I spent a solid half hour calling around for local Italian spots that make their pasta in-house. It's crazy how many "Italian" restaurants don't make their own noodles. After a disappointing experience at Renato's, I was determined to scratch my Italian itch and get some damn fresh pasta! The fiancé and I came around 9pm and were seated right away. Hostess was really nice and recommended some of her favorite dishes. Our server was this charming, older Italian gentleman with the accent and everything. He was a little gruff at first but he warmed up a lot more as the night progressed. Free bread was delish. I legit did not need olive oil and vinegar; I ate it on its own and loved every bite. I got the fettuccine mare i monti which is basically fettuccine with shrimp and Porcini Alfredo mushroom sauce. Y'all, that ish was the bOmB like oMG! I wish I could be more eloquent about it, but my pasta was LIT, FAM (is that what the cool kids say these days?) the fresh fettuccine mixed with the creamy mushroom Alfredo just melts in your mouth with every bite. I don't think I can ever eat store bought pasta again. The fiancé had their tortellini with braised beef and that was also AMAZING. He tried one of their meatballs which he said was just ok. I didn't try it but I had some of the marinara, and as a person who doesn't particularly enjoy marinara, I was a fan. read more

Luna Rossa - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

Tip: Yelp check-in for 20% off! I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely atmosphere and good food at Luna Rossa! I have walked past this restaurant a couple of times but never felt strongly enough to try it. I came here for lunch last week with a couple of co-workers, and we were pleased with the food, the service and the overall atmosphere - but overall, I think everything is a little on the pricey side. (hence why the Yelp check-in is a must-use) Their menu includes the typical Italian staples - mainly salads, paninis, pizza, and pasta. They also have an extensive wine list and a good selection of desserts. We started with the fried calamari, which was served with a light tomato sauce and squeezed lemon juice. I thought it was quite delicious - even though it was fried, it wasn't too greasy or crunchy. For our main dish, we tried the salmon penne pasta. The sauce was really flavorful, but it was pretty light on the salmon pieces and we were surprised at the portion size. It was a bit small, considering it cost $12.95, although I think this was the "lunch special" portion. For dessert, I would definitely recommend trying the Exotic Bomba sorbet! We were huge fans of this - a mixture of mango, passion fruit & raspberry sorbet served in flaky white chocolate shells. This dessert was really creative and worth the $7.50 price tag. We also tried the classic tiramisu, which was pretty decent, but nothing too special. Big shout out to our waiter, Stefano, who was super fun and such a nice Italian gentleman. He called us Princesses, taught us some Italian, and just provided great service. I will keep Luna Rossa in mind the next time I'm craving some nice Italian food and a pleasant experience. read more

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My bf and I were starving so we decided to go to Luna Rossa b/c it's conveniently located next to the movies. Got seated right away, food was delicious. However the service wasn't the best. Waited a while for the waiter to even greet us. We ordered our food specifically asked for no onion on the pizza. Food finally comes out and the pizza has onion all over it. The food runner apologized and quickly took it back. But our server NOT ONCE came to check on us. A girl couldn't even get a water refill. read more

Luna Rossa - Chicken parm - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

Amazing food and wine! Great night out with beautiful ambiance. The lighting at night is really pretty would highly recommend and evening experience. I made a reservation but they don't seem necessary. Quiet and quick service :) read more

Oh my goodness, such yummy food and such wonderful service. Our server, Patrick, is just the best, and I mean that genuinely. He's charismatic, attentive, and also has a good sense of humor. Though...I do hope by stating that on here you don't expect him to be cracking jokes at your visit...because I don't want to set that expectation! Since it was our first time there, he took a few minutes to give us some background on Luna Rossa: the owners are from Rome, and everything is made fresh to order, so everything can be customized. So if you want a different type of pasta with different sauce, it can all be done! The dishes here are smaller portioned. I think it was perfect for lunch though, because I generally don't like to have a heavy lunch, especially during the work week because of the food coma I get when I return to the office afterwards. Ambiance is actually really nice: surprising for the District. They have a romantic patio area as well and having been to Italy myself, I can probably are trying to recreate the simple elegance of Rome, and kudos to them for that attempt, but it really just isn't the same. However, it all still is quite lovely for what it is. In all, it is nice place, and honestly, the service is what really made Luna Rossa the most pleasant experience. Thank you! read more

