50 Best Italian Restaurants near Fountain Valley

“This place is a hidden gem for anyone who loves Argentinean cuisine. As a native of Argentina, I was blown away by the quality and authenticity of the dishes. The empanadas were crispy and flavorful, the panqueque con dulce de leche was heavenly, and the pizza with a Quilmes was the perfect combination. I felt like I was back in my home country, enjoying the best food ever. This is a place I will definitely return to and recommend to everyone. Don't miss it!“

“The owner really cares about his establishment. He was there this evening coaching his new employees. I love his give back to the community, during covid and now his pay it forward to give you the opportunity to buy a meal for someone in need.“

“i love this place so much i hope they never get closed down. amazing food, amazing prices, great service, and they donate to the school nearby. their pizza is so good i want to be buried in it and the ranch is so gooddddd. the owner is rly nice too. i also love how they have a large pizza for cheap. one large pizza for 10.49 is a steal!!! thanks for all the times ameci has given me a full belly“

“The food is amazing. Very authentic pizza and the homemade pastas are unique and flavorful. The only downside on the menu is dessert. There is a hazelnut chocolate torte that tastes waxy, the panna cotta is good but not great and they add a lot of unnecessary toppings like black sesame seeds, and finally the gelato was icy, not creamy. I won't stop coming here because of the dessert but just be forewarned. If it's your birthday just hope they have tiramisu which is often the dessert of the day and quite good. Also, I don't understand the need for club music. It takes away from the ambiance. We always opt to sit outside where we can hear one another and they are more than accommodating.“

“I have been coming to this place for as long as I can remember, and It's a 10 every single time! If you haven't been here yet, you need to come NOW. Our server, Stockton, was very nice and made sure we got our food fast. The atmosphere is not overwhelming and quite cozy. All of the staff are jolly and almost everyone in the restaurant joins together to sing happy birthday to random people haha. highly recommend this place!10/10P.s.Mama D's, I would appreciate it if you could print this out and put it on your review wall.Vegetarian options: I'm sure there's something on the menuDietary restrictions: Not sureParking: Some parking on the street. Some behind the building too. I also remember there being valet a few years ago but they may have gotten rid of itKid-friendliness: Very kid friendly. Our server was so nice to the little ones.Wheelchair accessibility: Somewhat accessible“

“First off the ambiance is this place is amazing! It's just so pretty and opulent! I didn't really know what to expect as it's located in the middle of a busy area next door to a burger joint. Once you enter the driveway and walk up the ramp, you see a beautiful historic home and a pretty tent covered "front yard" dining area with twinkling flower lights in the trees, perfect for hosting a special event or just a nice dinner. My kids were thrown off with the dining experience as they felt like they were eating in a living room, which it probably was at one point. Next to where we were dining was a "sun room" that would be fun to be seated in also! I explored upstairs and there is a spacious bar area along with a restroom and a couple of the bedrooms that were converted to dining areas as well. So cute. We came here to celebrate my oldest son's birthday. We ordered a few drinks, gluten free Penne Amatriciana, penne Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, margherita pizza and the Whitefish Florentine. We also ordered for dessert the tiramisu, and the soufflé El Niño, and our server brought out a celebration plate of 3 mini desserts with a candle for my son's birthday. Everything we had was great. The presentation of the food was so pretty. The pizza was a bit on the soggy side due to the tomatoes that were on there but the taste was still good. They have gluten free penne as a pasta option and vegetarian options as well for those with these dietary needs. I can't say enough about our server, she was great. She was so so nice and attentive and made our evening memorable. As a matter of fact, every staff member I encountered here took the time to greet me. I'd love to come back here again for another special occasion! Highly recommend.“

“The staff here make you feel incredibly welcomed and are all extremely kind and helpful. A lovely woman helped me over the phone and didn't get frustrated with me over deciding what toppings I wanted. And once we arrived there , it felt like I had just walked into someone's home. It's a nice warm feeling type of restaurant that makes you feel like you're at home with family. The Large pizza we ordered is In my opinion, my favorite pizza yet. The ingredients taste fresh and light. I usually get super bloated after eating pizza but not this time. It was just incredibly delicious and I would totally come back here anytime.“

“Casual pizza joint that sells roman style pizza slices. They advertise that one slide = 2 American sizes which is pretty spot on. We tried three different flavors . The dough had a nice char on it and the toppings were decent. They are able to retire the pizzas up fairly quick , on the day we got them it took just a few quick minutes for us to get an order in and then be handed a box of hot pizza. They have a few seating options both indoor and outdoor mostly high tops. And inside a long display case with all of their pizza options.“

