Everything was delicious…read more I will say the Smoky Vodka was very good but we will get something different.

Must try: Sweet & Spicy!…read more Why: Honestly, all their pizzas (round and square) were delish! My fav was Sweet & Spicy! It had red sauce, mozzarella, hot soppressata, stracciatella, Mike's hot honey, and fresh basil. Crust was crispy, fluffy, and slightly salty and I loved it. Flavors and textures blended so well in each bite. My family has been raving about this place for a while so I'm glad I was finally able to try with them. We ordered appetizers (garlic knots, salad, and wings) with 4 pizzas. It was filling for 5 people so well had leftovers that we enjoyed later, and it was still delish after a few minutes in a toaster oven! Notes: Love the renovated area, Dana Lantern. Parking could be tough but we got lucky with street parking when someone was leaving. Exterior and interior was nicely decorated. Clean and spacious restaurant with covered outdoor seating on main floor and upstairs. Two large bathrooms upstairs that are clean. All the workers were welcoming, friendly, and helpful. Definitely coming back to try more pizzas and dessert!

Got takeout and the pizza was so delicious!! My favorite was the pepperoni; I was very impressed!…read moreIt was thin, cheesy, and great quality ingredients! With no ranch the sauces we got on the side were the chipotle and marinara were not good. But the chimichuri was very good. And I want to try the blue cheese next time. I also really liked the jalapenos I added. Their pizza was wayyyy better than the fake hype at Truly--facts! I saw people complaining about service etc so hopefully will still have a positive experience dining in as well.

We came into Homeslice today to watch the USA v Belgium World Cup game. We arrived around 5:10pm…read morejust after the game started, and were seated at a table on the patio. There was a large group of people (started as a group of five but grew to about 10-12 people) who ended up bleeding into the table next to us and asked if they could take our two extra chairs. Being friendly, we said "sure, no problem!". Shortly after, Marc came over and asked if our chairs had been taken and we let them know that the group next to us asked for them. In response, with deep condescension he responded "No, that isn't okay we have a lot of people waiting", which we understood but we also don't work there and aren't going to be rude to fellow patrons. He then told the group next to us he needed the chairs back only to not actually use said chairs for seated guests. It left all of us very confused for the unnecessary interaction. About 15 minutes later, my husband was looking for our server to order another drink and close out, when Marc came up and told us he needed the table. Mind you, we took time out of our evening to get there early for the game (as did everyone else that evening) and there was no signage nor a heads up from the team onsite that there was a limit on the tables, especially as we weren't the only people there for the very same reason. We had been there about 1.5 hours at that point and there was only a little bit left in the game. The group next to us who had also been there the entire time, and got sat before we did, weren't told they needed to get up, but we were given the third degree for our two spots. When my husband asked if he could get that next drink, Marc responded "I don't take orders" and walked away. Our server then proceeded to not check on us for an additional 20 minutes (we were trying to close out as requested), which ironically made it so we took up their table for the remainder of the game. He also mentioned that he ran into a similar issue with guests the previous week for the game, which sounds to me like an opportunity for better problem-solving skills and coaching amongst the team, not a customer-issue. All of this, only for there to be NO wait when we left AND open tables. Being that my husband and I are both in hospitality management, we were extremely frustrated by the lack of respect and embarrassing customer service by none other than Marc Sullivan, a co-owner of Homeslice. I think it's a bare minimum ask that the management and ownership, have the same decency and respect for paying customers that they expect of the rest of their service staff. By the time we got to our car it was 7pm and hadn't even been two full hours, all for our table to not even be needed. Totally understand it being a busy night but highly recommend that the team game plan better rather than making it the customers' responsibility to highlight where this situation could have been improved. Really bummed to have this experience as we're DP locals and love coming to eat/drink here!

Eli was very helpful at the front and was just overall a chiller. There pizza is really good and…read moreoverall would recommend to others.

