Got the Lobster pasta with shrimp which was so delicious! I didn't think I was going to eat it all but I finished that entire plate. Sauce was perfectly seasoned with an Al dente pasta. The braised beef rib was so good too! I can see myself ordering that next time. Calamari is a must and the oysters was amazing! I don't know what sauce it came with but it was so delicious. Almost like a ponzu sauce. Finished dinner with the pistachio ricotta cake that the waitress recommended. I'm not a pistachio fan but it was so good, I finished that as well. Great ambiance, not too loud but not too quiet. They placed really good music in there. This place can be both romantic but also casual. So good! Can't wait to come back. read more

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Driven by this place many times this year and finally got a chance to check it out. Conveniently located in the otay ranch mall area. The restaurant is very spacious and has great taste in the interior design. Plenty of parking for those who are early or late. The server was quick and easy and kindly recommended us his favorites. We tried 2 different pizzas and had the pulpo. Enjoyed an aperol spritz to drink that was a delight. The pulpo was delicious served with a green-like chimmichurri sauce and the cheeses on the pizza were phenomenal. The price range for pizzas I must say it also amazing given the time and flavor each one has. Pizza are around $20 or less. Didn't get a chance to eat the pasta as I came in for lunch only but would return again with friends or family. read more

Garbatella - Pizza - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

We were hoping to like this restaurant, but that didn't happen. The food was mediocre. The Linguine a Mare had too much lemon and not enough white wine. Two in our party ordered the lasagna. They were different sizes and both had congealed cheese at the bottom which was difficult to eat. To start the meal, we were offered bread which was not complimentary. The bread was burned. We also got the Truffle Parmesan Fries. The aioli was good, but the truffle fries didn't have much cheese or truffles. Our server was nice and helpful. Someone helped her serve a couple of salads. That person reached across the table and two people to serve the salads instead of going to the side closest to the people who wanted the salads. Also, no apology was given for reaching across people. Everything is a la carte. For 5 people, we spent a couple hundred dollars without alcohol. For that amount of money, the food should have been much better. Another problem was that we were sat next to a dividing wall. The wall was dirty with drink splatters which looked like they had been there for quite a while. Overall, it wasn't a great experience. We won't be going back. read more

An impromptu day/night date. Food was excellent! Our server, Carlos, knows his food. He suggested "Braised Short Rib," and it was delicious!! Chased our awesome dinner with Espresso Martini, Limencello Cake, and Pistachio Ricatta Cake-all of Carlos recommendations!!! Definitely will be back to see what other delicious food he will recommend! Ask for Carlos!!! read more

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The food is good very savory. We liked the live music too! For the ambiance it's 10/10!!! My only complaint is they took our truffle fries without even asking if we're still working on it. We're still enjoying it and we still have more than half of our truffle fries and read more

Garbatella - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

The cheese wheel pasta was soooo dry. And the chicken that was added was even drier. Family ordered other dishes: -The risotto had a weird aftertaste, which left my mom to not wanting to eat it. -The pistachio crusted sea bass tasted acrid from the crust and the fish was underseasoned -The lobster ravioli and the short rib were probably the only dishes that were decent. Ambience: It was weird that house music was being played at a high volume while we were trying to enjoy our dinner. This was a one and done experience. read more

Hello neighbor 1st time here and we enjoyed our dinner The food was very tasty all made to order - the best OssoBuco yet Def cooking back for it when I crave it again The service was good thanks to our server Jose Carlos Ambiance def nice, the decor, music and live music every Saturday that's a treat Clean space friendly staff and managers Def coming back and cheers read more

Garbatella - RISOTTO E OSSOBUCO - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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First time trying this establish for a birthday dinner. Servers were friendly but service itself was slow. It wasn't too busy so wasn't sure why it took awhile to get our drink orders. The rating is based on the service not being the best because at a place like this your water cup shouldn't ever be empty. The food and drinks were delicious. Ordered the Lemoncello gin and the vodka shrimp, and both were excellent. Even the bread was really good. I'd recommend this place based on the food, although when we asked about desserts, we were told that they were out of about 4-5 of the options. I know this place hasn't been here too long so hopefully with time, the quality of the service will improve. read more

