Just around the corner from (Alessa) by Chef Alessandro Pirozzi this a more intimate sophisticated setting, as if your in the crowded Piazza Restaurant in Italy itself. Be gifted to settle into being culinary romanced to a taste of Italy and regale to engage dining on a variety of sauces, fresh made pasta, meatballs extraordinaire, veal magnificent fresh fish and the list continues to overwhelm with preparations that are perfect in presentation. Be open to experience new friends sitting near you asking what are you enjoying and raving about that your dining on? We always order a bottle or two of The Michael David Petite Syrah. It pairs well. Ask for the Riedel Stem to better enjoy. Salerno by Chef Pirozzi knows the intricacy of experienced dining and presentation. Leave full and anxious to return again and again. Btw even the Lasagna is ..... wow!!! read more

What a difference a change of ownership makes.- I will not be returning to Salerno, and that is a shame. Several years ago, I indicated that they had "possibly the best eggplant parmesan I have ever had". I had been warned that there had been a change of ownershp and chef, but gave them the benefit of the doubt and was profoundly disappointed with my eggplant parm, and with the service. This restaurant had a long history with its former owner, and its tradition and quality had been carried on by a former employee who had bought it, years ago. I am in search of an alternative Itaiian restaurant for my next visit to Laguna. read more

Bypass my review if you don't care about dessert because this review is solely dessert based. I haven't been here in years, but what I've always remembered was their tiramisu. Every time we go to an Italian restaurant we try their tiramisu and every time we tell ourselves, "It's not as good as Salerno's ." We were in the area recently and had just eaten lunch elsewhere and were walking around. We decided to treat ourselves to dessert here and took a slice to go. To our dismay the portion was half the size of what we had before, and barely bigger than my little palm. For $12 I think it's absurd. Price aside, it was an all together different recipe. More whipped marscapone on top than before. I rather enjoy more of the ladyfinger layer. I could have instead spent a few dollars more and have gotten a nourishing meal. Sugar eggs and flour should never cost that much! It just doesn't compute. read more

Salerno - $12 (with tip, $14) tiramisu to go, which is barely the size of my palm. I don't think so. - Italian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

This restaurant might win the award for one of the worst in Laguna Beach..... The good - our server was very nice. She tried hard, but the restaurant (even though it was small) was clearly understaffed in regards to wait staff. The fried olives sounded odd, but were pretty tasty. The pesto dip for the bread was very good. The bad (there was a lot): The chicken parm was horrible. It had a funny smell to it like it had been cooked in a fish fryer. The meat was rubbery and the bread crumb crust was bland and soggy. The side of pasta was so overcooked. Not edible at all and sent back. We had 3 diners and 2 ordered this dish - so it wasn't a one off, they both were terrible.....at least they were consistent. The chicken piccata was also horrible. The piccata sauce was very bland and covered a chicken breast that was also rubbery -- it appeared to be boiled (so gross). The side of spinach was undercooked and not seasoned. The roast potatoes were bland and some were still hard inside like they were undercooked. After sending the chicken parm back, we ordered the eggplant parm to replace it. At this point we were so hungry that we just ate it. It was passable, but not great by any means. In the center was a caesars salad which was probably the highlight of the evening. We have been to Alessa a number of times around the corner. Same owner and the food is much better. Not sure what happened here. Needless to say, we don't recommend Salerno's -- keeping walking a few blocks and go to Alessa. read more

5 star for the food! Everything we ordered was really good! 2 stars for how crammed it is in there. The restaurant is super small and they filled it with too many tables. When we arrived it wasnt crowded, as we were eating it filled up. It became really loud, everyone can hear each other's conversations. I could even smell the guys bad breathe from across me. :/ By the time we left, my husband and I both got a little anxiety. So my suggestion would be, if you don't like crowded eating, go at a slower time, Because the food is amazing. We will be back for to go orders or at a slow dining time! read more

