The place is cute! We went on a Thursday and there was practically no wait. We got empanadas for $3 for their special and they were so good! My fettuccine Alfredo was great, with big portions and a good amount of chicken! Their service is attentive and our server took care of us the whole time (: read more

One of my favorite local family owned excellent food, restaurants! Breakfast lunch dinner steak pasta, empanadas, fresh handmade pasta! read more

See all

We celebrated my nephew's birthday at Pasta Connection and everything was delicious! Chicken empanadas as an appetizer, fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, garlic bread was yummy too! Loved the atmosphere, "Good Vibes!" Service was great too, highly recommend going read more

Excellent service and delicious breakfast from Argentina. The blood sausage and chorizo Argentina was amazing with the special chimicurri green sauce. The Empanadas were so good and filling with oozing cheese melted inside with ham. The Classic Eggs Benedict made fresh to order was perfect. I couldn't ask for more because it's a lot food and I am hungry but only eat half and the rest is taken home. The magic touch is San Pellegrino sparkling mineral water with fresh orange juice which really adds extra zing to your taste buds. Enjoy and breath in the fresh ocean breeze blowing on by this amazing beautiful day at Costa Mesa. See y'all here real soon. read more

See all

Delicious great great food amazing experience good service quality of food. I love it. Nice environment great for family and friends restaurant. read more

Love, love, love this place. The food is delicious and the staff is so friendly. I recommend to everyone i can.

Awesome Italian food for a very reasonable price. Although the gnocchi was not on the menu for the day we went, they made it for us anyway and it was delicious as was the homemade flan. read more

We adored this place for 1) family feel/run Argentian-Italian establishment - very cozy 2) its delicious chimichurri sauce (free bread app) 3) portion sizes and delicious pasta + milanesa Service is a bit slow, and maybe it's meant to be that way. Very family type service -- so I can see it may be frustrating if it's busy. We got the chicken milanesa, 2 empanadas (beef is the best, over chicken), and the Tute Mare. - Chicken milanesa was good; not my favorite dish, but my partner loves it! The fries were AMAZING!!! - Tutto Mare: tasty and even better if you throw some of their chimichurri sauce on top. Portion size was almost for 2 (imo) Would def return to try more dishes! We came on a Saturday, very late lunch around 3pm - no wait at all! Even has a free parking space read more

See all

Place was hidden, quaint, staff wasn't too friendly but also not rude, just ok, and food was okay- something you can make at home taste and save $$. read more

Hola guys...and welcome to....Pasta Connection? That's right, this Costa Mesa restaurant is an Argentinian-Italian fusion spot that's been around for over 4 decades! If that's not an indication of how sigma it is, then I don't know what is! Getting straight into it, the space is a cutesy, cozy small restaurant, but we didn't wanna disturb the people eating, so we opted to sit in their little patio. Like we mentioned before, it's a fusion of Argentina and Italy, so we ordered some stuff from both. First, these empanadas came out, and they were so unbelievably tasty. Get the beef ones! They're cooked to order, and they come out crispy on the outside, and saucey and savory on the inside! And try it with their chimichurri! The chimichurri is amazing. It's an herby oil and vinegar sauce that goes so well with so many different things! Different things like this short rib steak that we ordered! We ordered it medium rare, and it was perfect! Great flavor from the short rib cut, and it was cut thin enough to be extremely tender. It also comes with your choice of sides, from fries to veg! We also had to order some pasta! This one's called the fettuccine alla fantasia, and it's an alfredo sauce with sausage and peas! The pasta has a great bite, and carries the sauce so well! Definitely not something I'm used to praising! With all the options offered here, I'm bound to come back to try something different next time! I guess the real connections were the pastas we ate along the way.... Come eat at Pasta Connection, seriously guys. What a quaint and endearing family-owned spot for a casual, but delicious dinner! read more

We are Sunday morning regulars cause their breakfast is amazing !!! Topped off with the best service I can't say it enough , we love this place , this location and the crew absolutely nail it every time . read more

Pasta Connection - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Food is always great. It's Argentinian / Italian fusion, so a bit of something for everyone. Also their Empanadas are off the hook. Great wine list also. read more

I've worked at a diner for 10 years, and I truly love my spot -- our French toast, corned beef hash, chicken fried steak, all of it. I know good diner food, and I'm loyal to my place. But I honestly think Pasta Connection is our top contender when it comes to one thing: Their steak and eggs. That's their niche, and they absolutely nail it. The steak is cooked perfectly, full of flavor, and the whole plate just hits differently. Definitely get the potatoes with cheese, green onions, and sautéed mushrooms on top -- that combination is on another level. And on top of all that, the staff is so lovely. Truly. Warm, welcoming, and attentive -- I couldn't ask for anything more. Every diner has its specialty, and this is theirs. And they do it really well. read more