If you like Italian dishes that are classic and prepared to order, this place is for you. We have been here several times, and never been disappointed. The chef is from Rome and makes everything from scratch. Service is impeccable, and you are free to request that they make a dish to order (i.e. you like the sauce on one, but the pasta and ingredients on another, no problem). It takes a bit of time to get food, but considering all of the previous, it's well worth it. I highly recommend the white / red sangria; it's also made in house. Unfortunately I've been so stuffed every time we come I have yet to try out a dessert, so can't recommend too much that way. It's a bit on the pricier side, but if you are on a date night, want to treat yourself, or don't care about things like that - then game on! Overall: A+ Always a winning night out. read more

It's been a week and I still remember Stefano's name (our server). Though he was our server, he was also a source of entertainment for the birthday girl and our party of 8. The guy does his job well, making you feel welcomed, educating you on the food/wine, and cracking jokes. There are lots of additional bonus goodies here, the polenta/short rib combo, an antipasti platter, bread, and we ended up getting free dessert and moscato wine all around. Score! This was all in addition to the 20% deal if you check in on Yelp (we ended up opting for the 50% off wine Mondays, which ended up being the better deal... you can't apply both discounts). My truffle infused risotto was just that... truffle flavor overload to the max! The rice was a bit more al dente than I would have liked, but definitely still edible. Everyone else didn't seem to have any issues with their dishes so that's always a plus! Pretty solid dining experience... don't really hang out in the District area too much but will keep this place in the mind if I ever have to make dinner plans here. read more

Luna Rossa - Truffle risotto - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

I've been to this restaurant twice now for a holiday dinner and pre-NYE dinner and was pleased with my experiences. I used the Yelp check-in 20% off deal both times and had no issues with it. I like that an Italian restaurant opened up since the area is lacking in this cuisine. I usually prefer hole in the wall Italian joints, but this is a fancier place, with fancier prices of course. Dishes I love are the vegerterian lasagna (special of the night), regular lasagna with pink sauce added on top, and meat pizza. The complimentery bread is pretty tasty too. Everything was fresh and piping hot while not dripping with melty cheese - a sign the rest of the ingredients can shine on their own. I'm not sure I would visit often without a coupon, but this place is worth checking out on a date night before a movie. read more

Luna Rossa - Vegetarian lasagna - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

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Came back to Luna Rossa for lunch with a couple of coworkers to give it another try and it was definitely different than the first time. The Bruschetta Al Pomodoro appetizer was just as good as I remembered. I definitely recommend it if you are dining here. While I ordered the same appetizer as before, I decided to stay away from the Chicken Masala. This time I ordered a pasta dish with their pesto sauce. Although the chicken was a bit on the drier side, the pasta was al dente just the way I like it and the pesto sauce was very creamy and delicious (and really bad for my diet, I am sure). The service was also a lot quicker than the previous visit and we while we were able to get back to work on time, we were able to get back to work on time... read more

Luna Rossa - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

My daughter was craving Italian food for her birthday, so we decided to try this place for dinner since we had a 30% off mailer coupon. It was Monday and I called earlier in the day to make reservations at 6:45p for 6 people, but maybe because people were still on vacation (it was right after New Year's), the place was pretty empty when we arrived that evening. Well, of course I forgot to bring the mailer coupon (KMN), but a Yelp check-in yielded a 20% off coupon so I didn't have to have a total anxiety attack. I ordered the Penne al Pollo e Broccoli ($15) - penne pasta in a light cream sauce with chicken, broccoli, shallots, and sun dried tomatoes, and shared a Caesar salad ($9?) with my sister. My dish, as well as everyone else's dish (yes, I tried them) was on the rich side, but tasty. Although we were all so stuffed (ate one too many pieces of bread), we really wanted to try some of their desserts and took home a Strawberry Tiramisu and Panna Cotta (our server advised us that they won't look as neat in a take out container, LOL). Although service was slow considering how empty it was, our server was nice, and the food was pretty good, including the bread (I loved the Strawberry Tiramisu). I'd probably come back here again during the week if I get another coupon (otherwise, it can get expensive). read more

