Incredible food! Fresh pasta. We have only gotten delivery, but we won't go anywhere else for pasta. Our go-tos are the spinach ravioli, the fettuccine with chicken, and you absolutely must get the empanadas with chimichurri sauce! One day we will make it in person, but in the meantime, we are perfectly happy eating Pasta Connection in our pajamas on the couch! b read more

I've been coming to this restaurant for a little over 20 years now. I used to go when they were at their old location. The food hasn't changed since I was young. If anything it's gotten better. It's always fresh and flavorful. The portions are perfect. Always some left over to take home. The prices are also pretty good. Nothing is overly expensive. Which is nice. As far as the staff goes. Everyone is always friendly and super helpful. They seat you quickly. Which is also nice. The restaurant is always clean and makes you feel like home. The decor is welcoming and just gives you a feeling of nostalgia. 10/10 recommend for any event or just for a nice meal out. read more

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My fiancé showed me this place when we first met and it's down the street from his house in Costa Mesa, every time we come we are greeted with warm smiles and very kind staff. The food is always a hit, I have yet to try something I didn't enjoy. Pictured are the empanadas which are on special tuesdays and Thursdays and complimentary bread paired with an amazing chimichurri, the steak is called the entrana which is covered with a skin that packs so much flavor! Seriously some of the best steak I've had read more

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Excellent dishes and service! Had a party of 8 to celebrate our friend's birthday, who was already familiar with the restaurant and ordered a sample of each empanada (corn, spinach, and beef). All were delicious, but I enjoyed the corn one way more than I should have and had little room left to enjoy the main course, which was the Spinach Ravioli. Everyone at our party ordered something different--Lasagna, Cannelloni di Carne, Taglierini, etc. Everyone fully enjoyed their dishes! Will definitely return to try other entrees! Our servers were two young brothers, who swapped shifts after we place our orders, were both very delightful and attentive. Thank you two for making our experience joyful, and many thanks to the kitchen crew who put together our heavenly meals. read more

The only connection I need is with pasta. I decided to give myself a well-deserved pat on the back with a delivery order from Pasta Connection. My order consisted of the cheese bread and the Della Nonna. This dish was a Cannelloni lasagna served baked with a filling and covered by sauce. Pasta Connection stuffed these tubular noodles with spinach and then topped them white sauce and ricotta cheese. This was my first time experiencing a Cannelloni dish and this pasta has a strong resemblance to an Italian enchilada. I loved this new take on one of my favorite cuisines and devoured the meal. The cheesy bread was also a great balance to the overwhelming amount of sauce. In the future I'll definitely be adding chicken! Sadly the requested beverage never arrived with the meal, but DoorDash came to the rescue and comp'd the soda purchase. read more

Came in for brunch, me and my mom split the Italian Omelette with house-made sausage (delicious!), marinara sauce (we asked to have it on the side in case it came with too much , but it was actually just the perfect amount) and mozzarella; with homefries and toast. Very good! Not overly salty or greasy at all. The inside is funky in a home style way, it seemed like most of the customers were regulars and friends with the FOH staff. We even got two empanadas to go (one eggplant and one corn), excited to try those out! They have a small corner with Argentinian dry foods, SO MANY kinds of maté and bombillas. We might have to be back for dinner one of these days! read more

Pasta Connection - Bar area - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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The Fettucine Alfredo features SUPER TENDER chicken and delectable pasta, served in generous portions. The complimentary bread with butter and olive oil sauce is a delightful addition. Moreover, the quiet, peaceful, and cozy atmosphere instantly captivates, making it a top choice. Service was really great as well. Highly recommended. read more

Pasta Connection - Fettucine Alfredo with Chicken - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We ordered a takeout order about 30 minutes before closing and I'm pretty sure whoever the cooks were on the night shift were upset and threw some bull**** in the bowls. There was absolutely zero seasoning on any of the food and I mean literally nothing not even salt. The pasta (Alfredo) tasted like someone was so lazy and poured heavy cream into a bowl of noodles . The calamari we ordered was so unbearable we couldn't even eat it. If that's how it usually tastes I will never order again. If it was the staff- they should be fired considering how much money customers are spending on their food. Ridiculous read more

Friendly service, comfortable and warm interior and food was just delicious. Empanadas,bread, spinach ravioli,chicken masala,,milanesa and pasta with capers,mushrooms, Kalamata olives. Yummy. We will be back read more