Tried some empanadas and gnocchi with pink sauce at this cozy and relaxed Italian and Argentinian spot! Apparently, the gnocchi we ordered was only served on the 29th of each month for some reason. Gnocchi itself was just ok but I highly recommend the empanadas. Crisp on the outside and packed with flavor and sauce on the inside. Wish I could eat an empanada from here for lunch once a week!! read more

Fresh made pasta was amazing! Service was great. Can't wait to go back to try more off the menu.

WhereTF have I been strikes again! I have heard good things about PC, but did not have the pleasure of eating here until recently. They offer Argentinian inspired cuisine in a casual setting. At the rec of a regular in the group, I had the ravioli. It was freshly made and topped with a fantastic meat sauce. It was the best ravioli I have had in a long time. They were bite sized and pillowy soft. Secondarily, the crusty bread came with an excellent chimichurri sauce. The latter had a nice flavor from the fresh ingredients. I took some empanadas to go (sorry, no pic), and they too were really good. They were packed with spinach & cheese in one pair, and nicely seasoned beef in the other pair. Both went well with the chimichurri sauce. Regarding the ambiance, they have indoor and outdoor casual dining. In addition, there is a bar with a big TV to watch sports. Adding to the quality of PC, I saw two of Costa Mesa's finest having lunch outside on a warm day. Law enforcement peeps know where to eat! The service was friendly, warm and fast. Our food came out super quickly, and was devoured just as quickly. I def need to stop by PC soon, and not necessarily after golf. Its very close to the golf course my crew frequents, but its also not far from HB. read more

Pasta Connection - #24 Sugo di Carne ($16.50) Excellent - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I took my family here for dinner and was completely disappointed from the moment we walked in the door. The customer service was beyond terrible. Not even sure where I should start but, although the place was half empty, there was absolutely no one who cared to acknowledge us when we arrived nor cared to greet us. We had a family of four people but was ignored by the staff each and every time they walked by. I finally waved down a waitress just to get her attention. She said they only had one cook so we would have to wait another 30 minutes just to get seated. That's ridiculous that they couldn't even properly seat us. Staff was unfriendly the whole night and they even messed up on our food orders. No apology was given by anyone. Food wasn't that great either and yet the bill was high. We regretted going there in the first place and definitely won't be returning. We've had 100x's better service and food elsewhere. Don't waste your time going here since this establishment simply has no idea on how to run a restaurant business. Apparently they don't care about their customers or guests who come there to dine. read more

Foot just so so; nothing to write home about. Thought price was a lil high & service on a mid week morning was rather slow.! Won't go back read more

We both had the chefs salad. It's basically the antipasto with hard boiled egg. Lots of great veggies on here and it's more than enough as a meal. They also serve fresh baked bread with chimichurri with the meal. The dressing imo is a little too subtle., read more

Good food but plates got even smaller. It's a sign of the times. Bummer. Food is yummy and free bread with butter and pesto sauce is so good. We go here for special occasions. The pasta is homemade so it's so good and pasta sauce tastes great. read more

See all

After reading the reviews and seeing it on social media, we wanted to give this place a try. We came here for an early dinner and were immediately seated. I was excited at the idea of Italian/Mexican fusion dinner because I've never had this before. The restaurant is big and homey, with booths lining the walls and a cozy bar situated in the back. Twinkly string lights hang over the restaurant and among these lights are dimly lit chandeliers. A large flat screen TV plays above the bar in silence, with only the sounds of soft music and dishes in the back being heard in the entire restaurant. There are also beautiful paintings on the walls as well and at the highest point on the back wall is Argentina's national flag and the name of the restaurant. We were immediately seated after arriving. There were a few tables occupied when we got there. Daughter ordered Lasagna Di Carne which has layers of pasta, beef, ricotta, romano cheese, white sauce and topped with marinara sauce. She thought that it was very tasty and liked the fact that it was crispy around the edges. Next, hubs ordered the small vegetarian pizza which has artichoke hearts, mozzarella cheese, onions, bell peppers, fresh tomatoes and basil. He thought it wasn't bad and that it was standard. It took care of his craving for pizza. Lastly, I ordered Al Sugo DiVongole Ruosso, which is red clam sauce with linguini. I thought it was good and that it could use a little more garlic. My entree reminded hubs that he could make it at home. Service was quick and friendly. Glad we got to try it! read more

