50 Best Italian Restaurants near Aliso Viejo

“I had such a wonderful experience at Trattoria Trullo! Everyone was incredibly kind, welcoming, and accommodating to my party, and they truly made us feel so well taken care of. The food has such a delicious, homey and comforting feel—the spaghetti was amazing, the focaccia bread was so good, and the Hugo Spritz was the perfect drink to go with everything. I highly recommend this place not only for the quality of the food, but also for the exceptional service and genuine kindness of the staff. They made our experience feel special, and I’ll definitely be coming back!“

“fromTexas the best pizza i ever had😎“

“Tasty, delicious food every time. They are consistent. I especially like their house salad with ranch dressing, free pizza bread, garlic bread, chicken parmigiana pasta with meat sauce. These are my faves here. I love their pizza too.“

“Great place. Love the Beatles atmosphere. Great music playing.“

“Just ate here today for the first time and the pizza was amazing!! I ordered the bbq chicken and my friend got pepperoni. The crust was insanely delicious and crispy! Cheese to toppings ratio was on point! The mozzarella cheese sticks were also very good! And to top it all off, the customer service was 💯!! Highly recommend!!“

“Great restaurant with a small, family feel. The food is amazing, and honestly at a steal of a price; the food is half as expensive and more than twice as delicious as other restaurants I've been to. I had the quatrro formaggio because I noticed gorgonzola on the ingredients list, and I loved every single bite! It was so nice to have a dish that put the gorgonzola flavor front-and-center, and the cream sauce was somehow light while still being packed full of flavor.
My wife had the lasagna, and it's easy to see why it's a favorite here. It cem out with the sauce still bubbling, and once she could dig in she described it as lightly sweet, a welcome change from some overly-acidic dishes at some other places.
The service was also impeccable, the staff was very friendly and welcoming and we felt very well attended-to. We came in about an hour or so before closing so there weren't many other customers, and we got our food impressively quickly.
Another note, if you are staying at any of the nearby hotels (specifically the row of hotels on Lake Center Drive) then this restaurant is extremely close, easily walkable if you want. It would make a convenient, delicious, and good-valued addition to your vacation.“

“Second visit to Limoncello and want to say the food is excellent in every way. Last night I had Arugula salad (very lemony dressing), the Risotto (outstanding) and chocolate gelato which was VERY chocolate. Topped with a nice wine. All Excellent. As for atmosphere, lots of large parties there last night celebrating Christmas and birthdays so was quite noisy, but 'tis the season. Highly recommend Limoncello. Food and service are excellent and above average. Menu is extensive with very different and interesting options. If they would have served a shot of Limoncello after dinner I would have thought I was dining in Italy.“

“We had a wonderful celebratory birthday dinner last night. The meal was outstanding and our server was the perfect balance of attentiveness and good humor. I had one of the evening's specials: grilled sea bass in beurre blanc—crispy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside. It was accompanied by perfectly prepared brocollini and potatoes. I couldn't resist the taramisu—always my favorite end to the meal. It was a delight!“

“The food was great! We had the beet salad... lots of beets ans great combination of vegetables. We also had the linguine, really good too! We tried a couple of bakery items that we enjoyed, also! Staff and service were great! They were pleasant and helpful!“

“The food was amazing!!! Simply fantastic. Well done @mommaDa“

“What a great place to eat, talk, and enjoy, food made fresh when ordered, the atmosphere reminded me of Sunday dinner, with family and friends. I would highly recommend this gem.“

“they always change their menu. we drive down here from irvine to find out what we like ismt on the menu today its only on the menu on certain days we asked the server when is it on the menu and he didnt know. We won't be back. how hard is it to keep the menu the same? I can see lunch and dinner menus but changin the dinner menus all the time?“

“We tried the Chicken Marsala, Lobster Ravioli and Gnocchi in VodkaSauce along with the Piccolino dinner salad and Tiramisu. All was magnifico! 😘“

“Had a great meal and wine with friends. We did have to ask for olive oil and vinegar after they brought us the wonderful rosemary bread, but hey, no biggie. Otherwise, service was great!!“

“This restaurant is a hidden gem. The food is incredible, the service is amazing, and we love the live piano music. There are so many restaurants in the area to choose from, but we find ourselves always choosing Luxe.“

