LOVED the staff, Freddy was the sweetest server and the food was amazing. coffee's are so good and…read morethey are willing to do substitutions for no mushrooms! all around great experience.

Food was exactly what I wanted (fresh pasta with oregano red sauce). The service with Freddy was…read morealso timely and exceptional! Highly recommend.

Service is top-notch. Very watchful of what the table needs. Nice inside but noisy because it is…read morealways crowded. As for the food, they have a huge choice of Italian stuff from the usual to the exotic, & all of it is very good, except I made the error of choosing a carpaccio of octopus + salmon. The slices were few & far between & so thin, they were tasteless, but everything else was excellent from the pizza to the cioppino to the meatballs & calamari, etc. Nice wine selection especially the Italian Vinos. Portion size is large & enough for at least 2 meals, except of course if you have 2 growing 20-year-old boys/men who would eat the plates if they were soft enough. All in all, Mother's day brunch was enjoyable. One addition is they are more expensive than Yelp would leave you to expect.

03/2026 If you're…read moreever in the Laguna Beach area and looking for Italian food for lunch or dinner, this is the place to stop. My wife and I came here last year (2025) for dinner and were blown away by how good the food was. Everything is made fresh, and they use their own homemade pasta in their dishes. So when we came back in 2026, we made sure to bring my mom--her first time on the West Coast--and planned a stop here before heading to Santa Monica. The restaurant is very nicely decorated, and they also have bags of their homemade pasta available for purchase. We sat inside this time due to construction outside. Our server was excellent. She took our drink orders--my wife and mom had tea, and I had an Old Fashioned, which was made very well. She also brought us an appetizer of deep-fried olives stuffed with cheese. I'm not usually an olive fan, but these were surprisingly good and didn't have a strong olive taste, also ask for a side of tomato sauce makes them even better! My wife wanted a fish dish with pasta and a lemon sauce that she had twice before on our last visit. Although they didn't have the exact same fish, the kitchen was able to prepare it with a different one, and it tasted just as good as she remembered. My mom ordered the meatball sub, and I had the Bolognese with homemade pappardelle pasta. The meat sauce was excellent. My mom said the meatballs were the best she's ever had--she barely touched the bread because she just wanted to enjoy the meatballs themselves. We also picked up some of their fresh pasta to take home. It's incredibly easy to prepare--just drop it in hot water for 2-3 minutes depending on how you like it, much quicker than store-bought pasta. We'll definitely keep stopping here whenever we're in the area. Give it a try--you won't be disappointed.

My husband and I chose Salerno's to celebrate our first Valentine's Day as a married couple based…read moreon the strong reviews. Unfortunately, our experience did not reflect those reviews at all. Despite having a reservation, our seating options were either directly on the curb, where traffic and exhaust were blowing toward the tables, or at an indoor table packed so tightly between others that it was difficult to even move without bumping into neighboring guests. More importantly, after placing our order, we waited 45 minutes with no food, no glass of wine, and no communication from staff. No one checked on us. No one acknowledged the delay. We were given no reassurance that our order had even been placed. Meanwhile, multiple parties seated after us were served their meals. We understand Valentine's Day is busy. We are patient people. But being left without service or communication for that length of time is unacceptable. We ultimately left without ever receiving our food. A simple acknowledgment or update would have changed the entire experience. Instead, we left disappointed and unfed on what should have been a meaningful evening. I hope management reevaluates how reservations and kitchen capacity are handled on high-volume nights so other couples don't have the same experience.

Excellent food for a very affordable priced dinner. We have not frequented many Italian…read morerestaurants thinking that it's "just" pasta, but this was a very eye opening experience. Fresh ingredients and served piping hot as we can see the open kitchen from where we were seated. We look forward to returning again.

We had an amazing experience at Oliver's Trattoria! The service was excellent, and the Lasagna…read moreClassica was absolutely delicious , just like homemade. Highly recommend this place for anyone craving authentic Italian food!

We hosted our company holiday dinner at Oliver Osteria, and it absolutely delivered. The table went…read morefamily-style on antipasti--Carpaccio di Manzo, Polpette, Polpo alla Griglia, and Fritto Misto. All perfect for sharing and starting the night strong. For entrées, the crowd favorites were the Lasagna Classica, Filetto, and the Pork Tomahawk. I went with the pork tomahawk and wow which was rich, hearty, and full of flavor. The pork was perfectly cooked and paired with caramelized onions, a tangy mustard sauce, and creamy mashed potatoes that tied everything together. We wrapped up the night with desserts--Tiramisù, Profiteroles, Gelati e Sorbetti plus cappuccinos, which was the perfect way to end a long dinner. Shoutout to the servers they were incredibly patient, attentive, and helpful, especially considering we were a larger group. Everything ran smoothly, and we never felt rushed. Between the food, atmosphere, and service, it was an ideal spot for a holiday group dinner. Cozy, elevated, and absolutely worth a return visit.

