the food was outstanding! Oh, and the iced tea was the best I have ever had. read more

First time dining at North Italia at Brea Mall! Visited on a busy Sunday and had about a 20min wait after joining the waitlist. Parking in the structure was a nightmare, so I recommend parking outside near Dick's Sporting Goods/Macy's and walking through the mall instead. Overall, we had a great experience! Our server was super helpful and walked us through some of the best dishes and drinks. When we mentioned that we'd be sharing everything, we were pleasantly surprised when the kitchen actually prepared separate plates for each of us. Most restaurants will just provide extra sharing plates, so I thought this was such a nice touch and great customer service! What we enjoyed: Trottole Chicken Pesto White Truffle Garlic Bread Little Gem Caesar: fresh and a nice balance alongside the pasta Drinks: Just Peachy -- peach ginger beer lemonade, refreshing and not overly sweet Faux Me Twice -- N/A Sauvignon Blanc with strawberry & pineapple; fruity and easy to drink Definitely a great spot for special occasions or a date, and I'd come back to try more of the menu! read more

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From the moment we walked in, the experience was disappointing. The host seemed very reluctant to help us check in. We explained that we were a party of 2 adults and 1 toddler and that we would need a high chair. We also specifically requested indoor seating because it was a very hot day and we wanted to keep our daughter cool. We were told the wait would be about 20 minutes and that we would receive a text when our table was ready. We waited...and waited. After more than 45 minutes, we still hadn't been seated. We eventually found out that the host had entered our phone number incorrectly, so we never received the notification. Another host eventually helped us get seated, but then told us we needed to sit outside, even though we had specifically requested to be indoors. She also seemed very unhappy and unwelcoming, not just toward us, but toward other guests as well. It honestly gave the impression that she didn't want to be there. Thankfully, we were eventually seated inside, and our server was wonderful. He was very nice, attentive, and did his best to make our experience better. Unfortunately, the food was also a major disappointment. We ordered the kids' Alfredo with meatballs for our daughter, but it was extremely salty, so salty that it was basically inedible. We had to ask for it to be remade. Our server and the manager were very apologetic about the situation, which we genuinely appreciated. My squid ink pasta was also not what I expected. I've had the same dish at the Irvine location before, and it looked and tasted very different. The pasta was overcooked, and the sauce was mixed black and red rather than having the distinct colors I remembered from the Irvine location. The flavor and presentation just weren't the same. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. The service from our server and manager was the one bright spot, but the long wait, seating issues, and food quality made the experience frustrating. I'm not sure I would return to this location. I would much rather go to the Irvine location. read more

The ambiance was easily a 10/10, the food was decent, and once we were seated, the service was great. We ordered the calamari appetizer, one spritz, one mule, one pizza, and one pasta, which came out to a little over $100. That said, the check-in experience was unnecessarily awkward and honestly made me question whether the person stationed at the front had been properly trained on what the role actually entails. When I walked in, I made direct eye contact with the young lady at the check-in desk. She didn't greet me or acknowledge me in any way, so naturally, I turned to the next person I assumed worked there. She then directed me right back to the same young lady I had initially made eye contact with. Once we finally got checked in and seated, everything else went smoothly. It's just surprising that such a simple first point of contact could be handled so poorly. A basic greeting and acknowledgment would have gone a long way. Overall, the ambiance was nice, the service once seated was great, and the food was decent. Girl up front last night read more

Review 79/365 Day Challenge. Came here on a Monday for Happy Hour around 5:30 p.m. Was meeting w 2 of my other childhood friend. It's my 1st time @ North Italia. My Friend wanted to take mee here to celebrate my bday month. Right when I walked in, was helped within 2nd's. The hostess ask how many people and if it was ok to dine out in the Patio, told her that's actually perfect, wanting outdoor seating as long as we may get the high bar table seatings. I was approached by our server for the evening, Jacob. Really friendly informative young guy. Told him my girlfriends should be here in the next 10 mins. They are currently almost here. *Jacob helps us for the entire visit here and he definitely made our evening really enjoyable. He kept checking in on us, seeing if we needed refills and if we needed anything more. Really like his attentiveness and awareness. 5 stars service indeed. What we ordered ~ Got the Happy Hour Bottle & Board $ 45 ~ Smoked Salmon Avocado toast is really good. Loved the smoked Salmon, topped w arugula on top of the toast. They offer complimentary Birthday dessert of your choice for the Bday Guest/Celebrant. The restaurant is really clean, modern, high ceiling with an open welcoming vibe. The restaurant was pretty busy during my visit but it didn't feel over crowded at all. The citrus tree art and wall decor with nice portraits was a nice touch to the ambiance. They have parking out front of the restaurant but a bit hard to get. Plenty of parking in the parking structure in front of Nordstroms. read more

