Fratello’s
31371 Niguel Rd, Laguna Niguel, CA, 92677
Fratello’s Menu
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Address :
31371 Niguel Rd
Laguna Niguel, CA, 92677 - Phone (949) 661-1250
- Website https://fratellosonline.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Amy B.
I have lived around the corner from Fratello's for about 5 years and my first time there was last night after a DHHS football game. There were an enormous no. of us walking in at the same time and they quickly got us seated and served. The wait staff was friendly and seemed unphased by the 60-70+ people that invaded their restaurant en masse. What a great place. Upon entering, you are bombarded with the smells of Sunday Dinner in an Italian household. Everything smelled like home. The memu is traditional italian with some great surprises and the prices are very reasonable. My friend had the bruschetta and it was beautiful. She said she was not very hungry but she could not stop eating it. I ordered the Margarita pizza and it was fantastic--very few pieces made it home. Thanks Fratellos for the great food and opportunity to gather together post game.
(5)Tracy H.
Love this place. It's one of my regular go-to places. Food always great. LOVE the bread they give you before the meal. Staff is always nice and helpful. I often will go in to place an order to be brought home, and then sit and have a drink in the bar while I wait... bartenders are friendly... Without being too pushy. The only thing I will say that isn't positive, is that I don't think it's the best location. It seems to be the type of restaurant that should be on the beach, or on a popular downtown street. Not hidden in a shopping center not many people go to. Other than that.... This place is perfect if you're wanting some good italian food.
(5)Bernhard S.
As someone who is regularly exposed to, and is in the business of arranging, Italian culinary experiences in Italy, I am always a bit nervous when it comes to classic American-Italian "Spaghetti-and-Meatballs-type" eateries. With the right expectations, though, I will say Fratello's proved me wrong. We showed up, family in tow, on a Monday night, were seated promptly near the window, and service was swift and friendly (and did I say swift? A godsend when dining out with two three-year-olds). If as a self-proclaimed restaurant snob I had one gripe, it is that our server poured the wine bottle immediately without offering a taste. The food was delicious and fresh (our party ordered clams, veal piccata, halibut, and a couple of kids' dishes), and the manager came out and made sure everything was ok. He even entertained the youngens with a couple of pizza-dough tricks, which they are still talking about. In conclusion, if you are looking for an American-Italian place at a convenient location, and set your expectations right, Fratello's should not disappoint. Thank you Fratello's team for a great night!
(5)Jonathan A.
-Service was terribly slow despite the restaurant being 25% full. -Water was refilled once only after request. -"Jumbo" scallops were somehow very overdone without having any sear. It's as if they boiled them for an hour. The sauce they came in was greasy
(1)Jared L.
My family had our rehearsal dinner here and we had a great time. The proprietor Lou was real great to work with, as my mom handled the details. While on site he was exceptionally attentive as well as his staff who also desire a thank you. Micheal, Katie, and Lou we thank you. We ate on the patio which was really nice in the evening and they had enough room for 24 of us. A good fit of three tables of eight. The rest of the place wasopen and great lighting with floor to ceiling windows. The bar was cozy and well laid out. The three courses of food and the variety was delicious and deserving of a repeat visit. So much good food served family style which I feel is what the event was all about. Family and Fratello's made us feel like our families were coming together over a well cooked meal and good atmosphere. Thank you Fratellos.
(5)Tina L.
FRATELLO'S IS AMAZING!!! We have lived here for 3 years and literally go here atleast twice a month. The prices are great for what you order and the service is always great. They have a new Manager (from Brooklyn) and he is awesome and turned the atmosphere around for the good. The resturaunt was a little outdated- which we didn't mind, but it looks and feels great now!!! Food Choices: I ALWAYS get the Fettuccini Alfredo and we always order Sautéed clams for our Appetizer in the white sauce!!! They will make you "day old bread"- which is amazing!! :) Keep it up Fratellos!!
(5)Leanne P.
Came here on a whim with the other half after a long day of work. Was really excited to see a live guitarist playing great music. It set the mood off right. You can sit next to the window and have a great sunset looking over Laguna Niguel. Food was very average nothing great about it. A little over priced. It did get the job done though! Big shout out to the guitarist!
