We had hoped to have dinner at 6:30 PM last night as family from out of town would be driving home today. Our timing was not good as the restaurant had experienced a rush of diners and it would be a 45 minutes wait until our party of 6 could be seated. We would wait knowing the food quality is good. We were joined outside by 2 other parties that also were repeat customers. Both parties of 6 and 5 were seated back to back so it was a little tight in terms of spacing between the tables. However, since the acquisition of another storefront, the restaurant is double in size we told our out-of-town family members whom we were introducing to our favorite local family Italian restaurant. Veronica was our server again. She was our server the last time we were here for my husband's birthday dinner. We were happy to see her. Veronica took our drink orders and gave us time to look at the menu. Daughter had strawberry puree with sparkling water and lemon. Veronica was up front in letting her know that it was from a can. Brother-in-law had a Philadelphia root beer--Hank's in a bottle. Niece ordered Calamari Fritti and Spaghetti Bolognese with gluten-free pasta. Brother-in-law went with Veronica's suggestion of the Insalata Mona Lisa small after finding out how large the salad would be. He also ordered the Margherita Pizza to share with his niece. Daughter upon hearing that the Salmon Limone was not dairy-free opted for the Spaghetti alla Checca with a salmon fillet. The rest of the family had the day's specials of Salmon Limone, Linguine Pesto with smoked salmon and asparagus, and Bistecca done medium rare with pan sauce. Everybody had had small lunches and so were really hungry. Bread was warm and balsamic vinegar olive oil combo in dipping saucers was soaked up by the sliced bread prompting a request for another basket of bread while we waited for our entrees. Calamari Fritti is niece's favorite appetizer and did not fail to please. Brother-in-law's salad looked good with greens, red beets, tomatoes, and candied walnuts. Margherita pizza was simple with mozzarella cheese, tomato slices, and fresh basil. Daughter was delighted with her salmon fillet. Other daughter enjoyed her linguine pesto, but it was so rich that she was only able to finish a quarter of her dish taking the rest home for another meal or two. She wasn't done with the sauce in her dish and let the assistant server wanting to clear dishes know that she wanted to enjoy the remaining sauce a bit longer . I enjoyed my salmon with lemon capers that cut into the richness of the creamy angel hair pasta. The cherry/grape tomatoes were fresh. Husband's Bistecca was a big boy's portion. He enjoyed it tremendously, but was only able to finish half of the 16 oz. steak. We passed on desserts this time, but my family remembered how on our 1st visit to the restaurant about 15+ years ago I ordered one of every dessert on the platter. They were all very good. My husband's favorite is the cannoli. I prefer the limoncello cake. Dinner here is always worth the wait and the food and service are excellent. read more

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We recently visited for a Birthday, the Bday girl had a choice from 4-5 different free desserts. Quiet, calm, dim lit, clean environment. Team members were friendly from front of house to back of house. Honestly impressed with the friendliness of all team members we came in contact with. We sat at the bar to eat, Jake was our server/bartender. He had excellent customer service and filled us in on all of the nightly plate specials as well as the weekly specials (Tuesday corkage fee and Wed wine by the glass specials). Price for the spaghetti bolognese was average at $19 I believe. But a bit high for the seafood linguine at $35, we felt that for the price point it could have included more seafood however, the flavor profile was tasty. I was a bit disappointed that lasagna is not a permanent fixture on the menu considering it's an Italian restaurant, looking forward to catching it on special. ADA accessible, pets allowed in patio, free parking, large lot and clean restrooms. Don't let the strip mall look from the outside fool you overall, this place is a gem. read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Optional bar seating with kitchen view - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Great atmosphere even though a little tight between tables! The food is amazing, very fresh very authentic The spaghetti and the caprese were the favorite! And the sangria was really good! Our waiter (Fritz, Frait ?) I forgot his name :(:( was really nice and helpful with recommendations! Can't wait to be back read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Caprese salad - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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Love this place so much. The food here is well priced with huge portions you can split among 2-3 people honestly. Last friday I came to celebrate my younger sister's birthday. Service was amazing as usual. Food superb! I usually get the pizza everytime. Just hits the spot. Their tiramisu is the only one i've tried and it's the best i've tried. I loved it. Restaurant is cozy, not too big. read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Tiramisu (birthday) - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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Great food and good service. Nice environment. Prices are reasonable. I had the rigatoni alla vodka. It was a big portion. The pasta was cooked perfect. The sauce was very good. read more