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I had the chicken parm and it was horrible. Both chicken peices were burnt. Flavorless, dry. The penne pasta with marinara sauce was also disgusting. Probably the worst chicken parm I've had in my life. read more

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If you have the option to go to Alessas or Salerno, choose Alessas. Salerno's had horrible service. We had to flag the busboy for bread and more water because our waiter was MIA. Our dinner came out before our appetizers, which also came out before our complementary bread and pesto. Our waiter did not care at all about customer service in fact, I think the busboy cared more. This restaurant had very poor and slow service. read more

What a fabulously delicious meal and very attentive service! Chef Pirozzi has created a wonderful menu with so many options. There is something for everyone. read more

Salerno - Limoncello seafood pasta with shrimp and calamari and seafood pasta with shrimp and zucchini. - Italian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

I don't even know where to start but I will try because I wish we knew before we came here. Yesterday was my wifes birthday and we came to Laguna to see a play at the Playhouse. We live in Vegas and are staying in Oceanside. She said for dinner we should go to the little italian place we used to go to in the past. I made a reservation and requested they bring a terra misu for desert with a candle. We get there and every single patron is wearing their jacket because between the vent on one side and the door open constantly it was crazy cold. We ordered wine, meals and a ceasar salad for 2. The salad comes but without bread. I had to flag down a server. The salad was very good as was the bread and pesto dip when it finally came (after our salad was done). The dinner came and you don't get offered grated cheese with the pasta as well as never offering more bread. Again, very good food. My pasta was cold in less than a minute as it was freezing inside. The host is posted outside so between him coming in and out and the waiter going out the door is always left open. This is a small place so we are less than 10 feet from the door. At this point we just want to get through this and get out as it was not good service and very uncomfortable. Even though we wanted to get out I was looking forward to my wifes surprise desert. I guess it shouldn't have shocked me when our server asked if we wanted anything for desert! No bday desert for my wife. I asked the busboy to speak to a manager and when none came I asked him again and he told me the waiters are the managers! We my waiter came over to pick up the check I expressed my dissatisfaction to him and he could care less. We get up and go outside and he follows me and says " my manager is coming, I thought you wanted to speak to him". At this point we just wanted out and I didn't want to cap off my wifes birthday dinner by losing my temper! Stay away from this place. There are way too many places that appreciate your patronage. It was like I ate (very good) food at an uncomfortable fast food place for over $100! read more

2 stars because customer service was extremely bad. The host was very apathetic. Had to wait for our server for more than 15 minutes, when he was finally ready to take our order the attitude was as if he didn't want to be there, minimal eye contact, speaking way too informal, not caring at all. read more

This restaurant really needs to reconsider their first picture. I came here before checking out their Yelp. The food is fine but that picture makes me so nauseous. The one of the finished plate with a bit of left over food. It's the first pic I see on my Yelp now since I came here before. So gross. read more

The pasta I had was overcooked but the waiter never came by to check our satisfaction. The place is also very loud.

Have been doing takeouts from them. Mainly bolognese and carbonara. Bolognese has been consistently good to great. Carbonara has been very hit and miss. One night was superb other times below mediocre. Carbonara has to be creamy not clumpy! See picture! read more

Salerno - Salerno's clumpy carbonara! - Italian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Wish I could give more stars. The food here is fantastic! The waiter was wonderful. We sat outside this time as it got a bit noisy in the heart of the dinner hour inside, but that's okay too, as the outside had a nice breeze and made conversation easier. This is our second time here, and we'll be back, as it was worth the long drive. Highly recommend starting with the appetizer Zucca Ravioli. So Good! read more