“The food is SO GOOD!We came around 5:30pm on a Thursday, and there was no wait.The service was excellent and the food was amazing! Our eyes were bigger than our stomach, so we ordered more than enough food, but we had no regret!Highly recommend the bolognese pappardelle! Do not think of this pasta as of the regular bolognese pasta! It is not a red sauce based but cooked with a 200-year old family recipe! White sauce with ground meat and peas. It was divine! I would definitely order it again and again!The fungi pizza was also delicious! Came with six good sized slices. I loved the mixed mushrooms and the cheese! Good to share or enjoy on your own!Please do note that the restaurant serves pesto bread when you sit down. Be mindful of the large amount of food if you are not hungry hungry. We came hungry (normal hungry haha) but an anti plus two entrees filled us up quick, and we had to take about half of our food home.Three items plus two drinks came to be around $110 with taxes and tips. Given the quality and amount of food, it was well worth it! We will definitely come back!Oh so yes it is cash only. Bring cash or use the ATM inside :)Parking: Private lot at the street mall.“

“Mango Habanero Pizza - secret menu pizza, bacon, ham, jalapeno, pineapple, mango habanero sauce on top afterwards. Got the XL and it was big,18" (their giant is 28"). Crust was made on the thinner side in a good way. Sweet and spicy good Hawaiian pizza that reminds me of Wingstop's mango habanero wings.“

“Thanks to Chef Josef for his creativity and passion for crafting a high quality meal option for my wife who has severe food allergies. In many restaurants, she is left to pick some tasteless option, so we really appreciate Chef Joseph and can say that it’s because of him that we now come back over and over again.Dietary restrictions: Amazing support from Chef Josef on the severe food allergies we have to cater for when we go out.“

“Authentic Italian ristorante and I loved this place. Very cozy atmosphere and the server was super friendly. He said that this place has been running over 30 years by the same owner's family. Food quality matters? You gotta go there. Size matters? You can leave your worries out the door. Don't skip Tiramisu. They make it from scratch and it is a Must to try.“

“This restaurant is in my top 10 favorites with THE REEF and others. This restaurant definitely a five star restaurant, not 4.5. I drove 65 miles/1hr 10 minutes to come here because I heard great things about this restaurant, and what I heard was the truth. We came today on Easter. YELPERS, please reserve weeks ahead. Now the live band was awesome. The food was delicious. I had a great time. They have the main parking, Valet parking was $10 during my visit, they told me they also have extended parking across the street. When I entered, I was greeted at the door by staff. Delaney and the customer service staff were polite, friendly with all smiles. That's what customers love, with excellent customer service. So Delaney got us a table about 10 minutes wait, which was quick. And we got lucky because 4 others reserved, and me and 3 others waited 10 minutes, we got lucky. Customer service gets an A++. Our server was Danielle, she gets an A++. She took us to our table, 4 us if we're late from the other 4. Danielle took our orders, came back 5 times to make sure we were good. She refilled our glasses, and other servers did the same to make sure. I call it TEAM WORK. Now I went back n forth from the band, to the restroom, to my family's other table because we got there late, so I wasn't able to sit in their area. This place was crowded and every server that was moving trays were polite stopped and said "You're first" I've been to other restaurants where servers cut in front of customers. Not Spaghettini, everyone had a smile. This was my first time and I'll drive 65 miles again. By The Way, I used to work in food & beverages, used to work as a waiter at San Manuel Casino. So I know great customer service when I see it. Thank you Delaney and the front counter representatives. Thank you Danielle, Delaney and Thank you Spaghettini. This restaurant gets 5 stars.Parking: Free parking, valet parking and free parking across the street from the restaurant.“

“Been coming to Mama D's for years. Both this and in Newport - both have the absolute BEST service. Voted most friendly staff for a reason. It really makes the experience. The food is unbelievably good. Fresh, comfort food. If you have not been, put this at the top of your list “

“I had mango habanero boneless chicken wings and a topo-chico. I think they have a perfect casual sports bar setup to pop in to for a quick bite or drink. I was by myself and sometimes walking into a sports bar would be intimidating to go to solo but not here. I sat at the bar and chatted with Andres who served me. (I hope I got his name right.) Great guy, great service and definitely worth a visit. I'll be back.“

“Excellent meal and service! Ordered the Parlor salad, Bucatini all Amatriciana, and Guanciale pizza. Salad- great assortment of greens with fresh mozzarella and salami calabrese Bucatini- Pasta was cooked al dente with loads of Guanciale and pomodoro to make the dish extra special Pizza- Love the San Marzano tomatoes and the Fresno Chile/olive combination. Great crust with that char fired crust“

