we ordered the sizzling sausage platter, garlic bread, filet mignon, orecchiette salsiccia, &ravioli with 2 wines &sprite. plus a side of grilled chicken &bowl of water for my husky. I love this restaurant, it's fancy enough to bring my bougie madre and sitting outside makes it a little more casual so my niece will come too. the service is always amazing, this last time the server specifically asked about water for my husky because I had forgotten and let my madre get a taste of a wine he recommended (she loved it). this is our 5th time here &we'll continue to come back. read more

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The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauces tasted authentic, and the warm atmosphere made this Italian restaurant a wonderful place to enjoy dinner. read more

Some of the best pasta we've had outside of Italy, UK and US. Cacio e pepe was off the charts. Bolognese was too. Nice wine selection but didn't need anything too special; the food spoke for itself. Service was efficient and friendly. It was quite busy and will likely always be, so don't expect to hurry in and out. Fun, laughter and smiles all around us. Parties of through 8. Not sure if there's a private dining room, but then, why would. The front patio is the place to be. Highly recommend Molo read more

*Molo by the Jetty Shore* In Italian Molo means Jetty, Pier or Wharf and this new Trattoria by the sea has the potential to become a fresh ocean breeze. Nestled on the backside of Canary Village, off the beaten path of Lido Peninsula. What was once Sabatino's, has rebranded, remodeled and blossumed nicely into an authentic Italian restaurant. Have dined and shared several family meals for over 20 years at Sabitino's, so when I found out we'd be having an early Xmas family dinner at Molo, I was simply excited. Like a professional athlete who takes the time watching game films and studying his next opponent, I researched and studied Molo prior to the first-pitch. As mentioned, this was an early Xmas dinner to celebrate a semi-family meal due to our scattered clans busy holiday schedules. My stepmom took the task of choosing. Molo was her 4th choice because the 3 others were unable to accommodate a small party of 5 on a Friday night with a week notice. Her final decision was based on a decent previous dining experience with Dad and also the close proximity being we could simply walk here. First off all, the service was fairly good & attentive, when we didn't need to track someone down. We had to wait longer than expected for every course. And it took forever for my stepmom to receive a decaf cappuccino following dinner. We had one waiter who's so Italian we could barely understand his English through a thick accent within the ultrasonic patio...and with each & everything we ordered he replied scripted: "excellent choice." And we also had one waitress, simply Alice, who was simply sweet. The tables outside on the patio are so cramped together their entire staff had to go around in circles between the 3 other tables surrounding to service our party of 5. Not what is expected at a fine dining Italian resto. Speaking of which, one of those tables next to us, had a very large service dog(?) that was drooling all over the floor...and desperately needed a bath. My entire family is dog lovers and have canines of their own, but they couldn't stand that foul oder too. The metal chairs on the patio are sooo uncomfortable and hard as a rock and we all couldn't wait to leave so it tarnished our 2 hour dining experience. I've dined at lots of loud restaurants, but Molo takes the GOLD Medal for the LOUDEST. Congrats team Italy :-) I'm not shouting ~~ pretending I'm still at Molo on the patio. Okay, enough with that and on to the food: BRUSCHELLA for the Table = "not what expected but still decent" Hail Caesar ~~ Dad: "The lettuce is cold & crisp...it's good but I've had better." My & Wifey's Octopus with Lentils = Outstanding & Fantastico and the best part of our meals. Her's & His Dueling Branzinos ~~ Wifey & I: "the fish is excellent...but the dish itself needs more flavor." My Branzino ~~ "The fish is excellent and the veggies too...but the dish itself lacks flavor and aches for a little sauce." And this is coming from a dude who eats generally clean food. Spaghetti Ai Frutti Di Mare -- Dad: "it's good but the pasta is a little undercooked." Penne Alla Vodka ~~ Stepmom: "It's good...I like it." Cacio & Pepe with Truffles ~~ Little Bro: "it's good...but doesn't need the Truffles." Stepmom enjoyed her House Wine so much she went for round 2...and little bro dug into his Moscow Mule duet. My Nutella Bread Pudding was okay, but disappointing because it's more like Custard and Crème Brûlée than Bread Pudding :-( and those who sampled agreed. I guess if I wanted bread pudding with actual bread, it'll cost extra like all their bread. Might come back again one day or night for the Octopus...if weren't forced to sit bumper to bumper within 3 tables...and a stinky dog. All & all it was a 3.75 Stars experience and we had hoped it was more. {{{No High-Fives}}} I'm not a tough critic ~~ just being honest. Happy Holidays...and please don't drink & drive. read more