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5 Star Service and 4.5 Star Food!! This is our second time dining at Luna Rossas and the service has been amazing each time. Special shoutout to Stefano for making our whole table smile and laugh! Our favorites: - Calamari Fritti: perfectly crispy with a yummy dipping sauce. It's really not spicy at all. - Caesar Salad: refreshing, and something light for the table. - Tortellacci: Easily their best dish!! Each bite is so rich, so we recommend sharing. Every time we order this the plate is licked clean. - Lasagna Classica: Yummy, filling, and tastes like the ultimate comfort food. - Penne Alla Vodka: the pickiest eater in my family absolutely loved this dish, and we all agreed it had great flavor. - Panna Cotta: Delicious!! Get it!! - Strawberry Tiramisu: perfect for the picky eater who doesn't like a traditional coffee tasting tiramisu. It does have the faintest taste of liquor; however, with the fresh strawberries and cream, it is delicious! So-so Dishes: - Risotto Crema Di Scampi: The rice and shrimp were cooked perfectly, it just fell a little flat compared to the others at the table. I would've loved it with some peas and a squeeze of fresh lemon. - Risotto Al Funghi Porcini: same notes as above. - Creme Brule: It was fine just a little bland. We would've preferred a better crust on top. It really didn't stand a chance against the panna cotta. All in all such a fun family spot, or romantic date-night spot. Thank you again to our amazing server, Stefano. We can't wait to come back! read more

This place has some very good pasta items & others just so so. But what has upset me is trying to purchase a small container of the balsamic vinegar & oil to go when ordering to go. It must be the stingy chef who doesn't allow you to have any more than his tiny portion of this dipping combo for your bread. I offered on many occasions to purchase it because it's not enough for one slice of Italian bread. The waiters will come back & say oh there's some in there??? Right for maybe a 1/2 slice of bread? He doesn't want to sell it to a paying customer?? I thought they were in business to sell food. The poor waiters!! The size of your lasagna varies from person to person I guess. It's never standard. And it's not cheap almost $30 a slice. Be aware. read more

This place had me at truffles. They offer an array of truffle dish. The tortellacci stuffed with braised beef and shaved truffles was rich & devine. Another surprisingly yummy dish was their lasagna. The sauce is on spot and makes me want to try their bolognese pasta dish next time. Service and ambience is relaxing. read more

Luna Rossa - Tortellacci pasta with shaved truffles - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

We have always loved the food here. Now that we are in a pandemic, we love this place even more! They have always had a nice outside patio which has a larger footprint than the inside of the restaurant. We have visited twice now for dinner and always feel very safe. Their menu is viewed on your phone. We have never had a bad meal here. We are in love with their pasta dishes. Their minestrone soup is a clear broth with numerous veggies. You get a bread basket with italian bread and lively salted flatbread triangles. They have great pizza here also. Come and try thus place. The owner's wife is a teacher so you can support a teacher by frequenting this restaurant read more

A Black women and a Jewish man walk into an Italian restaurant and are greeted by an Asian man... Yeah, this sounds like an off colored joke! But, what happened to us, was not funny. On a slow Thursday night we entered and near empty restaurant, eager to enjoy good food. Instead we were told there was no room because we did not have a reservation. My partner and I looked at each other, after only seeing three tables occupied, in disbelief. "Is he for real?", we thought to ourselves. Feeling resolve to punish us for not having a reservation, he offered us a table located by the entrance, where the chilly night air would flood the table each time the door opened. Again, more than 80% of the tables were empty, at 7:30 pm. He had already missed the dinner rush. At last, I was so disgusted and disappointed about his behavior that I insisted that we eat elsewhere. So, we left and dined elsewhere where we were treated with respect. Just out of fairness, I walked pass the resturant again. One hour later, the resturant was still empty, with only three tables seated. Who knew what sinister motives that host had. Whatever motivated him, it wasn't right and it freaked my out. So, the food might be good, but I will never know because of the bad service. Shame on you! read more

