been here several time with my family and recently with my boyfriend for valentines day. the…read moreatmosphere is warm and welcoming and i liked that it was quiet. the servers have always been very sweet however, they can be a little slow. nonetheless they provided us with everything we asked for and everything has been consistent every time i have been here over the last several years. however they are on top of it with refilling your water. the food itself never disappoints. it is so good and fresh and i have had several dishes on their menu and not one is a bad dish. you will be satisfied with anything you order.

Food - 3, service - 3, ambiance - noisy casual…read more We've been here several times in both small and larger groups, weekdays and weekends. We like to support local family run businesses and the food has been good in the past. The wait staff are consistently friendly and mostly competent. We've been pleased that when asked about gluten-free options each time, the waiters know about 90% of the menu off the top of their heads and aren't afraid to say they need to ask the kitchen when there's an item they're not sure about, rather than guess the answer, as has happened at other restaurants. Saturday we had a group of 8 that were seated at 4:45, so not exactly rush hour. We finally had to ask for water after 15 min. It was close to an hour from when we placed our orders before the food began arriving. I had informed the waiter of an onion allergy and requested no onions anywhere on the plate, as well as subbing extra veggies for the pasta. My food arrived with onions throughout the veggies. While I appreciate that they quickly took the plate back to fix it, the new plate had only a single serving of veggies which were so undercooked that even with the steak knife if was difficult to cut, and not great to chew either. I quickly gave up and saved it to finish cooking at home. Another guest ordered the tuna fresh catch rare, and it arrived between medium and medium rare, which was quite disappointing. But at least his veggies were closer to al dente. Another small irritation was that they brought out bread and olive oil, but there were only 5 pieces for our group of 8 so we asked for another one for our end of the table, and they charged us. While we recognized many staff as longtime employees, both the food and the service didn't live up to previous visits, which is even more disappointing because we brought new people to experience their food. Given this experience, it'll probably be awhile before we go back.

One of the best restaurant experiences I've had. I'm not even talking about the food although it…read morewas amazing! We arrived on a Sunday night maybe an hr before closing. Wait was 20 mins. After we got seated we quickly ordered. We had a mixture of lasagna, ravioli, and a sea bass lemon risotto. Food was incredible. But what I want to emphasize is the service. I mean WOW. From the moment I got there, everyone was super kind and welcoming. I didn't get her name, but the beautiful young lady who was all tatted, she made our experience so memorable. She came over constantly to check on my family and I. She made it so personable. This was our last dinner before heading home on our vacation and we hope to return. Thank you for the hospitality.

Walking into Lillian's, my first impression was its romantic, dimly lit atmosphere. The employees…read morewere attentive, informative about the menu, and made the whole experience feel welcoming. In my opinion, this is one of the better restaurants in Santa Cruz. Black Truffle Stuffed Gnocchi ($25): This dish was creamy and so delicious! The gnocchi was cooked perfectly, and the tomatoes gave it a fresh, nice touch. My only complaint is that the portion size is a bit on the smaller side. Sunday Gravy ($25): This dish included Italian sausage, spare ribs, beef, and pork, served with rigatoni pasta. I loved how meaty it was, yet it didn't feel heavy. Some pastas leave you feeling weighed down after eating, but not this one. It could have used a little more seasoning, but overall, it was a solid dish.

If you're in Santa Cruz and love authentic Italian food, you have to try Sugo Italian Pasta Bar…read more This place is such a hidden gem. I had the spaghetti carbonara and it was absolutely delicious--rich, flavorful, and clearly made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. They have a lunch special where you can add a salad for just $3 more, and it's so worth it. The cucumbers and tomatoes were incredibly fresh and tasted amazing. To top it off, I had the tiramisu for dessert and it did not disappoint--perfectly balanced and so satisfying. The atmosphere really makes you feel like you've stepped into a true Italian restaurant. When I walked in, I could hear people speaking Italian, which made the whole experience feel even more authentic. The staff were also wonderful--my server was kind, attentive, and gave great recommendations. Overall, everything about this place was amazing. I highly recommend it if you're in the Santa Cruz area!