(3)Jamie B.
This place is tucked away in a plaza that I never would have stumbled upon on my own. I was with a large group and am so glad it was suggested. The service was friendly and efficient. The pizza was delicious. I love a slice that has a good amount of toppings, thin crust, but able to hold its own. I enjoyed the Veggie pizza that had the same name as the restaurant. Delicious!
(4)Jozik M.
Fratellos always knows what's up. The service from their employees is beyond exceptional along with the food! My friend and I came in last night and ordered to go, we had both just been in a car accident a few days before as well so we looked kinda funny walking in with casts and neck braces and what not. Well, one of the guys named a Roger who saw us as we rolled in kind of just made it his duty to assist us from there on out! He even took our food to our car for us, Roger is one rad guy. We'll be back!
(5)Ken W.
I've read some of the negative reviews and quite frankly I'm dumbfounded. We ate at this restaurant on 8/15/2015. The food was fabulous, the service was excellent, and the view from our window seat was very nice. I had the lasagna and my wife had the eggplant parmigiano. Both were the real Sicilian deal. Maybe the negative reviews were from folks who enjoy those mostly tasteless Northern Italian recipes. If you're from the east coast and are looking for some real Italian food that is as good as anything you'll get in New York or Boston this is the place to go.
(5)Annmarie G.
So disappointed and I've been a customer for years. Spent $104 on one pizza, one appetizer and three dinners on a to-go order. Got home, no salads, no bread. Called restaurant and was told that salads did not come with my order. Looked at online menu again, which clearly states that soup or salad is included with dinner. Called back again, asked for manager. Same person will not put me through to anyone else, explains that they changed their policy but the online menu has not been updated yet. It now costs $2 for a salad or soup with a dinner. Looked at the paper menu I had just got at the restaurant. It also states soup or salad included on dinners. Guess that needs to be updated as well. Asked why could they not have at least thrown a hunk of bread in the order. Remind me that next time I need to make sure to ask for bread if I want it... Oh, wait, I don't think there is going to be a next time.
(2)Mike J.
The most dirty place I have eaten at and we arrived early and no customers were there.Terrible service,the server seemed like she hated it there.Our bill came with extra drinks added on that we never ordered..Wow.Not going back..Food was below average and I would not want to see the kitchen as the dinning room was filthy like it hasn't been vacuumed in weeks,so gross.
(1)Sherri W.
The service is horrible if Ryan isn't there. The airhead girls tending bar are more interested in hooking up with the male patrons then serving customers. We came in on Friday at 7:15pm. There was one other table of 4 people and a full contingency at the bar. We waited maybe 5 -7 minutes for someone to even acknowledge we were there. Fianlly someone came and brought menus and took our drink order. At least 10 minutes passed with no drinks. The waitress never came by and the bartender was too busy kissing her friend and flirting to fill a drink order. We finally walked out. So disappointing as it could be a good place with ok food if they had decent service.
(1)Adam R.
The food has a homey feeling that will bring you back to times at grandmas dinner table! Recommend for anyone who enjoys authentic Italian in a friendly atmosphere!
(5)Katherine R.
Enjoyed a dinner that brought back memories of my mom's cooking. The strong family feeling was felt the minute I walked in this restaurant. I ordered Fratello Bread with marinara sauce. This meal balance the taste of cheese with the pepperoni which created a explosive burst of flavor
(5)Sammi S.
Super friendly service and great food! Love the bread and 50/50 red sauce! Definitely coming here again.
(5)Todd M.
Food sucks, service is horribly slow and obnoxious.
(1)Yvette T.
Beautiful location. Restaurant is surrounded in windows and beautiful views it a shame that the food isn't better. Seriously, you walk in and think this is a nice place, but when you are tended to you quickly realize it's more of a family style restaurant. They serve in plastic cups. Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with that BUT when you are charging the prices you are you'd think that it would be a little bit nicer. The food was underwhelming. I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. How can I go wrong, ordering this in an Italian restaurant. Well... You get two extremely large meatballs which would be great if they tasted good. While the food was not bad per se, it definitely lacked in flavor. The tiramisu was definitely my favorite part of the meal. Over all, I wouldn't come back and can only think that the money they charge goes towards rent and not food quality. I was quite disappointed.