My Go-To Spot: Pasta Connections Every time I visit Pasta Connections, it feels like coming home. This gem of a restaurant, blending the best of Italy and Argentina. This is my favorite Italian cuisine in Orange County. It consistently offers memorable meals and experiences. The welcoming vibe sets the stage for a culinary journey that never disappoints. I also get my food to go on a regular basis, when I stop in to grab my to go orders, my food is made fresh and still hot by the time I get home. The heart and soul of Pasta Connections lie in its fresh, handmade pasta. There's an indescribable joy in savoring pasta that's been crafted with care and tradition, especially when it's drenched in their homemade marinara sauce--a recipe so good, I take jars of it home to keep the magic alive in my kitchen. The dishes have colorful flavors that are both authentic and deeply satisfying. What sets this place apart for me, as a regular, is the team. They are the epitome of hospitality--always welcoming, always passionate about the dishes they bring to your table. Their service makes every visit feel special, reaffirming why I keep coming back. Pasta Connections' menu also ventures into Argentinean territory, offering a tantalizing array of dishes that are both intriguing and delightfully delicious. It's a testament to the restaurant's commitment to culinary diversity and quality. In essence, Pasta Connections isn't just a restaurant to me; it's a beloved destination where I am always treated with incredibly nice staff who are passionate about food and their customers. Whether you're a regular like me or a newcomer eager for a culinary adventure, this place promises an experience that's not only tasty but also heartwarming. -Nikki read more

My family and I were craving for pasta and came across this place. I've driven by this place a couple of times, but omg this is a great spot for authentic Italian and Argentinian food. Their pasta is house made and you can tell from the chewy and tenderness of the noodle. I'm saying this for all the pasta dishes we ordered. Everything is freshly made, from the calamari to all the pastas. So good. I'm not even going to write a review for each one of them, but just look at my pictures and trust me on this - everything is A+! Get whatever you like, but I highly recommend the fettuccini alfredo! It's a family owned business and they've been in Costa Mesa since 1983. Warm and friendly staff and servers. LOVE IT!! read more

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We ordered the Alla Puttanesca and it was absolutely delicious. Pros: Fresh & perfectly cooked pasta Full of flavor Generous portion of the pasta, mushrooms, and olives The bread on the side reminded me of NYC rolls - so simple and plain, yet so perfect Cons: I would pass on the meatballs next time - they were oddly soggy (not bc they were added to the pasta) and they lacked flavor. It was almost like they forgot to add salt to the mixture and if you weren't looking, you wouldn't know what meat you were eating or if you were eating meat at all. Although the olives tasted fresh and delicious, we prefer pitted olives in our puttanesca. It is not enjoyable to A. Hand pick the olives out of your pasta to take the pits out or B. Bite into one and almost break a tooth and have to take pits out of your mouth. Yes, even with that though, we would happily try other dishes from them. It's rare to find authentic and quality pasta restaurants these days. read more

It is simply the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The chimichurri is to die for........everything is made fresh and so damn good. Save room for the flan with the big dollop of caramel!!!! read more

jdjdjjd djdjjd dnot impressed at all. lasagna was like and old peoples home and super fatty without a lot of flavor. It's run down and old.inaide and shouldn't be charging 20 plus dollars a dish at all read more

They have an amazing hot pastrami sandwich. The bread is hot and toasted with a pile of flavorful hot pastrami and melted Swiss cheese. It's sssoooo good. They also have really good fresh bread and chimichurri sauce for a starter. Its definitely a go to and local favorite of mine for a while now. read more

Pasta Connection - Hot Pastrami Sandwich with a side of French fries. - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

How do Italians prepare their food? By safely guarding family recipes! In my humble opinion a restaurant serving a delicious Tutto Mare - (mixed seafood pasta) has to have superb cooking skills. Cooking Tutto Mare incorrectly makes for a disaster of a meal, because if done wrong the clam juice can over power the pasta and if the seafood is cooked to long then it becomes a mush and as we all know undercooked seafood can create all types of tummy issues! So, if you are like me, always searching for a place with a perfectly balanced (seafood flavors) and perfectly cooked pasta. Then, the, Tutto Mare at Pasta Connection in Costa Mesa is a must! Its so good, you will be saying: Mama Mia!! read more