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I was pleasantly surprised when I heard that North Italia was coming to the Brea Mall. The food and the service I would say was comparable to the location in Irvine, the overall restaurant itself is a bit smaller, however, I think that they have a better patio layout than the one in Irvine. It's located in the new wing of the Brea mall that has the outdoor area where folks can hang out and just relax, and they do have valet parking, which I think is a huge plus given how difficult the parking is. I will note that Din Tai Fung is also in this area and it has yet to open but once it does, I just know that the traffic is gonna become insane. Overall, a great addition to the Brea, fullerton, Yorba Linda area and it's nice to see that people are enjoying it. I visited on a Friday evening, the place was packed, and many of the folks dining were dressed up as opposed to in casual wear. read more

North Italia - Patio area - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

Yum! Nice place for italian cuisine. The white truffle garlic bread was very good. It wasnt too salty but was still very flavorful and yummy. It's a nice way to mop up any leftover sauce from your pasta dish haha. The bread was soft and fluffy, and the buttery garlic flavor was just right. The strozzapreti pasta was good! Even though it's a white sauce pasta, it wasnt too heavy. I think the flavors in this one were good. The spicy rigatoni vodka pasta was very good as well. It had just a small amount of heat that cut through the heavier flavors from the italian sausage in this dish. Overall was just a good dish. The mussels were okay. Some of mine were a little sandy, which was not the most fun experience. But I did love the wine sauce that came with it though. Dipping the bread in that buttery sauce was nice. The ciao bella cocktail had some sweetness to it and was more of a cute drink. i almost wish i got it on the rocks though. I loved the sole toscano cocktail as well, very refreshing. I feel like this place has a more casual ambiance to it. It definitely is a nice place to go to for some nice italian cuisine. Our server was very nice to us! Also was very attentive, which i appreciated a lot. Really elevated our dining experience. read more

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Would I come back? HECK YEA. OVERALL: ‣ 9/10 food, 10/10 service & ambiance ‣ Definitely trust the waiters/waitresses recommendations -- shoutout to Miranda & Warren Here's What I Got: Zucca Chips: ‣ [9/10] ‣ Zucchini chips ‣ Nice, light & airy. I thought they were going to be a bit crunchier but they're still really good Calamari Fritti: ‣ [10/10] ‣ House giardiniera, sugo, calabrian aioli, grilled lemon ‣ Exterior was light/airy & crispy ‣ Grilled lemon was the cherry on top! Spicy Rigatoni Vodka: ‣ [9/10] ‣ Italian sausage, crispy pancetta, shaved garlic, torn basil, grana padano ‣ Good amount, not overbearing, decent spice ‣ Paired w/Sauvignon Blanc (I forgot which one ;-;). It made the pasta 'spicier' Bolognese (House Specialty): ‣ [9/10] ‣ Traditional meat sauce, pappardelle, grana padano, wild oregano ‣ Simply a classic!! Pasta was perfectly al dente ‣ Paired w/Pinot Noir, Bottega Vinaia, Trentino. CHEFS KISSSSS. Banana Coffee Cake: ‣ [8/10] ‣ Dark rum butterscotch, caramelized banana, crème fraîche ‣ The caramelized bananas were SO GOOD & a really good size. This would be a 9.5/10 with vanilla ice cream. ATMOSPHERE: ‣ Good for parties of all sizes -- reservations accepted! ‣ Chair, booth, bar seating available ‣ Very cozy wood interior with foliage ‣ There wasn't a clear main welcoming area -- cramped & blended in with the restaurant PARKING: ‣ FREE parking, $12 Valet parking available ‣ Parking structures available STAFF: ‣ Miranda was a GREAT help with her recommendations and pairings. She was so kind & I'm so appreciate! Thank you Warren as well! IG & TikTok: @keilanieats read more

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Pretty restaurant located in the outside section of the Brea Mall. Our waitress was friendly and didn't rush us while we were waiting for one person. I got the pizza called the pig and it was really good. I shared my pizza with the table. I wish they had smaller potion sizes as everything was very calorie heavy, however, I also got the hazelnut torta because I couldn't help myself. Definitely recommend. read more

North Italia - The Pig - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

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We started off with the focaccia and a grilled artichoke. Delish! The lemon aioli was super tasty, our server Courtney was extremely nice and quick to get our refills and answer questions. The only issue for us was that dinner for 4 on a weekday night was 200 without any alcohol. So moving forward this would be more of a special occasion place. read more

North Italia - Everyone but Charlize - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