Great service. Mario was awesome. The rigatoni Mona Lisa was so fabulous. Big portions! read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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We came to Mona Lisa for my birthday celebration and it was a very unique Italian cuisine dining experience. My favorite dish was the vongole linguine, followed by the shrimp risotto, then the lobster linguine, then the meatballs, and lastly their take on the Margherita pizza. For the desserts, the affogato, which I was able to get decaf, was amazingly delicious, but the tiramisu was too creamy and a bit bland. The staff were very nice and hardworking, it seemed like they had great morale overall which is awesome. The vibe is a bit more crammed than I'd imagined though having the inside be semi-outside due to the open front part of the restaurant was great for lots of nice, fresh air and a truly enjoyable atmosphere. Our experience definitely left a positive impression of Mona Lisa and we'd recommend this restaurant to those looking for a more familial yet unique Italian dining setting. read more

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Went here with friends and family following my brother's interment at a nearby cemetery. We had a pretty large party of probably 20. Our very pleasant waitress easily handled several separate checks after she provided seamless service for 3 or 4 courses. Besides excellent service the food was very good authentic Italian. I live in Arizona so I probably won't be back anytime soon but if I lived nearby this would be on my regular go to Italian restaurants. read more

A much needed surprise as last weekend, when taking my mom out for lunch, she wanted Italian. The place we went to wasn't following their posted hours, so we left. This weekend, we decided to try a new place for Italian and I will say that I would love to come back again. Mona Lisa Cucino is a quaint and comfortable dining experience. The staff was wonderful in that it takes my mom a while to figure out what she wants sometimes. They were very polite and hospitable. The atmosphere was great in that it wasn't overly loud, as my mom cannot hear well and she seemed to be doing fine. The starter bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar was very good. I enjoyed their signature dish, the Rigatoni Mona Lisa. The sauce was beautifully seasoned and the selection of ingredients matched nicely, from the mushrooms and the olives, that gave additional flavors that paired well. The meatballs and sausages were also tasty, but I think the mozzarella had the right amount of flavor to it. Now I can't speak for the cioppino that my mom ordered, but she seemed to enjoy it and commented about the flavor of the broth. Just the right amount of spice and she said it definitely was not bland. I would say that I will be back and also would recommend trying the Mona Lisa Cucina to my friends. Enjoy... read more

Mona Lisa restaurant is a warm and cozy neighborhood Italian restaurant bistro. You can smell the fresh ingredients cooking when you walk in. Shay waited on us and went above and beyond to take care of us. The entrees were delicious!!! read more

Our server Michelle was extremely sweet and so considerate! Very knowledgeable and helpful. She was a great representative of the restaurant. Their chef was also super friendly and generous! The food was delicious, the ambiance was incredible super lovely intimate seating! Would love to come again to try their brunch. Thanks Michelle read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Lemon garlic pasta with artichoke hearts - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Thanks for your response Ashlee M. !!! We appreciate it !!! Our dinner last night was awesome !!! Justine did a great job for us too !! (Can you please PM me when you get a chance?) Thanks again! read more

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What an amazing dinner. Cozy intimate place with great food. Rigatoni vodka was so good. Service with a smile, great server (Mario) and super nice ladies. read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Salad - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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We were first time buyers at Mona Lisa Cucina. Reviews seemed like it was pretty hot spot for decent Italian food. Unfortunately, I ordered the chicken marsala. The chicken was as dry as cardboard and the marsala sauce never saw any of the wine. Pasta was good. Meanwhile, we had the rigatoni de Mona Lisa has their signature dish. The pasta was beyond al dente. It was hard and the sausage was gritty. Never mind it went to the trash $75 trial. read more

This was my first time here and it was a great experience! Food is yummy & atmosphere is amazing. Michelle was my server and shes the sweetest You have to come try the food and sit with Michelle if you can :) read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