Garbatella - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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I love the Allison pizza, vodka pasta, beef pasta. Last time I went in I tried something new and had the salmon with risotto! It was so delicious. But was so sad I ended up getting food poisoning from the salmon . I'll stick to pizza and pasta from here on out read more

Ambiance is great - modern elegance. Food was phenomenal! Servers were very cordial - would have been nice to have appetizer plates removed before entrees were served. Chocolate cake was the best ever! read more

I rarely write reviews, but our experience at Garbatella Italiano was so disappointing that I feel compelled to share. We made a reservation two weeks in advance for a very special occasion--my daughter's high school graduation. This was supposed to be a joyful celebration marking a major milestone in her life. When we arrived, we were told the restaurant could not honor our reservation. No apology that felt sincere. Just a dismissive "we have a private event" if we hadn't planned ahead. This wasn't just a dinner--it was a celebration we had been looking forward to for weeks. Because it was graduation weekend, every other restaurant nearby was fully booked, leaving us completely stranded. My daughter, dressed up and excited, was left emotional and embarrassed in front of her friends and family. What should have been one of her proudest moments was marred by careless management and poor customer service. A restaurant that cannot respect reservations, especially on important occasions, is not one I can recommend or trust. The lack of accountability and empathy shown by the staff was simply unacceptable. We will not be returning--and I advise anyone planning a special event to think twice before booking here. On a positive note, My wife was able to make a last minute reservation at a AMAZING RESTAURANT right up the road, Savoie Italian Eatery. This place was amazing and after hearing about what the previous place did they made the night one to remember BY giving us a table for 10 people in a private room for NO EXTRA FEE's. So please think about going to Savoie Italian Eatery for any future events. read more

We had a reservation made a week in advance for a graduation dinner--an important occasion for our family. When we arrived, the restaurant was hosting a private event and had no table for us. No one called to inform us, and no accommodations were made. When we spoke to the manager (who claimed to be the owner's godson), he was extremely rude, dismissive, and unprofessional. He pointed at a sign and told us, "Look at the sign," as if that excused their clear lack of communication or responsibility. Not once did he apologize or try to make things right. If this is how they treat guests--especially those who plan ahead--then I can't imagine the level of disrespect that happens on a regular basis. We left feeling embarrassed and disappointed. Avoid this place if you value customer service and basic courtesy read more

I will promise you this. I will never eat at this establishment again. So unprofessional! We showed up for our 4:45pm reservation to celebrate a graduation/promotion. One of the staff approached us at the door and said we are closed. I let him know my sister has a reservation and he said no. He showed us the sign on the door that said they were closing at 5pm for an event. He was pretty rude and unapologetic about it. He then proceeded to tell me he called ME to tell us our reservation was cancelled and that I didn't answer the phone. First of all, it wasn't MY reservation and I never told him our name so how could he tie us to any unanswered calls. Secondly, hello! Cell phones register calls, missed or not. Lastly, if you did really call, then why didn't you leave a voicemail? Somebody wasn't being truthful and it wasn't us. My sister checked her phone and she has no history of a call from them. This was going to be our second time there. See my first review. I believe in giving places second chances. The first time wasn't the greatest. The service was slow. Food ok. They only had one server for our area. We were there for almost 3 hours. My sister wanted something local because she knew it would be a long day. My nephew wanted Italian and since it was graduation day for a lot of schools in the area and we had a fairly large group, she wanted a place that took reservations "allegedly". This establishment put us in an unfortunate predicament to try to find a restaurant that could accommodate our large party at the last minute without a reservation. Most places didn't have openings until after 7pm. Not exactly how we were expecting for what was supposed to be a day to celebrate my nephew's promotion. As we sat in our car scrambling to find a place to eat, we saw several parties being turned away. I am not sure if they had reservations or not, but wouldn't be surprised if they were in the same boat as us. Next time it will be worth the drive to Coronado to eat Italian food at Il Fornaio. Never once have we had bad service or had a reservation cancelled. We have had parties as large as 15 people with zero issues with the food or service. Shout out to the Manager, Paul, at Outback at Plaza Bonita for accommodating us at the last minute and to Vivian for such great service. Thanks for coming in clutch! My nephew didn't get his Italian food, but we were able to celebrate this milestone having a nice dinner with family. read more

