Went for a late lunch with the family, waiters were very at tentative and the food was amazing. Went for a birthday celebration and the dessert they brought out was just as amazing. Kids loved their pasta, only downside was a hair in the Cinnabon we ordered but the entire team definitely made up for it and offered their apology. Will be coming back as the service and food was worth the trip. read more

My friend and I came here for brunch. The place is really cute and it wasn't even busy when we got there, so we didn't expect to wait that long. We ordered the spicy rigatoni, eggs napolitana, and pancakes. It took about 30 minutes for our food, and honestly it just wasn't good. Her eggs were fully cooked when they were supposed to be runny, and my "spicy" rigatoni wasn't spicy at all... like they forgot the spicy part lol. The pasta also wasn't even hot--some parts were warm, some were basically room temp and kinda hard. To be fair, the server and manager were really nice and tried to fix it. They didn't charge me for the rigatoni and offered to remake it, which I said yes to and just asked to take it to go. My friend decided to just switch her order to carbonara instead. But then it took another 30 minutes for the carbonara and pancakes to come out, so we were there for over an hour. The carbonara ended up being just okay--not really worth the wait. And on top of that, by the time we were ready to leave, my to-go rigatoni still wasn't ready and no one even checked in or let us know what was going on, so we just ended up leaving without it. The lemon ricotta pancakes were actually really good--the only thing I'd order again. Overall, it's pretty expensive and the food just didn't match the price. Cute place and nice staff, but I wouldn't come back. read more

Such a beautiful atmosphere and such amazing service! We loved our server Denise, she was so kind. The food was also really good and fresh!!! read more

Everything tasted delicious and our servers were so attentive. I love all things bread and the focaccia was no exception. I'm picky about Carbonara but it passed my standards and the Campanelle was an excellent pesto dish. The surprising highlight however was the Little Gem (a fitting name). What business does a Caesar salad have being THAT good at an Italian restaurant? I don't know, but we can't stop raving about it. read more

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The food here was delicious! Highly recommend the carbonara and also the beef carpaccio. The pornstar martini was also very good and they had good presentation with it. They gave you small glass of champagne to cleanse your palate and an actual passion to eat from after. Employees were so friendly - I came for my bachelorette party and they gave me a cute card. Highly recommend read more

Marisi - Pornstar martini - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

wow is what I can say best!! They had it all... And Liz was the best server ever! Not only was she professional and attentive, but gave us excellent recommendations based on our comments. We enjoyed our experience and food SO much we made a second reservation and requested Liz!!! you won't be disappointed at Marisi. read more

My fiancé and I went to celebrate my birthday and it was great. Our server Dakota was really attentive, kind, and super welcoming. The food was tasty and fresh. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. read more

Marisi - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

In town and our son made a reservation here as he lives in La Jolla. Let me start by saying this place is pricey, however it is worth the price. The food and service were excellent. We shared two appetizers, 2 pastas, and their porterhouse steak. My only complaint, and it is becoming more common, is they add 4% to the bill for employee insurance. People I speak to about this usually deduct it from their tip. read more

Marisi is one of those places that makes a *stunning* first impression. The **ambiance is absolutely beautiful** -- from the elegant decor to the warm lighting and carefully curated playlist, it feels upscale without being stuffy. The **table settings** are equally gorgeous, making it perfect for a special night out or celebration. But once we got past the aesthetics... things got a little rocky. Despite having a reservation, we experienced **long wait times** and were left standing awkwardly at the front with barely an acknowledgment from the host. The **staff was surprisingly curt** throughout the evening -- not exactly what you'd expect from a fine dining experience at this price point. Now for the food and drinks: **Drinks were great** -- well-balanced and creative cocktails that lived up to the setting. The **food was just okay**. Beautifully plated, yes, but the **portions were small** and the prices were steep even by La Jolla standards. The **branzino**, in particular, was disappointing -- overly **fishy** and didn't feel as fresh as it should have. Definitely not worth the \$40+ price tag. Marisi is a great spot *if* you're going for drinks and vibes. But if you're coming hungry -- or expecting exceptional service to match the bill -- you might leave underwhelmed. read more