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Came here for a holiday girls night! Loved how they decorated for the holiday in the restaurant. This was my first time and I absolutely loved it! We ordered the Beef Tartare which is by far one of the best beef tartare I've ever had. The Citrus Avocado salad was so yummy and I loved how the goat cheese perfectly blended well with the grapefruit. I ordered the Cacio e Pepe pasta which was amazing!! It was so rich and creamy, satisfied my craving. I did ask for sausage with my pasta which they never gave me, but it was fine and I still loved my pasta. Will definitely want to be a regular to this restaurant. read more

Molo - beef tartare and citrus avocado salad - Italian Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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We come to Newport every year for vacation, Molo is now a must-stop on every trip. The food was beyond incredible especially the pasta, prepared in a cheese wheel in front of our table. Every dish was rich, fresh, and full of flavor. What made the experience truly unforgettable wasn't just the food and desserts.... it was the chef. He reminded me so much of cooking in the kitchen with my Italian grandma. His warmth, passion, and presence brought a personal touch that made the entire evening feel like home. Hands down the best meal, best environment, and most meaningful dining experience we've ever had. Molo is something truly special. read more

Molo - Incredible - Italian Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Debating over writing this however after noticing the racist behavior, it is a must. I believe there are three-four dinning areas, one private indoors, 2 connecting indoors, and the other main outside deck. My party of two checks in and sees 1-2 tables that were open outside as we were walking to the host stand. We get to the stand and she says the only option was indoors, we agreed so we walk in and sit down. She brings us to a connecting indoor dining room closest to the main service area like kitchen and drinks , we were the only ones in there. We received our food, it was alright definitely better pasta places around. Then a party of three gets put at a table around us, the main party member complains that the table is too small and would like to go elsewhere, and they give her that( not a person of color). 10 minutes go by and a party of two arrives both people of color, my friend and I noticed and wondered where they were seating people coming in. We then paid and started walking towards the outside deck, ONLY filled with white people. And one Asian couple but tucked away. And in the other connecting dining room , also not one person of color and was filled with white people. read more

The menu and food were amazing So delicious I couldn't ask for more efficient and caring staff. It's a beautiful, relaxing and elegant restaurant read more

I'm always hesitant to try new restaurants but Molo did not disappoint. The experience and location is one of a kind. I'll have to start with the wonderful atmosphere. Molo is nestled in a quiet, quaint neighborhood on Lido. It feels private and exclusive. The staff is accommodating. We came earlier than our reservation time and they were happy to move things around for us. Our server Esther was wonderful and provided great service and recommendations! We got the Cacio e Pepe with truffle, the branzino, and the Dover sole with caper sauce. Food was excellent we will definitely be going back! read more

Molo - Truffle cacio e pepe; Dover sole with caper sauce; branzino - Italian Near Me - Newport Beach, California

We kind of stumbled upon this restaurant when we were trying to impress our coworker who said she loves Italian food. On our table we ordered the garlic bread Frutti Di Mare Pasta Al Pesto Caprese Alla Molo Spaghetti and Meatballs Everything tasted really good. Two of us ordered the House Chianti. The bottle was freshly opened. I tend to be a stickler about wine, but went well with what we ordered. The dishes change frequently so it's not boring as I don't see what I ordered previously, however that's a good thing whatever is seasonal. Definitely looking to come back again possibly during the December holiday. read more