Garbatella - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Cute ambiance but food was overpriced, quality and service was mediocre. Definitely not coming back.

This has become our favorite pasta spot in San Diego! It's a bit on the pricey side, but totally worth it. My fiancé swears their lasagna is the best he's ever had, while I can't get enough of the boscaiola--hands down the best I've tasted! It's our go-to for date nights. The service is excellent, and the pasta always comes out quickly. Highly recommend! read more

Garbatella - Lemon Drop Martini - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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I knew I would love my meal just looking at the menu. The menu clearly describes the decadence of each item. The Caesar salad was good. The crouton crumbs used help you focus on the perfect bite. I ordered the bascoiaola pasta (Italian sausage and cream sauce in penne). It was smooth and flavorable. Leave room for dessert. If it is in season, the lemon croissants and Limoncello cake are on a whole other level of delight. read more

Garbatella - bascoiaola pasta (the sausage cream pasta) - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

A beautiful restaurant, from the murals to the wine walls, to the plant decor, and the live band, it was a great ambiance. Amazing service, especially hosting such a large party. Very attentive waiters. Food was pretty good. My favorite was the vodka shrimp pasta and the Parmesan truffle fries. The fries were flavorful and the sauce/dip for them was amazing! The pasta had a lot of flavor, and the shrimp were very good! The strawberry lemonade I ordered was a bit odd tasting, but it was a request off menu so it was probably made differently than usual ones I've had. The Caesar salad needed just a bit more dressing, but I suppose I could have asked for an extra side of it. Overall I enjoyed this restaurant and would definitely try it again. read more

Garbatella - CESARE - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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The service was very good and the runners were very attentive to detail.. The food was totally lacking in any seasoning, in particular the White Cheesewhell Pasta with shrimp was bland and lacking in color. It's important that the food be appealing to the eyes first as well to the taste, needless to say it was lacking in both! Our $42 Fillet Mignon made up for seasoning as it was bathed in a salty brown sauce. I can't end this review without offering these positive reviews of appetizers, the calamari ,crabcake and lobster mac appetizers and the tiramisu dessert were standouts. Having said that, If we return again it will only be for the Appetizers! read more

By chance we decided to have a bite to eat while running a few errands this morning. We chose to try a new place out and boy I can tell you we were not disappointed. (And those of you that know me know I'm very picky and my critique can bite.) Hubby and I shared 2 plates. The first one was their stuffed chilaquiles. Can someone say delish? It was a perfect portion. The sauce was very flavorful, the presentation was beautiful and everything very tasty . The second was their Limoncello Cakes (pancakes), also very delicious. Great texture, not too sweet and they satisfied the sweet tooth. We were told by our waiter that we were the second customers to have food from the brunch menu. Exciting! Great service, amazing food and happy customers and tastebuds. We'll be back! Brunch anyone????? Garbetella is located in Otay Ranch in the mall next to Chilis. read more