Even in a great food and hospitality city like San Diego, this was by far the best meal and dining experience I've had in San Diego in quite some time. From start to finish, the staff was attentive and proactive. The location is beautiful. And everything we ordered, drinks and food, was excellent. Michael was our garçon and I'd honestly go back just for him. He was very knowledgeable, hospitable, and genuinely happy to help. He took amazing care of us and I hope Marisi knows how lucky they are to have him. Hands down best experience and food we've had in a while. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Went here for my dinner for my engagement on 5/30. The food was delicious, the chef's recommendation to replace the carbonara they ran out of, was amazing! The ambience was so cute and romantic. We received a complimentary glass of champagne, and excellent service. They had great wine options as well! Thanks for a great service, will be coming back and recommending this place to everyone! read more

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Ambiance is great at night, our waiter was certainly prioritizing other tables besides us unfortunately. The carbonara lacked flavor, but the spicy sauce that normally comes with the bread was an amazing additive. I got the short rib pasta and it was very good. The 3 piece drink was great too. It was $24 and my small bowl of pasta was $34. read more

Marisi - Pornstar martini - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

Marisi is such a charming spot, it's floral, romantic, and gives you that perfect little Italian escape right in La Jolla. I came here for a birthday dinner with girlfriends, and we had such a blast. The space is beautifully designed and makes you want to dress up and savor every moment. The pasta is the star of the show so both the bolognese and the pesto were absolutely delicious and cooked perfectly. I also loved the cocktail menu, especially their cheeky three-part drink called the Pornstar Martini...it had us all giggling. I opted for a classic dirty martini, and it was perfectly done. We finished the meal with espresso made in-house, which was a lovely touch. This place is ideal for a special occasion or just a fun night out with friends. It's polished but still playful, and definitely one of my favorite new finds. read more

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Amazing vibes and delicious Italian food. I found Marisi on Instagram that showcased the restaurant during daylight. I saw how beautiful the patio area was and thought it'd be perfect to enjoy a nice brunch vibes - 9/10 Their patio area is so lovely! We got a table for two, and the seats were angled so that we could face the street and enjoy the scenery and sun. The brunch menu is rather limited, and our waiter told us that they only recently started serving brunch and are more known for dinner. This is surprising to me because their patio looks like it would be best suited for daylight! The waiter also explained to me that there's outdoor seating which is uncovered and along the sidewalk, and then there's their patio seating which is covered and has better decor. Rigatoni - 8/10 this is exactly what I expect from a good spicy pasta Eggs in Purgatory - 7/10 my partner ordered this and enjoyed it. Overall, Marisi is a good choice if you're searching for nice Italian dining or a lovely brunch day in San Diego. read more

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Our experience was amazing from beginning to end. First it has got to be one of the most beautiful restaurants in San Diego County (even the restrooms). We had the focaccia bread with brown butter and it was delicious, the short rib pappardelle was so full of flavor, but the Tiramisu gelato with toppings stole the show! Ask for Denise she was knowledgeable and very personable. We'll definitely be back soon!f read more

Marisi - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

They used to have carbonara like when I was in Rome eating in one of my favorite restaurants in Trastevere. Not anymore. Things changed. Apparently the chef is new. The carbonara guanciale is more like chorizo guanciale or finely minced meat (and its all mixed in together with the pasta, you can't even tell it's there.) Not a favorite anymore. I'm extremely disappointed with this change. Perhaps try another place in Little Italy that's more authentic. (Trader Joe's carbonara is now better than this option.) read more

Marisi - "Carbonara" - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

We had a stressful day traveling and were looking for a nice place for dinner and chose this one hoping for a good experience We thoroughly enjoyed the meal and ambiance Elizabeth our waiter was outstanding and made up for all the other problems we had earlier in the day read more

We celebrated an early Valentine's day at Marisi this year, made reservations via OpenTable. The interior design is very trendy and they take advantage of open sight lines to the kitcThe service was great once seated with our host attending to us quickly, placed our order right away and apps arriving minutes later. We had the apple burrata w/ rosemary crackers and focaccia w/ Calabrian pepper sauce, the focaccia was the star of our meal definitely recommend! For mains we had the rigatoni and bolognese, both solid pasta options. Only slightly sour note was our seats were pretty tight quarters, barely enough space between my seat and the bar seating to walk thru. read more

Marisi - Burrata and Focaccia - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

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good first experience. We came here the day before Valentine's Day, & even though it was a full restaurant, service was always attentive & quick. You can tell the pasta really is homemade. Our 2 pastas were yummy. We finished everything. I also liked their version of their burrata app, different but i liked it. Decor & ambiance are beautiful. From the table top, to the high ceilings, to the light fixtures, to the wallpaper-really aesthetic. The indoor area by the bar was cramped though. We sat at a table by the bar & it was a tight squeeze to get to our seats. & we felt like we were seated oddly close between other tables. Other than that, the experience was nice & would come back here again to try their other menu items. read more