This North Italia location is amazing, and just as good as the other locations I've been to in terms of service and food. This is located in a somewhat newly developed part of Brea Mall. The best parking for this is at the structure near Nordstrom, and then it is a very short walk across the street to North Italia and a bunch of other restaurants. The service here was incredible! I sadly forgot the name of our waitress, but she was great and provided quick and friendly service. The host and hostesses that greeted us were great as well. I made a reservation by calling them for a large party 8, and they were great on the phone to accommodate and schedule my reservation. The food was amazing. I've been to other North Italia locations, and the food at this one is just as amazing. I highly recommend the fig and prosciutto pizza - it is the perfect mix of sweet and savory and is just a great and unique flavor. We also ordered the spicy vodka rigatoni which is probably my favorite pasta dish they have. Other food highlights were the garlic bread and the eggplant parm. I think if anything looks good to you on the menu, it will probably taste good, as I feel North Italia is a very high quality and consistent restaurant. Overall, I am so happy that a location opened up in Brea, and I can see myself coming here very often. read more

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Great to see a new Italian spot open right outside the Brea Mall! The closest parking is the Nordstrom parking structure. We visited North Italia on a Sunday afternoon with a party of six and had made reservations about a week in advance. Our party was seated within two minutes of checking in with the host. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating. We ordered the *White Truffle Garlic Bread* ($18.50), *Spicy Rigatoni Vodka* ($27.50), Strozzapreti ($26.50), *Hot Honey & Smoked Prosciutto Pizza* ($25), The Pig Pizza ($25), Seasonal Butter Cake ($14), and the Brookie Sundae ($14). Our table favorites are marked with an asterisk (*). The food was flavorful, but the portions were on the smaller side for the price. That said, it does have more of an upscale Italian dining feel, so the pricing wasn't too surprising. The desserts were just okay. The Seasonal Butter Cake was a little too sweet for our taste, and while the Brookie Sundae wasn't particularly memorable, it was served in a fun presentation - a drinking glass with the toppings on the side so everyone could assemble their own sundae. It's a nice touch, especially for kids. We also noticed the restaurant provides drawing pads for children. We had brought our own, but the table behind us received drawing pads from their server, who collected them at the end of the meal. It's a thoughtful detail that families will appreciate. read more

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I love North Italia, so I was excited to see this location open up near me! The restaurant itself is spacious, and the atmosphere is nice with great service throughout our meal. We ordered the Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, which was delicious. One thing I always appreciate about North Italia is that their pasta is consistently cooked to perfection. We also tried the chef's special chicken pesto dish, which was equally tasty. We also had the branzino and the prime New York steak. Both were good, but I'm not sure if I would order either of them again on a future visit. Overall, this was another solid experience at North Italia. I'd definitely come back for the pasta and to try more dishes from the menu. read more

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What can I say about North Italia? Probably not enough. I've been here twice now and with Life Time Brea opening up across the street, I know this is a dangerous move. I am creature of habit, so I have to suggest the spicy rigatoni vodka. I get mine with an extra scoop of ricotta for added creaminess, thanks to our server, Jojo, who suggested it at the time. 10/10, so good and filling. I came back with my mom for breakfast and while there was a miss with her order, the manager came out and offered to fix but my mom ate it. Still, the level of attentiveness and listening to my mom really cemented the interaction for me because my mom just wanted to point out the difference in what she ordered and was going to eat it anyway but thank you for listening. As someone in customer service, it meant a lot to have someone just listen and not try to explain things away. My mom got the Bistro Steak and Eggs and we all shared a banana coffee cake which is one of the highlights for us during that brunch! I cannot wait to come back again, everything so far has been delicious and the servers are awesome. read more

North Italia - Banana Coffee Cake - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

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Had dinner at North Italia at Brea Mall and left really happy with the whole experience. The space has a great vibe, modern and clean but still cozy, so it works whether you're out for a casual dinner or something a bit more special. Our server was attentive without being overbearing and made sure everything came out at a good pace throughout the meal. We ordered the Vodka Pasta and the Margarita Pizza, and both were excellent. The pasta had a rich, creamy sauce with just the right touch of tang, and it was cooked perfectly. The pizza was simple but done really well, fresh mozzarella, a crust with good char, and a sauce that let the other flavors shine instead of overpowering them. Portions felt generous for the price, especially considering it's mall dining, and the quality made it feel worth every penny. Overall a great meal from start to finish, and I'd definitely come back to try more of the menu. If you're at Brea Mall and want something better than typical food court options, this is the move. read more