“pasta , lasagna very friendly polite and helpful waiter“

“Always have had a great experience here, and I have going here for over 40 years!!!“

“Excellent experience! Excellent food! Excellent service! Fantastic little owner owned/operated Northern Italian cuisine restaurant. We will return!“

“Absolutely amazing we like the Marguerite, Cheese and the PMS pepperoni mushroom and sausage Gluten-free the fabulous antipasto salad all so worth it. Just eat my leftovers 😍“

“Great food! Great service! Never disappoints!“

“Im a NYer and finding good pizza on the west coast is a challenge, but aPizza makes east coast style pizza that is thin crusted, crispy and delicious. Great service by friendly staff.“

“Everything we ordered was amazing. From appetizers to desserts, all perfect. Highly recommend this restaurant.“

“Great vibes and crew. Food has great variety (large or small portions) and service is quick and efficient. I bring friends and family days and nights when we want frssh Italian meals away from home.“

“Nice place for happy hour margaritas and appetizers. They give you free garlic bread and the happy hours specials were good. Friendly staff that always kept my water glass full. There’s sports on the TVs and lots of pastas and pizzas on the menu. Parking is your typical strip mall kind of thing.“

“Hands down our favorite restaurant in south Orange County. Their food is great, they are fast, and all the staff is extremely nice. We have gone here for years. It’s our whole family’s favorite restaurant. The staff has been the same for years which is wonderful to see. They have kid portions meals and are very friendly to families. They’re one of the only restaurants that we have found that easily takes large parties. We have a family of 15 and they routinely make too for us. They are absolutely amazing. Best food and wine we’ve had in the area!“

“Pastalia is a wonderful spot for Italian food in San Juan Capistrano! The pasta was delicious, flavorful, and prepared with great attention to detail. The ingredients tasted fresh, and the portions were satisfying without feeling too heavy. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, making it a great place for a relaxed meal with family or friends. The service was friendly and welcoming as well. A lovely place for pasta lovers, and definitely somewhere I’d happily return to! 🍝✨“

“My friends and I went on Friday, July 10, at around 8-9. We were greeted with the most nicest and gorgeous hostess; after checking us in she complimented us and called us beautiful. So nice!!!! She was a dark-skinned woman with curly hair. Our server was also nice, the food was just okay. When we were leaving, I asked her for some mint chocolate, and she was so helpful and gave us some. She was absolutely wonderful!! The absolute best!!!“

“What a fabulous place. Went there to celebrate mutual birthdays with my BFF. I loved everything about this restaurant. Our bartender was fabulous, our meal, Branzino.. delicious, eye appealing, beautiful presentation and enough to split We met the owner who spent ample time with us as we asked questions about his journey opening the location, his background and the concept/vision for the restaurant and we met the GM. I loved the ambiance, open and welcoming and they have a mercado with authentic product. Next time I'm going to the pizza bar with some more birthday girls!“

“Great service, authentic Italian food“

“Had a great V day dinner...all the food here is SO good! We had garlic bread, Caesar with anchovies, sausage/onion pizza and the special strawberry ice cream dessert. All excellent. Service was great overall and Grace did a great job for us! Thanks and we will be back.“

“12/7/22. In town for a seminar and this restaurant was recommended. Excellent pizza and excellent price. I'll return Friday and grab lunch again on my way home to San Diego!“

“I’ve been coming here for years and always like everything. They have a very clean kitchen and warm, friendly staff. Something that absolutely blew my mom and I away recently was the artichoke dip. Yum!! It is so fresh and delish!!“

