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    Ulivo Restaurant

    4.6 (539 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Seafood, Pizza
    Open 4:30 pm - 9:00 PM

    Waitlist - Ulivo Restaurant

    Live Current wait: under 5 minutes

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    ULIVO RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Ulivo Restaurant

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    Parmesan Crusted Calamari Strips
    Sydney H.

    Wow! What an amazing restaurant. The restaurant is adorable, they have amazing outdoor seating, and they allow dogs on the patio. And the FOOD!? So delicious, my seafood pasta had so much seafood i ran out of noodles. Everything we ordered was so so good. We will be coming back very soon, thanks to this amazing experience and our awesome server Bob!

    churro cake and ice cream
    Maria L.

    Food: very very good. our bruschetta was amazing and the portion was impressive for the price. pesto was very walnut forward and delicious. carbonara sauce tasted so cozy and warm. tiramisu wasn't super impressive but still yummy. Service: our server was very nice and friendly but it seemed like this was her first job ever. not very attentive or able to suggest substitutions well. the male server was knowledgeable about all the menu items and had some great recommendations. there was a large party inside so maybe that was where the attention was, but everyone was still very friendly. Ambiance: we sat outside on the small patio (4 tables) and the street was not noisy, there were twinkle lights. the dining room had booths and the large party was sat at a large table in center of the room. there was also a "bar" with 4-5 stools that looked out to the street. very small inside, but felt cozy.

    Barolo Braised Short Ribs
    Liz R.

    We came here for Friday date night. I booked a table earlier that same day and it was ready for us right at 6pm. This is a cozy little spot nestled in the heart of OB, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a parking spot a block away. We started with a cup of the soup special and the Cesar salad. They also brought us some freshly made bread. It all felt like a fancier version of the endless soup, salad and bread sticks at a well known Italian chain restaurant. For my main course I had a pasta dish with creamy tomato sauce and dollops of ricotta throughout. It was so good. It was a huge portion and reheated just as nicely the next day. My husband has the short ribs and thought they would just okay. He would prefer to try something else next time we go back.

    The inside of the restaurant, and the street view.
    Michael S.

    It was a little pricey but, as far as I know, it's a mom and pop's place, so they have to charge a little bit more. However, the ambience, and just the people they're serving you, were wonderful. It's a great place for a date for sure.

    Sean Z.

    It's a small Italian restaurant not far away from Mission Beach. If you are in the area, visit this place! There is street parking with a short walk from basically any direction. The restaurant isn't big. But seatings are comfortably spaced. Modest decor. The place was clean. The service was great, we were treated with welcoming smile and recommendations on their specials. I was glad that I took the recommendation. The bread sticks were soft and warm. Yum.entrenain course was served within a timely manner. The food presentation was simple but it was absolutely scrumptious! Not salty and not too light. The amount of seasoning was just perfect for my taste buds and blood pressure. The food was perfectly portion. We barely finished the bread sticks. Unfortunately, we ran out of space for dessert. Overall, this place gets a 5.0 out of 5. Love it! Will visit again!

    Braised short ribs, with pasta and veggie
    Lauren G.

    Parking is free in their lot behind the restaurant they share with Olive Tree Market. The dinner was really good, we had each had an entree, sea bass, filet mignon, and braised short ribs. Bread knots were warm and really good. The beet salad is my favorite starter salad. They have a Tuscany soup special will cheesy bread that is really flavorful that has spinach and Italian sausage in it. I would order this meal again. The service is good and the restaurant ambiance is relaxing.

    Gnocchi Fresco
    Ariana H.

    Feel compelled to leave an update! My family was raving about this place to my dad so we had to stop by after a long day at the San Diego Zoo. He agreed it was definitely worth the hype. He loved the caprese salad and meatballs. The rest of us got the same thing as last time. It was empty when we were there around 4:45pm on a Friday. Mark was our server again and was a gem, per usual! While we hope to come again soon, we will recommend this to everyone!

    Mmmmm good
    Mark K.

    Outstanding dinner. Food was excellent. Ambience was relaxing. Can't wait to try a few of items on the menu.

    Ribeye special with shrimp and crab risotto.
    Paul M.