North Italia - Margherita - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

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This was my first time trying a north Italia, but my bf had spoken highly of it. We were excited that it was opening in Brea mall and my bf decided to make reservations. I know that parking has been a big issue at Brea mall since construction started so we decided to show up 1 hr early. We were planning on doing valet but they were full and we were forced to look for parking. The parking structure was completely collapsed with standstill traffic. We couldn't go up and we couldn't keep going straight. We were just stuck so I decided to keep driving just to get out of that. As we were stuck, I saw somebody leaving right in front of us and I decided to do whatever everybody had been doing. I stopped and waited. By that time, I had been waiting in the parking lot for half an hour already. The person leaving, decided to take a long time to leave as they even changed a baby's diaper in the backseat. Overall, we made a two hour reservation with two minutes to spare. They had a line to check in and then they were telling you they were going to call you shortly. Because of how long we had already waited to park and how many people were trying to be seated I asked how long it was going to take since I didn't want to wait a long time. They told me it would only be a couple of minutes and that ended up being true. I did find it funny that because the reservation was under my boyfriend's name and he's white the lady looking for the party was not asking me since my white boyfriend had gone to the restroom. After asking everybody around, she asked me hesitantly, and I said yes. The staff was very accommodating. We were initially sat on a table next to a family with young kids and a baby. After how stressful it had been to park, I did not want to deal with kids since I am not a kid person. I asked the waitress if we could be moved to a different table and I pointed a smaller empty table. She checked with the hostess and was able to move us. At that point, I thanked her and told her the reason why. This is a family friendly restaurant with a big open space, so the acoustics can be a little bit on the loud side. They have outdoor sitting in indoor sitting. Their kitchen has glass so you're able to see them preparing the food if you're on the tables in front of it they also have a bar area which is first come first serve seating. You are able to bring your own wine for a $25 corkage fee which we did. We could not visit here without trying their truffle bread. The bread was freshly made and delicious. For our main dish, I decided to order the Bolognese and he went for the spicy vodka rigatoni. The Bolognese sauce was really good and the pasta was perfectly cooked. His spicy rigatoni definitely had a kick of spicy, but it was good. We also decided to add the focaccia with the sauces. I highly recommend the focaccia it was delicious and fresh. The sauces appeared really well with it and they were very distinct to each other. I could not leave without having dessert. We decided to have the caramel budinno that had bananas and it was delicious. This was a seasonal dessert and it was soft and creamy and the caramel wasn't overwhelmingly sweet. I didn't finish my meal since we ordered too much so we asked for a box for takeout. They were really kind to box it for us and gave us a ticket to pick up our food on our way out. Overall, I really enjoyed their food and it changed my mood from this stressful parking situation. I will definitely come back but might just Uber. read more

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I saw the North Italia sign up come up a few months ago at the Brea mall and was very excited because North Italia is one of my favorite quick Italian place. I was at the mall on a recent Saturday and realized it was finally open. It was a little past lunch so the hostess quoted me 15 minutes which was fine as I had a return to do. I also think that the wait could be super long so I would suggest making a reservation or putting your name down as soon as you get there for peak time. I got seated in a booth in the back. The restaurant was pretty spacious and looked like the other North Italia's I have been to. Although it was past lunch time, it was still pretty packed so the service was little slow, but I didn't mind too much since I wasn't in a hurry. I ordered my 2 favorites (little gem salad and bolognese) and a pizza (the Pig). The salad was great, it was flavored decently and I love the way they have the salad and dressing put together. The reason why I gave this North Italia a 2 star is that the pizza tastes soapy. I think it's because they didn't finish cleaning the pizza pan so the soapiness carried over to the pizza. Then the bolognese pasta was totally undercooked. I ended up eating the pizza, but had to send back the bolognese. Our waitress was super nice and accommodating. She asked if we wanted another one or a dessert, but by this time, it had been quite awhile since we sat down, so we passed. She also offered to take out the bolognese, which we opted to do. (The takeout bolognese although was cooked was a reverse and very overcooked). I think this location is still trying to work out some of the kinks. I will still be back but hopefully will have a better food experience next time. read more

North Italia - Little Gem Caesar - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

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North Italia is new to Brea, located in Brea Mall. The large restaurant is beautifully decorated and well lit. Upon entering there's a very large bar just to the left of the dining area serving great cocktails. There's a lovely patio for outdoor dining. Servers are quite friendly and helpful. The short rib dip sandwich was very good and came with a side choice of fries or salad. It was very filling, delicious, and a great value on the lunch specials menu. read more

North Italia - Short Rib Dip Sandwich - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

