Food was subpar, and the service was so, so. Ambiance was LOUD!! The worst part was management making it our problem to sort out the bill for a party of 10!! We all sat there, phone calculators in hand, trying to sort out what each of us owed, instead of enjoying each other's company and raving about the fantastic food and service we had. Once we each figured out what we owed, we were made to let our server know how much we each owed, and which card was to be charged for each order. It is 2024, right? Anyway, we each get our individual checks and each check has a total due, and a "Tip" line saying 20% with a line, as though the customer should full in the blank line, then total, and sign. Leaving the impression that a tip should be made. Here's the problem THEY HAD ALREADY ADDED THE 20% TIP, BECAUSE WE WERE A PARTY OF 10!!!Bottom line, subpar food, so-so service, extremely loud ambitious, and very shady business practices, means I will not be returning, and you should avoid this once loved Laguna Beach destination at all costs. You're welcome.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Dakota Budlong
The best Italian in all of Southern California for the service, Food, and atmosphere. The price is beyond fair. You can wear jeans or dress up. This restaurant is a stunning classic. Well done
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Trent Buchanan
Amazing food and atmosphere, staff was wonderful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loren V
Tried this place for food week. The Hostest was rude to my wife. The waiter was terrible. We had to keep asking the buser, and he would get him. It was only us and an other couple, so they were not busy. The food was OK, nothing to write home about.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
Improved
This was our first time back since the new owners took over. We were there for OC restaurant Week. We had the set menu, but there were many other items that looked good enough for a second visit. Our server was helpful and efficient. We added the wine paring with our meal. All of the wines were delicious. The timing of the wines with the meal could have been better coordinated, but that is a minor note. Will definitely be back to try some of the Greek options on the menu.
Michpo
I brought my parents there for their 65th wedding anniversary and had put that on our OpenTable reservation. I was a little disappointed that the restaurant did not acknowledge it in a special way. My veal Salton Boca was delicious, but there were a few other items that were not very flavorful. I would highly recommend, but, not quite five stars for me 
MikeA
All entries are really good. The veal Piccata and chicken Marsala are my favorites. The swordfish was my wife's fav too. Good wine selection and they have wines from Bianchi. (I'm a wine club member,). The grilled Caesar salad is a great way to start. And to finish, order the chocolate souffle.
Marcus
I wanted to like this place and add it to my list of local go-to's but there are other, better options in town. It's a shame because the atmosphere inside is inviting and the menu is tempting on paper but the execution missed the mark. Our server was busy and the food wasn't polished or upscale as expected for this price point in Laguna. We went on a Saturday night so understandably there was a crowd but we hardly saw our server or had his attention. It took us twenty minutes to place appetizer orders. The bruschetta was stale and tomatoes slightly graying from old prep. The Chef Rotelle was an unrefined glob smothered in cheese and marinara. We ordered Surf and Turf, which arrived 10 minutes before the rest of our party's mains, but the steak had cooled already. We sent it back for a re-fire, so they broiled the entire plate as-is, including an empty lobster tail used as garnish, so the whole thing was infused with a disgusting smokiness. One of our guests had lobster carbonara and despite not being a foodie she commented the pasta was out of the box - but she did like it. Overall the service was nonplussed and the food was average (considering its fine dining) so the indifference was everywhere in our experience. O well!!
TeresaRB
Love the ambiance and the staff at Rumari. The food was about an 7 out of 10 the night we were there. We will definitely give it another try since my husband had an outstanding meal there and loved the whole experience. Thank you for a fun night!
ChrisB
One of our favorites! Great atmosphere cute little bar area. We started with the eggplant appetizer & had Marsala fileto penne which was a good size & delicious. Bread & garlic pesto dip is addictive.
We dined here at 6:00 pm on a Saturday night and had a great time. The cocktails we ordered were great, the service was very friendly, and it wasn't too loud. It was cold out but they turned on the heaters for us since we were sat outside and we didn't even need our jackets. What really stood out was the food, it was AMAZING. The only thing I would improve is we felt like our waiter took awhile to greet us and check up on us. We found ourselves waiting to order for quite awhile, and we also had to ask someone to bring us the complimentary bread which we noticed other tables who had been sat after us already had. He was very friendly though, so not a deal breaker or anything. If you're looking for a solid date night in Laguna Beach and like good Italian food, Rumari is a great option! Make sure to make a reservation though, I heard walk-ins being told 1.5-2 hour wait times. Also, parking sucks, but it's not their fault. We just valeted a block down at Mozambique for $10.