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Service was nice and coffee was ok. Waffle taste like an eggo waffle from the toaster and bacon/eggs was gross. Felt ripped off @$15 for that meal. The place felt clean so has that going for it. Just a one done for me, wont be back. read more

Surprise!! Surprise!! This place makes empanadas too. So not only do they make their fresh pasta onsite, they make delicious empanadas. It's Italian cuisine with a latin flare (Argentinian). They have a great special on Tuesdays and Thursdays for $1.50 empanadas. They have something for everyone including beef, chicken, vegetable (including eggplant, corn and spinach) and ham and cheese. These are the real deal and made fresh to order. Most of their pasta is made on site (except gluten free). Very friendly staff and this place has been here in Costa Mesa forever, almost 38 years. read more

I was annoyed coming into this restaurant but my attitude quickly changed as they brought out the bread with a delicious sauce and butter! When the empanadas came I was in love, stunned at how delicious they were! this restaurant is my new favorite even if it's 20 minutes from me lol. I also ended up having the most creamiest chicken Alfredo, it's unbelievably creamy and sooo good. read more

There was no parking available. Food was decent, not great and service was a little chaotic since there was no where to park.

We have been here many times over the years. I've never had a problem until today. The service was not good at all. We came for Father's Day lunch, but it made it an experience because the service was so bad we did not get to order for 20 minutes. Nobody would come by. We had to get up and ask for a waiter after three times of asking the bus boy for service and to send someone over. The waitstaff was young and untrained. Our appetizers came and of course they brought no plates, no silverware no dip for the appetizers. We had to get up again and ask for what we needed. The food didn't take too long but again, we are waiting for our check for at the end. We're not offering dessert or anything. This makes me not want to come back. read more

HORRIBLE! We ordered catering for a party at work the day before it was needed. Received a voicemail from the restaurant that they were cancelling the order (which was placed over uber eats). We called over and the lady in the front said it was not cancelled but only sent the driver off with half our order. Minutes later, the order was cancelled. We called again and the women lied saying the whole order was there and we could pick it up. Went to pick it up and of course it was only half of what we paid for. Long story short- they lie and cheat their customers. Food was gross on top of that. read more

A random weeknight dinner with a pasta craving may have been one of the best ideas to try a new place - cue Pasta Connection's entrance. Love that their menu has a lot of variety, but still keeping it pretty simple and true to the classic ingredients. Don't underestimate how the restaurant may look from the outside because the pasta is sooo good! Both the spaghetti and fettuccine tasted so fresh and the texture had me wanting to eat more even though I was already getting full. Portion sizes were BIG, so definitely share or enjoy them for leftovers next day. Fettuccine Paglia E Fieno was creamy and filling. Alfredo isn't usually my go-to but this is definitely going to be one of my comfort foods. Definitely going to try out the empanadas next! $1.50 on Tuesdays and Thursdays! read more

Omg by far the most delicious almost authentic Italian food, was just missing Al Capone and your grand- Mama in the kitchen Environment super cozy almost hate to review an give it such hype and high stars Food by the images your see we order 1/2 the menu with nothing in site been average but all been high quality and fresh .. Staff we had the most amazing waiter who took care of our table as though no one else was In the restaurant and offered amazing service Thank you Ignacio a.k.a "Nacho" You are very lucky to have him as your waiter read more

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Outstanding food and service. If you're going to order wine you may as well get the bottle. Great looking place too, highly recommended.

Very friendly and polite staff. We've been going there for 10 yrs and have never had less than attentive service, good conversations with the staff and tasty food at a very reasonable price. The house wines and bread are yummy and we highly recommend their empanadas and home made pastas. The ambiance is clean, simple and friendly, with nice Italian tango music in the background. It is the enduring family owned gem of Costa Mesa. read more

Nice and beautiful place. We were looking to eat some pasta on the way home from Newport Beach and found this one really great food and amazing service. Their spaghetti feels like homemade so good and chicken Alfredo pizza was delicious. Not too far from Newport Beach only 3/4 miles. From outside looks like a house but inside is really good. read more

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Wonderful for large family dinner with toddler. Empanadas very good. Great variety. Fresh pasta was so good. Very attentive service, checking in often. read more

Love this mom and pop, family restaurant. In an area filled with a bunch of meteocre restaurants, this place stands out. Excellent, authentic Italian food. read more