At the last minute our plans for 4th of July dinner changed and I needed a couple of pizzas!…read moreFlippin Pizza was close to us and had good reviews. But I had no idea what to order. We went in to talk to them and make sure they would still be open at 6:00. A very nice lady helped us (I should have gotten her name) and we had a good time laughing about needing a man's pizza (we chose the Tiboro). And for the ladies pizza (half Whitestone and 1/2 Tomato garlic basil). The pizza was ready at the time we requested. Everyone loved the pizza and the party was saved. The pizza is hand tossed thin crust. They offer gluten free and cauliflower crusts. There are several specialty pizzas or you can create your own. They also sell pizza by the slice and they offer wings with several different types of sauce. We will be back!

I had an amazing experience at Pizza Amore Café!…read more The environment is really welcoming, and the quality of the food is absolutely amazing. What stood out the most, though, was seeing the owner actively engaged and making sure every client is well taken care of. They can also support big parties with tables up to fifteen people. Highly recommend!

This was a pleasant surprise during our road trip. First and foremost, the place itself is…read moreincredibly welcoming and feels like a cafe or a library, it was really cool to be in there. We loved the pizza we shared and were taken aback by the richness of the flavors we were experiencing. The only two things I was meh about: 1. we bought fountain drinks, but we were not told that more than half of the sodas were not working. had I known I would have happily settled for water. 2. got one of my kids the personal pan pizza. She didn't like it, I thought she was being difficult. I took a bite and yeah, it wasn't all that great. It seemed like the top cooked perfectly but the salami was still cold inside. All in all, I will 100% come back whenever I am in the area. The pizza I shared with my friends was absolutely perfect!

Casanova Ristorante has been in the same shopping center in Dana Point for decades and this was the…read morefirst time I finally enjoyed their food. First off, it has a great vibe inside with large booths, a bar, and then on the other side more of a dining vibe, and an outdoor patio. I went on a Saturday night around 6:45 and there was plenty of seating available. We started with some complimentary focaccia with olive oil and balsamic, and then I ordered the cheese and spinach ravioli, that comes with a small side salad. My friend ordered the chicken Parmesan and I highly recommend. That one also comes with a baby side salad as well as broccolini and a small portion of delicious fettuccini Alfredo. It was quite the meal. We finished dinner with one of the best pieces of tiramisu I've ever had. The portion was huge, enough to have some left over for later. I wish I could remember our server's name...she was wonderful! Super friendly and helpful. She also gave great recommendations on what to order. Looking forward to coming back soon!

We went to Casanova Ristorante on a Thursday evening around 6:00 PM to celebrate my wife's…read morebirthday, and the entire experience was absolutely amazing. From the moment we walked in, everything felt welcoming. Our waiter was awesome--attentive, friendly, and genuinely cared about making the night special. The owner even stopped by and was incredibly warm and personable, which really added to the experience. The food was super good. The Bianca Pizza and the Bolognese were straight-up bomb--fresh, flavorful, and perfectly executed. You can tell a lot of pride goes into the kitchen here. Great service, great food, great atmosphere, and a perfect spot for a special occasion. We can't wait to come back and try more items on the menu. Highly recommend!

My husband and I visit Jack's Restaurant often. The staff is friendly and the service is always…read moreprompt. So, we decided to cater food from Jacks for my daughters Baby Shower last weekend and it was fabulous. I'm always worried about the food being dry, over cooked or not seasoned well for large parties. Everything was perfect! We ordered Pollo Picatta, Penna with Voldka Sauce and Meatballs with Marinara. I would highly recommend for dinner or any of your catering needs.