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We chose this restaurant because of the limited amount of restaurants available. Unbeknownst to us, this place is a hidden Gem!!!! The food was spectacular, the service was amazing and the atmosphere was perfect. I had the tortellini with short ribs and was utterly impressed. I highly recommend eating here not only during covid (to support our local restaurants) but all the time. I will for sure be eating here in the near future. read more

I Love Luna Rossa, been dining here for 2 years. Was never disappointed with their pizza and pasta. This time, there are no Polenta and no antipasto platter (You don't offer it anymore?) but not a big deal. Ordered a pasta, a pizza, and an appetizer. Thank you chef, food was all delicious !! Bill came, card swiped, and here comes the problem for the 1 Star rating. DO YOU GUYS THINK NO ONE CHECK THEIR CARD BILL OR WHAT? MARK UP THE TIPS BY $6 YOURSELF, YOU THINK THAT'S OK? NO THAT'S NOT OK, AND THAT'S ILLEGAL. Come on now ! read more

My wife and I have been coming to this place for years. This place is hands down our favorite Italian restaurant outside of Italy. The food is cooked using quality ingredients and we've always had great service. read more

My cousin and I had dinner here on a Wednesday night, it wasn't too busy but we made reservations just in case. The food is pretty good, she got a lobster ravioli that she was pretty satisfied with and I had originally wanted the lobster tail spaghetti but unfortunately they ran out of lobster tail so I order the penne alla vodka. My dish was good, nothing too special about it though. We ordered the white sangria and another drink that were both excellent. I think I enjoyed the sangria more than the dish itself. Our service was good, our server was very attentive to our needs and extremely polite. The atmosphere is very nice, the decor is intimate and perfect for any date night. I do want to come back and try the lobster spaghetti or another dish unique to this restaurant but for anyone looking for a bomb white sangria, this is the place, FYI it only comes per glass and the glasses aren't as full as you would hope. read more

This pleasant place in the district has authentic cuisine and friendly staff as well as a number of cocktail options. The pizza is really good and they have a decent wine selection. The Patio is great when the weather is favorable. Some of the dishes area a bit pricey for what you get, however. read more

The food was delicious. Our first visit here. The staff were friendly. I had the chicken marsala and it was the best I have ever had! The portions were so large that I had 2 other meals from it. My husband had a meat pizza and loved it. The crust was light and tasty. He also had 2 other meals from his pizza. read more

I felt like pasta so I yelped a place near my house and came upon this place. - egg plant with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese: I must admit when my bf ordered it, it seemed gross. I'm not really into egg plant. when it came out it was sliced egg plant (not cubed) and tasted very good! it wasn't too salty. I thought it would be a little sour because of the marinara sauce but it the sauce perfectly complimented the egg plant. I recommend this dish! $10.99 (FYI this dish wasn't on the menu) - fettuccine Alfredo $12.95 with chicken (add $3.50) and shrimp (add $4.50): this was my second favorite dish. I liked it because it was creamy and just the right amount of salty. we went during lunch so it was a little bit cheaper but with our add ons it came out kinda pricey. the shrimp was so good! but the chicken wasn't worth the add on - carbonara with ham $ 16.00 and chicken (add $3.50): this dish was expensive because it wasn't on the lunch menu so ordered it from the dinner menu. the waiter recommended this and said it was very popular. I did not like it as much. I thought it was more plain than the Alfredo sauce. the sauce was less thick and it was less salty than the Alfredo. I can taste the wine that was used. I love spaghetti noodles and this one was cooked perfectly. if you don't like your pasta creamy or salty, this one would be good. again, the chicken was okay but not worth the add on. the waiters were very friendly and checked up on us often. read more

