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    Caffe Gazelle

    4.4 (245 reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Caffe Gazelle Photos

    Business Info

    CAFFE GAZELLE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Caffe Gazelle

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    Lentil soup
    Kaylee M.

    Caffe Gazelle was great. It wasn't busy when we went, and the busser Alex took really good care of us. Super friendly service and a relaxed vibe, plus the food was really good. Would definitely come back.

    Lasagna

    This restaurant has the best bruschetta, lasagna & chicken piccata in all of OC! We also had a pear salad and ended our meal with delicious tiramisu. The service and bread were amazing! The restaurant is quaint and the atmosphere was so welcoming. If I could rate more than 5 stars I would! I highly recommend this restaurant. We already made reservations for Valentine's Day.

    Carbonara
    Jenny L.

    Caffe Gazelle is such a small and intimate little Italian spot. I wasn't entirely sure if I was at the right place since there's not really a sign righ outside the establishment that clearly states the restaurants name. Upon arrival around 6:30 pm on a Saturday night, I was greeted by the worker behind the bar and he had notified me it would be around a 30-45 min wait. There was not a waitlist to be put on or anything nor did he ask for my contact information for whenever seats are available. He simply asked for my name and that he will remember me. After waiting around the corner for about 20 min or so of the restaurant I saw probably 2 parties leave so I went back and there were tables available. The tables were small and with the way the tables were placed in the restaurant it felt a little bit tight/squished. They served us a small bowl of cheese and butter. Then placed a small loaf of bread on our bread plate. The wine menu was mostly by the bottle but there were by the glass options inside for around $8-9/glass so we opted for a bottle of Pinot Noir. One thing I did not like about the wine was that it was room temperature and not slightly chilled. We ordered the michaelangelo and carbonara pasta. The entree came with either soup or salad and we got one of each. The service was fast paced and it felt like as soon as we finished the soup and salad the pasta was immediately served nice and hot. Both pasta dishes were really delicious and creamy. After finishing our entree we were provided 6 different options for dessert. Unfortunately, we did not opt for dessert since we were already stuffed with our food. Would love to come back here again in the future however I do believe some type of waiting system needs to be established so that people are properly notified of when their tables are ready. Other than that it was a good experience.

    Spaghetti Carbonara
    Rangie T.

    A very small and quaint restaurant. Some good old friends and former high school classmates and I had a mini high school reunion and since we knew we would be spending the whole evening to talking and catching up, Cafe Gazelle was perfect. This location in Huntington Beach was perfect for our group of eight. The restaurant is small and a nice quiet ambiance to allow us to talk with one another and not have to yell. The food is authentic Italian with great selections of pastas, salads and chef's specials. Very much home made dishes, but I have to give credit to whoever made the delicious spumoni ice cream. I was not planning to have dessert, but when I asked if it was made in house with real pistachio nuts and the fruit bits and he said yes, then how can I say no. How I miss authentic spumoni ice cream. After seeing all the entrees around the table as they were served, everything looked delicious and again I say authentic Italian food. The prices were also very reasonable. My spaghetti carbonara was delicious.

    Meatballs

    Amazing food and service !! Can't wait to try the rest of the menu , the calamari is the best I have ever had !

    Gorgonzola salad.

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    1 month ago

    When the bill arrived, it was not itemized and it did not match the pricing that was on their menu website

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    2 years ago

    Food and service was amazing ! Definitely going to be a new regular spot! Wine specials were great and so were dinner specials!!

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    2 years ago

    Different types of Italian cooking. Services were good, nice and courteous staff. Clean place hidden behind Carl's Jr.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Caffe Gazelle

    Is the outdoor seating dog friendly?

    Yes! I come here to sit out with my dog often.. 👍

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    Nardò Italian Restaurant

    Nardò Italian Restaurant

    4.1
    (637 reviews)
    5.7 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Private events

    My family and I were in the area and decided to stop in for some cocktails at Nardò Italian…read morerestaurant. They have some great cocktails and the atmosphere is beautiful too. The service was on point. We started off with a peach cocktail unfortunately I can't remember the name of the drink. I had the Prickly Pear cocktail and my hubby had a Lychee martini I believe. All of the drinks were phenomenal! We ordered some of the croquettes and a watermelon salad with goat cheese too. They were both so good! The drinks were what we were there for but we just had to try a few of their yummy dishes too! So if you're ever out, cruising the Pacific Coast Highway look For Nardò' and give them a try you won't be disappointed, I know we weren't. We will be back. Lol

    Great pizza spot and a must try if you're in Huntington Beach! The dough is simply perfect (I ate…read moremy pizza with my hands and my fingers weren't greasy after). They really know what they're doing here and their ingredients make their pizzas delicious! I would highly recommend the margherita pizza with added burrata. We also tried their salads and got a side of fries and few other sides but the show stopper here is the pizza so be sure to order a few for the table. Theres an underground garage with plenty of parking on site. Be sure to validate your parking ticket...first few hours are free with validation!