I love this local spot! I have never had a bad meal and have tried many different items. The service is always great no matter where you sit. The atmosphere is lively everyone working there seems happy. The rigatoni with shrimp and creamy lemon Alfredo was incredible. The lemon really comes through and cuts the fat of the sauce to where it is still super creamy but on the lighter side. The grilled calamari comes on a bed of charred bitter greens drizzled with balsamic. The calamari itself was tender and perfectly grilled. Lastly, the portions are a great value. I can never finish a full plate so I always enjoy the meal twice! Thank you for another great meal Mona Lisa Cucina! read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Grilled calamari appetizer - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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My parents and I dined here on Easter, and the restaurant wasn't very busy. My dad and I both ordered the special: Chilean sea bass served with pasta and sautéed spinach. While the fish had great flavor on the outside, both of our portions were undercooked; mine was actually cold in the center. The pasta was also noticeably underseasoned, though the spinach was decent. My mom ordered the wedge salad, which ended up being the highlight of the meal--she loved it and had no complaints. On a positive note, our server, Jeremy, was excellent. He was friendly, attentive, and provided great service throughout our visit. Not sure I would return just because I really didn't love the food, but I believe everyone would love the wedge salad. read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Chilean Sea Bass Special - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Had dinner here many times and always good! I recommend the Lemon Chicken .Now serving breakfast and it is truly gourmet. I had the Italian Eggs Benedict and in a word outstanding!! Wine bar only but I had a Bloody Mary with rice wine, I couldn't taste the difference. Friendly staff and located Magnolia and Adams in Huntington Beach. Try it I guarantee you'll love it! read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Here's the weekend brunch menu and my Italian Benedict - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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If you ever get a chance to get out to Huntington Beach, you should definitely try Mona Lisa Cucina. From the outside it looks like a little hole in the wall, but once you step inside the atmosphere is warm, cozy, and welcoming. They have a small bar and also a wrap-around counter with glass where you can actually watch them prepare the food, which adds to the whole experience. I met a friend there for dinner and we were not disappointed. We started with a bottle of Stags' Leap Petite Sirah, and our server Hector was amazing. He walked us through the specials, poured our wine, and even let us taste it first. He really brought an upscale, classy vibe to the experience even though the restaurant itself is small and intimate. We both ordered the Pollo Con Limone, and on Hector's recommendation we started with the Gamberetti al Caprese as an appetizer. He was absolutely right with that suggestion. It was light, fresh, and not heavy at all -- shrimp wrapped in prosciutto with tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic. It was delicious. The Pollo Con Limone was to die for. The chicken was perfectly cooked and topped with a flavorful lemon sauce with mushrooms and capers that paired beautifully with the pasta. Every bite was incredible. Between the food, the cozy atmosphere, and Hector's excellent service, it was a fantastic experience. I will definitely be back and highly recommend this place if you're looking for great Italian food in Huntington Beach. read more

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Delicious place, i love the taste in all the pastas, we try the gluten free pene pasta and it's really good, they can make it in any flavor that you want, they a good selection of wines, our server was really good, he knew everything from the menu, he guide is really good in everything we ask for. The only thing i have to point is that they don't allow reservations. read more

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Recent visit here reminded me of how much I liked the Mona Lisa rigatoni. All the dishes we had were delicious and flavorful. They have a nice wine selection that made it easy to find a good wine to pair with our pasta. Great place to satisfy my Italian cravings. read more

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Service was great here. I recommend coming here for an early dinner as it could get busy during the dinner rush. The ambiance is cozy and loud, similar to being at a friend's house. The food was very affordable for the quality of ingredients food was made of. You can tell they care greatly for service and quality of food. read more

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This is a gem. Service was attentive and amazing. Mario was super nice and took great care of us. The food blew me away. Definitely coming back here!! read more

Food was excellent. Service was outstanding. Great wine list. The salmon special was very tasty. read more