(2)Richelle L.
I've come here about a dozen times over the last few years, and I'm still on the fence. The food is great....I've had pizza, pasta, dessert, and it's all been pretty tasty. The downside is the SERVICE. I've only sat in the bar area (never in the actual restaurant). What is the point of having tables in the bar area, if no one ever comes to greet you or bring you a menu? I've waited a good 20+ minutes at a table and no one bats an eye, despite the place usually being pretty empty. Step up the service - you have really great food, and would be a top choice for me if your servers in the bar area paid some attention to their customers.
(3)Misaki C.
Great music, friendly service and delicious food :)
(4)Stacy B.
This place has really changed in the last few years. Cleanliness and service have become and issue as has service and the availability of food items (they have a very large menu ... which may be the reason that items aren't available since it's not too busy at this location). The restaurant is divided between the dining side and the bar side. Sometimes there are only people on the bar side and that's the only place you can get service - they don't even serve in the dining area. Another problems is that the restaurant appears as if it hasn't been cleaned really well for quite a long time. It's still a good place for family dining, but not for a nice dinner (although the view is beautiful). The portion sizes are large, the pizzas are good (and take-out is fine ... food is available for pick-up when promised but the prep time is a bit long). With so many dining choices available in the area, Fratello's is just not hitting the mark anymore. The quality has absolutely gone down and the service is just not what it should be. At this point, I'll give them one more try to earn my business as a dine-in customer, but if I'm not satisfied, I'll have to stick to take out pizza when the family has a craving for Sicilian style.
(3)Mark T.
$5 for a substitute pasta sauce.... I was overcharged for a simple substitution. On the menu the price difference is $1 Bad business practices
(2)Ron D.
The worst service I have ever experience even when I told the manager they just don't care we have been coming here for more 25 years and they don't give ca$$ so no do we If you want to waste some money and get really upset with really poor service this is your place! Follow up when I walked out and told the manager he earned very poor review he asked why even though we had already told him we were having service issues We left a 20% anyways as the help cannot correct what management will not address and most of the help are too young to speak up Stay away and let the stupid ownership go broke!
(1)Ramiro P.
The pizza is incredible. Will be going back plenty for it. Bar side is great too, only paid about $5 for a Sculpin IPA which is a terrific beer. Just really good, authentic Italian food overall, must say I'm thoroughly impressed : - )
(5)Paul E.
Salad wilted and brown. Jumbo scallops...not and rubbery to boot. Way too many apologies from waiter for everything and anything. Most disappointing visit after being a customer for many years.
(2)Ruby R.
This is a great local Italian restaurant and one of the best lunch and dinner spots in the neighborhood. I like the antipasto salad and pizza. It's always busy and very family friendly.
(4)Marina W.