“its been a year and a half since I have been here yet their food still tastes excellent! The calamari is the best appetizer you can get in my opinion. I loved the marinara sauce that came with it. I ordered some type of truffle pasta and they did not skip out on the truffle!! Biggest amount of truffle I have seen a restaurant give. My dad ordered a shrimp type of pasta and that was also delectable. For a dessert, we ordered the chocolate tart and it was so good!! This restaurant is on the pricer side yet still amazing!!“

“We held our company Christmas dinner here and EVERYTHING was delicious! While this is one of or regular spots most of our employees has never been here, and they all were so happy to find a new spot eat at regularly now.We really wanted to support a small business and we’re very happy we did. Clay, our server gave us exceptional service !“

“The Pizza here is Crazy good,but honestly when have you been sat down by a Calzone?? REALLY!!Quite simply the biggest and best Calzones to share, or hourd, I personally cherish the idea of my lunch the following day!! And the sauce, don't get me started, so good!!This is a solid 2 meal purchase for big eaters, 3 ppl if heading out for fun!If you know, you know! So good, I'm going to have to order another one this week. You guys are ???“

“It was our first time coming back here since it has expanded, everything looks great! When you come, id recommend leaving room to order the spumoni dessert. Thank you for the great service, amazing food and good times. We will definitely be back, we love supporting a local small business.“

“I've been going to Al's for 20+ years since I was a kid living in Huntington Beach. I make a point to stop by for pizza any time I am in town or passing by. Best Pizza I've had in California!Parking: There is a long parking lot and neighboring businesses with large parking lots.“

“We first dined here in the mid 2000's, the place was a bit small then, when I tasted the sauce (meat sauce/spaghetti), I was shocked to see it literally tasted just like our family's sauce that my mom had taught me to make (we are Italian of course), the food was so good, and I got to meet the original owner and chef, he spoke very broken English, but we discovered we were from the same part of Italy thus, the sauce! After that, we ordered one of their humungous pizzas for a party and it was so awesome! We moved away in 2004, but then I began working in the area in 2018 and went in to find his sons had taken over, and they had expanded by renting the unit next door! I told his son I used to eat there 15 years ago, and he welcomed me back, the pizza was just as great as I remembered, I have since taken friends there and the food is always the very best as well as the service, if I could give this restaurant 25 stars I would.Parking: Located in a strip mall next to a grocery store, but there is always tons of parking.“

“Enjoyed Foretti's... solid Italian with nightly specials. Consistent and very good. Have been there many times and will continue to go back. Pasta's are good and homemade... full bar which is nice. Picture is of the Braised Short Rib Pappardelle... which was delicious! The pizza's are from a real wood burning pizza oven. The service is good... very attentive! The one lacking thing for 4 stars is the wine list... we brought our own... but ordered a second bottle and they had a limited selection.“

“The food here is always amazing! Best Napolitano style pizza we've found outside of Napoli! The pastas and the gnocchi are amazing too. Wow! We crave it once a month minimum. The staff are so sweet and welcoming and always make us feel so welcome too!“

“Great dinner with friends on Saturday night. Very busy, but the manager was totally organized. The bar is small, but she kept in contact with customers waiting. Seated us right on time. Perfect lobster ravioli and fettuccine bolonaise. Attentive staff heard us talking about a missed birthday and surprised us w cheesecake w "happy birthday" scrolled in chocolate on the plates. Nicely done!Parking: Large open free self parking lot between Plaza drive and Sunflower.“

“The food was delicious, friendly, good service, and even deserts and coffee was great. We will be back even if I usually don't come out this way bumped into it doing an errand. What a blessing. Do try won't regret it. Thank you Loved it!“

“I've been here so many times but today was the first time I had the pesto which was delicious. I never knew the ingredients for pesto after reading it I felt as if I could taste each ingredient. Everything here is so flavorful. Highly recommend“

“Where do I begin?? I have never experienced such authenticity, when it comes to Italian food. My server Valentina is always so efficient with her service and her smile and beauty??? Wow!!! Molto Bene!! Ciao for now Trenta. Will be back very “

“I don't know why there isn't a long line out in front of this restaurant every night. It is a small restaurant in a location that is slightly off the restaurant beaten path. But it is Onotria, the same owner and chef as the previous iteration of Onotria that has been one of the most highly regarded restaurants in Orange County - and definitely on of the best Italian restaurants in the county for many years. The original Onotria took a hiatus for a few years but is back now in its new location with excellent food - perhaps now a little more innovative and modern. The service also excellent with a little more warmth and attentiveness thrown in, perhaps a consequence of the small venue. There were four of us, we all sampled each other's food and all agreed that it was outstanding as was the service. It's great to have Onotria back. It's definitely one of the "must try " Italian restaurants in The OC.“