We were eating at a friend's house and my wife wanted Italian, they chose Mona Lisa and described it as tasting homemade and being a family owned business. We thought it was an appropriate meal for sharing between 2 families, 8 people total. There are a lot of options on the menu and best way to summarize the taste and experience is American-Italian. Pickup for our to go order was at 5:10 pm and it was already getting crowded inside. Our friends said the interior has been expanded since they started coming and it was still getting packed early in the day! Caprese: Sliced tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and reduced vinaigrette. Good appetizer to start with, nice and clean tasting though the tomato and mozzarella was cut slightly too thick. Siciliana pizza: Tomato sauce, salami, sausage, capicola, oregano, red onions and mozzarella. We got this for the kids but I haven't had pizza in a long time and got two slices. Loved it as a simple and accessible pizza. Risotto Fiorentine: Traditional Italian risotto with chicken, mushrooms, spinach, and red onions with touch of marinara sauce. Tasted OK, would have preferred it without the cheese and tomato sauce on top. Cozze del Pescadore: Fresh black mussels in garlic, parsley, and white wine, served with toasted bread. My favorite, very well cooked and the simple. Pastas: friends ordered a wide assortment of pastas, everything was good for this style of Italian food. Pastas and sauce decently cooked and sauces were well seasoned and flavorful. read more

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Five stars for Mona Lis Cucina! Amazing food. Outstanding service. This is an open kitchen concept restaurant where you can see your food being prepared fresh and delivered hot! A group of friends decided to meet here for dinner. They have a really good selection of wine, beer, & aperitif drinks. Bartender Justine is a level 2 sommelier and she knows her wines. She.recommended petit Syrah Maggio, which was outstanding. She also makes a killer sangria. Server Angie (and Shea) provided amazing customer service. Appetizers included the bruschetta, Garlic bread, calamari and green salad. All were amazing. Our table had the rib eye steak, pesto risotto, and the clam linguini. Generous portions and warm tasty food that gives you a hug from nonna. Dessert was the cannoli and tiramisu! Amazing! We finished our meal with an after dinner aperitif, Lofi Gentian Amaro. Delicious! Thanks to the staff who worked like a coordinated symphony. Amazing and comforting vibe! read more

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I love Italian food, but it's hard to find good Italian restaurants in Orange County. I was very happy to find Mona Lisa. The food is excellent here and the portion is humongous. I couldn't finish it. Let's start with the service. Excellent! The restaurant is clean. It's not a hip place. Come here for an excellent, family style Italian meal. Mona Lisa salad. Very good Calamari. There's two types. Both excellent. Linguine pescatorie. If you like seafood, this is a definite yes. They use Venus clams. Wow! The broth was good, but I like my sauce thicker. Spaghetti bolognese. Very yummy. Each portion is huge. I barely made a dent so whatever you order, it's going to be taken home and eaten the next day. For Thinsulin fans, it's difficult to find green light dishes here. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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Excellent meal- lovely hometown atmosphere, great food and service. We loved our meal tonight- calamari, garlic bread, chicken limone,chicken marmalade and creme brulee. So fun to have such a delicious restaurant nearby. People very friendly. read more

Our favorite Italian place in the area! Our favorite thing to get is the Alla Vodka pasta and their crème brûlée. All the servers are always so sweet. and the inside interior is so clean and romantic we love it. read more

Dinner last night with a good friend. First time here. Extensive menu from pizza, pasta, salads to appetizers. Good wine list as well. Server was friendly and welcoming and the place was packed by 6pm. I ordered the lemon chicken and it was yummy. A tart creamy lemon sauce with capers covered the 2 chicken breasts with a side of pasta. Servings are not overwhelming which appreciate. You need to give this gem a try. read more

Pretty bummed. We ate here last week, I have celiac disease and I do not recommend eating here at all if you are gluten-free. We had a waitress named Erika. I ordered a Caesar salad with the croutons and dressing on the side, I always give the croutons to my boyfriend. The salad came with croutons, and I said I couldn't eat it, and I watched as the cook picked off the croutons. As someone with celiac disease, I cannot have any cross-contamination in my food or I get horribly sick. Needless to say, I wasn't able to eat my salad. I ordered one of the specials, it was a risotto with Parmesan and a cream sauce. It had zero flavor to the point that I ate a few bites and was over it. Also, their wine has doubled in price. We paid $68 for a house Cabernet for a bottle. My boyfriend and I used to come here all the time, however, we won't be back. Highly disappointing. read more

