Birthdays are the best at Limoncello! Every dish was so delicious the grilled octopus as an appetizer is a must. The perfectly prepared brand, Zeno, as well as the beet salad with fresh strawberries... And of course, the lemon cello dessert was divine.... We absolutely loved celebrating and enjoying the beautiful patio and the music. The owners are so gracious.... And the service is five star all the way around very dog friendly so many cute doggies. Parking is ample. You must try this beautiful Amalfi coast restaurant read more

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Was my first time there, and I was recommended by a few people. The waitress was very friendly however, the short ribs that I got didn't have a lot of flavor seemed like it was overcooked or just reheated. It was very chewy. It wasn't tender and it wasn't hot. It was warm.. The atmosphere is very loud and the price of the short ribs is $40 with a Phil that I was overpriced. Should've been maybe $22. I ordered a Coke zero which was five dollars. That was never offered any refills. They don't offer complementary bread you have to pay five dollars for five slices. read more

Limoncello Ristorante - Short ribs - Italian Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

I picked up food at this restaurant last week and I have to say that the vibe inside was really exciting. The Staff were fantastic on the phone and when I picked up my food. The patrons in the restaurant seemed to be having a really good time and frankly, I was sad that I was taking my food home and not eating in. I took away a star because the food wasn't as good as I hoped it would be when I got home. I have to say that the vibe in the restaurant was so great that I want to go back and try the food again. read more

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This was a lucky find. No, an extremely lucky find! We came in with solid expectations based on the near-perfect 4.9/5.0 star reviews, anticipating something above average. What we didn't expect was to be completely blown away by the ambiance, the service, and the food. If Yelp allowed it, this place would easily earn six stars. It's no surprise this restaurant is clearly loved by the locals. You could tell immediately - staff greeting regulars by name, easy rapport, and a steady stream of familiar faces. That alone speaks volumes. My wife kept repeating, "This was such a good find," and we'll absolutely be recommending it to friends and family. Now, the food. The pizzas were outstanding. So good that you instinctively reach for seconds. I ordered the White Pineapple pizza, and even my wife (who hates pineapple) ended up stealing a few slices. That says everything. Even the kids' French fries were memorable: crispy, well-seasoned, and far from an afterthought. The calamari was so good that it may have ruined calamari at other restaurants for me, perfectly cooked and incredibly flavorful. The true standout, though, was our server Simone's recommendation: the Gamberoni. Plump, perfectly cooked shrimp paired with fresh pasta and a beautifully balanced sauce made for a truly divine dish. It's the kind of plate that makes you wish more Italian restaurants would put Gamberoni on their menu. And then came dessert, the Affogato. Hot espresso poured over ice cream created this rich, creamy contrast of bitter and sweet that was simple, elegant, and downright indulgent. A perfect way to end the meal. Without hesitation: five stars and more. Also, Simone's sincere friendliness and attentiveness deserves Kudos - 25% tip, absolutely deserving. We'll be back. read more

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Always stellar service, this time from Kim. Greeted by Giovanni and Tony today. Stellar Italian food, all freshly prepared from scratch everyday. This time the Risotto di Bue, with sides of the meatballs and spaghetti aglio e olio and very nice Howell Mountain cab from Moone Tsai. We arrived shortly after opening, so it was not as noisy as it can be, making it so we were able to converse at normal levels. At other times, inside or out, it can be loud but not so much to keep us from returning. read more

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We had heard that this restaurant was the best Italian food in Orange County and after only one visit we can confirm that and believe me we will be back for more. Reservations are a must as it us popular. The patio is perfect given the weather here. The menu is extensive and fairly priced. I have heard that the lasagna is amazing but I picked ossobucco tortellini with "Italian bacon" and a velvety mushroom truffle butter sauce. My Companion loved the fettuccine with chicken. All pastas al dente as they should be. read more

