You just spent a day at the beach and are starving for Chicken Parm, who are you are you going to call? Romano Cucina! That's correct! Been coming here for many years usually stop by when in the area. This is where you come for great Italian food at reasonable prices. Its better Chicken Parm than other places with unreasonable prices. What if you are in the mood for something else--then Get in the mood for Chicken Parm and come here. read more

Romano Cucina - Chicken Parm side salad to go. - Italian Near Me - Sunset Beach, California

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Very good food. But I think pricey. It'll be used for some occasions but it's not going to be a regular spot. read more

Traveling from our home town in Las Vegas where we have some of the best restaurants and chefs in the world at our fingertips, I let my sister suggest where to meet for dinner as she lives in HB. She suggested one of her favorite restaurants, Romano Cucina, and my goodness the experience did not disappoint! We agreed the lasagna was the most authentic we'd ever tasted. The pizza and caprese salad were mouth watering! I only wish we had one here in Vegas! Highly recommend! read more

I don't usually write negative reviews, but this experience made me realize something that applies to so many restaurants these days. From the outside, this place checks all the boxes: years in business, always packed, long wait times, and a reputation that makes you think you're in for a great meal. But popularity doesn't always equal quality. Here's what we ordered: * Bruschetta: Basic toasted bread topped with huge chunks of bland tomatoes and an odd cheese that added nothing except confusion. It lacked freshness, seasoning, and balance. * Sautéed Mushrooms: This was easily the most disappointing dish. It was essentially a plate of sliced mushrooms that looked and tasted boiled. No browning, no texture, no seasoning--just bland mushrooms on a plate. * Lasagna Bolognese: The pasta sheets were acceptable, but the beef was simply piled on top like a garnish instead of being layered throughout. The sauce tasted like it came straight from an inexpensive jar, and the lasagna itself wasn't even assembled properly. * Pesto Penne: Probably the best dish of the evening, but that's not saying much. The pesto was dry and had an unpleasant bitter taste. * Chicken Milanese: An extremely thin piece of chicken with virtually no seasoning or flavor. It was forgettable. Even the Chianti tasted watered down, which was surprising. Ironically, the only thing that genuinely stood out was the Espresso Martini. That was excellent and ended up being the highlight of the entire meal. What disappointed me most wasn't just this restaurant--it was the realization that this has become common. Restaurants look authentic, have long histories, packed dining rooms, and endless lines. Somewhere along the way, we started assuming that meant the food must be amazing. I caught myself doing the same thing. Like many people, my first instinct was to say, "Wow, that was good." But when I stopped and honestly asked myself whether I actually enjoyed the food, the answer was no. It wasn't flavorful. It wasn't memorable. It certainly wasn't worth the wait or the price. Maybe we've become so used to average food wrapped in good marketing and busy dining rooms that we've forgotten what truly delicious food tastes like. read more

Romano Cucina - Italian Near Me - Sunset Beach, California

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The food was delicious, I had Italian sausage lasagna, amazing, great flavors and very saucy! My husband had the spicy sausage bolognese, delish! Both dishes came with fresh bread and a salad. We of course had to get their mushroom because it would be a sin not to, they're the best! We each had a glass of wine and it was $89.00 where can you go for that nowadays! Enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I'd like to give a shoutout to our server and the other staff who assisted us, very polite and friendly, a breath of fresh air! read more

I found my Italian caterer! The staff, chefs and cooks at Romano Cucina are exceptional. From the moment I ordered to pick up, I was impressed by their attention to detail, kindness and superb service. Wow! And THE FOOD! My party was a hit because of them! All my guests kept complementing the food and everyone went back for seconds! I'm so glad I found them and will be hitting them up to cater many more parties moving forward! read more

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One of my favorite local spots for italian. Cozy vibes. Delicious food. Good cocktails. Fair prices. Haven't been here in a while but went last night and food tastes as good as i can remember. Pasta your way is a big portion with a meatball and sausage - always get the ricotta cheese. So delicious! Love how you get a salad with your meal as well. Will be back soon!! read more

