50 Best Italian Restaurants near Ladera Ranch

“Best place for local Italian! Highly recommended...“

“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!!“

“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.“

“Great spot! Parking can be a little tricky in the front when it’s crowded, so I recommend parking behind the restaurant—it makes things much easier.

The food was delicious, and you should definitely ask about the specials. I had the focaccia sandwich special and it was so good I finished it pretty quickly. Even the desserts were impressive—the picture I included was taken within the first minute of it hitting the table because we couldn’t wait to dig in.

I would absolutely come back again. It’s definitely on the pricier side, but worth it for the quality and experience 😅“

“The service here is great they make sure your drinks are full and they are very friendly. I love lasagna but this was just ok! I’ll have to try something different next time. Also the bruschetta was just OK. Guess I’m a little spoiled because My daughter makes it so good. I’ll definitely be back to try another dish!“

“Have usually gone here with two or three people. No matter what we have ordered it is always simply fabulous. The food is consistently very good, the service is outstanding. They have a nice wine selection as well. Highly recommended for very very good Italian food.“

“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.“

“JACKS was delightful. The restaurant is elegant, the service is superb and the food is outstanding. It was my first time and I was extremely impressed. Jack, the owner, also introduced himself to us, and he is as lovely and delightful as his establishment.“

“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!!“

“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! 😘“

“Great food! Great service! Never disappoints!“

“Valentine's Day at Buona Forchetta - San Clemente never disappoints. The ambiance is warm, the service is attentive, and the food is consistently excellent. I ordered the Lasagna Bolognese and my husband had the Cacio e Pepe with burrata. The lasagna was rich, hearty, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Each bite felt like comfort on a plate. The Cacio e Pepe was creamy, perfectly balanced, and the burrata elevated it beautifully. Buona Forchetta always delivers a memorable dining experience.“

“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“

“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 😍“

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

“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!“

“Ciao Pasta offers a phenomenal dining experience that stands out for its delicious food and exceptional service. The atmosphere is welcoming and cozy, making it a perfect spot for casual meals or special occasions. Our waitress, Tatiana, was simply amazing. She was attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and provided great recommendations that enhanced our meal. Her friendly demeanor made us feel valued and well taken care of throughout our visit. The pasta dishes were delightful, showcasing fresh ingredients and excellent flavors. Each plate was beautifully presented, and the portions were generous. Overall, Ciao Pasta is a fantastic choice for anyone seeking great Italian cuisine, and Tatiana's outstanding service truly elevated our experience. I highly recommend it!“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“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.“

“fromTexas the best pizza i ever had😎“

“My husband and I had a wonderful evening at Tannins Restaurant. We kicked things off with the Shrimp Scampi and Cadillac Margarita—both were simply amazing! For our main course, we indulged in the surf and turf, which was delicious and perfectly cooked. We couldn’t resist finishing off the night with a delectable Tiramisu. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a great dining experience.“

“This resteraunt is near my sister, and she loves it the people, the food and the Bar! I have been there a few times now and I love their garlic bread that is free appetizers. Every meal has been great so far! The last meal I shared with my wife was Blackened Salmon with Mash and Asparagus and a salad!“

“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!“

“Great food and service. Was very impressed to see all workers wearing gloves and masks. Other restaurants need to follow your example. These are uncertain times and every precaution is necessary. I want to help support local businesses but if they don't protect both staff and workers, I won't be back. Kudos to you Guichos!❤“

“Great food and prices. Especially the alcohol prices. your bill isn't half alcohol cost.“

“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.“

“DELICIOUS !!! food and wonderful people“

“Wonderful experience. Spectacular food. Amazing one time service. Friendly people. Boyfriend Joshua Ream took me here, the place is amazing. Their desserts are to die for.“

“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 !“

“Great food, and awesome service!“

“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!“

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

“This place is gold. If you haven’t tried Olive Garden yet, you’re missing out! GO right now. Seriously!

Our waiter Josh was the best I’ve ever met in this industry. Not only was he positive and brought a friendly atmosphere, but he was also prompt and incredibly helpful while being respectful and polite. It made my day and my whole dining experience so pleasant.

I can’t stop smiling because this level of service is RARE! Like I said, gold!!!!

The food? ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! I recommend the Lasagna, the Zupatoscana soup, and a sweet iced tea. There are so many tasty options, all for a very fair price.

The food will be better than what you’ll get at a 5-star luxury million dollar restaurant. It’s that good.

This is not a sponsored review. I just wanted to share my intensely brilliant and fantastic experience at this location!“

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

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

“Sooooo fabulous!! Been coming here since the 90’s!!!“

“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.“

“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.“

“First time here Saturday night. Our waiter was very attentive and brought us each an empanada on the house which was spectacular. We ordered calamari, Ajilo e Olio, and the steak special for the night - all the food was delicious! Atmosphere was perfect, there was a live harpist which offered great music for our date night. My husband and I will definitely be going back“

“Excelente la comida de primera calidad“

“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!“

“Wonderful food great service, and amazing vibe and the singer…omg I have no words how to express how much I love the singer in the pianist, I had a wonderful time“

“Their wine dinners are incredible!“

“Excellent food , wine and desert and great service. Can’t wait to go back.,we are from New York and we know what good Italian food is !! 🇮🇹“

“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.“