Fantastic experience Very classic Italian especially the calamari fritti Completely redesigned Tasteful & tasty Newport needs a restaurant of this caliber Can't wait to return read more

We dined here for our anniversary earlier this week and we were quite disappointed. The place itself is cute and has a pretty nice ambiance on the patio. Our waitress didn't seem to know much about the menu, so we mostly ordered from the "daily specials" menu. We started with the citrus avocado salad, which was really good and the best dish we had all night. We then had the wild boar pasta and the dover sole with lemon and caper sauce. Both these dishes were really bland. The pasta was a little too al dente and required a lot of fresh parmesan and some salt. The diver sole was overcooked and chewy. It also had no flavor. We honestly should have sent it back considering how expensive it was but we felt bad so my husband ate half his portion and I had a few bites. We had indicated that it was our anniversary when making the reservation and there was no acknowledgement of it of it by the waitress or any of the staff. We decided to skip dessert because we really weren't impressed by much of the meal. When the bill came, they charged $3 for my cup of hot water... which was really tacky. Honestly, the small order of bread that we ordered should have also just been included as a starter. It was strange that they would charge for such a small portion of bread. Our friends really like Molo so I don't know if it was an off night, but we were not impressed and most likely won't be going back. read more

Molo - Citrus Avocado Salad - Italian Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Title: Disappointing birthday -- poor service, just average food (2/5) We chose this restaurant for my birthday (12/12/25),and left disappointed. The food was average and nothing special. Service was poor: staff seemed disorganized, people were moving tables in front of guests, and at one point the owner tried to take our table because one person hadn't arrived yet. For a special occasion this felt rushed and inconsiderate. Wouldn't recommend for celebrations -- better options nearby. read more

Food is okay. Nothing bad but everything was a bit bland for my taste. Atmosphere was cute and I liked the vibe of the restaurant. We made a reservation for my sister's birthday at 7pm and we didn't get seated till 7:40. I don't see the point of the reservation if I have to wait 40 additional minutes. Another downside for me was the service. Our server was rude. We sat down for 5 minutes and he comes up saying "are you ready to order or what". Huh?... We just got here and yes we were ready to order because we had 40 minutes to look at the menu but what is the attitude about?? Our party was greater than 6 so 20% tip was already included so maybe that's why they didn't care too much about our service? On top of that the food took awhile to come out so we had to ask them to check in our food as we had already waited 40ish minutes for our pastas. I also don't know if this was intentional but all the ethnic group of people were sitting outside in one area of the restaurant which was so weird to me. To be honest I will not be returning as there is so many other good restaurants in newport. Goodluck to Molo and I wish them the best. read more

Fabulous food, great wines and excellent service My husband got the pasta di fruit de mare and it was excellent. I got a fish dish and can't remember what but it was perfectly cooked and the sauce was perfect!! My husband's sauce was so good we ordered bread to sop up the last bits. I took my leftovers home and they gave me extra sauce, which I enjoyed with fresh baked bread the next day. Will definitely be going back. I love finding great new restaurants!!!! read more

Molo - Spaghetti di frutti di mare (sp?) - Italian Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Despite just having spent 10 days in Italy, I still could not get enough of the food. When I expressed my craving one of our friends from Sicily, highly recommended we check out Molo to enjoy authentic Italian dishes here in Orange County. Our friend did not hear us wrong! We arrived Saturday and a rain storm and sat on the warm and cozy patio and truly enjoyed our visit! My favorite dish was the pesto while the octopus was another highlight! One thing I will say is that you cannot get good gluten-free pizza outside of Italy so wouldn't recommend that. Everything else was truly incredible. My parents adored the lasagna and found it not too rich, but incredibly flavorful. We will absolutely be back. read more

Great tucked away place for a delicious Italian meal. Got a little confused at first because you have to drive into a residential neighborhood and then turn into their parking lot. The two of us did a pizza and a pasta and it was the perfect amount of food. Attentive service, food was cooked quickly, and I kind of like dining when it's not super crowded (I think we arrived after 1:30pm). read more