MitzyS
Loved food very authentic Italian!! I am from New York and haven't found good basic Italian with a good red sauce! Rigatoni with Italian sausage brought me back home! Happy hour portions were very good. Calamari sautéed with marinara and eggplant Parmesan very delicious too. We will be back
Rizzy
My husband and I joined for the Valentine's Day pre-fixe menu and were very excited to try Rumari for the first time, but after being seated for over 30 minutes and not having anyone greet us, give us water or bread or take our drink order, we felt ignored and were frustrated to say the least. I still can't even tell you what our waiters name was because I don't think he actually ever even shared it. He was inattentive the entire evening, constantly forgot to bring the bread and our drinks (we literally had to ask multiple times), and everything was taking so long. It was a really uncomfortable and unpleasant experience from beginning to end from a service side. I'm bummed that I had to write this poor review because honestly majority of the food here was fantastic with the exception of the creme brulee (it wasn't set properly/had a gritty texture). The surf and turf and lamb chops were really fantastic as was the tiramisu. I wouldn't have minded the price for everything considering the high quality of the food, but the service was probably one of the worst I have encountered in years. I know it was the holiday, so I can understand it being busy, but this was not the experience I was hoping for. Also, we really didn't appreciate how close all the tables were- it was so crammed/tight that when the waiters tried getting between tables our table would constantly move with them. As much as I liked the food, I don't think we'll be back.
Anpa
The staff at Rumari is very nice, and the food is consistently good. The only downside is that when they are busy, service can be a little slow, and the restaurant is very noisy. Overall, I would say it's worth going.
Kinko
Arrived at 5:00. Advised by several other friends about the noise. I was sooooo noisy, we could hardly hear each other!!!! Tables are jammed right next to each other !!! Hard surfaces on floor & ceiling!!! Will only try the bar area or in the summer...outside. Never again inside!!!
Food was subpar, and the service was so, so. Ambiance was LOUD!! The worst part was management making it our problem to sort out the bill for a party of 10!! We all sat there, phone calculators in hand, trying to sort out what each of us owed, instead of enjoying each other's company and raving about the fantastic food and service we had. Once we each figured out what we owed, we were made to let our server know how much we each owed, and which card was to be charged for each order. It is 2024, right? Anyway, we each get our individual checks and each check has a total due, and a "Tip" line saying 20% with a line, as though the customer should full in the blank line, then total, and sign. Leaving the impression that a tip should be made. Here's the problem THEY HAD ALREADY ADDED THE 20% TIP, BECAUSE WE WERE A PARTY OF 10!!!Bottom line, subpar food, so-so service, extremely loud ambitious, and very shady business practices, means I will not be returning, and you should avoid this once loved Laguna Beach destination at all costs. You're welcome.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The best Italian in all of Southern California for the service, Food, and atmosphere. The price is beyond fair. You can wear jeans or dress up. This restaurant is a stunning classic. Well done
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing food and atmosphere, staff was wonderful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tried this place for food week. The Hostest was rude to my wife. The waiter was terrible. We had to keep asking the buser, and he would get him. It was only us and an other couple, so they were not busy. The food was OK, nothing to write home about.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
This was our first time back since the new owners took over. We were there for OC restaurant Week. We had the set menu, but there were many other items that looked good enough for a second visit. Our server was helpful and efficient. We added the wine paring with our meal. All of the wines were delicious. The timing of the wines with the meal could have been better coordinated, but that is a minor note. Will definitely be back to try some of the Greek options on the menu.
I brought my parents there for their 65th wedding anniversary and had put that on our OpenTable reservation. I was a little disappointed that the restaurant did not acknowledge it in a special way. My veal Salton Boca was delicious, but there were a few other items that were not very flavorful. I would highly recommend, but, not quite five stars for me 
All entries are really good. The veal Piccata and chicken Marsala are my favorites. The swordfish was my wife's fav too. Good wine selection and they have wines from Bianchi. (I'm a wine club member,). The grilled Caesar salad is a great way to start. And to finish, order the chocolate souffle.