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So excited that North Italia opened a Brea location since it's so much closer than trekking out to Irvine! Brought my family out here and the restaurant itself is lovely - there are two separate outdoor patio spaces plus an indoor area that feels open and inviting. Unfortunately the experience didn't quite match up to the Irvine location. Our server was attentive in the beginning, but vanished for long stretches and we really only saw her when she dropped off our food and hand us the check. As for the food, I ordered my go-tos: bolognese pasta and truffle bread. The bolognese came out lukewarm and the pasta itself tasted too chewy like it had been sitting out for too long, and the truffle bread was pretty bland compared to what I remember from Irvine. The calamari and the hot honey prosciutto pizza saved the meal though and both were genuinely good. Overall, a bit of a letdown for a new opening, and I think I'd rather make the longer drive to Irvine until this location gets its footing. read more

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It is definitely a very hot and happening spot in the Brea mall. If you'd like a beautiful indoors and outdoors as well as great food, this is your spot. Pricing can be on a higher end so beware but the food and Service really live up to the expectation. We ordered a lot more than what is pictured, but I definitely recommend the squid pasta as well as lasagna. The squid pasta has a little bit of kick in it, which I like, but it may not fancy some of the sensitive pallets. In terms of the pesto, you can't go wrong with a chicken pesto. It's very heavily rich with cheese and dressing to perfection. What do see here as a Margarita pizza and to be honest the extra money for the green dressing was not worth it. It really is a green pesto sauce. But then again if your kid really likes the novelty effect go ahead. Definitely will be back and it's a really beautiful spot for all types of meeting, including business meeting. The sound can be a bit on the higher end (not a place if you like softer ambience) but hey blame it on the wine. read more

North Italia - Chicken Pesto - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

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North Italia in Brea delivers a vibrant atmosphere paired with standout dishes. The earthy, savory Funghi pizza boasts a perfect crust, while the rich, perfectly cooked squid ink tonnarelli is an absolute must-try. Kitchen is a little slow read more

North Italia - Squid Ink Tonnarelli - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

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North Italia is a fun, up scale restaurant. AS you step in, the décor and ambiance will take you to a upscale, casual restaurant. The natural lighting is great as there are multiple windows around and the staff is very friendly. I ordered the Garlic Bread, Squid Ink Pasta, and the Braised Short Rib Pasta - and each dish was delicious. The garlic bread was definitely one of a kind - it had the perfect crunch and cheese servings to keep you going back for more. I'm personally not a huge cheese fan, but it just worked really well especially with the fresh garlic. All the pasta is made fresh in house, and it was yum. The squid ink pasta is a seafood pasta and it was good. It is paired with a spicy red sauce, so be aware if you don't like spicy, but if you do it's great! The braised short rib pasta is very rich. The flavor from both the sauce and the meat collides hard, your first bite will be stellar, but it can feel a bit too rich as you eat more of it. I also ordered the Smores cocktail. The cocktail itself was good - expect a sweeter version of an old fashioned with a toasted marshmallow. Biting the marshmallow after a sip was delicious. Overall great experience, with nice staff. I'll definitely be returning. read more

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Treated my sister to a birthday lunch here. I was prepared for a really long wait time, but was pleasantly surprised when they offered us quicker seating if we were willing to eat at the bar. To bypass the 1.5 hr wait I immediately said yes! The restaurant Ambiance is very clean and open. They have ample seating and service is very prompt and attentive. We tried their Hot honey & smoke prosciutto pizza, Italian Cobb salad, and spicy rigatoni vodka pasta. Everything tasted so fresh, was packed with flavor and fulfilled our N.I. craving! Will have take the family here next time! read more

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I ordered the Zucca Chips ($12) and Breakfast Bistro Steak & Eggs ($25). The food was delicious and the restaurant is beautiful. This is a great place to celebrate a special occasion as you'll get plenty of beautiful pictures. I was greeted from hostess, to server, and to bartender...they definitely make you feel welcomed here. The only thing to be mindful here is the parking situation. Please allow yourself some time to find parking. read more

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Our first time here. I am so excited to see a new Italian restaurant opened up in the Brea Mall. This is a nice, modern, spacious, and very clean restaurant. It has covered patio seating and lots of indoor seating. Be sure to make a reservation to avoid the long wait time. Both the host and our server were very friendly. Our server was patient and attentive. I love the dish she recommended. The Tuscan Hash was very yummy. It was flavorful; a good mix of piquillo peppers, onions, and braised short rib. The meatballs in the Crushed Meatball Ragu was amazingly soft and tasty. As if that wasn't enough, we stuffed ourselves with Pesto Chicken Gatlic Knot Sliders. Omg, they were so delish! All the food we ate was generous portions. I can't wait to come back and try the other items. They have such a wide selection of choices. read more