We tried Molo because we loved the former incarnation of Italian eatery that was in the space for many years (Sabatino's), and Molo is carrying on the sausage platter we loved so much. We were not disappointed in the sausage platter, and there was a lot to love about the updated decor and menu. The service was great and the place was hopping on a holiday weekend. The only caveat I'll add is to be clear on the price of specials - our server sold one of us on a special with truffles, and the price was a little crazy. We caught it in time, and everything we ordered was delicious. read more

Traditional Italian food. The fillet mignon is to die for. Service is spectacular. Beautiful people. Location is perfect if you want to make the difference. read more

We sat in the parking lot, which is enclosed by curtains. It was so loud we couldn't hear each other talk. Our waiter brought two orders of garlic bread, even though we didn't actually order it. Randy also brought a 3rd Caesar salad which We didn't order.. they tried to get us to order a $250 fish and a $400 tomahawk steak. The pasta was mediocre. We literally waited about an hour after the first course for them to take our order for the second course. Very expensive for what you get. $500 bill for shared plates. Will not be back. read more

Molo - $250 fish and a $400 tomahawk steak. - Italian Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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The staff is so friendly and makes you feel like family. The garlic bread and cacio e pepe (made in a cheese wheel) were our favorite things we ate. We can't wait to come back with friends. They have a great dog friendly patio, our pup loved joining us. We also love that they still sell the Sabintos sausage (frozen to go)! read more

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We decided to celebrate our anniversary at this restaurant, and overall, it was a great experience! The food was incredible. Their pasta was absolutely delicious, though we were a bit disappointed that we couldn't see how it was finished, as our table was outside. That was one of the reasons I chose this restaurant, but maybe next time we'll get to watch the full process! The meat was also very tender and juicy. Food: 5/5 The atmosphere was nice, but sitting outside had its downsides. The heaters kept us warm, but the chairs were quite uncomfortable and cold--I even had to use my coat as extra padding. Atmosphere: 4/5 Service was excellent! Our waiter was very friendly and attentive. A little tip--order everything at once, as the waiting time is a bit longer than usual. It wasn't a big deal for us since we weren't in a hurry, but it's good to know. I wish I could give a 4.5 rating instead of 4 because, despite the minor discomforts, the overall ambiance was still pleasant. A 5 would be too much due to a few small issues, but a 4 feels a bit too low--so 4.5 would have been perfect. Would definitely recommend Molo for a special occasion! read more

Molo - Pasta pepper - Italian Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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I made a reservation here for my boyfriend's birthday, we were super excited to come and try this place out as we had heard some really great stuff. Unfortunately from the moment we walked up to the host stand we were met with an unpleasant attitude from the host. I also want to note that we came about 10min early with our entire party present. She was very short with us and didn't acknowledge us until I spoke up. When we were called up to be seated there was no sort of warmth from her, we were just sat without a word said aside from "come with me" she just dropped the menus and walked away. Our server came shortly after and we were met with the same attitude, very short and almost rude. We felt very unwelcome to the point where we felt so uncomfortable, we decided to leave. I can't speak about the food as we couldn't even give it a chance. I really don't recommend coming here, this place has the vibe of a fine dining restaurant without the service of one. There were definitely better places that you can visit read more

It was a delightful evening. To start, i savored every bite of my light refreshing cesar salad, topped with hand harvested Parmesan served with thin flavor filled crostini's. This was a great precursor to having my taste buds electrified by the most generous portion of freshly shaved truffles woven through and topping delicious al dente risotto. The chianti was a perfect pair. For dessert, my favorite! Pana cota covered with sweet firm fresh berries & a light raspberry syrup. All of this decadence was accompanied by Esthers attentive service, and a delightful breeze as the sun set. I will definitely be back to have a taste of Italy in my back yard. read more

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Amazing place, excellent authentic Italian food at a very affordable price. One of the best values I have ever seen, service is excellent as well! read more

Went to Molo for a galentines dinner! It was amazing! Great service, amazing ambiance and most important delicious food!!! Definitely going again! read more