    I visited Ulivo with my children and grandchildren. It was a few weeks ago, so I have no recollection of what anyone else ordered. I do, however, remember very distinctly my ribeye with shrimp and crab risotto. It was amazing! The ribeye was cooked perfectly - so tender, juicy and flavorful. The balsamic drizzle really enhanced the flavor. The restaurant is small, or should I say, intimate. The service was very friendly and attentive. And, while I don't remember what the others ordered, I do remember that they all enjoyed their food very much. All around, a great experience.

    Antipasto Salad

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    11 days ago

    Great tasting food and service. We stop by here about every other week. Good specials also.

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    3 months ago

    The service was great the food was amazing! Cute little spots, I would definitely be back! The lasagna, the seafood pasta was delicious.

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    3 months ago

    Veal parm special was great! Service was great, atmosphere amazing :) five star break pudding!

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    8 months ago

    Food was good, service excellent. Reservation was acknowledged. Ambiance was very nice.

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    9 months ago

    simply the best italian neighborhood restaraunt around. Jackie is wonderul. I live in OB and highly recommend this place

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ulivo Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Ulivo Restaurant

    Are you allowed to bring your own birthday cake?

    I"m "sure" they would let you. Family place with awesome food and service

    Is this place dog friendly?

    Unfortunately not... actually... they may have outdoor seating :)

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill - Ocean Beach

    4.3
    (739 reviews)
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    Food is delicious & the fish is fresh! We've had better clam chowder, but it was still good…read more The gal at the register was great - answered all our questions/gave her opinion between choices we were struggling on. She didn't make us feel rushed despite the growing line behind us (we were truly trying to hurry, though, because of it). If you like sashimi, get their sashimi appetizer! We haven't been able to find a good place for sashimi since we moved to Southern California 5 years ago. Don't get me wrong, we've gotten good sashimi, but not cut thick & with good quality that is worth the price like this place. The price wasn't even as high as many of the other sashimi places we've tried! They give you only 2 fish choices on the plate, however. They have listed about 5 or 6 different kinds, but it depends on what is available. We had salmon & tuna. Salmon is my favorite, but their tuna was fantastic! First time I can say I may have liked it better than the salmon!! Their other dishes we had were also yummy. My daughter loves scallops & they were cooked to perfection. I don't usually like scallops because most places cook them till they're rubbery. Not this place! My husband had swordfish & I had the sea bass. Both were also delicious, but I think they may have mixed up which plate went to which person. Good thing, as we were trying each others' food, my daughter noted the slight texture difference between the two (I hadn't had a chance to taste them yet). Interestingly, swordfish usually has a vastly different texture than bass, but here, they cook it so well, there wasn't a huge amount of difference! That says something since swordfish is usually very "meaty." If my daughter hadn't noticed, I wouldn't have complained even though I was looking forward to the bass. I like flakier fish. However, the bass wasn't as flaky as I anticipated, but both were so tender, the mix-up wasn't a deal breaker. I don't know how they season the rice, but YUM! Even though I'm Asian, I'm not one who usually eats the rice. It's usually just a filler for me, & since I don't eat much, I'd rather eat the "other stuff" & usually leave most of the rice. Not here! I almost couldn't get enough of it, lol! So good!! At the end, we needed boxes. We had to ask two different waitresses since the first one we asked never came with them. It's an "order at the register then find a table" type of place, so there wasnt any "service" to speak of. Be prepared to stand in line - this place is popular for a reason! Parking is a challenge, but worth it. We definitely will be back!

    While visiting the Ocean Beach area, I stopped into Blue Water Seafood for lunch. I selected the…read moreYellow tail taco and a Bloody Mary. Both were just great!! The bloody Mary had a perfect amount of spice and the taco included 4ozs of fish and was just outstanding. If you are in Ocean Beach, stop by this place for lunch, you will enjoy the taco to the last bite!!

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    Charli's Landing

    Charli's Landing

    4.7
    (116 reviews)
    1.6 mi
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    Fish N' Chips: Great Fish N' Chips, Batter is seasoned and tastes great, a step up from other…read moreplaces we have had. Beef Tallow is used and adds to the flavor of the Onion Rings and Fries. Flavorful taste pairs well with fish. Great service, turn time was not too long, Seating outside along port boardwalk and some under awning. Nice view of the harbor, was not too crowded on a weekday after 4 pm. We will be returning to try Charli's Smash Burger and hit the Fish N' Chips again.