Marisi - Table setting - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

Amazing. Super great service with very knowledgeable servers. Such a cute place. Honestly, the best pornstar martini ever (and also incredibly authentic). The food has changed since when I was here a year ago, but is still incredible. read more

Ambience is great and servers are generally very nice, but was let down by much more than those two things could make up for. We ordered the tomato carpaccio and after a couple bites it tasted like mush that blended all together. It was over seasoned and the seasonings distracted from what is supposed to be a simple dish. The carbonara was good at first bite, but after each bite it felt way too rich and way too salty. It seemed to get worse with each bite and sadly didn't finish it. Also ordered the filet mignon, which was probably the biggest let down. I ordered it medium rare and it came out very gray with a slight touch of pink. I usually am not the kind of person to bring something like this up but to pay $60+ for a dish I didn't expect the cook to be that off, it came out medium well and borderline well done. They were gracious enough to offer to recook it as soon as I brought up that the cook was off, but then when they brought out a new one it was now clearly undercooked and cooked unevenly. Got a picture that shows two pieces of the same steak clearly different from each other. This was the second time they brought it out, didn't get a picture of the first one. We ordered dessert hoping it would make up for a rather subpar meal, and it was just ok. Our server was very nice but after she took our orders it felt like it took forever before they brought our food and rarely checked on us. Ended up spending way more time there than we wanted because they had to remake the filet and they hardly checked in with us, just very slow service after the initial sit down. read more

Marisi - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

Fantastic date night restaurant. This place has great vibes, awesome decor, and superior service. My wife and I loved the place the moment we walked in. The colors and accents are so elegant and vibrant. Decor-5/5 stars! It's beautiful inside. From the street to the restroom, it's all top notch and no expense was spared when decorating this place. It's elegant and inviting. Service-5/5 stars. Our server was great and made great recommendations. Food-4/5 stars. Don't get me wrong, the apps were splendid and packed with flavor. Burrata-5/5 stars. This app was so good and creamy. The burrata and roasted peaches were a combination made in heaven. It truly had the chefs kiss. Beet salad-5/5 stars. I didn't think there was a better app than the burrata, but this was. The goat cheese was a great compliment to the beets. The raspberries and pistachios worked like an orchestra working together. Pasta-4/5 stars. The short rib and bolognese was good, but it didn't blow is way. I also would've liked to see more entree options. All in all, we had an amazing experience and we will go back for date night again. Well done guys. read more

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Very cool ambiance, decor, and good service. Nice for a date that doesn't care about the food. Cesarina is much better Overall the food was mediocre Little gem was great Green bean side was good Short rib pasta was terrible Ravioli was too sweet, sauce was good but had so much garlic (both in volume and in size) it was practically inedible read more

Marisi - Little Gem - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

The ambience is nice , a little loud inside and out but otherwise, good. The outdoor covered patio is a nice choice as it has the feeling of being inside but yet provides the fresh air. We were seated promptly as we had reservations. However, we sat unattended for approximately 15 minutes. It was not busy at the time we sat down. There were 2 other parties of 4 already seated. Our server Christina was polite but not too attentive to us. She attended to a table that was seated after us, prior to coming over to introduce herself. The food was good. Especially enjoyed the roasted beets! We ordered the whole chicken and the pasta which were flavorful. The Lemoncello, hit the spot! The food felt like it took a very long time to arrive. Overall, it wasn't bad. Only 4 stars because service was not up to par. If I could give 4.5 I would. read more

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Coming from out of town, we chose Marisi based on the social media hype. The crew here is incredible. everyone from the host stand to our waiter was friendly, fast, and professional. The atmosphere is 10/10. Sadly, the food didn't match the energy. The Focaccia butter was a miss for us, but the King Crab Agnolotti was the real kicker not in a good way. For the price, the "sample" size felt like a mistake. My fiancée couldn't eat it, so I took one for the team and traded my (actually decent) Carbonara so she wouldn't starve. I ended up finished the night at a pizza shop. Marisi, your staff is an A+, but that crab dish needs an apology tour. read more