Our friends suggested this small Italian restaurant in the heart of Laguna Beach to meet for dinner. My husband and I don't normally go into Laguna Beach for dinner because of the parking situation, this evening was not an exception. We drove around for 10 mins till we were able find a spot to park. Luckily it was 6:40pm and we only had to put enough quarters in the parking meter till 7pm. A small walk and we arrived at a small, but packed restaurant. Since we had a reservations, our friends were able to get seated before us. The ambiance and the temperature was nice, but the restaurant was very loud. The seating was very cramped, I'm a little person and I felt like I didn't have much room to move. I wish this is where the story gets better, because the restaurant has so much character and the menu looks promising. Unfortunately, I found the service a little bit slow and maybe that's because it was a busy Saturday night on a holiday weekend. It look a little bit for the waitress to come by and offer my husband and I drinks. The wine by the glass selection was quite pricey, so I just ordered the house Chardonnay and it was drinkable. The waitress also brought out thinly sliced pieces of bread and a pesto dipping sauce which was quite tasty. We ordered our meals and my husband and I both ordered salads before our main course. I ordered the Caprese which was really nice served with arugula (it's really hard to screw up a Caprese salad). However, my husbands garden salad was just blah. First, there was only one dressing to choose from for a regular garden dinner salad which was Italian, the only other option is a Cesar salad. The Italian dressing was thick and and not very flavorful. Our meals came out and looked very pleasing to the eye, but once we started eating we became disappointed. My Chicken Parm was dry and the bread was falling off of it. The side pasta was bland and tasteless, it needed something..maybe salt or some kind of seasoning? My husband's Lasagna was ok, but dry. It could have used less cheese and more sauce. My friend usually has a big appetite but barely finished half of her Mussels & Linguine. She stated the sauce was ok. The only saving grace was the smoked duck which our friend's husband finished without a drop on his plate. I don't know if I would come back here again or even recommend it to any of my friends. It seems to me for the $$$ there's other better choices. read more

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Oh my goodness, this restaurant is FANTASTIC! Dean Martin sings you to your table. Then there's focaccia and the most incredible dipping sauce I've EVER had! (garlic, pesto, olive oil, and more -- but no balsamic, which I do not like). I almost licked the plate clean; not really, but it was close! I had the Eggplant Parmesan which comes with a light Caesar salad. Wonderful! I've gotta remember at come back to this Laguna Beach Italian delight! read more

Salerno - Eggplant Parmesan w/ Caesar Salad, focaccia and my favorite-ever garlic basil dipping sauce. Yum! - Italian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Cozy little spot with top notch service and great flavors in every dish! The octopus salmon app is a MUST try, the lobster ravioli is amazing, and the super Tuscan wines on the menu are delicious! One of our favorite spots in town and the place we go to most often for date night! We always bring our dog and sit outside. It's a great place! read more

Amazing food and friendly fast service. Lobster Ravioli - 5* Braised lamb gnocchi - 5* Good selection of wine as well. read more

Salerno - Italian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

I am so happy that one of our favorite restaurants, owned by our favorite chef, Alessandro Pirrozi, is open again. Absolutely great food and exceptional service. Nice tables set up outside and plenty of room inside with the regulations. Highly recommend. read more

My husband and I don't go to many Italian restaurants; he doesn't eat pasta and few Italian restaurants seem to offer little beyond that. We decided to dine at Salerno's because we had tickets for Pageant of the Masters; both are Laguna Beach institutions. We were very blessed to get a table for two -- sans reservations -- though the tiny ristorante was already crowded, wall to wall. The dining room was buzzing with conversation as wait & bus staff negotiated narrow paths between tables. (If you're claustrophobic, you should probably choose another eatery.) The decor is a touch campy and ambiance cozy. In an era of IG and Pinterest, I doubt anybody is copying this interior design. The menu is both promising, delectable and distinct. We started with the alici (imported white anchovies, served cold, with rainbow carrots & arugala). My husband ordered the chicken marsala while I opted for the roasted rabbit ravioli. Again, timing was perfect as my order was one of the last before the plate was sold out for the day. ** Bonus for the variety of vegetable sides including kale! ** Considering this was a busy Friday night, complimentary bread and an oil & balsamic dipping sauce were brought out shortly after we were seated. Our server provided updates, helping us to manage our excitement and hunger. Comely plating and presentation enables diners to put down camera-phones and mangia (eat)! While we had a curtain call to make, we certainly didn't rush through our meal. Instead, we could savor the flavors and by the last bite, I was very satiated... without room for dessert. Based on the conversation at the adjacent table, visiting Salerno's WITHOUT high expectations is difficult. Left unchecked, those unrealistic expectations also increase your potential for disappointment... Come here to enjoy moment by moment, and you just might understand why so many tables are celebrating birthdays. (But don't expect the wait staff to sing to you!) read more

