50 Best Italian Restaurants near Mission Viejo

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

“pasta , lasagna very friendly polite and helpful waiter“

“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.“

“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.“

“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.“

“Sal’s is a class A establishment. I messed up my order (grandma pie with breadcrumb and onion + sausage pinwheel and cannoli + black and white cookies) I ordered for pick up when it should have been delivery. The owner delivered the order himself. The grandma pie was on point and the sausage pinwheel was right! Waiting to taste the desert but im sure it will be great. Thank you Sal’s“

“Iris, the owner and the main man in the kitchen are nothing short of awesome. Happy hour rules, food is great, and the best service. Love this place and I encourage everyone to come try at least twice.

By far the best place in MV for beers and a game. Kids will have fun too!“

“Best pizza in town!! I can recommend Cicero‘s any day!“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Absolutely delicious!
We dined in and had an outstanding experience at Pizza Castello. The food was fresh, flavorful, and generously portioned. The cheesy meatball sandwich was perfectly toasted and loaded with melted cheese and herbs—comfort food at its best. We also tried a few dessert pizzas, and they were truly unique. The Nutella and pistachio combinations were indulgent without being overly sweet, and the crust was light yet crisp.

The service was friendly and efficient, and the casual atmosphere made it a relaxing place to enjoy a meal. It’s clear that attention to detail goes into every dish, from preparation to presentation.

We’ll definitely be back. 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.“

“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.“

“The three of us all ordered the traditional Thanksgiving turkey diner which was pleasantly severed on the restaurant's newly remodeled terrace. The food and service was excellent and portions were more than ample so that we each had "seconds" of turkey, dressing and potatoes to take home.“

“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!!“

“The place is non-descript and the sign has a the Tutto Famiglia in small letters the main sign reads Italian restaurant. That said the food was very good and service was great. We had a couple of appetizers. All the food came out hot. Portions were good so we ended up with some take home leftovers. The service worked like a team so things came out quick and we were always checked on.
It was a nice hidden 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?“

“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.“

“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 😍“

“I had an amazing dining experience at Trattoria Trullo Cucina Italiana! The food was absolutely delicious — authentic flavors, beautifully presented, and full of that true Italian warmth. But the highlight of the evening was our wonderful waitress, Aurora. She was attentive, friendly, and made us feel completely at home. Her kindness and professionalism turned a great meal into a perfect one. Highly recommend this place — and if you’re lucky, ask for Aurora! 🍝🍷🇮🇹“

“Great food! Great service! Never disappoints!“

“The lasagna was very delicious, but had less pasta in it than a typical lasagna. Personally, I like a lot of firm, delicious pasta in my lasagna, hence the 4 rating instead of 5. The Caesar salad was tasty, but needed more dressing on it. Overall, Ciao Pasta is one of our favorite restaurants.“

“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.“

“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!“

“Food was very good. We selected this restaurant because Douglas " The Crooner" Roeigers was singing The American Song Book that evening. He definitely EXCEEDED our expectations. He was fantasic !! Great time! Very friendly people !!“

“The meatball starter was absolutely delicious, and the pizza was just as impressive. The staff is always friendly and attentive, which makes every visit enjoyable. You can tell it’s a local favorite because so many regulars come here. We always leave happy and satisfied. If you’re craving authentic Italian food with wonderful service, this spot is a must visit!“

“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!“

“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.“

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

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

“My family have been dining there regularly, since '77. Unfortunately we no longer live in the O.C,but anytime I'm in O.C, I pick up a couple pizzas ,a sandwich & a pint of the house dressing. It's a excellent restaurant & the people there are great.“

“DELICIOUS !!! food and wonderful people“

“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 !“

“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.“

“fromTexas the best pizza i ever had😎“

“We had such a great experience at Cosmos thanks to our amazing waitress, Rosie. She was so friendly, thoughtful, and truly went above and beyond. As a young mom herself, she completely understood what it’s like dining out with a toddler, she just got it. She brought out our son’s food early, brought to-go boxes before we even asked (because with a toddler, you’re always on borrowed time!), and made us feel so comfortable and cared for. It’s rare to have someone anticipate your needs so naturally. We left saying, “That’s how customer service should always be.” Rosie was absolutely lovely and turned what could’ve been a stressful dinner into such an enjoyable one. We will be coming back more frequently.“

“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!“

“Excelente la comida de primera calidad“

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

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

“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“

“Amazing restaurant so thankful that they opened up one here a few months ago. We've always been going to the same restaurant in La Jolla area. The service was top-notch. The food was excellent. The bread basket is phenomenal. Homemade pastas are out of this world.“

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

“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!“

“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.“

“Had a coupon and decided to give it a try. My sandwich (Austin) was delicious. My daughter wanted some changes to her sandwich and they were very accommodating and the order was made correctly. The people were very nice. Overall it was a good experience. Give it a try!“

“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.“

“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“