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It is all about the service! Carson, our server, welcomed us with positive energy. Something we needed after our recent passing of our fur baby from Lymphoma. read more

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It was our first time to Romano Cucina. Our granddaughter asked us to take her out upon her return from Prague. We enjoyed the Lobster Ravioli, Aglio Olio and the Calamari Fritti. All of our selections were accompanied by hot fresh bread and an absolutely delicious House Salad. Our server, Genevieve, was absolutely delightful. All in all, we had a 5-Star experience!! MJ read more

This place is so good! We love their lemon shrimp pasta and cannoli! The staff is happy and inviting. Great service!

Top dog in the area, we've bee going here forever. They sadly closed the Newport one only after a short time. But Sunset Beach is the best one. Very authentic, everything is excellent. Try the Rosa sauce and the eggplant Parmesan. And the salad is so simple and wonderful. read more

We are from Ohio and stopped to have dinner. The area and atmosphere was wonderful, all of the staff very friendly, and the three of us all enjoyed our meals Very much. The Italian Wedding soup was the best I ever had. The meatballs melted in our mouths and the pasta sauce delicious. The homemade bread is wonderful too! We will definitely go back when we visit the area! read more

I especially enjoyed the pasta with one sausage and meatballs in a blanket white sauce. We went on a Tuesday and they have a special, Buy one and get the second one 50% off. The meal also includes bread and house salad which were very good. Carson, waited on us, in the larger room and did a great job explaining our Menu choices. read more

This is my favorite Italian restaurant in the area. I always order the same thing which is the pasta Gianni with extra shrimp on spaghetti they give you a really good salad and bread to go with your order even when you pick it up to go. The service is always amazing. That atmosphere is cute and the vibe is good. I highly recommend this restaurant. The one in Fullerton is also amazing! read more

I ordered calamari and lemon garlic pasta to go. The calamari was not very crispy and were cut so thick that it was chewy and tough. The batter was just salty and oily, not too much flavor to the batter. This wasn't even the worst dish. I really didn't like the lemon garlic pasta because the sauce was so runny, and I could hardly taste the garlic. Definitely was not worth the price paid for these dishes. Would not come back. read more

Delicious gluten free options and excellent service. Also loved the brushetta. Highly recommend!

This is hands-down one of my favorite spots -- we go about four times a month and are always impressed! A huge shout-out to Andy, who not only provides excellent service but also knows the history of the restaurant and the inspiration behind the dishes. One of my favorites is my husband's grandpa's salad, which has been on the menu since they opened -- such a special touch The entire staff is consistently sweet, attentive, and welcoming. They even made cannolis for our wedding, which were a total hit with our guests! The food is always delicious, the prices are amazing, and the atmosphere Highly recommend this place for anyone looking for great food, great service, and a truly special dining experience read more

I've finally found my favorite local Italian restaurant! After months of being on the hunt for delicious and affordable Italian food, I finally discovered Romana Cucina, an adorable restaurant in Sunset Beach. We visited on a weekday night for dinner and it was packed with locals. We were greeted by a friendly server who let us know that they offer half priced martinis on Thursdays! We happily ordered an espresso martini while we waited for a table. After being seated, we were served complimentary bread and olive oil. For food, we ordered the pasta Tombrello, which came with a spicy and flavorful bianco sauce. It paired nicely with the tender ground beef and Al dente pasta. We also tried the aglio olio pasta, which was light and flavorful. We also enjoyed the complimentary side salads that came with our entrees. It was perfectly tossed in a delicious olive oil and served with cheese on top. There's absolutely nothing I don't like about this restaurant. I can't wait to come back! read more