“Had a nice evening at Dominicos on the lake this evening. My wife and I had reservations and were fortunate to ask Kory for a patio table which he accommodated. Michael took us to our table and was very kind and professional. Pedro came by with our bread and water and said hello. He is one of the hardest working individuals at the restaurant. Eddie our server came by and took our orders with a bottle of Austin Hope and bread to start. My wife ordered a chicken breast salad and I had the chef's special stroganoff which was amazing. Unfortunately my wife's salad came out 30 minutes after my stroganoff which was a cardinal sin in the restaurant business and we mentioned it was not acceptable. Eddie apologized and we also had Steven, the GM, come by and also apologize and ensure the salad would be out shortly. The salad was delivered, of course after I ate my entree and Steven dropped off and apologetic gift certificate for an appetizer during our next visit. We also ordered an additional beef stroganoff plus an order of meatballs to take home for tomorrow. We undertake things happen and it's certainly nice to see the restaurants busy again but a party of two receiving their entrees 30 minutes apart is not conducive with quality service. I am guessing the chef either misplaced the order or overlooked the obvious and we hope next time we will not have such issues as the restaurant is very good and in a fantastic location. Michael also came back around and stated he was concerned about this mishap and would look into this. As a retired government administrator and former restaurant manager in my college days I expect the simple things like entrees being delivered at the same time to be in sync with quality service and dining. We will be back and see if in fact this was an isolated incident. Good food and ambiance plus. As a writer for Trip Advisor, Yelp and Google I am graceful in my comments and specific in areas needed improvement. Thanks you.“

“The restaurant also has complimentary bread 🥖 with olive oil.“

“Me gustó mucho el servicio atendieron rápido, personal amable y sirvieron muy rápido y sobre todo la comida muy rica thanks.“

“Excellent food and service. The owner was very attentive to us Omg the desert was out of this world“

“Javier, the manager delivered the most amazing food last night for a thank you dinner for my Catechists. I highly recommend Alza Italian Kitchen. Every thing was superb…. Thank you!“

“Best food ever! Have never ever been disappointed. All the staff and the owners are truly good to all of the customers. Definitely one of our favorite places.“

“The best Italian food in Orange County. Happy hour is great! Best Casanova’s martinis.“

“Great food, great service, and great entertainment, especially the sax and guitar duo (Dave Rivera and Saxophone ONE)!“

“A wonderful find. My wife and I had a wonderful dining experience at Sabatinos Italian Bistro this evening. Our server Frederico was professional and quite personable. We started our dinner with two glasses of wine and the bruchetta. The Talbot Chardonnay and the Dry Creek Cabernet were both excellent choices. My wife ordered the eggplant gnocchi, which she loved, and I had the sausage and pepper rigatoni. Both dishes were excellent. The service, food, and ambiance were quite authentic and enjoyable. We spoke with Frederico, who is the ultimate professional, and decided to order a side of meatballs to go as well. This was our first time at Sabatinos, and this restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Ask for Frederico as he is the ultimate professional. Highly Recommended.“

“Solid dishes at fair prices from this Italian mom and pop in Lake Forest. Is this the fanciest Italian place with a full bar and bougie vibes? No. Is it a family restaurant with generous portions and high quality flavors? Yes. This is particularly reflected in your price at this no frills establishment. The free bread was hot and fluffy, the appetizers nicely fried, and each entree or lunch portion was heaping. I loved my fettuccine Alfredo with anchovies. The sauce was, chef's kiss. Would love to come back!“

“DELICIOUS !!! food and wonderful people“

“Great food, and awesome service!“

“Although staffing can be sparse from time to time, everyone is friendly, eager to make the experience a pleasant one, and focused on providing a quality meal . A real treasure for those of us fortunate enough to live in Nellie Gail Ranch !“

“tienen buena comidas un ambiente limpio y agradable se los recomiendo“

“I had the spinach Ravioli, was really good. Went around 5 and wasn't busy. Close to my job. Had a well variety of choices.“

“I’ve been a fan of Olive Garden for some time. Just the other week my parents and I were blessed to have Shelly as our server. WOW I would give more stars, if I could, because of her! She truly went above and beyond to make sure my parents and I were taken care of and got whatever we needed. She is SO sweet and funny. You’ll have an extra wonderful dinner with her as your server!“

“Amazing menu, excellent atmosphere. We truly enjoy meeting here for our lunch gatherings!“

“I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Italy, and this is one of the few places where the pizza truly deserves to be called PIZZA!

The dough is perfect — light and airy with beautiful bubbles, and the balance between the crust and toppings is just right. It never gets soggy, and the crust isn’t too thick. What I especially love is that every pizza on the menu has its own distinct flavor and character. They don’t all taste like variations of the same thing.

I’ve tried pretty much every highly recommended pizza place in Orange County, including several featured in the Michelin Guide. But after trying them all, this pizzeria is still my favorite!“