Worst service in the world!!!! We waited over an hour just to have our order taken! Waiter was rude hostess was rude! If you want to feel totally unwelcome and that you've some how inconvenienced the people that work here please give it a try! Never coming back read more

Went done for the Thursday Night Art walk and decided to try this quaint place out. We had a great waitress with nice Italian music playing, they have a really good menu choices. I decided to have the eggplant parmigiana with Caesar salad and glad I did it was perfectly made. I will be back. read more

Salerno - Eggplant parmigiana and Caesar salab - Italian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

This is a newer restaurant in Laguna by Chef Perozzi who also has Alessa right down the street. There's another restaurant in Corona Del Mar that's called Pirozzi that's the same guy. All their menus are similar but also have unique dishes. This spot has lovely decor, great service and simple, fresh, delicious food. We had the "Mamma Mia" to start which are these amazing meatballs! Who doesn't love meatballs? But these might just be my favorite. My fave dish is the Farfallina Rosa which is bow-tie pasta with a light vodka pink sauce with artichokes and chicken. My hubby had the sea bass which was perfectly prepared with a lemon, butter, caper sauce. And the best part ... dessert! Of course what's a great meal without it? Lucky for us the desserts were delicious! read more

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We left pretty disappointed. We had 4 different dishes and everything was mediocre at best. The Gnocchi Cinghiale was terrible. Tasted like tomato sauce straight out of the can with some overcooked sausage. We didn't have any expectations going in, but it was just bland and warmed up pre-prepared food. read more

Service was slow. When me and my friend got our food, it didn't look very appetizing, and they tried to make it look better by putting decoration (flowers) on them. When it was time to pay the bill, I told the waiter to split the bill in half so I could pay half and my friend could pay half. They didn't. Instead, they charged me $64.14 (Which was the total price for the food we ordered) and took the rest of my friends cash which was the half she payed (We both were supposed to pay around $34). Do not go here, this place scams your money!!! read more

Salerno - Italian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Amazing drinks, wine, pasta, appetizers and most of all ... Dessert! The ambiance is beautiful and cozy! Beautiful place to grab Italian food! read more

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Wow! Pleasantly surprised. Everything we had was delicious! Started with fried Gouda stuffed Sicilian olives. Then we moved on to the arancini scampi - that was really really good. Best I have had in the U.S. Then I had the puttanesca that had a perfect balance of flavor. My husband had the pappardelle vittorio. If you like lamb - order the pappardelle - you won't be disappointed. The service was excellent and the ambiance was great. Spumone for dessert. Yum Yum and yum! read more

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Lasagna. A disaster sorry to say. Cute venue. Although noisy. Same menu as Alessi just down the street. You have to be careful on choices here. Bread is funky. Sort of a focaccia but light. Better choices available. Move on. read more

Great cocktails. Excellent Pasta Pomodoro. Friendly and attentive staff. Fun for birthdays. Nice indoor/outdoor seating options.

