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! 😘“

“We had a beautiful meal and noise level has gone way down due to new elements on ceiling. The service was impeccable. Attentive but didn't rush us. I tried the spinach salad with added shrimp for first time as wanted something lighter. It was amazing with warm vinegar dressing. The salmon special was also excellent. Without asking our waiter brought out a tiramisu to share as noticed we were celebrating a birthday. This was probably the best tiramisu I've ever had including those in Italy!“

“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.“

“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!!“

“Came here a couple nights before a wedding event.

We had a later reservation and upon entering we learned that technically the restaurant closes at that time, but since the system accepted our reservation they were staying open for us.

Not once did they rush us or make us feel bad. There were 10 of us and 2 little kids. They had all the patience in the world and infact were insistent for us to take our time and enjoy the amazing food.

The meal itself was very nice and I would highly recommend this spot for great Italian food. The restaurant is very big and the outdoor space is cute!“

“So bummed we only now discovered this gem. Service was top shelf…….seriously outstanding. Food was really solid, the lasagna is the best around according to my wife. They also do the IG worthy pasta in the block of cheese. Not my best pics, but check them out.“

“Great meal. Christiana was friendly, attentive and had great suggestions. The steak and eggs was good… the steak had a slight gamey taste (kinda like lamb) but the flavor and tenderness were solid. The mushroom toast dish was amazing. Pizza was solid. French toast was just ok. Overall good experience.“

“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.“

“Amazing!

Looking to get dinner with my wife and I was hungry for Italian food, at a place where pizza isn’t their main dish. Theres no place around that we’ve been to that was amazing, so I turned to Google maps to find a new place, which is how we found Tutto Famiglia.
We headed down and it looked pretty bland front m the outside. The signage said “Italian Food” where the biz name would normally go, and the space was pretty small.
From the moment we got inspected de though, the service was very attentive, the place was pretty busy for a random Thursday night and the menu looked tasty.
My wife got the salmon and I the quattro Formagio pasta. Both were Delicious! They brought fresh bread while we waited for our minestrone soup and those both were perfect.
Service was on point with immediately removing dishes we were done with, food was hot and steamy, flavoring was better than what I could have possibly expected and I am so happy that we ventured out.

We will absolutely be returning and I’m so happy to have found this gem!!!“

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

“Great food! Great service! Never disappoints!“

“Had been about 25 years since our last visit and this was an eye opener. Excellent food and drink. Very comfortable with excellent service. Patio seating is very comfortable. Highly recommend if you like a great Italian American dining experience!“

“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.“

“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 😍“

“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!“

“Tasted Bricco Cucina & Wine Bar Caesar salad - dang it is way too salty the dressing and croutons 😟. First ever salty Caesar salad dressing and croutons, too disappointing and unhealthy.😞 I've informed Diane, our server of the way too saltiness of both Caesar Salad dressing and croutons and she reassured me that she will inform and let the owner know about it. I hope Diane advised the owner.“

“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“

“We have often enjoyed Mangia Bene - it is good food, good garlic bread toasts to start and a decent wine list and menu. The service could have been a little better last night. He got our orders to us correctly, but no additional effort - he seemed annoyed that we did want parmesan on our entrees, and didn't offer to substitute anything (when I ordered my risotto without the sausage) as other servers had in previous visits. When asked, our server stated that only one of the desserts was made in house, which I don't believe is accurate. Anyway, a decent , upbeat neighborhood place to meet friends for dinner.“

“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!“

“A simple local neighborhood, family-run italian restaurant. Excellent A+ service. Warm bread was great, fresh green salad, and custom pizza. We were delighted with the warm welcome and yummy dishes. Will be back to try some more! Molto bene!“

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

“fromTexas the best pizza i ever had😎“

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

“Their wine dinners are incredible!“

“DELICIOUS !!! food and wonderful people“

“Karaoke ? night worth Peggie Perkins was a hoot. Not only is she a fun KJ, she's one heck of a singer in her own right. Is come in just to hear her sing!

Dietary restrictions: I'm Celiac and they were knowledgeable and courteous about helping navigate the menu.

Kid-friendliness: This is definitely a family place.

Wheelchair accessibility: From what I could tell it's very WC accessible.“

“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“

“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.“

“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 !! 🇮🇹“

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

“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“

“The service here is amazing from greet to eat🙏 the staff are friendly with great recommendations on cocktails and the dinner menu - they were able to answer all of our menu questions in detail. The food came out fresh and delicious, we ordered a variety of pastas, salad, and pizza. The octopus appetizer is delicious and cooked to perfection, the funghi pizza is amazing and may have been my favorite item ... Although it is tough to beat fresh pasta. Definitely worth the parking challenges one will inevitably face, it's not the restaurant it's the area in general 🤷‍♀️😂😂😂“

“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“

“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!“

“This is the perfect neighborhood pizza place! I love that they cater to gluten-free and vegan diets with their cheeseless Vegana pizza. Although they don’t offer vegan cheese, they allow you to bring your own. The gluten-free crust is the best I've had. The owner is very accommodating, and the staff is wonderful. Highly recommend!“

“Updare.
This location is permanently closed. Its been like that for over a year. They put in Corner Bakery in it place.

My go for Italian, although since they made changes to the menu some things were taken off that I really liked. But it is still a good experience at reasonable prices.
The bread could use some improvement“

“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.“