Hands down, this is one of the best Italian restaurants I've ever been to. I've traveled to Italy many times and often crave the authentic flavors I've had there, something that's usually hard to find here. But Marisi absolutely delivered. My husband is a huge fan of carbonara, and the way they prepare it at Marisi is truly fantastic. We ordered the carbonara steak and the Crudo appetizer, both dishes were absolutely delicious. We live in Orange County, but after this experience, we've decided to make the trip to Marisi once a month. It's just that good. The service was exceptional, our waiter was incredibly welcoming and fun. Honestly, the customer service was some of the best I've ever experienced. Marisi is a fantastic spot all around. Highly recommended. read more

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Our first time visiting Marisi! Popular restaurant in La Jolla. We came on a rainy night, but the restaurant was still packed! Showing how popular this place is! The ambiance was great for a date night. Large heated patio area that's perfect for a cozy dinner. It has a smaller inside dining area which has a large bar. We sat on a high table near the bar. The service was simple, but to the point. We had two entrees, carbonara bucatini and filet mignon. My carbonara was very creamy and thick, which isn't typically my go-to pasta style but I wanted to give a try. The bucatini was great. Overall, I didn't like my pasta that much. Just very creamy and the flavors felt flat. The filet mignon was okay, as you would expect in a nice restaurant. The steak was salty and nothing too special. We really liked their espresso martini. Overall, I was expecting more at Marisi. I would try other dishes to see more what they can offer! read more

Marisi - Carbonara Bucatini - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Also ordered the lasagna and ragú pasta and both were okay but not great, I don't think I'll come back. The service was great everyone was really kind, and the food was okay but the prices do not match the taste of the food Note: DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THE FOCACCIA read more

I grew up in La Jolla and my family has been there since the late 1980s so I have been to all the different restaurants that have been in this location. I would say that Marisi is one of my favorites of all of them. It has changed countless owners over the decades, but this is definitely one of the best versions that's been in this location. I know it's popular for brunch, but we decided to stop in for dinner based on positive reviews from our other friends that have stopped in recently. Inside is beautifully done and very open. There are very large windows that let in the breeze and the outdoor dining area is really beautiful with vines hanging down and beautiful lights mixed in between them. Inside also has a small bar and has a very hip and trendy vibe. It's just really well designed. Parking in the area can be a bit tricky but La Jolla parking is available quickly so if you just circle the block you'll find a place or you can do a pay lot on the same block. Our server was very polite and everything that we ordered came out very fast. The menu has a lot of great options on it so it was hard to choose what I wanted to order. For my first visit I decided to start off with the Roasted Bone Marrow and thought it was fantastic. It is literally a cow's femur and I would say this is the largest bone marrow, in terms of size, that I've ever had. Definitely the largest bone I have had. It had some great flavors and was a wonderful start to the meal. For my entrée, I chose the Branzino and thought it was also great. The herb seasoning on top was pretty strong, but I liked it so it really added to the flavors. It also wasn't as bony as other Branzinos that I've had recently and I just really loved it. We finished the meal with a Cappuccino and some Soft Serve and overall had a wonderful time. I would highly recommend to anyone in or visiting La Jolla and I already want to come back in the future to try more items. read more

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I couldn't love this place more if I tried. Our server May was lovely and had great recommendations. Do NOT skip the browned butter with the focaccia. I will have dreams about this bread and butter duo! You may think $25 for a martini is insane, but the pornstar martini is an experience and one that's definitely fun to splurge on! The beets were delightful, tart and salty with a slight sweetness from the raspberries. I could eat a dozen orders of them. We had the duck lasagna and while I wouldn't order it again (duck isn't my favorite) it was very well done. We finished up with a dessert I usually wouldn't order (I don't love fruit with chocolate) but was pleasantly surprised by. The milk chocolate was a pudding topped with a wonderful whipped cream, all over some kind of fruit coulis. Their espresso martini is among one of the best I've had in San Diego. I enjoyed this so much I came back two days later with my mom for their Wednesday "Girls Dinner," which was a killer deal. The decor here is also wonderful and makes for a great date night. read more

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I finally got around to trying Marisi for a date night with my girlfriend after wanting to visit for a while. The restaurant itself is beautiful, the atmosphere is great, and the appetizers were excellent. Unfortunately, it seemed like they were having an off night. They were out of several menu items, including the duck lasagna she originally wanted. I ordered the clam bucatini, but about 25 minutes later I was informed they were out of clams as well. They initially said they would substitute crab, but when the dish arrived it had lobster instead. While I appreciate the effort, it ended up being a completely different dish and not really what I had ordered. What earned this place five stars, though, was how the staff handled the situation. Our waitress immediately noticed my disappointment without me making an issue of it, and the manager came over, sincerely apologized, and went above and beyond to make the situation right without hesitation. Having worked in the service industry for years, I know every restaurant has off nights. To me, what separates a great business from an average one isn't whether mistakes happen, it's how they're handled. Marisi showed genuine attentiveness, professionalism, and a commitment to making things right for the customer. That level of hospitality deserves recognition, and it's exactly why I'll be back to give them another try. Five stars read more