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A very delicious Italian Restaurant. I tried the spaghetti with clams in a whitewine sauce and garlic, and my husband tried the Chicken Alfredo and neither one disappointed. The cocktails are also tasty, we tried the Hell or Hibiscus and the Sangria, both were delicious. The waiters and servers are all very attentive and kind, excellent customer service. We will definitely need to come back. Excellent spot for a date night! read more

Luna Rossa - Hell or Hi- biscus? Definitely Heaven ;) - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

I went here on Valentine's Day and I was blown away! Environment: (5/5) The place was decorated in a classic Italian restaurant look... But on this day, each table had a cute Valentine's Day setup. A flower, white tablecloth, and every girl got a red heart balloon! Very cute! Food: (5/5) I had penne al pollo e broccoli. I was very impressed! At this restaurant, they make their own pasta, so it tasted so fresh and was perfectly cooked. The gnocchi is also a good try! Each one is hand made (as told by the waiter) and is very flavorful. I'd definitely order this again. Service: (5/5) The server was very attentive. I asked him about a few dishes and he was very thorough. This place feels very genuine. Would come back! Everything about this place is great. read more

Luna Rossa - Chicken broccoli penne at top Gnocchi at bottom - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

Luna Rossa is a gem in The District. All of the previous restaurants at this location has failed but this one has stood strong with reason. Whenever I go the service is impeccable. The food is on par and very authentic. My favorite would have to be the lasagna which is freshly made. They used to have this amazing polenta antipasto but with days notice they can make it for you. Their pizza is very thin which I love and the crust is the perfect texture. You can tell that they pay attention to the ingredients and the quality. On weekends they have live music outside as well which makes the perfect ambiance. read more

Luna Rossa - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

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This food is SO good. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. This is the penne all's vodka w chicken and mushrooms and broccoli. Sauce is perfectly creamy and so tasty The tortillaci- woah. Short ribs stuffed almost raviolis in a black truffle sauce. sO good read more

Luna Rossa - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

Luna Rossa surprised me, I wasn't expecting the food to be as authentic and fabulous but it was. We stopped in after a movie for dinner and got in not too long before the kitchen was set to close. The hostess was very busy but sat us fairly quickly. Everything on the menu sounded delicious but I went with the fetuccini with mushrooms and shrimp in alfredo sauce. We started with meatballs as an appetizer but they were still a bit cool inside. They also give you a complimentary appetizer of polenta which was so freaking good I wanted to lick the small plate. You also get bread and oil to start your meal with. They didn't take long to bring out our meal and it looked great, the pasta looked fresh don't know if they make it in house though. The shrimp had so much flavor and a decent number of them are given in the dish. The alfredo sauce was also mention worthy, probably one of the best I've had. I had more than half to take home after filling up on bread and appetizers so there was no room for dessert. Our waiter was also very busy but very friendly and accomodating. I look forward to my next visit. read more

Luna Rossa - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

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Came here for dinner with parents and in laws to celebrate my husbands birthday. The owner or manager is this really friendly italian man, who makes you feel at ease. 5 stars because literally every dish we ordered was drool worthy. We got the cioppino, which was a seafood stew with angel hair pasta. It was packed with seafood like calamari, mussels, clams, octopus, like the whole ocean in a bowl in a light tomato broth. We also ordered the risotto, which was so flavorful. Another got the gnocchi. The texture was great, chewy and soft and not overcooked. The alfredo fettuccini was "the bomb" in the words of my husband. Though simple, it was flavorful. Portions were huge, bread basket was great, too. Definitely a must go. read more

A great place for a dinner date! Sitting outside, listening to live music while sipping wine and eating pasta is the perfect combination!