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North Italia is our favorite American Italian restaurant. We have visited quite a few of their other locations. So glad this new one is very close to us. We have been here almost every weekend since they opened. This is a very open and bright restaurant with a spacious bar serve both indoors and outdoors. We usually sit at the patio side of the bar. They play sport games on the TVs above the bar. We like to watch some games while having a few cocktails. We are familiar with their brunch and dinner menus. Our favorites are Funghi and cacio e Pepe pizzas, steak & eggs, mussels, seafood pasta, bolognese, chicken Parmesan, veggie risotto and market board. In fact everything we have tried was delicious in healthy portions. We have tried almost all the items on the menu. They also have fantastic choices of gluten free! The service was always very friendly. But it does get a bit slow when they are busy. This is absolutely our favorite American Italian restaurant and bar in this area! read more

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had brunch for my sister-in-laws 50th anniversary today. everything was wonderful. Alex was our server and he took care of our party of 19 smoothly and pleasantly. the small shared plates were so good that i considered not ordering my brunch/entree. the bannana bread pudding -my goodness- there were some other servers that helped deliver all of the food, but really it was Alex that provided 5 star service for our dining adventure today. read more

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Stopped by on a Monday evening around 5 pm, and there was a wait of 10-15 minutes! On a Monday! Not a holiday, just a regular ole Monday! They use OpenTable to place you on the waiting list, so your name will populate with the phone # if you've used it before. I'm also going to assume they take reservations, which might be a good idea if you want to eat here on the weekend. This location has been barely open for a couple of months, so everything, including the restroom, still looks new. The first thing I noticed it's loud inside. High ceilings, lots of tile and glass, just let the sound reverberate. Throw in clanging dishes and silverware, and well, you can imagine. Believe it or not, it didn't bother me. It added to the place's energy. There's also a lot of outside seating, both in the restaurant and the bar area, so that might be quieter if the weather is nice. There's a mix of tables and booths, but it has one seating arrangement I absolutely loathe: the long shared bench. With only 2-3 feet between you and the next table, it almost feels like you're eating with strangers, and if they are loud, you're hearing the conversation, and then you have to speak over their voices, so they hear your conversation. It's just not really private. Naturally, this is where they first sat us, and right next to the main in/out of the kitchen, which we could hear. Not good. And I could tell my dinner partner wasn't thrilled, so we mentioned that if there were any other tables, they could move us to a circular table for 4, a little farther away. MUCH nicer. Our service was AMAZING! She introduced the day's specials and pointed out the cocktail menu. I'm always thrilled when a new place has Coke products (see my other reviews about Vegas and their dedication to Pepsi products). After bringing our drinks, we were ready to order. The Sunday Night Lasagna looked good, so I ordered it. Oops! They're out of Lasana! The server was kind enough to double-check, but they were out. Boo! OK, so I'll go with the Bolognese (House Specialty). I was actually looking for lower-calorie items, and the Lasana was the lowest, but the Bolognese took 2nd place, so it worked. My dining partner had the Squid Ink Tonnarelli. As we waited for the food, we both noticed a weak cell phone connection. Seriously, a 1st world problem, and we DO know how to have a conversation, but sometimes we need ChatGPT to solve a disagreement. The food arrived in about 10-12 minutes, which was a nice turnaround. It was served in two bowls. Mine was still piping hot; my partners said he wasn't as hot, but wasn't cold. However, both were AMAZING! I could instantly tell the noodles were made fresh. Thick, soft, tasty. The meat was finely ground into the sauce, so you always had the taste of meat in every bite. Being our first time, and with the disappointment in no Lasana, I forgot to ask if anything like bread came with the meal. It didn't look like it on the menu, but you never know. Our incredibly nice and efficient server checked on us, and my partner asked whether bread was included with the dishes. She said it wasn't, but she could give some complimentary bread. Perfect!! (Side note: I wonder if the complimentary bread comes with the Entrées? Maybe not? I'll let you know next time.) As we were finishing up, before I had finished my first Diet Coke, our server brought me another. Bonus star for passing the "don't let me Diet Coke get empty" test! I wasn't interested in dessert, but my dining partner decided he wanted something, so he ordered the Hazelnut Torta, and I'm glad he did. THAT was delicious!! I love anything with a warm make and cold ice cream on top, but this combination was perfection. Overall, for 2 people, the bill was about $100, with 1 cocktail and a shared dessert, and honestly, we both felt it was worth it. The service, the food, and the location's energy were all great. I know for sure we'll be back, and while the pizzas I saw on some other tables look really good, I'm hoping for the Lasana next time. read more