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First time here. Really lovely modern atmosphere. The restaurant feels upscale. Very clean and even though most of the tables are in a wide open space dining room, the lighting and wall dividers full of bottles of wine gives it a very cozy romantic feel. Wheelchair accessible. Located in a huge shopping mall, parking was not a problem. The whole service team was impeccable. Our server was Carlos. Very attentive. And Bravo Carlos for bringing a decadent slice of choc birthday cake w a candle for my companion when I mentioned her special day!! Really great touch. We ate the most delicious bread served with very high quality dipping olive oil and Balsamic vinegar. FYI, there is a small charge for this. My lobster ravioli and lobster mac n cheese were delicious. My companion devoured her penne alla vodka, we also ordered something similar to pizza Margherita. My friends ordered one glass of moscato wine, one limoncello spritzer and I ordered a coke. For three of us, our bill came to 133.24 including tax. Most of the pasta dishes were under 40$. I would definitely go back and I do recommend it. read more

So far so good! I came for take out and had a drink at the bar while I waited. Diego (the bartender) is awesome and recommended a delicious wine. We will definitely be back! Probably Friday when there's a liv DJ. We are so excited for some new options Eastlake. Let's GO! Update: And pizza is good too! read more

Garbatella - Pizza VEGETARIANA - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

We want to celebrate mother's day here as we always do before, love their pasta and pizza also the salads, but yesterday they don't serve the usual menu but instead you need to get their mother's day menu with the food not in our liking. And also included in the menu is wine, which we don't wanma have. And to top it all when we enter nobody explains the menu. We just left and went to another restaurant and we're happy and enjoyed Savoie so much. read more

Love the spaghetti and the Cesar salad together. Pizza is also the bomb. Service is excellent and the ambiance is amazing, especially when the band is there. read more

The ambiance here is amazing! We visited on a Sunday around 1:30 pm and it was a perfect spot for lunch. The server was very attentive and welcoming. The food was delicious! My daughter is a big Italian food lover and she absolutely loved this spot and in her words "we're definitely coming back here mom" So yes, we'll be back for more! Lol! The portion sizes were perfect and not too large, we were able to finish most of our meals. Do not skip dessert! We had the Tiramisu for dessert, sooo good! 10/10 recommend this spot! read more

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Just came here on a date night, I was pleasantly surprised as soon as I walked in. I believe that if you can do simple things right, that usually speaks well of an establishment. So I ordered a standard pepperoni pizza which is called." the Saul." and was shocked on how delicious it was. I also ordered a cheese pasta and it was insanely good. sealed the experience with two awesome cannolis. The service was exceptionally good given it's a new restaurant. My waitress name was Tala.. I think I just found my new favorite restaurant in Chula Vista. They have a good thing going here. read more

Garbatella - Cannolis - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

We were surprised to see this new restaurant. I guess we haven't been in that side of the mall for few months. So, we decided to check it out as my husband love oysters. We certainly like the new inside & very bright decors it such a good ambiance. Our waitress recommended some dishes since it was our first time. The service is excellent and Tala C her name, is great!!! Love all the food that we ordered too. Very well recommendation from Tala. Also told her that I love her name, it means shining star in my language from Philippines. The price is good and for fair as well. Tala also mention about their happy hours from 1 to 4 p.m. that they also have dj. Coz I asked about that cute center where looks like a podium. We will definitely go back! I can't wait to try the other dishes. read more

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Italiano magnifico! A slice of the Old World in Otay! Great food, beautiful decor, and a friendly knowledge staff. read more

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Not only am I sucker for good wood fire pizza but I make my own using the best ingredients and let me tell you that this place does it just right!!!! Everything about this place is great. You have to try the truffle fries . If a Margarita pizza or truffle fries aren't usually don't go back to the place because of other few restaurants that make it right. This place is the standard for high quality and great tasting food. Can't wait to try more! My family and I are totally going back. Ps our server Diego was incredible! Hope we see him again when we come back. read more

Garbatella - Margarita Pizza and Truffle fries - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

We went to celebrate my daughter's birthday. Since the beginning, the staff was great to the attention. The food has been of the best in San Diego, we tried the lasagna and pasta penne al vodka, really creamy and delicious. We are going back to the happy our 1 pm - 5 pm or maybe late to hear the music. read more