What a cute, aesthetic looking restaurant. We thoroughly enjoyed our food. The carbonara pasta was handmade and very fresh which paired well with a 12 ounce hanger steak. Our server was very nice as well. It was pretty busy, so make sure you make a reservation. Right in the heart of town. read more

Marisi - 12 oz hanger steak - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

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This restaurant is definitely a vibe. I do love sitting in the outdoor patio, not the actual outdoor patio but the one that's like inside the restaurant where it's open to the outside.. it almost feels like you're in one of those Vegas restaurants because when you walk by the design is very chic. Definitely make a reservation because the wait is painful even on a weekday which is when we went. Service was great people or attentive. The hostess was nice about the wait and apologized. For food we ordered the burrata, Caesar salad, short rib casarecce, bolognese parpadelle. For the most part, everything was good however, the Bolognese was not a great . The pasta came cold and the meat seem like it was like thawed and just quickly heated, and the noodles didn't have a good chew and it was all stuck together. read more

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Came here on a Friday night with my wife. Seated with my back directly in the walkway to entrance. Felt odd, but I was able to look past it. Ordered drinks and the local crudo. Crudo and drinks were great. Entrees: wife ordered the carbonara and I ordered the duck lasagna. Carbonara was cold. Definitely had been sitting so we sent it back. Duck lasagna, sent back as well. It had no flavor and seemed like shredded beef with a tomato water. Round 2: received carbonara at an appropriate temp, and it was actually good. I had ordered the filet mignon instead of lasagna to reduce the risk of dish being underwhelming. Unfortunately steak was cold. It was also rare instead of medium rare like I ordered. Wife was able to eat and enjoy her carbonara. I sent back my steak and asked for the check. In conclusion. I would not come back here due to the restaurant fumbling a filet after letting us down with two previous dishes. The lead or maybe shift manger did come to the table to apologize and gave a gift card to try restaurant again. I live in Oceanside. I would not go out of my way to come here again unfortunately unless it's for just drinks. The server was attentive but extremely slow once it came to getting the check. read more

Came here for a birthday with my girlfriends and was excited to try this place because of what I've heard, unfortunately this place was mediocre at best. The food came out cold and overly salted. The only thing saving this review is the little gem salad. read more

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Kristina was our table's server and she was very sweet! Our food came out accordingly and even gave our friend who turned 21 today a birthday shot! The vibe of the restaurant was amazing and we were very satisfied with the service! read more

DAKOTA was amazing, by far the best servers I have ever had. Please keep him on your staff and promote him to a higher position so he can train others on how its suppose to be done. read more

My favorite place for pasta in La Jolla! It is located near La Jolla Cove so after going to the beach you can walk to the restaurant. The pasta is delicious; I've tried a few and my favorite is the rigatoni. Their focaccia is honestly my favorite thing on their menu. I would go just for the bread! It's perfectly seasoned and soft and goes great with the oil. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice! There is a bar seating inside and the kitchen is open so you can see dishes being made. The whole restaurant is decorated nicely. read more

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Focaccia ($11) tomato carpaccio ($21) spicy rigatoni ($28) and the wines were all delicious. We had to sit at the bar because the wait for a table was 4.5 hours on a Sunday evening, so definitely make a reservation since walking up doesn't work. The bar has 12 seats total for first come, first served. The bartenders are very attentive and nice. Parking is also tricky, so plan ahead for this especially if you don't want to pay for a lot spot (most are $2.50 for 15 mins). Super cute atmosphere and decorations, not good for large parties (mostly 2 tops). read more

I've always walked past Marisi and it always had my attention because of the atmosphere. I finally checked it out for my sister's birthday and the food did not disappoint. We ordered the carpaccio, focaccia bread with the brown butter, and the ravioli. The carpaccio wasn't my favorite I've ever had but it was pretty decent. We loved the focaccia bread especially with the brown butter. The bread was pretty big and soft on the inside. The brown butter was really the staple for me and I would definitely buy it if I could! The squash ravioli was also super tasty and would highly recommend it. I would definitely come back here for a cute date night or for another celebration! read more

Marisi - Italian Near Me - La Jolla, California

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