“Cortinas was amazing, today was my first visit for lunch. I had the Pastrami Sandwich. The guests around me were really enjoying their sandwiches as well. At opening time, 11 AM, the line had about 8 parties waiting to get in and order.I was really delighted as everyone else. I'll go back with the family.“

“It's crazy how you can go to a "fine dining" restaurant like Mastros or SET for the white table linen and white glove service but the food could be mediocre at best! This restaurant has the best of both worlds; although we sacrificed white linens and big fancy wine glasses, you get in return some of the best flavored and textured food on the market. The pasta that I serve at the fine dining steakhouse I work at is soooooooooo gross compared to what you can get here for literally half the cost. I think a Mac n cheese or Rigatoni pasta at SET can run you $35, but here you can get an appetizer and entree for that price. Wow the flavors and quality do not disappoint! It was my second sip of wine where the ambiance finally got me; gives me Godfather vibes. There's low ceiling lights that are broken up by the arms of a the rotating fans. It gives such a mysterious and old school vibe. Id rather eat here, get great service and pay half the cost and go home with a fully belly and a huge smile on my face. I literally cannot wait to go back next Sunday for dinner!“

“My wife is from outside of Italy and her brother is one of the top chefs there. We are so picky with authentic Italian food and we were so impressed with the quality and taste of our dinner! Hands down the best Italian place we’ve found in Orange County! We are so excited to have found this place. Compliments to the chef. They know what they are doing!!!!!!“

“The food and service are great! I love their house salad with pickled vegetables. The pasta is excellent and the Italian sausage is a little spicy and yummy. My boyfriend ordered the veil and enjoyed it (I wouldn't try it). The bread is amazing!! They get the bread from a local sandwich shop that is famous for their bread! Highly recommend.“

“The service was great and the food was very good. My husband ordered the Penne pasta with sausage and enjoyed his meal. I ordered the linguine with shrimp and asparagus in a light cream sauce. It was not what I was expecting, and it was not light. It was tasty but too much for me. The lemon cake was light and so good! The only bummer is how jammed it is, I felt like I was having dinner with the family of four right next to us. And it was interesting that they brought their small dog in with them. We will go again and try other dishes!“

“The Best Pizza in Town with Delicious WingsBig Rob's Pizzeria has become my go-to spot for pizza in town, and for good reason. Their pizzas are consistently delicious, with the perfect balance of cheese, sauce, and toppings on a crispy crust. Every bite is a delight, and I always find myself satisfied after enjoying a meal here.In addition to their fantastic pizza, Big Rob's also serves up some of the best wings in town. Whether you prefer them spicy or mild, their wings are always cooked to perfection and never fail to impress.The service at Big Rob's Pizzeria is also worth mentioning. The staff is friendly and attentive, making sure that every customer feels welcome and well taken care of.“

“Good selection of sandwich choices but the highlight of this deli is definitely their bread. The only small complaint I have is they pre slice their meat (which is not a problem) but this means they will put the sauce and veggies on the sandwich first and as a result, the meat has a tendency to slide out as you can see from my picture.“

“I absolutely love this place!! It is delicious! I love that they offer a soup or salad along with your meal. It makes it all worth it. I always walk out full and satisfied. My favorite is the rigatoni al pollo. They also have great martinis.“

“I love the chicken tortellini Alfredo, and I tried the calizone for dessert. My coworker had the lamb chop and said it was perfectly portioned. Mine was big enough for lunch and dinner. Great atmosphere and great food. I am sure though that it probably was not good for my diet, but then again good food and Italian food especially never is, but once in a while it is fine I am sure. I would highly recommend this place. It is restaurant quality food in a fast food restaurant.“

“This is my favorite go to restaurant in the area. The food tastes great, comes out fast and is more than enough to fill my belly. The service is top notch. I always have a special order and they make it just perfect. The servers are superb and always friendly and nice. The prices are very reasonable. I can try and sugarcoat this review and make it all nice and sweet but I don't have to as the place speaks for itself. Just go for yourself and you will see.“

“We ordered deep dish pizza which would take longer to make so we planned on waiting 45-60 min. Had a delicious dinner salad while waiting. It got to be an hour and pizza yet. They had made it incorrectly, and we had to be somewhere. So the nice waitress (Natalie) offered us free appetizers and a large pizza on the house instead of a medium size tjat we had ordered. What good public relations and treatment of their customers. I appreciate their wanting to make customer happy and satisfied. Ended up taking pizza toGo and made it to our event 5 minutes early“