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Came here on a Monday for dinner and had such a great experience. We started with the tomato and burrata appetizer, followed by a margherita pizza and spicy pasta, and finished with a delicious chocolate cake. We ate very last morsel!! Soo good! The restaurant is absolutely beautiful, decorated with lemons everywhere--it creates such a bright and charming atmosphere. Our waitress, Antonella, was incredibly patient and sweet, and one of the owners even came by to greet us, which was a really nice touch.We can't wait to come back! read more

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Favorite Italian restaurant in OC! Best pasta, salads and bread. The management is the friendliest and always remembers us. Love this place! read more

Great place. Food was very well done. Service was great. Nice patio. Prompt service. Will for sure come back.

Loved the food. Service could have been better. It would be nice if they asked when they deliver the food to the table if you need anything. Maybe it was because it was a busy night? We tried to flag down several wait staff and they looked at us and looked away. We had the diabola pizza and the chicken limoncello. Both were delicious. Good wine list. read more

Limoncello Ristorante - Chicken limoncello - Italian Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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Delicious food! We got the arancini and pera salad to start - both were fantastic. We also got chicken parm and short ribs . The pastas were delicious - perfectly cooked. The chicken parm was outstanding. The short ribs were flavorful and tender. We also got NA beer and peach mocktail- both were excellent, the mocktail not too sweet. Attentive service. We enjoyed the outdoor seating with heaters. read more

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Love this spot! Amazing food, relaxing indoor/outdoor vibe, fantastic service and the live music was great for a Sunday evening out with the family. Our table tried the bread basket, calamari, pizza (pineapple and pear/burrata), braised short ribs and the standout for me was the gamberoni! If you enjoy shrimp/ seafood in general, this is a dish to try. The pasta was thick, chewy and filling. The sauce was rich, earthy and flavorful. The shrimp (4 huge ones) were juicy and perfectly cooked. Our server recommended the dish and said they tasted like lobster - he was not wrong! I enjoyed my mocktail (like a pina colada), and the kids had blueberry & passion fruit lemonade. Finished off with lemon sorbet. Delightfully sweet and refreshing! read more

This was our first time at Limoncello and it certainly won't be our last. We were craving Italian food and I was surprised to find the amazing reviews for this restaurant. Naturally, we had to give it a try and we are so happy we did. The restaurant itself is inviting and beautiful. I actually love the blue and yellow bright logo and inviting hostess station outside. There is plenty of seating on the patio, fully equipped with heaters, and indoor seating. Our waitress was so kind and her smile was infectious! She made sure to check on us periodically, was fast, and appreciative. It was amazing seeing how home-y this restaurant was. The staff seemed to know people, often stopping to give a warm hug or hello to a table. It was so refreshing! Now, the food... my goodness. The calamari was fresh, lightly breaded, and flavorful with the peppers and bits of vegetables. We love tasting the calamari at different restaurants because the dish can be truly made unique, but this calamari stood out simply because of the freshness and the tenderness. Highly recommend. The butcher pizza was amazing! We don't normally get a heavy meat pizza but the Italian ham sounded enticing and it did not disappoint. It was smoky and savory, which complimented the saltiness of the cheese, all on the perfectly cooked and crispy pizza dough. We opted for the Sofia Loren based on our waitresses recommendation and found the pasta to be perfectly al dente and the sherry sauce to be indulgent. Finally, we had to try the tiramisu. We have family members who are very passionate about a good tiramisu and this one was simply divine. The ratio of coffee and liquor and cream was beautifully presented and may be my favorite to date (just don't tell my family). This is a 10/10 restaurant. A new favorite. An Italian staple. I can't wait to bring more friends and family! Thank you for a great experience! read more