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We have a reservation for dinner, and I'm glad we did. This place did look like it could get super busy, so luckily our wait wasn't too long. Our server was really nice. She took our orders and gave us our items not to long after. I ordered their sangria, and it definitely hit the spot. I was buzzed even with eating a carb heavy dinner. We ordered their salad, truffle bread and squid ink pasta. All were very delicious and big enough to share. We heard a lot of great things about this place, so we were glad the expections were reality read more

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The Chicken Pesto Garlic Knot Sliders are definitely a fan favorite for me. Unfortunately, they're only available during lunch and happy hour. Service is perfect at the bar top. read more

North Italia - Pomegranate Mule - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

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North Italia, specifically the brea location, was not the experience I expected as someone who's been to other north italia locations. For context, i was with three other people. I ask the waitress if my cousin and I can do half spicy vodka pasta ($27.50) and half strozzapreti ($26.50). We proceeded to wait over an hour for our food while the two other people got their food around 30 mins before (during the wait a food runner came to our table with food we didn't order and we had to tell her she had the wrong table). The manager then came and told us that the food runner gave my cousin and my order to another table. We then waited another 10 mins until we were served a half portion of each pasta. We then had to tell them there was a miscommunication and we had originally asked for a full size portion of each pasta just split between two people, and the manager came back and was nice enough to comp the pasta and dessert if we wanted some. We finally got our food after another 10 min wait, and the food was good, but my vodka pasta came with no sausage. At that point I had just accepted defeat and didn't make another complaint. I believe the manager did the right thing by coming to us and apologizing, along with our waitress apologizing, but it just wasn't the type of dinner I was expecting. The chefs took way too long with the food, the food runners didn't appear to even know what food was going to what table, and overall this location needs better service. I really hope they can turn things around, because I don't want other people to experience what my table experienced. read more

North Italia - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

Good food. Good drinks especially Ciao Bella cocktail. Good environment. Good service. Definitely gets busy. read more

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I had been to the Irvine location a handful of times, so I was excited when I found out a North Italia would be opening up in Brea. They may still be working out some kinks, at least in the front of the house, as service could have been better. We came around 7pm on a weekday, and when I walked up to the hostess stand, three hostesses were up there just chatting with each other. I stood there for a couple minutes before I decided to say "excuse me" in order to get some assistance with a table. It was disappointing first impression of the Brea location to say the least. Once we were seated however, our waitress was friendly and welcoming. The menu had a great selection of options and we decided on the "White Truffle Garlic Bread" ($18.50), "Calamari Fritti ($20)", "Beef Carpaccio" ($20), and a "Hot Honey and Smoked Prosciutto Pizza" ($25). I was most excited for the White Truffle Garlic Bread, but ended up being the most disappointed with this dish. It lacked the flavor I was anticipating and it felt completely overpriced - $18.50 for a small portion of average bread. The 3 other dishes we ordered were good, nothing amazing, but still tasty. North Italia used to be one of my favorite Italian restaurants (at least the Irvine location), but for some reason, I didn't get that same impression of the Brea location. Still glad the Brea mall is getting a spruce with new restaurants like North Italia as it's great to have more sit-down dining options. Vibes and atmosphere were nice, and there's parking in the nearby structure, or a valet option if you don't want to walk from the structure. read more

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3.5 Stars maybe. A lot of buzz surrounding this spot over at the Brea Mall etc. The optics from the outside are very inviting I'll say that. As predicted, parking is challenging unless you want to pay for valet parking (no thanks). Inside is not as flashy as the outside in all fairness. Its still nice, new. A couple things that happened in our outing worth noting. 'Sunday Lasagna' was not available. Little disappointing especially if that is your signature plate.... probably a good idea to make sure that is available more often than not. Nice, fast talking waitress...'Claire' - Do you have Bluemoon? No, we have Mango Cart, Ok I will take that. At this type of a place Im expecting this to be on TAP... Claire comes by with a CAN and a mug. For $9.00 my expectations are higher than that. Food takes little longer than expected to arrive... I ordered Chicken Parm and wife had Trottlole Chicken Presto... Claire asks if we would like some Bread while we wait... I am assuming that the bread is complimentary... she makes no mention of a charge. Bread arrives, its good. / Overall my plate was Average. Wife liked hers more than I did. Keep in mind we are talking about a $30.00 Plate of food here. I simply didnt think the price matched the quality or the amount of food. Bill arrives... come to find we were charged for the bread. Total cost was a $100.21. So 2 drinks, 2 plates and bread. The final kicker was how the bill is soliciting a 'Tip' in which it is based off of the Total (with tax ?) which started at 18%. I did not leave an '18%' tip - I left what I thought was fair and reasonable. Since when do we now tip on a total that includes tax? Nice place but a bit too expensive for what this is. read more