It's probably the loudest restaurant in Orange County... the brick walls and the small tables make it very intimate and if you're into that type of a atmosphere it is great! I would recommend sitting at the bar at least you can speak side by side and have a little conversation. But you will want to go because the food is amazing everything we tasted was fresh high-quality handmade and really delicious. Thinking back on the menu there are at least 12 things that I still have to go back and try. read more

Very rusty bistro restaurant owned. Located in the heart of Laguna Beach. The service was good. I recommend the eggplant parmigiana. Walk to art galleries and shops. read more

Long overdue review. From the food to the atmosphere to the service the night was terrific. We were out trying some new restaurants in Laguna. We had always wanted to try Salerno but it was always to busy. We arrived early and got a table at an open window seat, facing the street. It was an indoor/outdoor table. There was a plaque for Lucky Lippa at the table who we met while eating. We tried an awesome appetizer of meatballs, that he brought over since this was our first time visiting. We also had a tremendous bottle of wine and great food. Since our visit we told numerous people about our great dinner, just took me a bit to post. read more

I did my research on Yelp and most of the reviews are positive and say the food is great. I disagree. I have been wanting to try this place for a while. Whenever I pass by in the evening, there is always a wait. I finally tried it today and I was disappointed. I got the 1/2 spaghetti & 1/2 ravioli with meat since I was craving something with tomato sauce. I added a small side salad with italian dressing for $1. The boyfriend ordered Mostaccioli Vesuviana and added a small salad as well. Salad - when you get it, you realize why its $1. It was really small chopped up green lettuce, carrots, 1 cucumber each, with oily dressing. I say - skip the salad and save yourself a buck!! Spaghetti and Ravioli tasted like they were from a can of Chef Boyerdee - literally. The noodles were average, possibly overcooked if thats possible. Sauce was plain and heavy on the salt. Ravioli's were the best part of the dish and that's not saying very much. It just added another flavor to the very monotone dish. Mostaccioli Vesuviana - was ok. Sausage lacked flavor and wasn't anything special. When i went to the bathroom i realized how small this place was. They had a small makeshift kitchen in the back where one of the cooks was hustling to serve the whole restaurant. I felt bad for the one cook holding down the fort! But i now know why there is always a wait. the place is ity bity!! If you want good Italian food in Laguna Beach, walk down the street to Alessa Cafe. I wish I did!!! read more

Salerno - 1/2 Spaghetti & 1/2 Meat Stuffed Ravioli in Meat Sauce - Italian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Wow. Soooo disappointing. Waited about 30 minutes to get a glass of water then had to ask for napkins as none were provided when we were seated. Had to ask 4 times for a water refill. They are sorely understaffed and people are so packed inside that that waiters actually cannot move in between tables. It is a complete circus and probably an actual fire hazard. Food is fair at best. Save yourself the headache and do not go to this restaurant. read more

First time here. OMGosh. This place ROCKS! We ordered the filet carpaccio and it was amazing. The entree's were the branzino & elk chop. Both were very good BUT the elk chop was off the charts. Soooooo tendered and cooked to perfection. Dessert was the basil mint sorbet & blueberry Creme brûlée. Both were gone within minutes. . A+. You have to go to early. After 6:30pm tends to get very busy. read more

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Was my all time favorite place to eat at in Laguna Beach.. but sadly it's been 3 to 4 year since I've been back down south Cali again. But sure enough I when I was back into town i went straight there to eat and see if it was the same. I was sad to learn that the awesome waitress/restaurant owner sold the business. It's the same name and my babies daddy loved. Don't get me wrong the food was good. But to me it was more generic seem like it lost its unique self. I am deeply sadden by that. I now have to look for a new Italian places to eat read more

It was first time there. I had Pollo Limoncello and it was crazy,amazing delicious!!!! I can't wait to go back, there is So much flavor! I loved the huge menu selection and the ambience! read more

Salerno - Pollo Limoncello - Italian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Such good, high quality, tasty food! Cozy, safe atmosphere. Lovely staff! Great portions and value! Can't wait to go back

It's ok, not More than that. The Cesar salad and the pesto sauce were good. The fettuccine Alfredo and Bucatini were less than average. Not a great Italian experience for what they charge. read more

Salerno - Italian Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Stopped by for dinner on Wednesday at 6:00 PM, hours say 4:00-9:00. Closed. Poor way to run a business Chef Pirozzi!