Romano Cucina - Italian Near Me - Sunset Beach, California

Growing up in a Sicilian family, I've been enjoying authentic Italian food since I was old enough to chew. I've dined in New York, Chicago, and even throughout Italy, and the only restaurant that truly measures up is Roman Cucina. Every dish is exceptional, the martinis are outstanding, and the portions are incredibly generous. The warm, inviting atmosphere. Andy and his staff have made this place feel like a second home. read more

Romano Cucina is located by the Sunset Beach. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. Their outdoor seating area has heat lamps to keep you warm. The service was great. Their Rosa pasta sauce is delicious!! One of my new favorites. It's a nice creamy tomato sauce. You can choose your protein and pasta. They have different appetizers, salads, pasta, pizza, lasagna, and even sandwiches. They have a wide variety of different drinks as well. The perfect little dinner spot after a day at the beach. read more

Romano Cucina - Italian Near Me - Sunset Beach, California

Delicious vegan options!!!! Marinara with mushrooms and the best, best vegan salad dressing is our fave! Their bread is vegan too. Repeat customers! read more

Every time we come here, we are pleasantly surprised! From the staff to the food. Everything was 10/10 read more

Romano Cucina - Pasta Gianni - Italian Near Me - Sunset Beach, California

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Great lasagna and ambiance. Waiter was great as well. Park in lot behind restaurant and there is also lot down street closest to water.

Amazing Italian stop. Always busy and always good. Expect a short wait at the Laguna hills location. Everything on the menu is great. The meatballs are worthy by themselves. Wonderful wine selection. It feels upscale but casual at the same time. Ample free parking too. read more

Amazing food, amazing service and amazing prices!!! Love the outdoor patio and the quaint indoor seating... Looks like it could be in Italy! Try it if you haven't!!! read more

Good: ambiance, location, drinks, almost no wait time. Bad: food wasn't too great, the chicken was hard and the noodles tasted old or reheated, overall service wasn't friendly. We came here for a special night. The hostess, person who brought our drinks, were all very friendly. Our server/waiter was not so friendly. I will admit we did stand out a little bit; we didn't exactly fit the demographic that seemed to be customers here, just a small observation that became apparent to us as the night went on. It didn't bother us one bit but it was very apparent to our waiter. I try my hardest to not notice things or let them bother us, especially on a special night but it is so disappointing when we're treated differently based on our appearance. She would go around the tables and be very friendly, smile, asked questions, she'd check on them frequently.. we got the exact opposite of that treatment from our waiter. She'd be looking down, zero eye contact, unfriendly, no smile, very serious, and quick when dropping off our drinks and plates, not wanting to completely stop at our table, almost tossing the check as she was speeding by. It almost felt like she was trying to get rid of us. Again, we'd notice how the very next table to us, she'd stop, smile, ask if they needed anything, complete opposite experience. And all her other tables as well. My wife started to sniffle a bit and I apologized that I brought her here, especially on our special night. I read the good reviews and we like trying new places. It's just sad that even in our day and age, there still exists some sort of prejudice. Of course, being raised right, I still tipped for our dinner but we might not be coming back. We were so excited to come here and instead, we left leaving downhearted. I hope that whoever owns this place reads this and addresses this internal issue. read more

LOVE this place. The plates are big, taste excellent. Service is always with a smile and great. Patio or indoor seating - both are very comfortable and just a genuine good place to eat Italian! read more

Long established restaurant. Maintain their quality, especially their secret salad dressing recipe despite having new owners a few years ago. I can count on consistency with this place read more

Good food. Had the bruschetta. Came as 4 big pieces. Very yummy. Also had the lasagna which came with a side salad. Lots of leftovers. read more

Romano Cucina - Italian Near Me - Sunset Beach, California

My favorite Italian spot in OC and it's not close... This is the closest you'll get to traditional Italian cuisine, feel like I'm actually in Roma, here in OC, less travel read more