The food was amazing. Their Nashville chicken is so yummy. The portions are huge. Their soufflé's are so yummy. And to top it all, Daphne's service is absolutely exceptional! read more

Went for breakfast today was delicious. We had the breakfast pizza. They open at 8 AM Friday and Saturday and Sunday mornings. read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

All the food is Delicious! I ordered a To-Go Spaghetti with meatballs which was about $27.00 but it was so tasty and pure deliciousness. The only funny part was they ran out of utensils, so I had to buy $.99 utensils from the grocery store inside the shopping center across the street to eat my To-Go order. But, it was well worth it!!!! I have eaten inside for dinner twice and their food is truly tasty and delicious. read more

Birthday celebration was delicious! Recommending pasta dimari, ciopino, pesto chicken, desserts, cappuccinos, and more! Service for 5 of us was authentically Italian & elevated in style! Graci! read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - The birthday girls! - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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Came in with a large part of 9 and was greeted and welcomed into the restaurant wonderfully. The table was set up nicely with live roses as the center piece. The ambience was very relaxing and homey fitting of the name Mona Lisa it feels as if you're walking into a painting. The open kitchen is nice being able to see that my food is made with real ingredients by real people. Food came out fast and despite the large party all of our plates and entrees were still hot and ready to eat. Waiters were attentive and constantly filling up our waters and reassuring everything was okay. We were able to split the check amongst all of us too which saved us a ton of hassle of paying one person to divide the check. read more

Mona Lisa Cucina - Rigatoni alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

This is absolutely the most wonderful Italian join in the city. I don't think I have ever been disappointed after indulging in this gem. I guess this is the closest I'll get to Italy until I become a rich man and fly to Italy myself!!! SO I am glad a place like this exists to keep my dreams and wishes at ease until the one day to come. Anyways. It was Valentine's Day and my sweetie and I ordered a Coccino... I think that was the spelling. It is basically the pescatore but with salmon. We wanted to add linguini in it, and it came out fabulous. The taste is the best out of every Italian dish I know, and with our sweet server's recommendation on a glass a wine, it enhanced it by 10x. Our server was very attentive and sweet! I hope she had a valentine of her own too. And if she doesn't, gentlemen, there is a nice lady on the market! Overall, the food to the ambiance played a special role in making our valentine so good! read more

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My sweet friend Nan treated me to a wonderful lunch today- WOW! Beautiful ambiance, our waitress Justine made it so enjoyable. We both had their delicious "lunch portion" of spaghetti. SOOO REASONABLE and what a treat. Nan and her family all say this is the BEST Italian food in Huntington Beach. It's TRUE! Highly recommend :). read more

And my girlfriend and I were going to take a bike ride downtown Huntington Beach for breakfast on Saturday. We came to the light at Adams and Magnolia on the telephone pole was a flyer that said Mona Lisa is open for breakfast. Pretty colorful flyer caught my attention with photos of the breakfast and drinks on the flyer. So we dipped in there instead service was perfect. Food was delicious and reasonable and I highly recommend it. They're open Friday, Saturday and Sunday for breakfast. read more

Update: While the owner,Ashlee, initially reached out for an opportunity to show my poor experience was the exception rather than the rule at Mona Lisa kitchen, it turned out she was not very responsive in the end. Nonetheless, I gave it another try recently. My wife and a friend joined me. I had the same dish (Rigatoni con Petto de pollo) and it was just as bland and soupy. The pasta was poor quality as the sauce did not adhere to it. I did get a good amount of chicken in the dish this time, but it was very dry and clearly not recently cooked. I tasted my friends dish ( Rigatoni Mona Lisa) which also lacked flavor, but was a little better than my dish. Last, I tried my wife's Caesar salad and it was not bad. If you're looking for a good Italian place, this isn't it. A better bet is Capones on Beach Blvd, always excellent. In truth, you would get a better meal at Olive Garden than Mona Lisa Kitchen. I suspect this restaurant enjoys a reputation and customer base built by the previous owner. read more