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Made a reservation for a weekend dinner. Food comes out really quick even though the restaurant is pretty full. We ordered: - Beef short ribs: excellent marinade and pull apart meat, and the truffle flavor on the noodles was great. - Drinks - limoncello aperol (sweet and light), chardonnay - Risotto ravello: Was good but would recommend ordering by Risotto di Bue instead, that one is fantastic - Sweet diavola pizza: super nice pizza love the thin dough. Toppings are packed w flavor we were impressed by this one - sofia loren: easily the highlight dish. thick noodles are cooked really nicely and the sauce and the shrimp perfect - Beef carpaccio: the toppings kind of mask the flavor of the raw beef slices but it is very tasty. Overall vibes are really nice for a dinner out/birthday. Decor is nice and there is heaters in the patio seating. Will be back for sure! read more

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Service was disorganized, slow, and inconsistent and the overall experience was disappointing.

Limoncello is wonderful restaurant off Rancho a Viejo Road in San Juan Capistrano . We enjoyed the lovely outdoor patio seating on a nice summer date night. Our waitress was helpful in suggesting dishes, since this was our first time dining here. They have a wonderful cocktail menu. I opted for Limoncello Spritz and my husband hand the Hawaiian. Both drinks were refreshing. For a starter we ordered fresh baked bread with the pesto spread. The pesto spread was delightful and added just the right texture to the bread. I opted for the SORRENTO pasta and my husband had the short rib plate. The pasta is homemade and the waitress informed us the flour is imported from Italy. The portions are big so come hungry. We couldn't resist sharing the spumoni. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Everyone on the staff was so accommodating and the service was excellent. I can't wait to go back. read more

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Such a lovely Italian restaurant! The entrance is inviting and the inside decor is engaging with lemons hanging from the ceiling. The outside patio is covered and has overhead heaters that are perfectly placed for comfort. The menu features unique dishes and they offer nightly specials. Prices are moderate. The only downside is paying for water and bread - both are not complementary. The food was delicious and filing. I had their rigatoni with Italian sausage and the flavor was beautiful (10/10). We also tried their eggplant parmigiana which was flavorful but had a bit too much cheese for my liking. Very attentive service that was warm and friendly. I would come back again to try some other items. read more

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We were looking for someplace new to go to on a Saturday night. I had seen good reviews for Limoncello in San Juan Cap. We decided to make a reservation. Glad we did as when we arrived it was packed. Good sign. We were warmly greeted and show to our table. Our server was very friendly and explained a few dishes and recommended dishes that we were unsure about. Started with Meatballs and a Caesar salad. The sauce and the Polpette were delicious. We ordered extra bread to sop up the sauce. Cesare salad was nice and bright but it wasn't my favorite. Maybe needed more garlic or anchovies. Ordered Spaghetti Positano, Shortribs and Racioli. All of them really delicious. Seasoned perfectly. Pasta cooked al dente. Finished it with a Spumoni dessert. The best we've ever had. We were very impressed with the quality of the food. We'll put this restaurant on our rotation for sure. read more

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This restaurant is tucked away in San Juan Capistrano. We came in a Saturday night at 6;00, it was super busy, however, we were able to get a table for two outside, which was fine, because we have a dog. We started off with some cocktails and the burrata & prosciutto appetizer, it was good- i don't think I would order again, but worth a try. Dinner was the Sofia Loren, for a cream sauce I walked away not feeling full, we did share it, but typically it would fill me up, so I loved it. Great flavor!! We will be back!! oh, and the apricot old fashion- a must!! My husband had it, and I will definitely give it a try next time. read more

Limoncello Ristorante - SOFIA LOREN - Italian Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Ordered takeout. The lasagne was really good and was a big portion! I think it might be a mixture of sausage and beef. It's a rich, flavorful dish. The eggplant parmigiana was good, but not what I expected. I was expecting a traditional heeded and fried version, but it was mushy. It was tasty, just not what I expected. The meatballs were not great. You could see chunks of bread mixed into them. They were not very memorable, but the marinara sauce was really good and fresh. It comes with grilled sourdough bread slices. They were light and fluffy and perfect for sopping up the sauce! read more

