Oliver's Osteria
Oliver's Osteria
food
waffles
food, pasta dish, pasta
Spaghetti with Tomato & Basil Sauce
donuts, food
dessert, food
Outside Patio. 853 Laguna Canyon Rd. Laguna Beach
interior
LASAGNA CLASSICA Homemade layer pasta with Bolognese sauce, bechamel crispy arugula
kitchen
STROZZAPRETI ALLA NORCINA Homemade egg free pasta, pork sausage, porcini mushrooms, light cream, black truffle
Tiramisu
LASAGNA CLASSICA Homemade layer pasta with Bolognese sauce, bechamel crispy arugula
STROZZAPRETI ALLA NORCINA Homemade egg free pasta, pork sausage, porcini mushrooms, light cream, black truffle
FIORI DI ZUCCA and YELLOWTAIL CARPACCIO
Pasta and Lobster
Panna cotta al cioccolato / $14
Outside Covered Patio
O Sole Mio / $15
Tiramisu
FIORI DI ZUCCA Lightly fried zucchini blossom, stuffed with ricotta cheese, Anchovies, capers,tomato sauce
pasta dish, pasta, food
PT H.
Feb 10, 2025
It was my first time here however my daughter and his fiancé have been there several times. Very cozy ambiance and we had a fantastic server, Emilio! He's ver friendly, cordial, kind and charismatic.Their calamari is the BEST ever I've had. Everything we had were just amazingly delicious. We left the place full yet not bloated kind of feeling therefore we know the quality was exceptional.The best part was Erik, chef and owner, came out to greet and meet. He is a very young and sweet man. If you haven't tried this place, do try and you won't regret it. Enjoy!!
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DM S.
Jan 26, 2025
I'm normally a 5-star or 1-star reviewer (I don't bother writing about much in between)... this one gets 3-stars from me and here's why:- Too expensive. And money isn't an issue for me. Simply put the experience isn't worth the cost. Spend your $75-$100 per person (including tip) elsewhere. If you want this level food/ambiance you can find it all over Laguna for less $. You can also find a far higher level of food/ambiance for the same $ elsewhere.- That said, the food was quite good! Chestnut ravioli was a simple dish with nuanced spices that showcased skill and execution in a recipe. The chicken piccata was uninspired but that's not a dish i expected to be anything other than "standard". I thought the menu described it as served with pasta but it came with a potato pave. I may have misread the menu so that's on me. I liked the pave although I would have preferred a small amount of tagliatelle or spaghetti instead for the remnant lemon/caper/butter sauce. Lazy dog cafe's version of this dish would be a fair comparison... lastly the ricotta stuffed zucchini blossoms were tasty but I've had better and, again, at $8 per bite I regretted ordering this. Not to keep bringing money into the equation but it's the common denominator here and I felt like this dish should have been half what it cost for what it was. Ricotta wasn't hot (it was warm), and while exterior was crispy providing a nice texture contrast the tomato sauce base served the eye more than the taste buds (could have been more of it). I am being critical here but I enjoyed the meal even if my joy was diminished when reality didn't meet anticipation.- Service was attentive, knowledgeable, well-spoken and charming. I always like when a restaurant has attendants keeping an eye on beverages, table markings and so forth and doesn't get locked into "sections" where staff pass you but because you aren't "their table" they ignore you. These guys were prompt, unobtrusive, responsive and well trained.My only other critique (hey I'm on a roll, sorry) was the table candle being burned out. They relit it upon request but it burned out again. I couldn't resist but peak at the fuel, which seemed low but ample enough, so I suspect the wick was too short. Either way- bc I'm an old F&B pro who got graded on these sorts of things- that's the sort of small touch that either needs to get addressed before service starts or, when it's clear the candle doesn't stay lit, they either replace or remove it. Anything short of that and it's just an eye sore and taking up table space. I wouldn't mention it if it didn't dampen the experience for me. Paying premium price means small stuff like that sets the mood- not take away from it.So final thought is knock yourself out if you can't get a reservation anywhere else and disposable income is no thought for you. If you're discerning, though, I'd tell ya to skip this one. I won't be back.