    Photos
    Seafood pasta
    Seafood pasta
    Smoky old fashioned
    Smoky old fashioned
    Interior dining

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    Interior dining
    Mona Lisa Cucina

    Mona Lisa Cucina

    4.6
    (1.5k reviews)
    5.6 mi
    $$

    We had hoped to have dinner at 6:30 PM last night as family from out of town would be driving home…read moretoday. Our timing was not good as the restaurant had experienced a rush of diners and it would be a 45 minutes wait until our party of 6 could be seated. We would wait knowing the food quality is good. We were joined outside by 2 other parties that also were repeat customers. Both parties of 6 and 5 were seated back to back so it was a little tight in terms of spacing between the tables. However, since the acquisition of another storefront, the restaurant is double in size we told our out-of-town family members whom we were introducing to our favorite local family Italian restaurant. Veronica was our server again. She was our server the last time we were here for my husband's birthday dinner. We were happy to see her. Veronica took our drink orders and gave us time to look at the menu. Daughter had strawberry puree with sparkling water and lemon. Veronica was up front in letting her know that it was from a can. Brother-in-law had a Philadelphia root beer--Hank's in a bottle. Niece ordered Calamari Fritti and Spaghetti Bolognese with gluten-free pasta. Brother-in-law went with Veronica's suggestion of the Insalata Mona Lisa small after finding out how large the salad would be. He also ordered the Margherita Pizza to share with his niece. Daughter upon hearing that the Salmon Limone was not dairy-free opted for the Spaghetti alla Checca with a salmon fillet. The rest of the family had the day's specials of Salmon Limone, Linguine Pesto with smoked salmon and asparagus, and Bistecca done medium rare with pan sauce. Everybody had had small lunches and so were really hungry. Bread was warm and balsamic vinegar olive oil combo in dipping saucers was soaked up by the sliced bread prompting a request for another basket of bread while we waited for our entrees. Calamari Fritti is niece's favorite appetizer and did not fail to please. Brother-in-law's salad looked good with greens, red beets, tomatoes, and candied walnuts. Margherita pizza was simple with mozzarella cheese, tomato slices, and fresh basil. Daughter was delighted with her salmon fillet. Other daughter enjoyed her linguine pesto, but it was so rich that she was only able to finish a quarter of her dish taking the rest home for another meal or two. She wasn't done with the sauce in her dish and let the assistant server wanting to clear dishes know that she wanted to enjoy the remaining sauce a bit longer . I enjoyed my salmon with lemon capers that cut into the richness of the creamy angel hair pasta. The cherry/grape tomatoes were fresh. Husband's Bistecca was a big boy's portion. He enjoyed it tremendously, but was only able to finish half of the 16 oz. steak. We passed on desserts this time, but my family remembered how on our 1st visit to the restaurant about 15+ years ago I ordered one of every dessert on the platter. They were all very good. My husband's favorite is the cannoli. I prefer the limoncello cake. Dinner here is always worth the wait and the food and service are excellent.

    I was both confused and disheartened to hear about the poor experience my daughter and her family…read morehad at this establishment. My wife and I have been loyal customers for many years, and we have always found both the food and the service to be exceptional. That is why it was especially disappointing to learn that my daughter, husband, and grandson were treated so poorly during their visit. The level of customer service they described is completely inconsistent with the reputation this restaurant has built over the years. As a longtime patron, it is troubling to hear that they left feeling unwelcome and dissatisfied. I sincerely hope the owner that took over Dino takes this matter seriously and addresses it appropriately. Unfortunately, after hearing about their experience, I no longer feel comfortable supporting this establishment and will not be returning. It is sad to see a restaurant that has been a part of so many family memories lose the level of hospitality that once made it special.