This charming Italian Restaurant is a wonderful venue for dinner and celebrations. The food is absolutely amazing, authentic and delicious. The owners are from Italy and so kind and welcoming. The wait staff are always pleasant and accommodating. We've eaten here on several occasions and it's always been a great experience. The pasta, gnocchi and ravioli's are delicious. The fish is always fresh and presented perfectly. The Fish Platter is wonderful and so is the sole. The kids love their pizza. Delicious wines too! The food reminds me of my mother's and my Nonna's cooking who were from Lucca, Italy. I would highly recommend this restaurant. You can sit inside or on a lovely patio outside, both are great! read more

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Incredible food and impeccable service. We chose this for our wedding dinner and now every year for our anniversary. Compliments to the owner! Highly recomend read more

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Martin our service was excellent. The food was great. Will be coming back! All of it was yummy! read more

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Nice ambiance, great service and a pretty good menu with varied dishes. The steak tartare was good, could've used a little more flavor and I'm not into avocado on mine. Burrata and prosciutto very good quality. All the salads were delicious. Nice lunch in a great area. read more

Was a quiet Wednesday lunch, but what a find! Easy parking. Restaurant wasn't crowded. Had a reservation and we were quickly seated. Our waitperson was Giorgio. He made a couple of recommendations - one being the garlic bread ($9). Wowser! Seriously the best garlic bread I've ever had & a LOT of it (see picture). We each ordered a glass of wine. I ordered the fettuccine & clams & my friend ordered the seafood pasta. Each had a ton of seafood & the pasta was perfectly al dente. Totally delicious. Giorgio was totally attentive & very friendly. They were redoing the patio, so no view, but was honestly a great lunch. Total was $106 without tip (wine was $15/glass). Would definitely eat there again! Had some extra pasta to take back as well as that yummy garlic bread. read more

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The food was delicious. I had the risotto primavera, and the Mediterranean Salad. Felt like a cozy home-cooked meal with lovely ambiance. I was able to catch up with a friend after a long while, and Molo made sure to make ever minute worth it. Miguel was so kind, and made sure we were well taken care of. Will definitely be back very soon. read more

Two stars because our waiter was excellent.!! To start the owner or manager woman was extremely rude while seating us, she made several snide and snarky comments because we requested a better table. The food, where do I start. This is the only Italian restaurant I e ever been to that charges for a basket of bread. I ordered the chicken parm with their pasta, both with red marinara sauce. The sauce is very thin, more of an orange color and absolutely flavorless. My chicken parm cutlet was paper thin, burnt and dry. The pasta was so far under cooked it was inedible. The wife's chicken pesto pasta was flavorless. Nothing about this meal was remotely impressive. The price point is way above the quality of the dishes. There are several nearby Italian restaurants that are so much better. Heck, I'd recommend the spaghetti factory before this place. 6/14/25, Update and reply to Mario, I really didn't care where I sat, it was my guests that cared and we did end up sitting on the patio. Your wife, manager who ever she was was rude and snarky. As far as my food review goes, it's 100% based on the food. Had it been edible I'd give you 5 stars even with the crappy behavior of your staff. The food is flavorless, over cooked chicken and undercooked pasta. Maybe the plastic Newport Beach elite think your food is decent but real Italians know it's trash. And because of your failure to acknowledge our horrible experience I'm taking a star away. Best of luck to you and your establishment. read more