To quote Ron from an August review: "If you want to waste some money and get really upset with really poor service this is your place!" Yep, nothing has changed! First clue--completely empty on a Saturday night! I phoned in my order, and when I arrived, the restaurant was totally empty except one other customer who arrived at the same time, to also pick up a carry-out order. Second clue -- The other customer's pick up order was incorrect., which took 5 minutes or less to rectify. No big deal really, but the demeanor of the server toward the customer was really off-putting. I couldn't put my finger on it, but the attitude smacked of being arrogant and unfriendly. Third Clue -- *The Huge obvious Red Flag* When my order was being rung - up, I presented Ryan H (name of server listed on the receipt) with a coupon I had been mailed (that had made me aware of the restaurant. in the first place). He rang the coupon up incorrectly. It was a matter of a difference of less than a dollar, but I wanted to sort it out, and frankly, I wanted to see how he would handle my simple question of the price mistake, after observing his disturbing non-verbal communication toward the other customer. So I asked him a fair question : how the new total had been calculated (it was not clear from the receipt-- it was more of a discount applied to the full cost than the actual amount of the coupon showing on the bill). He proceeded to explain, in a VERY condescending manner, how he had come to the new, incorrect total, as if his way was entirely infallible, and I was an idiot for even asking. I asked him to please re-ring me up, actually entering the coupon amount instead of his roundabout way of figuring the total. After a few of my pleas that he do this, he actually did it, and a few minutes later, he came back with the revised amount, now correct (and different from the original total). He had been wrong, but was there any change in attitude, any less-condescending tone and behavior? Nope. Still the same raised eyebrows, slow speaking, Condescending attitude, this time more directed toward my "gall" to call him on the mistake, no matter how small. I think the consumer is not out of place to expect that the total he or she was quoted on an advertisement is the one that is actually charged. It seems Ryan H did not apparently. It was as if I had been wrong to ask him to calculate my receipt correctly! Moreover, and most importantly, I think ANY consumer can expect better treatment than this when patronizing a business. Oh, and my friend & I both agreed the pizza and meatballs were sub-par. I liked the sauce a bit on the pizza, but that's about it. So not really missing out on my by not EVER going back her again. Conclusion: I will definitely stick with Ball Park Pizza right up the street from me rather than going out of my way at all, even a half a mile, to ever go back to this place. WOW. No way to run a business. Can I go for three of three--the third business I review at one star, and the 3rd to go outta business? Keep this nonsense up, and it certainly will happen.
(1)Mindie S.
First time here. Food was great and so was the service. The view is also pretty cool. I will defiantly be going back
(4)Christine N.
Check the OC Health Department. This place was closed for a day in March 2014 for rodent droppings, dead mouse in trap, food not being kept in good conditions. lagunaniguel-danapoint.p… Don't think I will ever eat here!
(1)Angela M.
My husband had a big catering event with Fratellos. The owner took the order and was very helpful and honest when it came to how much food to order. The catering arrived early (which was great!) and everyone really enjoyed the delicious food. We will definitely keep them in mind for future events. Highly recommend the food and service!
(5)Walter L L.
This is a nice casual and family restaurant.Food is well prepared and ingredients are fresh and good.Prices are very modest.The servers are not expert in their field but friendly and try hard.Complimentary home=made soupor salad comes with must entrees, It might even rate five stars for value
(4)C. F.
Bad. Food bad. Service, bad. Don't bother. Had a hair in my salad and not an apology just a replacement. Ordered the gnocchi and was well over cooked to mush my son had the other gnocchi and it was over cooked and both were drowned in there sauces but mine tasted like throw up. Server knew nothing. Manager never came over and said anything either. Wouldn't recommend to a homeless person, it's that bad. Horrible. Gross!
(1)Terry F.
We come here about twice a month. Not great, but decent. Their dinner salads are really good, ask to add mozzarella cheese. Good ranch. Pizzas are ok. Never comes out the same way. Waiters try and memorize orders instead of writing them down and so usually wrong. It's 2 minutes from our house and it's reasonably priced.
(3)Gerard C.
I go to family restaurants because food is always better. Fratellos did not disappoint. The pasta portions were large enough that I had enough to take home. Minestrone was home made in texture and flavor no traces of meat so I presumed it to be vegetarian; the wait staff said that beef was used for the stock. Very reasonable and accommodating with children specials for 5.95 a meal. Food was not salty at all so true flavors came out.
(5)James B.
We celebrated my wife's birthday at Fratello's on Friday and the night could not have gone better. Lou was amazing and went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed. Our server, Michael, consistently showered us with attention and the food was absolutely fantastic. The owner, Bobby Madison, still handles the cooking himself and brings his own flair to all of the dishes they serve. If you have not stopped in yet you need to because you are missing a hidden gem in Laguna Niguel.
(5)Sebastian W.
Excellent food, the linguini and clams are great, I'm glad they still use whole baby clams, the portion was large, I had to take home, the only thing is it could use some decor and some serious cleaning on the floors, but I am coming back !!
(4)Amy S.
We have been eating here for many years and always enjoy our meals. Joey and Jamie and the rest of the crew are wonderful, hospitable, friendly and always gracious! The roasted salmon salad, chicken Marsala, Francesca rolls are just a few of their best menu items. Try any pasta dish with the red cream sauce too! Delicious!! Great for family gatherings too, as well as catering for an event.