I wanted to like this place and add it to my list of local go-to's but there are other, better options in town. It's a shame because the atmosphere inside is inviting and the menu is tempting on paper but the execution missed the mark. Our server was busy and the food wasn't polished or upscale as expected for this price point in Laguna. We went on a Saturday night so understandably there was a crowd but we hardly saw our server or had his attention. It took us twenty minutes to place appetizer orders. The bruschetta was stale and tomatoes slightly graying from old prep. The Chef Rotelle was an unrefined glob smothered in cheese and marinara. We ordered Surf and Turf, which arrived 10 minutes before the rest of our party's mains, but the steak had cooled already. We sent it back for a re-fire, so they broiled the entire plate as-is, including an empty lobster tail used as garnish, so the whole thing was infused with a disgusting smokiness. One of our guests had lobster carbonara and despite not being a foodie she commented the pasta was out of the box - but she did like it. Overall the service was nonplussed and the food was average (considering its fine dining) so the indifference was everywhere in our experience. O well!!
Love the ambiance and the staff at Rumari. The food was about an 7 out of 10 the night we were there. We will definitely give it another try since my husband had an outstanding meal there and loved the whole experience. Thank you for a fun night!
One of our favorites! Great atmosphere cute little bar area. We started with the eggplant appetizer & had Marsala fileto penne which was a good size & delicious. Bread & garlic pesto dip is addictive.
Restaurantji Recommends
We dined here at 6:00 pm on a Saturday night and had a great time. The cocktails we ordered were great, the service was very friendly, and it wasn't too loud. It was cold out but they turned on the heaters for us since we were sat outside and we didn't even need our jackets. What really stood out was the food, it was AMAZING. The only thing I would improve is we felt like our waiter took awhile to greet us and check up on us. We found ourselves waiting to order for quite awhile, and we also had to ask someone to bring us the complimentary bread which we noticed other tables who had been sat after us already had. He was very friendly though, so not a deal breaker or anything. If you're looking for a solid date night in Laguna Beach and like good Italian food, Rumari is a great option! Make sure to make a reservation though, I heard walk-ins being told 1.5-2 hour wait times. Also, parking sucks, but it's not their fault. We just valeted a block down at Mozambique for $10.
Loved food very authentic Italian!! I am from New York and haven't found good basic Italian with a good red sauce! Rigatoni with Italian sausage brought me back home! Happy hour portions were very good. Calamari sautéed with marinara and eggplant Parmesan very delicious too. We will be back
My husband and I joined for the Valentine's Day pre-fixe menu and were very excited to try Rumari for the first time, but after being seated for over 30 minutes and not having anyone greet us, give us water or bread or take our drink order, we felt ignored and were frustrated to say the least. I still can't even tell you what our waiters name was because I don't think he actually ever even shared it. He was inattentive the entire evening, constantly forgot to bring the bread and our drinks (we literally had to ask multiple times), and everything was taking so long. It was a really uncomfortable and unpleasant experience from beginning to end from a service side. I'm bummed that I had to write this poor review because honestly majority of the food here was fantastic with the exception of the creme brulee (it wasn't set properly/had a gritty texture). The surf and turf and lamb chops were really fantastic as was the tiramisu. I wouldn't have minded the price for everything considering the high quality of the food, but the service was probably one of the worst I have encountered in years. I know it was the holiday, so I can understand it being busy, but this was not the experience I was hoping for. Also, we really didn't appreciate how close all the tables were- it was so crammed/tight that when the waiters tried getting between tables our table would constantly move with them. As much as I liked the food, I don't think we'll be back.
The staff at Rumari is very nice, and the food is consistently good. The only downside is that when they are busy, service can be a little slow, and the restaurant is very noisy. Overall, I would say it's worth going.
Arrived at 5:00. Advised by several other friends about the noise. I was sooooo noisy, we could hardly hear each other!!!! Tables are jammed right next to each other !!! Hard surfaces on floor & ceiling!!! Will only try the bar area or in the summer...outside. Never again inside!!!