I know in previous reviews I've said there just isn't any acceptable Italian food in OC. Finally! Excellent food and excellent service. We had a large group and Stefano was the best server I've seen in all of Orange County. The food, amazing. I had "mezzo petto di pollo al parmigiana". I can't say the pasta was amazing, but it was prepared just right. The sauce, perfetto! The chicken, delizioso. And the bread... The wonderbread, cut the crust off my sandwich crowd just has no idea what good bread is. But it was the best bread I've seen in OC. You know you have fake sourdough/french/italian bread when the holes are tiny. This was the real deal, the texture was right and the taste was right. I suggest next time someone mentions going to someplace like Olive Garden that you offer to drive, drive past it and come straight over to Luna Rossa! I'm a now a permanent fan and plan to come back regularly. read more

I happened to be at the district came across this restaurant! & let me tell you it was delicious. The pasta was amazing the sauce was just right. If your in the area stop by read more

My favorite place for Italian food in Orange County! Great service and a very cosy indoor dining atmosphere. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. Love how this place gives you complimentary bread, polenta with pork, and a small meat dish with olives. Descent sized portions that are sure to make you full. They also offer a split plate option only a couple of dollars more. I love their fresh parmesan cheese... I always ask for lots and their server never makes me feel awkward about it. read more

Luna Rossa - Mini classic tiran is $2.95 with dessert wine! - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

Location: Luna Rossa is located in Tustin at The District. It's on the "inside" portion of the complex so you have to park and walk inside as its located close to the movie theaters. You cannot really see it from the parking lot. Being that it's in the District however, there is plenty of parking. You may just have to walk a bit if its a busy time. Service: My first visit here happened to be around 4:30 pm on a weekday for an early dinner, so this may not exactly be representative of regular lunch/dinner times. We did make a reservation because my friend who recommended the place said that it can get really crowded, but at this particular day/time, it was pretty empty. There was one other table that was occupied. Service was great, but again, being that there were only two tables, I would expect it to be! He brought out our drinks right away and food came out within 10 minutes. No complaints. Food: We got a nice complimentary bread basket and a polenta/meat sauce place prior to our meal which was great. Food came out very quickly. My friends each got a fresh egg pasta with seafood and neither had any complaints. I ended up getting a fresh gnocchi with meat sauce. The portion was HUGE. I could barely eat half of it. The texture was good - nice and pillowy. The sauce was yummy. No dessert for us this time as we were very full, but he did bring us a complimentary dessert of fried dough with powdered sugar. Overall: Nice little Italian place at the District, although a little pricy. Service was great at this odd time, but I hear it gets a little busier during regular lunch/dinner times. We will probably be back, but not in this area a whole lot. Don't forget to use your yelp 10% off check in offer! read more

Luna Rossa - Gnocchi with meat sauce - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

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Very clean and sophisticated restaurant. Great service. The calamari, pizza and the pesto spaghetti was delicious. The food portions were enough for three of us. Will come again! read more

Luna Rossa - Cant wait to try was reccomend here! - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

Thank you for another great evening with great food and exceptional service. Everyone always have a great time and loves the food. Shout out to Stefano who always takes special care of us. So glad to see this local business survive Covid and striving. See you soon. read more

Recently I visited this spot with coworkers for dinner. The bar is small and quaint but very busy! Frank the bartender (hours Wed-Sat after 5)is the local treasure. Everyone seemed to know of him and knows his and clients and drinks. It's the staff and service overall that brings the consistency. Outdoor patio, live music every weekend, family friendly if respectful, great date night spot and singles. All demographics go. Gets busy, dress cute & fashionable but casual ok. read more

I loved this place. The patio was very comfortable and heated. There was live music and it was just a really nice time out. The food was excellent. We got a pizza and salad to share. I will definitely be back. read more

The food is delicious and traditional. I absolutely love the Italian food here. It's unique. The service is great too!

Always great food and service!So glad they're open patio and sone indoor dining. Salmon and Caesar are fresh. read more

Luna Rossa - Italian Near Me - Tustin, California

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Excellent food, excellent ambiance. Saturdays can be busy but it's worth the wait. Pizzas are authentic so don't wait for a thick crust full of cheese and undercooked veggies, this is a very good italian restaurant! Meat balls are very good too and the tiramisu is awesome! read more