A small-ish dinner spot with excellent service and delicious food. Every dish we ordered was…read morefabulous! Hot bread - so yummy! We ordered: - eggplant parmigiana (my favorite) - cannelloni - gnocchi - mushroom flatbread - ravioli -Caesar salad - tiramisu (good, but the portion could've been larger) - crème brûlée (excellent- could've been a larger seeving) There's are only about a down tables but we made a reservation and were seated right away. It was a bit noisy(partly the table next to us, partly the kitchen which was close by), and partly the high ceilings. Highly recommend and would absolutely return!

I don't know why any one should whine about this delightful…read morerestaurant. The four of us had a large pear pizza, lasagne, a big salad, and an interesting apple pie dessert. When the pizza was served a bit on the cool side, the waiter heated it up and improved it a good thirty percent. True, the narrow aisles present a challenge to the busy waiters, but overall, the place is charming!

Had dinner here today with friends who wanted to check out my son's newish town (first year at…read moreUCSC).... Pros- flavors of each dish were quite tasty. We had six people in total and all together ordered the short rib ravioli, seafood stew, spaghetti and meatballs, roasted beets, French onion soup, potatoes with dip, a salad and a pizza. My favorite bite was the lasagna. The top had nicely melted and crispy cheese... very good! I also enjoyed the crispy potatoes with dip. The French onion soup didn't have a lot of color, but it still had a very distinct and tasty flavor. Outside of the food, the restaurant has a great outdoor area that's dog friendly! There is also a nice sized private parking lot. Oh, and if you pay in cash, there's a discount! Cons- I was craving spaghetti and meatballs, it just sounded so good to me! This was I think it's the first time I've ever ordered it at a restaurant (usually make it at home!) while I thought the dish had good flavor, I felt the pasta was slightly overcooked. It was not al dente... the meatballs also didn't have a lot of color, so that was disappointing. The seafood stew a friend ordered was small. She said it was good, but we overheard someone at a different table say that the stew used to be huge and it currently is not... Coloring... typically color equals flavor, so it was odd that several dishes had little coloring, but they did still taste good! Some things I didn't care as much for, but we all enjoyed the flavors of each dish...

So far so good! Cute…read morelittle place for a quick dinner as we just rolled into town for valentine's weekend. Love the ambiance and the starter bread with the garlic infused olive oil is a killer!!! My wife loved the lemon spritz and we had the truffle ravioli. Hot damn that was GOOD! We will certainly be coming back in the future for the full dinner experience. Service was also spot on with friendly faces and smiles galore.

Champagne AND spaghetti?! I am so happy you can order Caruso's at Vin Vivant. A match made in…read moreHeaven! The Caruso family is so nice and the food is just delicious, pure comfort food. The Gnocchi Al Forno is the best gnocchi I've ever had. Pillowy gnocchi in a hearty, garlicky marinara. It's like eating a WARM HUG. I also love the Fettuccine Vodka and Chicken Parmesan. The complimentary bread with roasted garlic oil is such a nice gift.

Took my mother here years ago; the restaurant has been consistently on-point (i.e. great food,…read morecustomer service, etc.) Always a must if you seldom visit Aptos Village.

Lovely restaurant with fabulous service. Homey and comfortable yet still a little fancy. Open…read morekitchen, high ceilings and an Italy-meets-France vibe. I loved it. Offerings were diverse and plentiful. Once again, I was struck with wanting all of the things. My server was accommodating with my request to taste two different white wines and two different reds throughout my meal. I opted for the Chardonnay to go with the special halibut crudo, which was outstandingly prepared. The fish itself was a bit on the fishy side (especially for halibut) but I don't fault the restaurant. The treatment of the fish was perfection. I'm a bit of a Caesar salad aficionado and considered skipping Mentone's mostly because I'd just enjoyed one the night before. But I just had to try it and I'm glad I did. It was certainly not traditional but it was very well made, even better with the added anchovies ~ although I did suffer some sticker shock when I got the bill and found that those little fish were $2 each. Ooof. Switched gears to some Pinot Noir and went for the ricotta sage browned butter ravioli, which were fabulous. I probably should have stopped there but ordered the tiramisu and it was a miss for me. Just way (way) too boozy and totally lacked balance, although it was pretty. All in all, a very nice experience ~ although very pricey for a single diner. Appetizer, salad (with the pricey little fishies), entree, dessert and two 5-ounce pours of wine left my wallet $185 lighter (with tax, tip and 4% kitchen wages surcharge). I know everything is very expensive these days, but whoa. Definitely a special occasion kind of place!