North Italia - Italian Near Me - Brea, California

Ok, I have mixed feelings about this. I went to the location in SD so I had high expectations coming into the new brea location. First of all, when we were seated Inside it was a bit warm - the air felt still. So we asked to be seated outside where there's an open air patio. Much better. Service was eh. I felt like she kept trying to upsell us. It was awkward-- we knew what we wanted since we've eaten at another location. We were disappointed when it didn't taste the same. It was lacking flavor. The only thing that popped was the eggplant - that was till amazing!! We will go try it again next time and hoping for better service and the flavors that made us fall in love with this spot to begin with. Better luck next time ... I hope. read more

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I had my graduation at North Italia Irvine, so when it came to my boyfriend's graduation, I thought why not go to the Brea location as it was close! I knew that this was a new restaurant opening, but I really thought the process would've been smoother considering they have so many locations. We arrived right at opening time with a reservation, which it seemed like the hostesses took a bit of time to process us despite it being quite hot outside & us having a wheelchair. We didn't mind too much as they secured the wheelchair to another area and sat us in a quiet spot as requested. I ordered appetizers right away & the waitress took our drink order. It seemed like they were out of a good portion of the menu. We tried ordering 4-5 items on the menu, but unfortunately I guess they didn't have stock. Our round of drinks came, but one of the non-alcoholic drinks came way later and made it awkward for cheers. The calamari & mussels were great, but the truffle bread arrived 15 minutes after those which is odd considering we ordered it all at the same time. Our server kept saying "that's my favorite" to almost every dish that we ordered which eventually made it seem a bit ingenuine. Even when the entrees came, they had forgotten a dip with one of the sandwiches, and the steak salad had come late because they had overcooked it the first time. The bussers were also sort of clumsy cleaning up our table and grazed the silverware on one of our members while picking it up. Luckily the food is delicious & the main reason why we came, just a shame that service and standards were below expectation. I get that it's a new location, but from the other reviews it seems consistent with the service and dishes not being available. Might just stay to the other locations until this one gets on its feet. read more

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A brand-new place has opened at the Brea Mall, called North Italia. It is actually outside, and the best way to get there is to find the Lululemon store; it is right across from it. Plenty of people were dining here for lunch so we had to put our name down and wait about 15 minutes. The food came out fresh, our server was nice and we loved the pasta. The inside of this place feels open and large with so much seating all around. Our appetizer was the burrata with heirloom tomatoes, which tasted so delicious. Salad-wise we had the chicken and beet salad and the beets were fun and the salad overall was refreshing. Squid ink was shared between us as our main dish and it was good. I think between the two people this was a great amount for us. Can't wait to come back and try more things. read more

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Great food and vibes! The service is amazing! In the new outdoor area of Brea mall. Recommending to make reservations or else you're waiting. We opted for outdoor because of my service dog and they were very accommodating read more

North Italia has recently opened at Brea Mall. I've came to this place for a first time. It was pretty busy with a 25-30 wait, I opted for the bar seating. I'm always a bar kinda guy. For drink... I must have that limoncello. The best tasty drink you can get. Presentation is super stunning. Feeling real fancy. And tasty. The next item of choice....... Italian meatballs.... cuz it's a very tasty small plate item.... made fresh.... texture were spot on..... it's totally legit. Ok... time for the big one... I ended up doing 2 visits, cuz I wanted to try more items on menu, especially the lasanga which it's super popular at North Italia. Those things sell out very quick. During my visit, I opted for this one fresh pasta dish... bolognese. Presentation is nice... made fresh, like they said. Taste real good. Highly recommended. My second visit... I got very lucky that day... Was able to get the lasagna. Perfect!!!! Even the food runner told me I was very lucky to get this. It's made fresh... well duh!! Very stunning.... tasty... you named it.... everything about the lasagna is good... but since they sell real quick... alot of customers order this.... if you happen to get the lasagna, you're very lucky... if not, then better luck next time. Dessert.... I got the real stuff right there.... affogato.... which is vanilla gelato and coffee with real coffee beans... nice!!!! It was heavenly good!!! So real... i mean really!!! Service.... bartenders are sooo amazing!!! Great people to serve the customers. Overall.... 5 stars!!!! read more

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South OC vibes at the Brea Mall. The food here is solid, and they have great service. It's definitely leaning on the pricey end, but if you're looking for a good Italian spot that has South OC vibes in North OC -- here's your spot! I got the Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, and it was... good. Nothing to write home about. Their mixed drinks are good, too. Overall, I'd give them 3.5 stars. Worth a visit, but not too many in my honest opinion. read more