    Photos
    Entrance
    Entrance
    Tiramisu
    Tiramisu
    Rib Eye

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    Rib Eye
    Buon Gusto

    Buon Gusto

    4.3
    (1.2k reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    What a fantastic dining experience we had here Mother's Day weekend! My mom and I went to visit an…read moreold friend of hers on the Saturday of that weekend; my daughter was with us. After our visit, we wanted to pick a nice place to eat dinner, and because my kiddo said she wanted pesto, I went to faithful Yelp to look for a new Italian spot to check out. I will admit that I was a bit hesitant to try Buon Gusto out at first, not being from or too familiar with the area, and then there was the wait, but I am so glad we held our spot in line for a table. We were sat in the line of view of those who are waiting to be seated. I thought this would make me uncomfortable at first, but I hardly noticed them. Our server John was super friendly and attentive, very personable. One of the owners that we talked to also was social with us when I asked him about his restaurant and the influence for the menu items. I did not get his name, but he let me know he has Greek and Italian roots, which makes sense seeing that there are a lot of Greek/Mediterranean items on the menu as well. I believe he said his Italian ancestry is from Sicily, which was nostalgic for me because Sicily was one of my favorite weekend trips back when I spent a summer in Italy. Anyway, on to the food. I ordered the Penne Marco Polo which came with a delicious cream sauce and served with shrimp, broccoli, mushrooms and artichokes mixed in. It was one of the best pastas I have ever had! My mom ordered the chicken piccata - it was good, but she did have a complaint. Her plate arrived drowned in the wine sauce. I do not think it was supposed to be that wet. My daughter ordered the kids fettuccini, and our server was able to modify it so that it would come with pesto instead of the alfredo or pomodoro sauce. My mom and I each enjoyed a glass of the sauvignon blanc with our meal; thank you for the wine rec, John! I would definitely return if meeting friends in the area.

    Have always loved this place, used to live close, since moved and can't find an Italian place that…read morefeels like this one. Every server is a dream, tonight John served us and went above and beyond with service. Bread came out, (delicious and full of garlic) but our little ones aren't huge on garlic. We asked if it was possible to get it without and he said he would see what he could do. Not 5 min later, we had fresh baked bread without the garlic. Food was exceptional as always!

    Photos
    Abbratta in penne and added sausage $13
    Abbratta in penne and added sausage $13
    Scampi, mushroom and scallop linguini
    Scampi, mushroom and scallop linguini
    Antipasto before tossing

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    Antipasto before tossing
    Piccolo Stivale

    Piccolo Stivale

    4.6
    (331 reviews)
    5.1 mi
    $$

    Had an amazing experience at Piccolo Stivale! The food was absolutely delicious, and the service…read morewas exceptional. A special thank you to Abraham, the owner, who went above and beyond to make sure my daughter Kamila could enjoy her meal. Since she is unable to chew food, he took the time and care to accommodate her needs without hesitation. His kindness, compassion, and attention to detail made us feel truly welcomed and cared for. Kamila enjoy her pasta it was just perfect!!! It's rare to find a restaurant where the owner is so personally invested in ensuring every guest has a wonderful experience. The food was outstanding, and the hospitality was even better. We will definitely be coming back and highly recommend Piccolo Stivale to anyone looking for great food and exceptional customer service!

    Food was great! Desets were ok. Service was great!!…read moreWe started off with cheesey garlic bread. Everyone loved it. Then we all had a fresh salad, everyone ate everything on their plates. Daughter's shared linguine and clams. They really enjoyed it. Waiter brought it out already in separate plates, which was nice. They are both usually picky eaters. One finished and the other almost finished their portion. Wife and son both ordered lasagna. They both really liked it. Wife said it was very fresh. The tomato sauce wasn't thick meaty, sloppy and overpowering, but light fresh and not too sweet. It was definitely a healthy portion of lasagna. Wifey ate over 1//2, and my son usually finishes his plates, but couldn't finish the lasagna. I had the seafood linguine. I can't eat tomatoes, so requested the sauce to be changed from tomato to the wine sauce. They were able to accommodate. Fresh pasta and seafood. I ate everything on the plate, and soaked up the sauce with the warm bread that was served upon request. Now the desserts. We had two of each of the canolis, and tiramisu. Wifey said one of them didn't taste freshly/ home made, but forgot which one. That was the only negative I have. However we did eat all of them, sooo.... Ambiance nice candle lit type atmosphere. It was night time and we ate outside, so it was perfect.

    Photos
    Piccolo Stivale
    PENNE PRIMAVERA
    PENNE PRIMAVERA
    CAPRESE

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    CAPRESE
    The Original Mama D's Italian Kitchen

    The Original Mama D's Italian Kitchen

    4.6
    (7.5k reviews)
    10.2 mi
    $$

    We were looking around the area for a casual dinner and decided to get some Italian food after…read morestumbling upon Mama D's as an option. It looked like there were two locations, but we ended up at this one as it was on the way to the store. - PARKING - Street parking, but luckily there's tons of spaces up and down the street. - SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - We came around 6:30pm on a Saturday and were told it would be a 45 minute wait. We had to go to the store anyways so we decided to go out and come back. The timing was about perfect and they sat us when we returned. Really welcoming environment - huge shout out to Jeremy who was our main server. He was warm and inviting, and honestly made the meal that much better. We let him know it was our first times and they ended up bringing out free cheese ravioli and pink sauce for us to try - this only solidified our picks but we were all so appreciative of the extra mile the staff went. It's not a huge restaurant, only about 10 tables that seat mainly 2-4 people. - FOOD - Meat/Spinach Ravioli: So happy they let us know we could mix and match the ravioli! I preferred the Meat Ravioli but was happy to have been able to try the Spinach as well. The marinara sauce that's served under the Ravioli is perfectly tart. Sausage and Chicken Capri: We swapped out the spaghetti for rigatoni to really soak up that pink sauce! Great option if you want a delicious sauce with some protein already included! They even gave us complimentary cookies at the end, and they noted that it usually satisfies the sweet tooth for customers - it did for us! - OVERALL - Great vibes, great food, great service!