    Charli's was on a list of best burgers in San Diego. So when a buddy of mine called up and said…read morelet's go eat, I mentioned Charli's. I had never been and neither had he, so why not try something new. It's in a great location near Mission Bay. Parking is ample, so definitely makes getting there easier. You order at the counter, and they call you when it's ready. I ordered a cup of the clam chowder. This was really good! Nice clam pieces too! Though I felt $6.50 for a cup was pretty steep. I ordered the Burrito with carne asada. This was ginormous! Good portion of meat with rice and beans inside. Daveed said the burger was really good and liked the nice crispy fries. The staff is friendly! They have a great outdoor patio with a view of the boats. There was a tour group waiting to head out to go whale watching. Definitely worth coming to and I've added it to my rotation. Cako Approves!

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    Dockside 1953

    Dockside 1953

    3.9
    (217 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$$

    The view was beautiful. The prices are a bit too much. I got the ribeye and asked for it to be well…read moredone and it was given to me and it was medium. $80 for a steak I should have gotten it the way I wanted. They took back the uneaten portion and cooked it a second time but I was too worried to eat it.

    I recently hosted my son's graduation brunch here on a Saturday at 11:30am for about 22 people…read more Overall I would rate this a 4 and would highly recommend for larger parties but please note the details below: Ambiance 5/5 Couldn't ask for more - was a perfect day, beautiful, live music, covered patio. A whole vibe. Absolutely perfect in this regard. I would myself go back for the vibe and ambiance. A few firepit tables, nice views. Service 5/5 Servers were warm, accommodating, so attentive from start to finish. Amazing service. Even from initially calling to coordinate - they were kind, helpful, set a custom menu and really was a fantastic experience. Food 2/5 ... maybe 3 for some *Beverages were fine *We ordered mainly the following: American breakfast: Eggs unseasoned, potatoes unseasoned, bacon burnt beyond edible, a few opened jams had mold in them Eggs Benedict: no complaints Fish n chips: Small portions overall, overly breaded, tiny fish portions. You have to request fries or these are served with chips. Chicken n waffles: Most people enjoyed but felt like a child sized portion. One said the waffles were incredibly sweet. Caesar salad: unsure Egg sandwich: fine I don't know if it was an off day because this was my first experience here but I feel like you pay for the vibe, food may be meh. Parking is free and plentiful. Overall a lovely party and was happy with the venue overall.

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    Aperol Spritz + Strawberry Thyme
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    Barefoot Bar & Grill

    Barefoot Bar & Grill

    3.3
    (909 reviews)
    2.2 mi
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    This place was great with delicious food, attentive servers, and a relaxing view…read more I had the Avocado Toast which was so yummy! On a sourdough slice, the avocado paired really well with the peppers and egg. I did feel like it needed a little something so I added some salt and pepper which is available at every table. The side of fruit was also good. The food here is a little bit pricey, but it was good. As for the service, our server was nice and great! He regularly checked in on us to ensure everything was going smoothly, refilling waters/coffee. At the end he offered to take a group photo of us when we were taking a selfie. Very nice. The hostess was also very nice and helped create a welcoming environment. The vibe was great. I loved the beautiful ocean view. After eating, I was able to take a second and look at the birds/waterfall!

    The food was great.. the service dismal! We were a group of…read moresix, the restaurant was 50% full. Our server who didn't have a name tag treated us as though we were an imposition. Approached our table no greeting just did you want something to drink or are you ready to order. We ordered beverages and when she returned ordered lunch. Four new tables were seated after we ordered and every single one was served lunch before we were. Our very simple lunch took 42 minutes to be served. Again the server acted as though we were bothering her when I got up to inquire where our food was. We've eaten here a number of times and have always enjoyed it. Today we had our family who had just arrived from Portugal with us and we were disappointed in the server's attitude toward us. Always have to wonder if because we're a mixed race family we were treated differently??

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    Ulivo Restaurant - italian - Updated July 2026

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