How is this place not 5 stars???? Ambiance: cozy and perfect for a family outing or for a date night! Parking: small lot but I haven't had an issue with parking any time that I've been here. Service: servers are really nice and attentive. You may have to wait at least 20 minutes for your entrées, but I didn't even notice since I had conversations going with my group while unlimited bread with chimichurri sauce was coming out!! (And those together were THE BOMB 10/10) Food: Entraña 10/10: my FAV!!! Skirt steak cooked to perfection with a side was well worth the price. Pair it with the chimichurri sauce and it's even better!!! Gnocchi of the month 8/10: pink sauce. Gnocchi was so soft and pillowy. I just wish there was protein with the meal. chicken alfredo 6/10: good staple for those who like chicken alfredo, but it was really cheesy for me. Tortellini especiale 5/10: not bad, but not special Tutti de Mare 8/10: nice little seafood pasta! Yummy! Pesto y Tuco 3/10: it was not a fav at our table of 7 people. onion rings side 8/10: crispy, yummy, and giant onion rings!!! calamari 6/10: it was okay but not the best calamari ever. Could be crispier like the onion rings tiramisu cake 8/10: very yummy and felt light (doesnt make you feel like you ate a heavy dessert) Portion size: big enough to make you very full if you eat everything and if not, it makes for another meal! In summary, Every time I've come here, I've left with a pleasant dining experience and food coma. Definitely recommend!!! read more

See all

First of the pasta here is awesome! I come here and get the Paglia e Fieno and its always awesome. Either if I get the food here or to go I will be back many more times. Also this time our server was an older gentleman and I think his name is Tony and he did an awesome job with our slightly complicated requests but he also was very attentive and made our dinner even better. read more

Food is great an inexpensive. Food is great an inexpensive. Food is great an inexpensive. Food is great an inexpensive. Food is great an inexpensive. Food is great an inexpensive. Food is great an inexpensive. read more

Pasta Connection - The food's great an inexpensive. - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Been coming to this restaurant for years. Just tried recently again since it's been years. Always love the bread and chimichurri dip. Normally, have the beef ravioli but changed it up to polenta and sausage. Really good and big, but I am still a fan of their ravioli. read more

Pasta Connection - Polenta - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Pasta Connection wasn't anything at all what I expected. I was really craving Italian, especially house-made pasta, and my original plan was to eat at a restaurant I love out in Venice, but I couldn't find parking. Thus, I began my search for something similar on Yelp. I stumbled across this restaurant, and I was expecting a slightly more elevated dining experience than the family-filled, Mountain Mike's pizza chain vibe I got. They also are not only Italian, they serve American breakfast until 1:30 PM and also offer Argentinian food. What an eclectic menu! Because I was dining alone, I chose an app and a pasta. -- Food Mozzarella Marinara: "crispy breaded mozzarella in marinara sauce" was the description. I got a plate of pasta sauce, and then under that pile was a mozzarella patty. Because it was soaked in the red sauce, the breading wasn't actually crispy. It was also EXTREMELY SALTY, but I didn't want to waste it. For the rest of the day, I kept chugging water because of how salty this dish was. Not worth. Pesto y tuco ravioli: presentation was sorely lacking--it literally looks like throw up on a plate. Flavor is good, also really salty, but I finished it all. -- I can't say I was overly happy with my experience with the food, but the servers were extremely kind, which means a lot to me. Overall, I don't know... maybe I just didn't order the right things? read more

See all

I was in the mood for fresh pasta. I wanted to try a place that I haven't been. As soon as I saw the menu at the pasta connection, I saw that they had fresh spinach pasta. I ordered the Picada Criolla & Fettuccine Paglia E Fieno. I highly recommend both. I was surprised by low prices for the high-quality food that you get. Most places are charging $7 to $10 more for similar menu items. read more

See all

Manicotti stole the show! Burro ravioli de formaggio was just alright. That manicotti with white sauce was like no other!!! The fettuccini is decent. The sauce for the fettuccini is really thin. It doesn't have the creamy texture I prefer. The noodles were not as thick as a traditional fettuccini noodle. It just lacked some of the thick, creaminess I like. My boyfriend orders from this place all the time. I would guess once a week or every other when he wants pasta. It's a good spot. But know that it isn't going to taste like traditional pastas. They put their own flare on things. Creamy Pesto Tortellini: Really good! Super saucy almost like soup lol Manicotti Napoletano Soooooo cheesy and delicious! Tons of white sauce it was thick and creamy. Amazing. Cheese Ravioli: Underwhelming. The butter sauce just didn't seem to do enough for this pasta. It was boring tasting honestly. Need more flavor and a different sauce. Bread served with pastas: The bread is not fresh tasting and runs on the crunchier side, edging on stale or over cooked. I wasn't happy with the bread. read more