My husband and i we're looking for a good place to eat, and we found this place!! I had a Ahi…read morenicoise and my husband had a chicken Milanese. Everything was so delicious . The service was great and everybody was very nice. We recommend this restaurant!

Cute little bistro on the Forest avenue surrounded by lots of shopping and galleries. Unfortunately…read moreLaguna Beach is in the middle of removing tons of trees in the middle of the street so there is absolutely no view at this time. It is supposed to be finished early June. The food and service are both great. We started with the whipped ricotta with toast and honey and almonds and it was delicious we shared the salmon salad. It was definitely plenty for two. We were celebrating a birthday and they made sure to bring us a delicious ice cream sundae Would really like to return in the summer for an evening meal

Such a solid brunch spot by the beach that you can take your family or your partner to. Having…read morevisited Belgium for a day last year, I wanted to see if there was a restaurant that would stack up. This restaurant was easy to walk to, dependable, and delicious. I've been here 3 times and it always hits the spot. The servers here are super attentive and friendly. The outdoor seating is also super sweet; you can get a view of the boardwalk while you eat. Moule in white wine sauce, 9/10: Star of the show for sure. Mussels are cooked nicely. They come piping hot in the pot with the white wine garlic sauce that perfectly accompanies the natural flavor of the mussels. So smart to serve it in the small pot since it keeps the mussels hot and you can scoop the sauce with the shell. They taste fresh and not slimy at all. I appreciated how you can choose the quantity of mussels you want. Frites, 9/10: Pretty much exactly how it tasted in Belgium. Slightly thicker cut fries with mayo and ketchup. Seasoned well and the inside of the fry is still pillowy and warm. Bolognese, 8.5/10: Well-rounded bolognese with a good amount of meat sauce; they did not skimp out on it. Very well-seasoned dish that pairs well with the parmigiano and chili flakes. It also serves as a good pasta dish to eat with the mussels. My only gripe is the noodles could have been a bit more al dente.

Service 10 Ambiance…read more10 Beer Options 10 Food 1-2 (Fries best part) Long time customer. Laguna Beach native. Don't know if it was just an off day/night the food was underwhelming. The escargot a favorite of ours. Re-used shells ok whatever but at least put a bigger piece of meat in there. The shells were filled with oil and some greens but the meat of the "escargot " was a little bit bigger than a pea! The fresh bread was great. Salad Endive - ehh chunks of ham??? Couldn't parent it better or just cheap meat? Steak was very tough. I had to spit a part out bc of the sinew. Then the frozen garlic butter hockey puck!! How do you expect people to put this or use this when it's frozen solid? The meat isn't hot enough to melt it. Overall you need to do better. Won't be coming back anytime soon unfortunately!

I can't believe it took me this long to experience Nick's, especially as someone who's deeply…read morefamiliar with the Laguna dining scene. To put it simply: this is the kind of place Laguna has been missing. From the moment we walked in, the energy felt dialed-in in a way that immediately reminded me of a Hillstone experience -- polished but not pretentious, lively but still intimate. That balance is incredibly hard to execute, and Nix nails it. For context, I'm part owner of 230 Forest Avenue, so I don't say this lightly: Nix easily lands in my top five in Laguna Beach. We started with Aperol spritzes (perfectly balanced, not overly sweet), along with a couple of appetizers -- including a fried asparagus dish that was addictive in the best way. Crisp, flavorful, and gone way too quickly. For mains, I ordered the veggie burger, which was genuinely one of the best I've had -- hearty, well-seasoned, and thoughtfully constructed (not an afterthought, which vegetarian options so often are). My boyfriend had the noodle salad, which was fresh, vibrant, and layered with flavor. But beyond the food, what really stood out was the overall experience. The atmosphere feels intentional , great music, beautiful crowd, and a buzz that makes you want to linger. It's the kind of place where dinner effortlessly turns into drinks, and drinks turn into "should we just stay a little longer?" Laguna Beach doesn't have a ton of restaurants that hit this level across the board -- food, service, ambiance, and energy, but Nix absolutely does. We'll be back, and soon.