(5)Amy L.
My family and I go here often. We always get the same thing.. a pizza and a caesar salad with the creamy Italian dressing. The pizza is fantastic. The creamy Italian is the best I have ever had. This is a great place for a quick family dinner. They also have a bar that looks like it would be a great place to go to watch football games. I hope to check it out soon.
(4)Dennis F.
Great family owned Italian restaurant. Fresh delicious food and drink. Thanks Joey and Ryan!
(5)Lisa S.
wow!! new to san clemente and found this wonderful italian resturant!! But tonight was a disaster .... salad was brown so i returned it and it came back brown again, my husband and i ordered food that was so terrible, not like the previous times we have been there,,, so dissapointing:( we NEVER COMPLAIN!! but it was so awful we just had to. the owner was so upset he threatened my husband and told us to never come back!!! soo crazy!! we are very unassuming people and are very easy going and value small business owners in our community............so dissapointing!!!!!
(2)Adriana C.
The food was cold and tasteless. The fish was fishy. The service less than friendly. The place was empty and the food took well over 20 minutes to come out. I would not go back.
(1)Jason W.
Service was good, food was blah. Could be more high quality with the nice view, but you are left with plastic cups, paper napkins and a bill that should be lower. Would not recommend unless they focused on more quality dishes then less quantity.
(3)Shaun J.
Excellent food and service and great views. Attached new bar with perfectly made drinks. Come here all the time for lunch or simply a drink or two. Plenty of parking.
(5)Joe E.
I've had some good meals here but in general the food is nothing to rave about. The atmosphere is very family restaurant and appears disorganized and not very clean. The staff is mostly young and very inexperienced. Usually it is obvious that nobody is in charge and overseeing the operation.
(3)Brian C.
Shut down recently due to rodents and other violations! With this recent news, we won't be going anytime soon. The shutdown was reported in the OC Register and Dana Point Dispatch... lagunaniguel-danapoint.p… Other "...Minor violations included improper holding temperatures for food, including uncooked pizzas, thawing seafood and meats in the open kitchen instead of the refrigerator, improper storage of eggs and too many flies by the dish machine."
(1)Julie J.
After reading all the mixed reviews I was really excited to get our food! The restaurant side overlooks Salt Creek, nice scenery as you wait for dinner, the salad greens were very fresh and dressing was yummy! We usually share an entree and the Stromboli didn't disappoint us! It was filled with meat and cheese and the sauce was delicious! I thought mom was going to lick the plate clean! Reasonably priced ; we will be back!!
(5)Happy In LN H.
Went here twice in one weekend. The bartender was very kind. The pizza was very good and the eggplant parm sandwich was ok. Unfortunately it was on some not too good bread. The bar was pretty empty for a Sat afternoon and we were interrupted by an inappropriate customer. But we still came back the next night. The restaurant was nearly empty. One of my guests had a very delicious fish dish. The other had a nice pizza. I had some pretty below average mussels. The waiter was very sweet. It was a bit pricey for the overall experience. I think it must be hard to make such a large property work in the restaurant space but overall I'm not sure I will convert to a loyal customer.
(3)Bob K.
Not sure I trust this shit shack any more. Seems service gets worse as the months go by. Long waits past ready time for takeout. Loud bastards getting drunk in the bar that makes up half this spot. If niggaz keep flakin' and perpetratin' like this we have to end our visits here. Nothing really good about this place other than it's close.
(2)Melissa H.
I wanted to give no stars but couldn't! It was my second time...I actually didn't like the food the first time but thought it's close to my house let's give it another try. I got the Joe's Gnocchi. It was basically mushy. It was horrible. I took two bites in hopes that it was just that first bite. Nope! We had picked up our order so I decided to toss and just eat the soup. Nope, that was horrible as well. My daughter got pizza...that was ok. Then I realized that all the people that picked up just got pizza. We won't be back!
(1)Fofo H.