Hidden gem found. Intimate location with a deceptive exterior and location. Service was fantastic and food was fantastic. Had the tortellini with white sauce and a dollop of meat sauce. Pasta is made fresh to order. read more

Pasta Connection - Complimentary bread and dipping sauce. Mmm! - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Ordered catering last night and they were able to make my large order! I was so happy and this little house place is so cute! Catering style is the way to go! The pesto carne tortellini, eggplant parm, fettuccini Alfredo were all so good and got eaten right up, I also ordered the spaghetti bolognese, I thought it was good, but there was a lot left over. We got a large tray of the garlic bread and the catering order came with sliced bread and their specialty chimichurri sauce! Everyone was asking where the food was from and their hours! It's just like the pasta in Italy!! Will be back to order more soon! Especially at the end of the month for the gnocchi! Really think they should have sticker cards they put on the catering trays so everyone knows where to get the delicious food from. Or maybe insert some cards in the plate and utensils bag. Other than that, 5 star service and food!! More people should know about this hidden gem!! read more

Pasta Connection - Our Christmas feast!! - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Service was neat, food was explosive of authentic mama's kitchen, the outside table we set a vibe of a hidden gem .... this beautiful place delivers over seas culture in each bite. read more

Pasta Connection - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This is one of the best Italian places that I ever went to. I go here every few months and recently my friend had a birthday party with her family there. The menu is pretty large with many authentic Italian dishes. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the best days to come since empanadas are cheaper on those days. They make great appetizers. Usually I get one of the chicken dishes there or raviolis since those are my favorites. The servers there are very nice and they I'll give you recommendations if asked. Great place for dates or family gathering, with the decor changing every few months. Will visit again. Finally, to all people reading this, I hope that you have had a nice day. If not, I hope that your days get better. Thank you for reading this. read more

Really Clean & good food ordered it and was surprised! Will order it again Recommend the Ham Empanadas read more

Came in to have a nice dinner with my girlfriend, let's just say , I wont ever be stepping foot in this restaurant again. As we were leaving the restaurant my girl had to use the bathroom , so i waited for her outside. She exited the bathroom & had a note fall right at her feet that was stuffed between the women's door. It stated "txt me sometime :)" with a phone number. Her( in shock ) looked up to see James( Who very pristinely mentioned it was his families restaurant and also our server) left this in appropriate note. James didn't stop there , he proceeded to wait for her in front of the bathroom saying "shhh" and winked as she exited the restaurant. My opinion completely unprofessional and a violation of privacy to be putting notes on the women's restroom door as a female is making her way out. James, you are very lucky I'm the better man and I didn't bash your face in Think twice before coming to this restaurant read more

Great Italian food everything was wonderful. Great service and ambiance too. Worth the trip! read more

Pasta Connection is absolutely fabulous! I felt like I was in Italy! The ambiance is private and elegant- the food was phenomenal and service was off the charts. The fact that this is a family owned and operated business makes it even better! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! read more

Pasta Connection - Italian Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Best fresh pasta!! I love their fettuccine Alfredo!! Empanadas are great too! I've been going there since I can remember. My dad, who is Argentinian, brought us here for the first time when we were kids. We still frequent it and the pasta is delicious as always! read more

What can I say... I ordered pick up from this place and I can't tell you enough how I will never eat here again. Over done pasta, meat balls that seemed like they came out. Too much sauce for some ravioli. Ate half the dish and threw the rest out, if it wasn't for take out I would have taken it back. I am not trying to be a jerk but for almost $40 you have to do better. read more

Oh, how I love the pasta connection. I would practically get on a plane to visit this place. In fact, I sometimes do. I grew up in Costa Mesa going to this place, but it was on the other side of Harbor. Now, even though I live in the bay, every time I go to visit my dad and sister I insist we stop by this place for some chimichurri sauce and gaucho steak . It's an intimate, unpretentious, little family run place. I was just in there last week, and the grandson of the owners service personally. Wonderfully and shockingly, he didn't have to write down any of our order - he remembered it all, and fluently repeated it back to us in both Spanish and Italian. Over the decades, I've had almost everything on the timeless menu here - antipasto salad, pizza, the meatball sub, and the empanadas. Oh, I salivate a little bit just thinking about those empanadas as I write this 300 miles north. This is old Costa Mesa at its best. eat there. Please don't let Pasta Connection be replaced by yet another El Pollo Loco. read more