See all

Staff (1) - The wait staff are warm, inviting, and helpful with their recommendations. 1 Cleanliness (1) - This is a no frills restaurant, clean and homey, like you're going over to an Italian mom's house. 1 Food (2) - The food is soo good. We eat here 3 times a month. My top 3 dishes I recommend. Aglio e Olio, Parillada Buenos Aires, and the empanadas. But, honestly, you can try your favorite. Portions are amazing. 2 Price (1) - Price is soo reasonable. Best Argentinian and dare I sayany Brazilian steakhouse. 1 read more

Pasta Connection - Aglio e Olio - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

I just popped in to place a to-go order but the service was amazing! Excited to try more dishes soon. The pink sauce is homemade and sooo good read more

I like the fact that people here are nice, and the food is really good you should give the place a try and empanadas are so good and pasta is delicious. read more

Pasta Connection - Pasta and garlic bread - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This is definitely an Argentine and italian hidden gem. I was in the area and wanted pasta so decided to stop by after reading about the homemade fresh pasta and they sure wasn't disappointed. They brought out a plate of bread with butter and chimichurri, it was one of the best chimichurris I've had and the bread was soft. I got a plate of spinach and egg noodles in pink sauce and Italian sausage, I wasn't too impressed with the sauce and the sausage but man the fresh fettuccine was amazing! Really wanted to try the other dishes so I will need to go back with more bodies. My food came out pretty quickly and service was attentive. Very reasonable pricing for the amount of food they give you, wish this was closer to me would be my go to Italian. Service 5/5 Value 5/5 Food 4.5/5 read more

See all

Great place for breakfast! Amazed at the biscuits & gravy. No waiting either! No parking fees or meters.

The food here is always exceptional! Homemade that you can actually taste! From the pampa steak, to the fettuccine alfredo, to the empanadas, to the dessert..... you really cannot go wrong!! Hidden gem! read more

Conveniently located on Harbor blvd is a low key casual Italian Argentinian restaurant. We love meeting family and friends here on the weekends because they offer brunch items from the breakfast and lunch/dinner menus. We are always greeted with a warm welcome and are seated promptly. The Argentinian waffle is my favorite waffle with banana, caramel and made in house whip cream. The steak comes from the kitchen on the sizzling plate with the aromas of a well seasoned meat. The made from scratch ravioli filled with formaggio is paired with a butter sauce making this another favorite. The BLT comes with seasoned fries and is flavorful. A must order are the empanadas made with a flakey, crispy and light dough with choices of different fillings. read more

See all

Excellent food and service! We had the antipasto salad and the meatball sandwich with fries--everything was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. Definitely coming back. read more

I don't know how anybody can't give this place 5+ stars !!! The food is freshly made to order ! Also the salad so delicious. The tomatoes were sweet so amazing. I always order the spinach raviolis w cream and red sauce outstanding every time . The bread is so fresh ! Please come here. And support them !!! I've been coming here for 25 years they've never disappointed so come to Pasta Connection you will not regret it !! I want to also say they make all the bread fresh ! The service is w a smile but I understand sometimes slower maybe it's because everything is made fresh !! read more

We haven't been here in years and decided to try it since we were in the area. I am so glad we did. The food is fantastic, the service was on point. What a wonderful place to eat. We will absolutely be back!!! read more

See all

The pasta and the sauce is not really good. The sauce it's not have any flavor. It doesn't feel like only tomato, and honestly, the prices is too high for the dish, which you can Find Other Pl., Better and cheaper. read more

I'm 5 months pregnant and work in healthcare, so after a long shift, I was really looking forward to picking up dinner from Pasta Connection--one of my longtime favorites. I scheduled a pizza pickup for 5:05 PM. My husband and I arrived on time, and when it wasn't quite ready yet (no big deal), we politely asked if we could wait on the patio. The pizza didn't come out until 5:45, and when it finally did, a waitress came out with major attitude and told us rudely that if we planned to sit and eat, we "should've called." That was never our plan--we were just waiting for our order. My husband calmly let another staff member know we were only waiting for the pizza and weren't sure why she was being snippy. Instead of owning it, the waitress gave a half-hearted apology and rolled her eyes at me. Super unprofessional. We still left a decent tip out of respect for the other staff, but we will not be returning. Really sad, because we've loved this place for years--but I won't support a business that treats loyal customers this way. read more