The place clearly needs a good steam cleaning, looked a bit dirty like no one vacuumed the night before. Went in for an early dinner. Food was ok. My husband's plate of pasta came cold, mine was warm. They weren't busy... Well, our waitress was busy gossiping long enough for our food to have cooled down. My husband complained and she left, came back and said the cook said he makes it like he always does. I'm sure it was steaming hot when he put it in the service window to be picked up. They were not busy at all so our food should have not arrived cold.
(2)John F.
Bobbie really is a great guy and I have enjoyed Fratellos for years , however the last several times there I ordered the Chicken Marsala , usually for take out and the chicken has had a really strange smell and a texture like rubber! There are a lot of great Italian Restaurants. In our area and after mentioning this very specific problem to Bobbie without any improvement I have simply decided to not go back to Fratellos until they have earned 4 Stars!
(1)E T.
My husband and I have frequented this restaurant once or twice a week for years, but have finally decided we can't overlook all of its many problems any more. Our experience this past weekend was the last straw. We won't be back unless the restaurant makes drastic changes. This is going to be long, but I hope it helps you and I seriously hope it helps the owner rethink his business practices. The restaurant is geared toward the family neighborhood model..lots of little league and other teams often descend en masse so don't expect a quiet, romantic meal. We understand that and accept it. However, the mess that these large groups leave is ALWAYS overlooked by the management. Expect food all over the floor, un-bused tables and frazzled waitstaff. The food used to be decent, not spectacular, but good: Hot, plentiful and served accurately and in a timely manner. However, now the food is below mediocre. The soup I had recently was cold with grey vegetables that appeared to have been reheated many times. The following day I felt sick. The menus are sticky, worn and not replaced. I have no desire to touch them. If they are wiped off, they are often wet. The other half of the restaurant is a fully stocked bar that is frequented by locals...and where you might find the owner sitting at one of the tables. On occasion we have eaten on this side, but find the many drunken patrons very unappealing. It is distressing to see drunk adults and children in the same space. The parties in the bar often spill over to the restaurant and parking lot. The owner routinely is dressed as though he does not care about the restaurant or patrons. His "uniform" is a pair of sloppy, oversized basketball shorts and T-shirt. His appearance says to me that he is too lazy to care about himself or his restaurant. It is impossible for him not to see the deteriorating condition of the restaurant, yet he does nothing to address the issues. On my last visit I witnessed 3 guests complaining about the food and condition of the place. When the guest told the waiter, his response was, "sorry about that." He made no attempt to fix the problem or notify the manager. I have never witnessed the manager or owner actually checking on guests to make sure everying with their experience is ok. However, the owner can often be seen sitting at a table doing nothing or talking in the parking lot. We heard him use the F word during one of our meals which lead us to stop coming to the restaurant for a very long time. We didn't come back until we estimated the 'value' of our absence cost him at least $6000.00 in lost revenue. There is only one reason we have come back to this restaurant...it is near or home. Sandra, the waitress of many years is the only bright spot here. She knows the locals and tries her best to make our experience a good one. There used to be a steady crew here, but now we see new faces each time we come in. This is not a good sign as it seems like turnover is a problem and it might be the reason the food and service is so inconsistent. It doesn't appear that anyone one receives training and service is now very 'hit or miss.' This restaurant is in the perfect location and has (had) many local repeat customers, but I think the owner just thinks the restaurant will run itself. He is sadly mistaken . There are no other decent, reasonably priced italian restaurants in the area so it is a shame for the community. Based on what I have experienced in the front of the restaurant, I don't even want to think about what goes on in the kitchen....fixing this restaurant would be a nightmare project for Restaurant Impossible. I am embarrassed this pit of a restaurant is in my neighborhood. I should think the owner would be embarrassed too and do something to fix it. Some people mentioned in their reviews on Yelp they used Groupons to dine here. I wouldn't eat here if you gave me a Groupon AND $40 to pay the rest. If you choose to eat here...you have been warned. If the restaurant changes for the better I will certainly post an update to this review.
(1)Briana V.