Garbatella - LASAGNA DELLA GARBATA - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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Carlos was amazing! From food and wine recommendations to a warm , welcoming attitude, he made our night perfect! We hadn't been here before but we felt like regulars. Thanks for everything! read more

Was pretty disappointed....the calamari had no flavor nor did the cocktail sauce. The scallops were 25$ and only came with 3 small dry pieces...the fettuccini Alfredo also lacked flavor and noodles were more than al dente. The only tasty dish was the seafood pasta. For the prices I expected a little better read more

Garbatella - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Went on a Wednesday evening and it was sort of busy but service was great. I did a simple Cesar salad with grilled chicken. It was really good!! Diego kept checking in on us to make sure we were taken care of and we enjoyed the meal. We also did a pistachio cheesecake and OMMMGGGGG my new fave!! read more

We had Carlos as our server and he made our dinner great he was very tentive. The atmosphere ,food and entertainment was awesome. This is a great place to go if you want a very different vibe and great food. We will be back. Thank you for your great service. read more

The place was okay. Came in for an early dinner around 3pm with some girlfriends. There is a cute Cafe with desserts right up front. This would be a good place to stop in for quick dessert.. coffee.. and Gelato! We ate inside. I ordered a cappuccino and the vodka shrimp. It was good but a little skimpy on the shrimp. My friends salad with shrimp had more shrimp than my pasta. A lot of the food tasted like something from another Italian place... so it's hard to find something that stood out. The kids menu was simple.. pasta.. chicken tenders.. and I forget the 3rd option. Our waitress Tala was good and really sweet. This place is good for Italian food in the area. read more

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New spot in the community opened up and decided to give it a try! Upon entry, it took a bit of time for a waiter to recognize us. My first impression of the restaurant was it looked high end on the inside with nice decor and can immediately turn into an intimate dinner date. My boyfriend and I came in to celebrate our anniversary. Here are some items we ordered: -Drinks: draft beer & white sangria -bread & oil with balsamic vinegar (9.5/10) probably my favorite part of the meal however I wish the bread was warmed up a bit! -calamari fritti (7/10) the breading on the calamari easily fell off, but flavor was still good -gianluca pizza -papardelle 4 formaggi (strong Parmesan taste, no meat included in the pasta) My experience here was just okay. Unfortunately, I was not blown away by any of the items on the menu. I wish the carbonara was available during the time I went - would like to give it a try another day! The service was timely and drinks were delish. read more

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Dinner reservations for Father's Day- it was our first time here and service was excellent. Diana was patient and her recommendations were on point. Our girls got artichoke pizza, I got the seafood linguine, and my husband got the Father's Day special that consisted of the pulpo, steak, and then limoncello cake for dessert. My only complaint is the dessert.. perhaps it was a lot more frosting than it was actually cake. But it was still eaten nonetheless. It's a great addition to the Otay area and looking to come again for their brunch! read more

Garbatella - Italian Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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Not too bad! The ambiance is great and the live music was lovely! Prices for food isn't too bad but my pasta was hard and the bread we ordered was salty. Give this place a try! Wouldn't come back as I think there was better options. read more

Delicious food and drinks! Service can be slow so be patient. I've tried multiple dishes and they were all great plus they make a great Carajillo! read more

I came on a Friday night! Wow , the ambience is tremendous. They have an opera singer that is incredible. Sat at the bar and had some appetizers . Service was excellent. From the GM to the bartenders. Place is only 5 Mon old and working on every detail to make it better & better. read more

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The food was okay, nothing special. You get bread and evo and balsamic to dip. Our server Tala was a sweet heart and attentive. The decorations and mural or stage was cute ...the server mentioned it was a stage for live music on the weekends. They had a full bar...but most interestingly a coffee shop at the front entrance with deserts! I actually enjoyed the cappiccinno and desert more than the entree itself. read more

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