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Tabisky C.
Jan 9, 2025
Excellent food and service from our server, Emilio! Just wished that the party who arrived after us were seated one table away as the restaurant was not filled to capacity. The pistachio souffle was not the best. Overall, we enjoyed the ambiance of this restaurant.
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Jason D.
Feb 15, 2025
Oliver's Osteria has a great authentic Italian vibe. I tried the lobster pasta and the caprese salad, and both were solid. The burrata in the caprese was super soft and creamy, and the spaghetti in the pasta was cooked perfectly. I just wish there was more lobster and that the sauce had a little more flavor. Overall, the food was good, but it's definitely on the pricey side. Still, it's worth checking out!
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Sage S.
Feb 11, 2025
The ambiance is great, intimate and good decor. Great date night spot! Service was friendly and knowledgeable. Loved the food, I got the truffle pasta which was amazing. All for a fair price considering the location and kind of food!
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John S.
Nov 15, 2024
I have been to many Italian restaurants in Orange County and its surrounding areas and found this to be the most authentic of the bunch. This Michelin Bib Gourmand Recognized restaurant lived up to its reputation for providing fine food and brought back wonderful memories of my time in Italy. My wife and I started with the Lightly Fried, Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms: delicate and fresh (she ate one before I could take a picture). The spaghetti with clams was cooked to perfection and the Branzino with spinach was exquisite. Dessert was creamy, flavorful and gratifying. Oh, and my Negroni? It was substantial, made with top notch ingredients and among the best I've ever had.
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Anthony O.
Feb 28, 2025
Oliver's Osteria was 10/10 authentic Italian restaurant! Amazing service, food & cozy atmosphere! My girlfriend ordered the 'STROZZAPRETI ALLA NORCINA' & a Pinot Grigio. While I ordered a recommendation from our awesome server which was the 'CHITARRA POMODORO E BURRATA' & a Super Tuscan (My favorite Red wine by far).
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Jennifer O.
Dec 21, 2024
What a beautiful restaurant, it's got fun and trendy artwork on the walls . The customer service was amazing, Emiliano took his time explaining the different dishes and wine . We all ordered pasta dishes except for my husband he got the scallops OMG his was delicious!! Everything was but the scallops were over the top ! Can't wait to come back !
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MaDonna W.
Aug 17, 2024
The food is always so good here. This is the go to restaurant when you're going to see a play or pageants of the masters. (it's walking distance to both.)Parking can be a little bit tricky they do have parking however this particular night it was $30 to park . highly recommend you make a reservation. They have a very small indoor restaurant and a large tinted outdoor space. We always enjoy coming here they have all my favorite wines and in my opinion the very best meatballs.
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Britney M.
Oct 4, 2024
A little confused on this one.This experience was a mixed bag. The restaurant being located inside a tent, should have been the first red flag. But we thought, this place has a Michelin star. It must be worth it.... Right?We sat inside the tent and it was warm. And the heaters were on. Why? Why you trying to cook your guests like lobsters?! Service was good. He was friendly and personable, and funny too. The food was not the best. The artichoke salad tasted like raw artichoke and lemon. Literally that's all it tased liked. The ricotta ravioli was such a disappointment. It was beyond what you would call "al dente." The noodles were crunchy and not cooked all the way. The ravioli barely had any filling. It was the worst ravioli I have ever had. And the sauce tasted like they used such a strong cheese (maybe Asagio?). It was overpowering. The carbonara was way too cheesy and the cheese was "pungent." The huge prawn was there for show. There was no meat in it. The sauce was bland. It lacked any kind of flavor or depth. The pork tomahawk was good. That was juicy and delicious with the mashed potatoes. The fried calamari, fried shrimp, fried artichokes, and fried zucchini's were all great. That is a really decent appetizer that our table shared. The black truffle scallops were a real hit. Those were rated highly. So, as you can see- it was mostly not good. There were a couple things that were decent, but not worth coming back. Especially to sit in a tent and sweat. No thanks.
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