    Went right at opening and was seated immediately. The restaurant has a nice smaller family…read morerestaurant feel. Quick and efficient service. Lasagna is delicious with their pink sauce. The tortellini was equally as delicious as the lasagna flavor wise but in my preference, it really needed a lot more alfredo sauce, as it was pretty dry. Meat filled ravioli is good but not as memorable as the other dishes, and the marinara sauce was just okay.

    Photos
    Front of house.
    Front of house.
    Chicken and sausage Capri
    Chicken and sausage Capri
    Conplimentary dish.soooo good

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    Conplimentary dish.soooo good
    Mangia Mangia

    Mangia Mangia

    4.2
    (998 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Dining with Diane and my son and daughter-in-law, we began with Carciofo Alla Griglia, Mozzarella…read moreMarinara, and complimentary Garlic Bread, which was replenished once upon request, and without charge. The bread was light and addictive, as usual. And breaded batons of Mozzarella Marinara were superb with a mild Marinara Sauce draped over them. Only the artichokes were wanting, with little vegetative meat on the leaves. For me a piping hot bowl of Stracciatella, with egg yolk and spinach circling on top, was next, followed by a pretty good House Salad with Creamy Italian Dressing. And Sausage & Peppers nicely covered by a saucy Red Sauce, featuring small tubular hunks of mild sausage and bell peppers cooked al dente, nicely filled out my memorable repast. Others in my party very much liked their Lobster Ravioli with Alfredo Sauce, Beef Ravioli with Penne Pasta, and Veal Piccata with Bowtie Pasta. Service by Rachel C. was excellent. And we liked our table placement in a corner of the restaurant, which promoted private conversation. For me, Mangia Mangia remains the premier Italian restaurant in Huntington Beach. As it advertises, it truly serves authentic Italian cuisine.

    We've been coming here for 20+ years and went Saturday night looking to celebrate my…read moremother-in-law's birthday. The place was packed and we waited about 20 minutes for a table of 7 (5 adults and 2 kids). As the waitress took our order, she proceeded to ask each one of us soup/salad whether it came with our dish or not. Pay attention otherwise you may unknowingly be ordering a soup/salad thinking it is included with your meal to later find out it is not. The garlic bread which is complimentary was delicious and the calamari appetizer we ordered was good, better than most places, but those were unfortunately the highlights of the dinner for me personally. My brother-in-law had to send back his silverware and appetizer plate that was set out for him were really dirty. Mine were questionable but I just went with it. I ordered the Linguine Frutti Di Mare at the recommendation of the waitress. Once it arrived it had an extremely watery sauce and looked more like a Cioppino (seafood stew} then any type of pasta entree dish with a sauce. The flavors were okay at best, but I was shocked at how watery the sauce was. I even asked the waitress if it was supposed to be so watery to which she had no response. I don't know if they are watering down all the sauces to stretch ingredients or if they don't drain the water from the pasta before they mix them - either way it was way too watery. My 5-year-old son had spaghetti with marinara sauce that was extremely watery as well and he refused to eat it after a couple of bites. My son always eats spaghetti with red sauce everywhere we go so we were shocked to see that he wasn't going to. We asked the waitress if we could get something else since he didn't like it to which she stated she would have to check with management. She came back and said unfortunately we could not nor would they remove it from the bill, but she did say she could get us some Alfredo sauce that we could mix in to the spaghetti and red sauce pasta. My 8-year-old ordered Fettuccini Alfredo which had good flavors but was extremely watery as well. It was more of a scampi sauce (water/butter sauce} then anything remotely close to a creamy alfredo sauce. My wife and brother-in-law who also ordered pasta dishes agreed their sauces were extremely watery as well. Lastly, when the bill came, we were shocked to see a $6 fee for tiny little dish of Alfredo Sauce that the waitress went out of her way and offered to bring my 5-year-old son so he would eat his dish. She should have at least let us know there was a charge for it if it wasn't going to be free. I do not plan on going back and would much rather eat at Renato's in Westminster.

    Photos
    Mangia Mangia
    Garlic bread
    Garlic bread
    Stracciatella (bowl)

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    Stracciatella (bowl)

    Caffe Gazelle - italian - Updated June 2026

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