“Small coffee shop within high rise business building. Lots of sitting outside and parking is 2 hour complimentary with validation. Tried instant tiramisu and ice americano. Liked both and instant tiramisu is more lukewarm desert than coffee. Like this “

“When I tell you me and my family came here to eat on Friday the 2nd of February 2024 and the food was amazing the service was perfect ?! It gave me a good home feeling like my grandparents house or something similar. The Italian Soda was tasty ?. I had the chicken Alfredo fettuccine, which was amazing creamy and well seasoned. Me and my family will definitely be back. Thank Rufinos?? ?“

“Off the charts amazing. This food was worth the wait. You know when you order and in this day and age you expect everything immediately. If it takes more than 10 mins, you throw a little fit. This is worth the wait. I would wait forever.This pasta is like ambrosia from the heavens. The bread and pesto precursor is perfect and addictive. However, there has never been such incredible pasta. I cherish my burps today because they remind me of the dinner last night. Chicken was hands down most flavorful and juicy we’ve ever had. We had to circle around the block because we missed the entrance which is easily overlooked by the dozens of little entrances adjacent. You can tell it’s a family atmosphere. You get old world vibes. We’re just sad they only do gnocchi once a month! We’ll be back 5/29!“

“We had no plans for an Italian lunch. Our mid-morning walk turned into delicious smells coming from Ciao Balboa.The food was sooooooo good. Right down to the buttery, garlic brine the shrimp were in. Our salads were beautiful. The bread was so good we paid extra to take a bunch home.The atmosphere was open and airy. Comfortable and cozy.Our server was super sweet. According at every turn.“

“How did I not know about this place working right across the street?? I didn't catch his name but the gentleman who served me was so kind and helpful. I've never order pasta "chipotle style" before so this was different, but quality is definitely not cut short! I ordered a bunch of stuff that I wanted individually but wasn't sure would all taste good together (I got it anyways) (rigatoni, seafood, creamy pesto, spinach, artichokes, parm).. and I'm so glad I did! It was delicious! I wasn't even expecting to finish it on the spot but the creamy pesto was so good, I wish I had more leftover so I could dip the bread in it. I'd definitely check out this spot if you're in the area and in the mood for some quick service pasta :)“

“We love this place. It’s our favorite italian restaurant for lunch ( more casual) or date night dinner. Amazing food and excellent service. We tried many dishes here and all of them were so tasty and would order again and again.We enjoy Italian food so we tried many restaurants but this one is the best or one of the best in the area.Small, cozy and romantic for dinner.Easy, fast and tasty for lunch.Very reasonably priced and staff is so friendly.“

“Went to Casa D’Oro during a lunch date with my son and I should say I’m pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere and the overall experience.Prices are very reasonable and food was amazing.Best part was the Tiramisu cake which is splendid and a must try.“

“We decided to have empanadas to take home and have dinner onsite. For our takeout order we have 2 regular beef, 2 sweet beef and 2 Arab. And for dine in we order pizza and chicken Milanese with fries. Since everything is made to order we waited for our food to be made. When we finally got our order, both orders tasted freshI particularly liked the pizza, we had one which has some onions and cheese topping, this was really surprisingly good. The crust was tasty. Funny thing, side comment, I started tearing up, not sure why, the lovely owner said they were cutting a big amount of onions, which surprised me as I had the reaction as if I'm the one slicing onions. Well she was right, once I stepped out, everything cleared up for me. The owner was a lovely woman originally from Buenos Aires, she made me feel as if I'm visiting her home and she's welcoming and warm. For the empanadas, they were delicious and if you're reading this review, I recommend you go and visit La Farola and the delicious empanada awaits.“

“Craving lasagna but not keen on a long drive, I turned to local reviews and found my way to Roma D’ Italia. The promise of good food just a short distance away was too tempting to resist.Upon arrival, I was seated promptly—a pleasant surprise that set the tone for a delightful dining experience.Without a doubt, the lasagna. It was a rich, flavorful dish that lived up to my cravings and then some. The layers of pasta, cheese, and sauce. Creating a comforting and satisfying meal.Old Town Tustin has its own unique charm, and Roma D’ Italia fits right in. The restaurant’s vibe is warm and inviting, making it a perfect spot for both casual diners and those looking for a more intimate setting.Convenient parking options were a bonus, with both on-site and street parking readily available. This made the visit hassle-free and added to the overall positive experience.“