I've been to Italy a few times and I must say I'm confused by the reviews regarding the food. Maybe we went on an "off" night? We ordered a few appetizers one of which was the meatballs and they were dry and bland. My husband ordered a seafood pasta and he said it was just "Ok" I ordered a filet with broccolini and the steak was sort of flavorless and not great quality. The broccolini was inedible because it was SO bitter...no idea where they get their produce but it was a fail. Our friends both ordered the chicken parm and they were huge. I know portion attracts some, but it's definitely not my style. My friend sliced me a piece to try and it was dry and bland. She actually ordered extra sauce which was a white béchamel sauce but they brought her plain tomato sauce after accidentally bringing both her and her husband chicken piccata by mistake so my husband and I had to eat our meals while our friends sat there and waited for their correct order. Pretty disastrous without even a single apology or any offer of a dessert or anything. No one bothered asking why my broccolini went untouched which brings me to the service. It lacked class and timing as well as personality. Our friends brought a nice bottle of wine and the servers kept trying to pour it as soon as we took a couple of sips. It left us feeling so rushed. We actually ordered another bottle and they did the same with that one but the funny thing is they let us sit with dirty plates in front of us while they tried to "top off" our wine glasses. There was no pre-bussing going on. It just felt very low-budget. It's one thing to offer a casual elegant dining experience and Molo missed the mark by a mile with us. We won't be returning. read more

As somebody who does NOT love pasta and does not ever pick pasta as a go-to restaurant option, I absolutely LOVED Molo! I went here for a friend's bachelorette and I believe we had to reserve our table in advance for a party of 9. One thing I didn't realize is that I think the majority of seating is outdoors so be sure to bring a jacket if you get cold easily! I also haven't been to Europe before, but I saw a Yelper's review saying the pasta tastes BETTER than from Rome and I was already sold. There were so many delicious pasta options to choose from and I ended up choosing the Tortellini, which was absolutely cheesy, creamy, and delicious! I tried a bunch of my friend's dishes as well (lol) so I will list what I believe tasted best down below in numerical order. Highlights: 1) Spaghetti Alle Vingole: The best pasta I have ever had in my LIFE!!! 2) Garlic Bread: BEST garlic bread I have ever had in my life. We ordered two of these and I would have been down for three, LOL. 3) Octopus: Super fresh & tasty! 4) Tortellini: Cheesy, creamy, & delicious! Definitely gets you full, haha. 5) Cacio & Pepe: This dish tastes super light and delicious! Don't Recommend: 1) Penne Alla Vodka: I wasn't impressed by this pasta, sauce, but could be a personal preference. My friend also said the sausages were super spicy, as an FYI! 2) Minestrone Soup: My friend ordered this and she was disappointed with the quality. The ambiance was great and the staff members were kind and attentive. I would highly recommend this place to anybody who loves pasta! :) read more

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Great Restaurant and Great Food. But I would not be writing this review if it wasn't for the top tier level of quality the front hostess Kaia showed us the entire night of our dinner service. As we arrived an hour early for our dinner reservation, she took care of our party of 5 without any difficulties in less than 5 minutes tops. She was wonderful and her level of professionalism and class is an amazing first impression of the place showing a glimpse of the quality and service this business holds itself to! read more

Great atmosphere but loud. Hard to have a conversation. Food a bit disappointing. 4 pastas. Great seafood but lacking flavor. Needed more garlic, heat, seasoning. Would I recommend, probably. But put more flavor into pastas. Pizza had good flavor but crust totally limp. Not good. For the amount of people this restaurant attracts is surprising. Hip place but food just not that great. read more

Great ambiance and food. Shared family style which was perfect. Sad they didn't do the cheese wheel pasta in front of us but food was SO good. read more

The food was really good but overpriced. I was disappointed when I ordered the cacio de Pepe and asked the server if that's the one that comes in the cheese wheel, he said yes. When the dish arrived it was on a plate , so I questioned the server of why it didn't come on the cheese wheel, he then said it's only available for outside dining.... I was disappointed that it wasn't disclosed upon ordering that it wouldn't apply to where we were seating considering I had made a comment about it coming in the cheese wheel. I know it's not a big deal but that's honestly the reason why we came in the first place. Also the owners replies to the reviews is very unprofessional! Condescending , rude and a bit childish... read more

Had the best time at molo last night, our server Guido was amazing. He knew his wines, and had the best food recommendations. When it came to dessert we didnt even really look at the menu and just went with his suggestions because we knew they would be amazing after his spot on dinner suggestions. Very attentive, great food, highly recommend! read more