Was recommended to this place by friends who picked me up to take me here! We intended happy hour…read moreand glamour the minute you walk in! This place is amazing, white table cloths with black napkins, dogs on the patio, wonderful quiet postured and polite service. We ordered drinks and the the bruschetta, shrimp scampi and shrimp risotto. All of was delicately flavored with all the Italian flavors, olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, just exquisite! Then, had to try the desserts, we were set on spumoni, but the waiter recommended the chocolate cake. It was served with vanilla ice cream, yum. The chocolate was moist had walnuts and like a brownie and not too rich either. Perfect! Certainly will be going back here and bringing the pup with us. We loved the open air and breeze and the walls are high enough to block the sight of cars. Twinkle light up above add a nice touch. They also had a separate water boy, impeccably dressed and well mannered. So nice to see staff so attentive to really good service with kindness and caring tones. Can't wait for the next happy hour! If I could add on stars I would give this place 10!

We always have a wonderful time at Brio... Today was so…read morespecial as we started a ladies springtime Mother's Day luncheon. I think our server extraordinaire was named Maria I believe, if I'm wrong, I apologize because she was amazing. She was so attentive even taking photos for us. We had a wonderful meal together. Great wine, entertaining music. It was the perfect setting for our ladies springtime lunch.

Everything about our dinner was really enjoyable until the very end. We had a 7:00 reservation on a…read moreSaturday, ordered multiple rounds of drinks, a salad, and entrées, and were genuinely having a great experience. By 8:50, we had already paid and were simply finishing up our conversation when the lights were turned off before 9:00. I completely understand restaurants have closing hours, but the way it was handled felt abrupt and honestly put a sour ending on what had otherwise been a lovely evening. Hospitality and atmosphere matter just as much as the food, and unfortunately that final interaction changed the overall impression for us.

My absolute favorite restaurant in Dana Point!!!…read more Giana is always my recommendation to anyone looking for breakfast in Dana point, pastries, to go, or of course the best Italian food dinner! Their brunch is absolutely incredible. Every time there is nothing I appreciate more than good quality ingredients that tastes amazing. The ambience is so cute and I love seeing the fresh pasta and the pastries displayed when we're dining in. Anytime I have dinner at Giana, I always take home a 1/2 priced pastry that they sell throughout the night! The service is always top-notch as well! Highly recommend this spot for a lovely date night, girls night, brunch, and everything in between!!

First time at Giana, and unfortunately it was a very mixed experience…read more Upon walking in, I had multiple drops of water falling on my head from the ceiling pipes, which was gross. I then walked over to the counter and asked the employee if the hour parking in the alley was strictly enforced because I planned to be there for about two hours. She said she didn't know. I replied that I would probably have to leave in the middle of lunch to move my car, yet she never mentioned that Giana has a parking lot for customers just on the other side of the building. I only found out because my friend arrived and told me where she had parked. I can't understand why an employee wouldn't share such helpful information with a customer. As for the food, we were the only guests in the restaurant at lunchtime. We ordered a chicken salad and a pasta dish. My salad was very good, but my friend's pasta was unbelievably salty, to the point that it actually burned both of our throats. It was easily the saltiest restaurant dish I've ever tasted. Our server never came back to check on us after delivering the food, so after waiting for quite a while, I had to walk up to the counter and ask her to come to our table. She immediately offered to replace the pasta, and my friend ordered the sausage pasta instead. She really enjoyed the second dish. Since we wanted to try dessert, we each ate only about half of our meals and asked for the leftovers to be boxed up. We also ordered two affogatos, which were delicious and ended the meal on a high note. Unfortunately, that didn't last. The server took our plates to package our leftovers, returned with two bags, called out what she believed were our meals, and handed them to us. We each drove home, about 30 minutes in opposite directions, only to discover that she had given us wrong leftovers. We both lost the meals we had been looking forward to eating for dinner and had to throw away the food we were mistakenly given. I called the restaurant afterward and left a voicemail explaining what had happened, but no one ever returned my call or acknowledged the mistake as a courtesy. There were definitely positives. My salad, the replacement pasta, and the affogatos were all good. However, the overall experience was overshadowed by several avoidable service issues: the lack of parking guidance, having to get up to ask for service after receiving an inedible dish, the mix-up with our leftovers, and the lack of follow up after I called. For a first visit, it was disappointing, and it left me unsure whether I would return.