There are coffee shops, and then there are places that make you want to slow down. Ake Larry is…read morefirmly the latter. Walking in, you feel it instantly -- that rare combination of cozy and intentional that so many cafés try to manufacture but so few actually achieve. The space is genuinely charming. The kind of place where you settle in, exhale, and stop thinking about whatever was on your mind five minutes ago. Whether you're coming in solo with a book or just need a quiet corner to exist for a while, Ake Larry holds that space beautifully. But the real story here is the owner. I don't throw around the phrase "best owner ever" lightly -- but this one earned it. They checked in on me personally, asked how I wanted my coffee made, and actually listened. Not in a transactional way, but in the way someone does when they genuinely care about the experience they're putting in front of you. That level of attentiveness is vanishingly rare and it transformed what could have been a standard café visit into something that actually felt personal. The coffee itself delivered on that promise. You could taste the intention behind it -- well-extracted, balanced, and made exactly to spec. No guessing, no inconsistency. Just a really good cup of coffee crafted by someone who clearly takes their craft seriously. The pastries and food rounded it all out perfectly. Nothing felt like an afterthought -- everything on the menu seemed to belong there. Ake Larry is a regular rotation spot. Full stop.

We are visiting from San Jose. I somehow found Ake'Larry and saw all the amazing reviews - told my…read morehusband we had to try it. It sure did not disappoint! Everything tasted so fresh and delicious. You can tell everything is made with care. The focaccia so light, pasta very chewy. Service very friendly. Definitely want to go back.

I've been to Roman Cucina many times, and there's so much about this spot that keeps me coming…read moreback. Located in the middle of downtown Fullerton, it's a charming and cozy space that's perfect for a date night or celebration. Come early, or plan to walk around a bit because they are walk up only, and your wait could be a while depending on where you want to be sat. Still, it's worth it for the great atmosphere and delicious pasta. Certain days of the week have different specials. For example, Thursdays they have discounted martinis (they have some GREAT drinks), and Wednesdays discounted wine bottles (and no corkage fees if your whole party orders an entree) so definitely make sure to check out if they're offering anything the day you come in. They have a pretty large menu of pasta dishes, and other entrees. Everything I've had off the menu has been delicious, including the special pasta of the day I ordered on my last visit. Plates range from $20 and up if you add proteins, but the portions are large and you definitely won't leave hungry. The service is very solid, but our last server Jessica really wowed us! She was personable, and had many great recommendations about the menu. Aside from checking in on us frequently and making sure our wine glasses were never empty, she really made our recent visit a standout one. Definitely stop by here if you're looking for a nice Italian dinner in Fullerton.

First time to Roman Cucina. We went as a family with two small kids as part of a school fundraiser…read more We really enjoyed the atmosphere here. The place is cozy and not pretentious. They accommodate families and people on dates equally. The food was good. We particularly liked that kids eat free on Mondays with purchase of an adult entree. That's great when one of your kids only wants the dreaded butter noodles and the other only eats noodles with Parmesan cheese. The meals were all very good and the service was excellent. Our glasses were constantly refilled and the wait staff were all very friendly. Okay, my one criticism is the suggested gratuity on the bill. When looking at the bill, the suggested 20% tip seemed like a higher recommendation in dollars for our total. When calculating it out, the amount listed for our 20% tip was actually 25%. In fact, all the suggested gratuity dollar amounts listed on the check were inaccurate, with the suggested dollar amounts higher than the percentage indicated. For example, if your check was $100, the bill would suggest $25 as a 20% tip...it's in fact a 25%. Everything else was great and we would come back, but definitely double check the math!

We came for an early dinner and I got the squid ink tomato sauce pasta…read more It was a cozy little spot with good service and the meal came with salad and a roll. Salad was refreshing, roll was nice and warm, and pasta was bomb. Would definitely come back.

Really cute and neat Japanese flavored Italian restaurant - small place with really dimmed light…read moreduring the night. Inside looks like maximum occupancy about 20. And service was really fast , order taken and food served within 5 minutes. The restaurant provided its in house bread, fresh and yummy. Tried both red and Japanese style white sauce, personally really liked the white Japanese style sauce. The red sauce lacks flavor and blandly tomato, also the spinach inside didn't seem to mix well with the sauce. The price is reasonable and overall 4 stars. Recommended for friends and family , also family with carb / pasta cravings.

