Piccolino Ristorante

It was our first time visiting Piccolino a few days ago. My wife and her friend were in the mood for Italian food. My wive's friend had recently been to Italy and so she asked our server if the kitchen would be able to make her a Roman cacio e pepe.That's when our dinning experience really took off. Our server Paulo knew exactly what our friend wanted. My wife ordered from the special menu. The short rib canelloni was delicious, and our friend was blown away by their caccio e pepe. But where Piccolino really gets the high marks is in turning our meal into a full on dining experience.We had a couple of bottles of wine. Compliments to our server who pretty much read our minds on what kind of wine we were looking for to enjoy with our meals. -Exquisite wine that didn't break the bank.I would certainly encourage anyone visiting piccolino to ask your server about their wine selections and pairings.In short it isn't often that you visit a place, the food blows your mind. But then the service takes everythig to a whole other level. Great food, and world class service. Thanks Piccolino for the great time, we will see you soon again.

Came here for our Anniversary/Valentines dinner because we were in town for the weekend.We made reservations for their 3 course Valentines Special.Our waitress Catarina was amazing. She was friendly and did a great job at checking on our table. as a matter of fact they had a couple other waiters who checked in our table to refill waters as well (which we've never experienced but did appreciate) The Food was delicious. Everything tasted fresh. For appetizer My husband ordered the crispy risotto and i ordered the salad- flavors for both were diverse and on point! For our entrees my husband ordered the filet and i ordered the chicken with prosciutto. His filet was perfectly cooked and the flavors for the chicken and prosciutto with the cheese and asparagus were yummy. We finished with the chocolate cake and cheesecake. They had valentines balloons and candles to make it "romantic" and special for all the couples. Overall, the experience was very pleasant.

What a wonderful evening at Piccolino Ristorante this evening. Normally I would have made a reservation but did not have one so we decided to try. We were greeted by Sal and the hospitality crew up front, the three hostesses. We were seated at a lovely table and we were quite happy to see Terry back at the restaurant as Manager, what an amazing person. Sal visited with us for a while and he is always a delight and blessing. The ambiance is always that of joy and romance with a hint of Italy . Shelby stopped by an took our drink and appetizer order and she is always so wonderful as well. My wife decided on the Don Julio Blanco with club soda and three limes muddled with mint and I had a glass of Orin Swift's, 8 years in the desert. The eggplant souffle and dinner salad appetizers were fantastic. We also saw Jorge who is another wonderful person and met Greta, Jose Luis and Luis all wonderful staff members. The staff also is what makes Piccolino so special as they serve and care with love. For our entrees my wife had the Salmon entree special with roasted potatoes and mixed vegetables and I had the filet mignon with sautéed spinach and lobster ravioli. Both dishes were spectacular. We also ordered a pizza to take home for tomorrow. Half vegetarian and half pepperoni. Yummy.For dessert we had spumoni with raspberry sorbet and cannolis. To top that off I had a black coffee.What an amazing time we had and it was wonderful to see all of the staff and welcome Terry back. Thank you Sal, Terry and the entire Piccolino team for always making our dining experience special and making us feel like family. Highly recommended.

Piccolinos was overwhelmed on Valentine's Day. They had a pre-set menu which was good, but the service was extremely slow. The portions were not very big for a price of $105/person. I had an old fashioned which tasted more like whiskey and water over crushed ice. We had to send my wife's martini back to the bar twice for making it incorrectly (she asked for tequila vs vodka). The gentlemen who I assume was the manager was seen several times yelling at his service staff in full view and earshot of guests. We love Piccolinos on a regular night but it was clear they oversold their Valentine's Day special.

The food was yummy, the staff provided great service, and the ambiance felt romantic. I would definitely come back

I cannnnnnooootttt stop thinking about the butternut squash ravioli! My mouth is literally watering while thinking about it right now! We also got the risotto balls, I could eat about 10 of these easy!!!I absolutely love this restaurant my first time coming to it for my birthday. Everybody was so nice. Specially the owner Sal and our server Jorge R. We came on a Tuesday and 100% could see why it was so busy!!! The food, ambiance and staff are wonderful!!! I can't wait to return !!!People of you want real Italian look no further !!!!

Food: 3/5 - ordered the featured seafood pasta for the night that came with giant shrimps, salmon and swordfish, the waiter's description made it sound delicious. The pasta sauce was a tomato wine sauce, it wasn't as flavorful as I would hope and I was so disappointed. Service: 4/5Had 1-2 waiter helping our large table, they were attentive but maybe because we had over 15 ppl, some little things were forgotten. Ambiance: 4/5We were seated outdoors, it was nice until the sun started to set, huts your right in the eye even with the shades down.

Located in the East side of Mission Viejo, just off of Los Alisos near the 241, we have seen this place for awhile now but never had a chance to try it. This week was our first visit and it was a great experience. The service is top notch without being hoity toity... servers are on point with helpful service. You can sit inside or out on the patio and either choice is good. Before you make a meal decision, wait to hear the specials as they are well thought out and will likely make you reconsider whatever you planned to order.As others have said, the pasta is fresh made but I don't think it is made on site.. not sure to be honest. It's really good no matter what.Wine list is extensive so you will for sure be able to get a great glass or bottle.

Unfortunately, our first experience at this restaurant wasn't great. As far as I know, sea bass is supposed to have a sweet, delicate flavor, but ours tasted extremely fishy, which suggests it wasn't fresh. For the $300 we spent on dinner for two (without alcohol), I expected better quality, service, and overall experience. Additionally, the service felt disorganized, with staff seeming out of sync.

Love this place, the setting and service are always top notch. The food is unbelievable, fresh and authentic. I would highly recommend for a date night or any special occasion.