Can you say delicious x10?! The food here is dangerously good…read more We kicked things off with drinks, an old fashioned and a skinny margarita, both doing exactly what they needed to do! Then came the artichoke appetizer and the soup of the day... and honestly, I could've stopped there and been happy. But we powered through like professionals and went for a late lunch entrée, the Chilean sea bass- and WOW. Worth every bite. And shoutout to our server and the entire staff, total pros. Super polished, attentive, and clearly know what they're doing without being over the top. If you're looking for amazing food with a cool, laid-back vibe, Nick's is your spot. Just come hungry... and maybe wear stretchy pants.

Food and drink are amazing…read more I sat at the bar so service is great Ambience is chic and trending

Can I give it 6 stars? Such a wonderful restaurant! Fun eclectic Tapas menu! High end high quality…read morefood. The standouts was the pork belly and the cheese tapas were delicious! 2 delicious vegetarian tapa/salad plates also. Please come and support this locally owned and managed restaurant! Very charming. Fun for groups or a special date.

"I think that was Amar Santana!," I said to my husband as we were walking out after a memorable…read moremeal. Now, I did not know who Amar Santana was before walking in, but I do now. And so should you. Destination-worthy cocktails. Seriously. We got the "Apricot Fizz" and the "My Love." I think the secret to a sublime cocktail is balance and these were Perfect. Fragrant, yummy and visually appealing. Would go back JUST to try all the others! Food: We started with the Beet Salad (my favorite dish of the evening) and the Sundried Tomato Focaccia. The beets were jewel-like, perfect texture, and atop of the luscious crema. The focaccia brought back the "Sundried Tomato" craze of the '80s in the best way. For mains we had the Moroccan Lamb Shank with Couscous and the Farro and Wild Mushroom Paella. My husband said the lamb was "fall off the bone" delicious, with a deep, dark depth. I loved the Paella. Farro was a nice change, it was perfectly cooked with the right "tooth" and layered with flavor. I especially enjoyed the pickled red onion on top. Yum! If I could suggest the tiniest "tweak," I think an acid component (citrus, vinegar etc), and a shower of fresh herbs would take this dish to the next level. I think more "pickly" red onions would do the trick too. Even so, that's just MY taste and does not take away from the dish at all. It was lusciously good! In addition to the cocktails, we had the Cab Blend to accompany our entrees. Nice pours by the sommelier who also made sure we were done with our glasses before whisking them away. We were too full for dessert but we do want to try the Beehive next time. Service: Exceptional. Our server, a young lady, was attentive, knew the menu, and checked in on us throughout the meal. Water glasses were refilled immediately. The best service is subtle in the best way and Broadway has this down pat. Overall, highly recommend Broadway for a memorable meal in Laguna, it's been here awhile for good reason. The ambiance is warm, inviting, cozy. And, thanks Mr. Santana for stopping by our table. We'll be back.

It takes a lot for me to leave a negative review for a restaurant but nothing pisses me off more…read morethan paying a lot of money for inedible food. First we started with the Focaccia that was both surprisingly dry and doughy at the same time and completely void of any flavor. Then we had the octopus which had some interesting flavors but was so chewy and the texture was so off putting that it made my stomach turn. The pork belly was soggy and the portion was laughable for the price. For our main we had the Beef Cheek Mole which was so fatty and tough that it made it impossible to eat. While I appreciate the ambiance and aesthetic of what appeared to be well executed plated dishes, the food was extremely unpleasant. Not only was I disappointed but was shocked that a restaurant of this caliber could put out food that was so blatantly disgusting.

We came on NYE. There was music happening at 9pm, but we…read morecame early and missed it. That was our fault. We were the only ones there. The experience was all over the map. The owner served us initially, and he was really friendly and funny. We ordered a bottle of wine, and some cocktails. We put in some salads and an appetizer, they were really really good. But after that, our server (the owner we were told) left, and another server introduced himself. The new server was inattentive. He sat chatting with the other servers at the bar, leaving empty glasses and empty plates on the table. We had to flag him to come back to fill water. Having been myself in the service industry for years, my biggest pet peeve is when servers sit and chat where you can see them, and when they do come, they don't do a sweep and take care of things on the table. We had to put our empty glasses and trash on a side table. It was weird. The bolognese had hardly any meat in it. It was mostly tomato and onion. I've been to Argentina. Meat is a staple. Also weird. We ordered dessert and after waiting for 5-10 minutes, the server came back and told us they were missing crucial ingredients to make it. The owner came back at the end and was really gracious, but all in all, I think the execution was lacking. The service was not great. The food was 3.5/5 I love to support small business, perhaps we will try again another night.

Karaoke Tuesday was a disaster! It's all about money…read more We spent $120 on drinks for 3 people. Plus Tips. We were on the Q. Until we're NOT. Because (they actually announced) someone paid more. Go ponder.