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It's easy to see why Limoncello has gotten so many excellent reviews ~ Their dishes range from Tuscan to Roman to Napoli in style reflecting numerous styles of exceptionally prepared Italian dishes. Service was prompt, frequent, and professional - Maddie (and others) checked us often and answered all of our many questions. I'm so glad that we found Limoncello ~ and can't wait to return for the atmosphere ~ and to work our way through the amazing menu choices!!! read more

First time visit and it was a very pleasant surprise. It's a cute large restaurant with lots of outdoor seating. I love the bright blue and yellow colors that remind me of the Italian coast. The service was exceptional from the moment we arrived. We were seated immediately and a server quickly approached us to get our drink order. He followed up shortly for appetizers and then our dinner order. The food came out within just a couple of minutes and everything looked and tasted great. This was the best Italian food we've had in a while and we agreed we'd all be back again soon. read more

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Went to Limoncello for a rehearsal dinner (so we had a really big group) and the service was so good even though they were dealing with multiple tables of people! My glass was never empty, and all the servers were very helpful when people had questions. The food was absolutely delicious and the tiramisu was amazing. The seafood ravioli was my favorite! read more

Limoncello Ristorante - Italian Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

We Love this place! We have literally taken about 100 people to eat there. Groups of 10, 4,6, 12. We love their food, we love their ambiance, and we love the music on Sundays. read more

Limoncello Ristorante - Had a great time listening to music on Sunday night around 5 pm. - Italian Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Great little place, with a super atmosphere. The pizza was good. The salad was good, everything that we had actually was a good quality and very tasty. read more

We went here for our anniversary and it was delicious. Portions were great and food was super flavorful. Our server was okay.. missing 75% of the time. Didn't see her after she took our order until she brought the dessert menu, but we had been finished for a while. But the server in the section next to her was incredible and was super sweet with our little one and helped us out a lot. Customers were super sweet, too. Definitely would go back, but hope to have a better server. We ordered the limoncello and hazelnut cake, and she brought us the chocolate cake pictured for our anniversary, which was very thoughtful and appreciated. read more

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Try the lasagna it was delicious and so was the rigitoni cafone , very rich, but if you like truffle flavor, it was fantastic. I had the pappardelle salsiccia and it was disappointing this time but big portions ! read more

Great good, wonderful service and ambiance! Everything we have tried, we have loved! Owners are friendly; servers are too! The good is really good! read more

Came in for an early dinner Saturday nigh. We were seated promptly and watched the restaurant fill up fast. Great crowd vibe. The lemons on the ceiling are cute! We ordered the two specials; veal scallopini with artichokes and prosciutto-wrapped halibut. Both were delicious! The service is outstanding with a great husband -wife team that makes me feel like I'm in Italy. They have beautiful sincere smiles. read more

Limoncello Ristorante - Halibut - Italian Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Charming restaurant, great ambiance and delicious pastas- what more can you ask for? We loved Limoncello and we will be back.

Lovely ambience in SJC. Delicious food and good portions. Service is also very good. We love the beautiful patio and take our friends here when they are visiting. read more

Limoncello Ristorante delivered an exceptional dining experience from start to finish. The food was truly spectacular, each dish was thoughtfully prepared, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The service was equally impressive, attentive without being intrusive, and the staff ensured that every aspect of our visit was seamless and enjoyable. What makes the experience even more remarkable is the value. The pricing is extremely reasonable for the quality of cuisine and service provided. The ambiance strikes a perfect balance, warm, inviting, and ideal for both a relaxed evening out, and a special occasion. An added bonus is that they are pet-friendly, which makes it even easier to enjoy a great meal without compromise. I will absolutely be returning in the near future and highly recommend Limoncello Ristorante to anyone looking for an outstanding dining experience. read more

Our favorite restaurant for Italian food and drinks! There are 3 Italian brothers who started this restaurant and they know how to do it!