My roommate and i tried this spot out tonight on a whim and it was 10/10. I ordered the chicken parmigiana with spaghetti and Rosa sauce, and he got a calzone. The food was SO good! I highly recommend getting the Rosa sauce with whatever you order We had initially ordered online but unfortunately the system malfunctioned or something. But they took great care of us, they were super apologetic and kind about it and the manager and waitress made sure we were taken care of. We ended up dining in - it's a cute spot, not overly nice and it's obvious it's been around awhile. I love restaurants like that, where it feels like a spot that's well-known and loved by locals. Anyway i highly recommend and we will absolutely be back. read more

Food - Always so good. Service - The staff is very friendly Ambiance - A fusion of old Italian & Beachie We love coming here , loved a little more when Thursday night martinis were $5.00 that was before the lock downs. It's a nice restaurant and popular. read more

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One of favorite Italian food spots! Everything we order is always good! Inside can be a little loud! It's quieter if you eat in their outside patio. We come here for dinner mostly. This time around we ordered the Calamari Fritti, Pasta & Meatballs and Sausage & Peppers. Don't be shy to order more complimentary bread too! read more

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Loved this place. If it wasn't for yelp I wouldn't have found it. It's a pretty small place but they have a nice heated patio for the winter. I was with a pretty large party and everyone enjoyed their food. I really loved their simple dinner salad that comes with the entrees. The dressing was amazing! We all shared an eggplant parm appetizer that was good. It was a pretty solid helping and would be plenty as a dinner. I had a baked ziti type of dish that was fabulous! My husband got a spicy seafood pasta that he loved! Everything was really tasty. I'll definitely go back next time I'm in Huntington. read more

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Great service and nice ambiance Great food and love their desserts !!! One of the town's amazing authentic Italian food read more

Another great time at this restaurant.. The wait not a big deal that night. Celebrated there with my wife, 21 years ago we had met each other. They all did their best to get us in there in a decent amount of time. the food, man, always top notch goodness! We see so many of the staff there never change over. They come back if they have left. The ambiance is always so nice and cozy. Share good times there and had fun sharing our memories of how we met and what we did over the next 21 years... Thanks Andy for making us feel at home again!! read more

Great service and food at a great location. All of the servers were very attentive and prompt. Not much of a whiskey selection if you're into that, but the mixed drinks were expertly crafted. Definitely go with family, friends, or for business. You will have a great meal, atmosphere, and won't break the bank. read more

Local beach spot that unfortunately caters to the tourist palate. I ordered a bottle of Caymus cabernet, server looked confused; took almost 15 minutes to deliver the wine, was given the excuse that they just put it on the menu; and? Food was subpar, think Maggiano's quality meets Claim Jumper portions. My friend asked our server for bread at least three times, server said that someone kept stealing her bread; lame excuse after lame excuse. The calazone, while visually impressive was extremely disappointing; too much dough and mushrooms were cold and raw; zero layering of flavors, just overstuffed with too much cheese and filling. I had high hopes for this place, but unfortunately they did not meet expectations. Smaller portions of well executed food is the way to go, but one look around at the demographic explains their approach of quantity vs quality. Will not be back. read more

Romano Cucina - Calazone - Italian Near Me - Sunset Beach, California

Portions are very big. I got the lasagna and the tomato sauce was a little bit over the top (as you can see in the pic) but the lasagna was decent overall. The shrimp scampi was very good! I would not get the tiramisu again-- I didn't even know there was liqueur in it, but once I tasted it, it made sense why I couldn't stand the flavor. The service was excellent especially since it was a 50 person work event. And the ambience was a nice cozy outdoor seating which remained warm during the evening. The menu is vast and there are lots of dishes to try from. But be aware that parking sucks and you might have to park far on a weekend. read more

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After happily going to this restaurant repeatedly for over 15 years, I will not return. I had the chicken parmigiana and it was dry, thin, burnt, and frankly the worst I've ever had. All the cook did was smother it in mozzarella cheese. Pasta was ok, nothing special. Overall prices are on the high side for what you get. (Individual glasses of wine are way overpriced.) There are better Italian food restaurant alternatives in Sunset Beach and Huntington Beach. read more