I've been coming to this Old Spaghetti Factory for a long time, 10+ years. It's the first and only…read moreone I've been to. I appreciate its cleanliness inside (tables, furniture, bathrooms) and easy parking (more people need to use the public parking structure that's literally a 1-2 minute walk). It's Thursday, and I was looking for a last minute reservation for lunch time, on MOTHER'S DAY. After calling literally 15+ establishments, I was so happy to snag a reservation here! Sunday arrives, and we are already running late. I called and spoke to the hostess, and nervously told them we'd be 15 minutes late. I was terrified the reservation would be forfeited. The hostess was very empathetic, told us to drive safe, and that our table will be ready when we arrive. This definitely helped with my stress. We arrive and after checking in we are seated immediately. Our waitress, Olivia, was absolutely amazing! She greeted us with a big smile and was incredibly attentive to our party. She took our drink order, shared the specials, and gave us time to decide on what we wanted. It's common at other restaurants that when you tell the waiter you are not ready, they do not return for a L-O-N-G time. Olivia did not do this. She continued to check on us and did not come off impatient. My mom, who's never been before and English is not her primary language, had a lot of questions from describing all the salad dressings to different fettuccine. Olivia happily answered everything and got our order underway. Our drinks were always refilled and she never forgot a request, whether it was dressing on the side, straws, or extra napkins & utensils. I wanted to sneakily pay the bill while my family was still enjoying their food, so I went inside. Another girl, Penny, noticed I needed assistance and helped me with my request immediately. Lastly, I really wanted to express how amazing everything went so I asked to speak with a manager. As someone who works in the service industry too, I know all too well that most of the time happily satisfied customers/guests/patrons are more likely to move on with their day while disappointed people are the ones to complain. Within a few minutes I met Ashley, one of the managers, and was able to share that this was probably one of the best Mother's Day outings we have ever had, all thanks to Old Spaghetti Factory. On our way home, my mom was already brainstorming when to return.

I write very few, if any, negative food establishment reviews but I was compelled to rate my…read moreexperience here.... I have been going to the Fullerton establishment for almost 40 years. My wife and I loved it so much while dating that we had our wedding rehearsal dinner here in 1991. We haven't been back for quite a while so we thought we'd eat there for the sake of of nostalgia. What a disappointment! We went early evening so it wasn't crowded. We were seated immediately but then had to wait so long for a server that we had to summons a hostess to get one. It took a long while to get everything. When we were finally served, he bread was good, the salad was not, and the spaghetti I had was below par at best-- not very hot and super low on meat sauce and mizithra cheese (shrinkflation?). The tiny chicken parmesan that my wife had, however, was the worst we've ever tasted anywhere by far. We wanted to get our bill, but again we had to wait forever for the server to give us our check so we can go back and relieve the caregiver for our disabled son. The price overall was basically in line with what you would pay everywhere else nowadays, but the quality and service was so poor we will not return... and that's a real shame.

Was influenced by Instagram as I saw a post on Pasta Party, and knowing how much my dad loves…read moreItalian food decided to take him here for lunch on a Friday. We tried the trio sampler of pastas and it was amazing! My dad loved it and so did I. The price was really decent for $29.99. We got to try three different types of pastas! I especially love that it came with complimentary bread and butter. We got the fettuccine Alfredo, which was so delicious and probably my favorite of the three. We also got the pesto pasta, which was also delicious. Honestly, all the pastas we tried were really good. It tasted very fresh. I don't know if they make their pasta there, but it tasted like they did. The lady that took our order was very friendly too! The vibe of the restaurant was as if you were in Italy. Definitely would recommend.

I hate to give bad reviews, but I needed to update my previous review of this place. It's been a…read morewhile since I came back from the first time I came here, and I don't know if I'll be coming back. I placed a DoorDash order for ASAP pickup of a 16" pizza. Placed the order at 4:35 pm with an ETA of 15-20 minutes. The app said it should be ready before 5 pm. Keep in mind, I intentionally placed the order early so that my 2 year old would have food at her normal dinner time. When I entered the restaurant, there were a few customers who didn't know what's going on. Neither did I. There wasn't anyone at the cashier's area. I had to flag the lady down to ask about my order. This was around 4:50 ish, so I don't mind waiting 10 minutes for my pizza. However, at 5, they didn't even start making my pizza, let alone put it in the oven. It's not until 5:21 pm that the pizza finally made its way out of the oven. It was disappointingly slow. Good news, though, I was able to write this review while I waited for my pizza and I finally got out of there by 5:23 pm. Also, one more thing to note, it felt like they were definitely short staffed and the person who was taking the orders at the front was also the person who was making the pizza. However, I noticed that she didn't use any gloves when making the pizza after transitioning from taking orders nor did I see her wash her hands. Just for that reason alone I don't know if I'd be coming back or would I recommend this place.

Management needs to improve service for in house diners. We waited 70 minutes on a Saturday night…read moreto be seated. I thought it was worth it even with our kids because we love the pizza and salad. But to wait at least another 30 minutes once we ordered to have our food brought out was inexcusable. The waitress said there was "a lot of to go orders." In house diners who have waited to get a table should take priority over to go orders. If you're that busy, perhaps invest in another oven. The food and wine was delicious and I'd only return during off peak hours. But something needs to be done to expedite service.