I am writing to share how much I enjoy dining at this restaurant. I am never disappointed with my…read moreexperience; the staff is consistently friendly and professional, regardless of how busy it is. While I occasionally try other new Italian restaurants in South County, I always find myself comparing them to Maurizio's and concluding that the food and service are far superior. The quality of the food is always consistent, and I especially appreciate the variety offered through your different specials. I will continue to highly recommend your restaurant to others.

Definitely a nice dining experience. I love how this place has a traditional and authentic Italian…read morerestaurant feel. The food is delicious and the service is good as well. I really love how they play Italian old fashioned music, it really adds to the romantic dining experience. The indoor decor is very classic/traditional hardwood tables and chairs with lovely + colorful paintings on the wall that add a lot of character to the room. We were so excited to come to an authentic Italian restaurant. We decided to start with the Burrata con Prosciutto as an appetizer and it was lovely. The flavor is great and it is definitely pretty feeling and satisfying. For my main course, I ordered the Fettuccine al Pescatore it was delicious. The seafood was cooked perfectly and added a great taste to the pasta. The fettuccini pasta is definitely super filling it's so thick and hearty. (I wish they would also have thin noodles available for this dish as well because the thick noodles can be a bit much.) We also got another dish (can't remember the name sorry) but it was SO YUMMY and packed with tons of flavor. We especially loved the sauce omg! The taste of the sauce is unexplainable, but it paired amazingly with the bread + cheese from our Burrata con Prosciutto appetizer. Highly recommend. Overall I would definitely suggest Maurizios as a lovely romantic dinner spot, or a great quality authentic Italian meal for your family. The quality of food is great and the prices are pretty reasonable. I will say one thing that they could improve upon is, the host stand is right behind the door in the restaurant and its placement is very awkward/strange. While checking in with the hostess, the door almost got us! lol. This should definitely be moved/changed. Other than the host stand being too close to the door, I will say the restaurant is also very small so it may feel cramped when there's a lot of people dining in. (not something fixable but definitely worth noting.) Still highly recommend. :)

Fine dining in an unpretentious setting. Anna, Nuncio and…read morestaff so welcoming. Dining there brings back fond memories of the original family owned Gino's.

We came around 7:00 on a Thursday evening and it was fairly full, but we were seated right away…read more Staff was the highlight of the night, I can't remember the waiters name, but he had memorable curly hair and a mustache. He was patient and knew the menu, and offered options when he saw our reactions as we tried to decide. The chef even walked out and offered to make the bolognese from scratch and omit the mushrooms. From start to finish the whole Mangia team was great, and it made me happy to see how they treated one another. The dishwasher came up a few times to swap the trays and everyone got along, and I noticed the chef made them each something to eat as the restaurant was closing. As for the food, good Salinas option. The Nonna appetizer was a bruschetta with pistacho, fresh ricotta, and honey. Delicious. Beet salad was good, hearty beets, mixed greens, and balsamic. It was over dressed for my taste, but hubby loved it. I wasn't a huge fan the cheese they used, it was a harder salty cheese in small cubes. I got the penne with a really subtle lemon cream sauce, grilled chicken, and broccoli. Came out hot and it was a generous portion, waiter offered some fresh cheese so took that of course. I'd order it again, but don't think it was the best pasta dish I have ever had. Chicken Parmesan was cooked fresh, and came with the penne and marina. In my opinion the marina was under seasoned, but I'm generally heavy on the garlic and basil. I don't know I'd label it as a culinary hot spot, but the food was good, and made by good people. I appreciate the atmosphere and we will definitely be back.

Very small locally owned restaurant. Service was great offered up the specials and had a range of…read morewine on and off menu. It looks like a lot of regulars go in there for lunch which is about the time I went in. I was with regulars so they knew them. The lobster ravioli's had a spectacular sauce and was cooked perfectly. We ordered one for the table to share there were about 6 pieces The steak: while the size was great and could probably feed three people the texture lacked quality. There was no marbling and the fat was not rendered properly. For the price and quality I would recommend sticking with the more traditional dishes and leave the steak to somewhere else.

Been going there and enjoying great food for over 20 years. Both my daughters grew up on it and ask…read moreto go back each time they come home to visit. It's having dinner at home with your family without doing the dishes. That's the vibe.