Fuoco's is located in Old Downtown Fullerton, Fuoco's is bringing the highest level of pizza…read moreNeapolitana that you can get, outside of Italy. I first went here before I was on yelp in 2019 and have been telling/sending everyone here. With multiple parking lots around, there should be plenty of parking. The service is always top notch! The ambiance is elevated pizza spot. They also have a nice bar in the back. It's awesome that everyone can see the Stefano Ferrara, while they are cooking! Fuoco's is Certified Napoletana! They have to follow the rules from Naples! 00 Flour for double, the olive oil, the tomatoes, the cheese! The dough ends up being thin with fluffy crust. All with a salty, Smokey, woody, chewy bite! The cheese is beautiful, all of them. Fresh when needed and aged when needed. Quattro Formaggi is my Favorite, love that strong, tangy, semi stinky, rich, Gorgonzola, on it. I love to have San Pellegrino sodas with pizza, delicious. After I had a tiramisu with a cappuccino. The tiramisu was fluffy, sweet, rich, creamy, roasted coffee, chocolatey deliciousness. Heaven! The cappuccino was delicious, would've liked a little more richness, plus, they need to have some organic raw sugar, as an option. Scrub the old school sugar. *Overall, Fuoco's is the Best Pizza in that WHOLE AREA, hands down. Two more great visits this last time*

Had to make the 50 mile drive from south country…read more We used to love the old location on Lincoln in Anaheim many years ago. The food was pretty close to the old location, but the menu was not so extensive which is not unusual for small place. We miss Dominick who used to walk around with his wine glass ,half loaded and yelling . The waitress at the new place took our order and really showed no personality. She is an inland if I understand correctly. It's a shame if you want to remember the vibe of the old place, but the food helped to make up for her lack.

I would like to start my review and say that I was hungry when I arrived, so my hungriness' was up…read more When we arrived, there was only one table seated. The one waitress was on her phone when we walked in and seemed kind of bothered that we were interrupting. The location is kind of small so parties of 4+ might have an issue with seating. They didn't have a sampler "TOUR" like other restaurants, and I decided to go with the Fettucine Alfredo with Chicken, Side Meatballs and side salad. This is when the restaurant started getting busy. The salad arrived was less than to be desired and there was barely any dressing. She then dropped off the Meatballs that were cold and I asked to please send them back. Needless to say I was becoming slightly agitated due to being hungry. Then my main dish ordered was not Chicken Alfredo. The other people at my table said that their dishes were amazing. I was like, ill believe it when it comes. I am happy to say that when the dish arrived it was everything that I wanted, and she brought back the meatballs that were warm and her attitude seemed to improve as things got busier and the experience finished very well. Skip the salad and go straight for the main entree and you will not lose.

LOCATION: heart of Anaheim off of Brookhurst close to the 91 HWY, easy to find, parking may be hard…read moreto find during rush hours small lot and street parking is limited. SERVICE: great service overall, brought some cookies by the pound and they were accommodating and timely. Plenty of seating on the right side of the restaurant as well. Love the vibe of the place. FOOD: the best part! The meatball sub was delicious and generous with the meat and cheese, highly recommend. Tons of other pizza and sub options that you can choose from. The assortment of cookies and cannolis in the market are a great price and option to try for dessert or if you need a sweet treat. Definitely check out Cortina's!

The lasagna is my favorite, especially with my special request for pink sauce--and they always…read morehappily accommodate me. The mix of marinara and Alfredo sauce is absolutely divine and makes the dish even more delicious. The food is always fresh, flavorful, and comforting. I also love that they have a little market on the side where you can grab authentic Italian spices, fresh bread, and other yummy items. Great food, great service, and such a cozy spot! Glad there's now a gated fence

Yelp reviews were spot on…read more A little tricky to find as it's in an outdoor shopping mall, top floor. Went early(5:30ish) since I've been traveling all day. Bread w/ oil & vinegar... light and very tasty Had the Shrimp Rose which was absolutely delicious. Had a strawberry lemonade to drink. Probably the best I've had anywhere... refilled for free. Really didn't have room for dessert, but the strawberry sorbet was just too good to pass up. Service was excellent as well. Attentive, but not intrusive... Korean Italian is an interesting take, but it absolutely works.

Came here for Mother's Day and was really hoping to be seated on the main patio, but we were placed…read morein the secondary patio because they said dogs weren't allowed on the main patio -- even though our dog was in a covered stroller, and their Yelp page states that pets are allowed. Unfortunately, the secondary patio only had one umbrella, so it became pretty hot and uncomfortable during the meal. The food was decent and reasonably priced, but overall pretty average. The servers were friendly, though service felt a bit slow and unorganized. After our food came out, no one checked on us for the rest of the meal. Overall, the experience was just okay. I'd consider giving it another try on a different day without the dog, but it's not at the top of my list to revisit.

All I can say is WOW! This spaghetti was such a delicious dinner option to bring home to my…read morefamily. Every single bite tasted incredibly fresh, and you can really tell the quality of the ingredients. It's not always easy finding something everyone agrees on, but this was a total win--everyone loved it! Definitely adding this to our go-to meals.

This place is pretty good and yummy! They have pre-made selections or Build Your Own in a fast…read morecasual setting with friendly workers. I'd note that adding on a protein and other toppings will cost you more but they gave an immensely generous portion of bulgogi and decent amount of shrimp on the separate bowls ordered. They do provide ample noodles as well. Neat offering in the Westminster area!