I had a gift certificate for here so I decided to try it out. Very disappointing. I got the salmon dish and it tasted watery and wasn't even that hot. The vegi's tasted like they were from a large frozen pack you buy at the grocery store. Absolutely not worth $23 a plate! The service was nice but the atmosphere was very poor. Walls were bare. The pendants above each table were held up my zip ties....wow soo tacky. I work at a lighting store and that was all I could focus on! The view was great but I think they could be utilizing their location and the large building soo much better. There is a lot of opportunity there is they can just open their eyes enough to see it.
(2)Lindsey C.
Wow. So many things wrong I don't know where to start! We chose this restaurant because they offered gluten free pizza. I mistakenly thought that because they had GF pizza they would be familar with gluten issues and have other items on the menu that were also gluten free, maybe even bread? I was dead wrong. I had pizza and that was it! The pizza was mediocre, I've definitely had better. I was in a large group and the results were mixed on the various entrees that everyone ordered. My mom ordered shrimp scampi and it was delivered with a side of spaghetti? Last time we checked Shrimp scampi was served with linguini. My mom was very disappointed. We will not be returning here!
(2)K Q.
Yuck. Just yuck. My boyfriend and I went here for lunch a few weeks ago and sat in the bar section. From what I've heard, this place is great, so we thought we'd give it a try. We ordered the garlic fries as a little starter and will never make that mistake again. While eating them, I looked down on the plate and saw what I assumed to be a worm. Let me tell you, I freaked out. My boyfriend picked it up and found out it was really metal! He works at a restaurant and concluded that it was part of the fryer basket....really? That could have easily gotten lodged in one of our throats and caused serious damage. We called our waitress over (who seemed as though she wished to be ANYWHERE else), and showed her what we found. When we told her, "Uhh, I think part of your fryer basket broke off and ended up in our fries..." she picked up the piece of metal and said, "Oh, that's weird..." and walked away. No comp on the fries, no discount, not even an apology. Ouch. When our main courses arrived we were already disgusted, and they didn't help as they were bland and flavorless. Not to mention the prices were a little ridiculous for that low-quality meal. Never going back to Fratellos, even though it's a 2-minute walk from my house.
(1)Ben T.
In the vast world of Italian food, Fratellos unfortunately is average on a good day. Their many menu selections consistently disappoint in the taste category. After a good number of visits here attempting to find that one dish that will change my mind about the place, I am only left wondering why I keep trying. I have determined that their red sauces, meat or marinara are in a word Lousy. If I have one positive to recommend here I can tell you the pizza is pretty good as long as your not originally from NY. Thus my 2 stars rating. Both for the pizza.....
(2)Michelle M.
This place is fine. It's not as bad as some of the reviews make it sound. The food is average. It didn't make me say "Wow!" but it was good. The bar side of the place is cool, plenty of TVs to watch sporting events. If you are in the area, check it out, but I wouldn't advise to go out of your way for it.
(3)Robert P.
I don't like to rate things two stars, but I was truly disappointed eating here. When we first walked in I didn't feel like I was in an Italian restaurant at all, if anything it's a very casual Italian restaurant. The servers were dressed more casual than me! The food server came out wearing a worn-out white shirt and sweat shorts. That should have been the sign to GTFO of there. The food portions were huge, but the food there, I'm sure everyone can agree, tastes like store-bought do it yourself food. The service was slow, and drinks were served in these lame plastic blue cups. We got butter... without bread until we asked for it. If I were you, I'd drive 3-4 miles extra and go to Mario's by the Sea in Ocean Ranch, Dana Point. You'll find quality Italian there! Food: 2/5 Service: 2/5 Atmosphere: 3/5 Price: 3/5
(2)Tony P.
I've been eating here for almost 20 years (back when it was Peppino's). The food is always good. Try the sautéed calamari appetizer, Chicken Sorrentino (chicken marsala with olives, mushrooms, pancetta, and cheese), or sausage & peppers. The meat sauce is so good that I sometimes eat the leftovers the next day...cold! Portion size is good. You'll probably take half home if you have bread and salad. I've heard the pizza is good. Very good spumoni and the cannoli's are better than most restaurant's (still not as good as Chicago or New York), but pretty good. Service can be spotty or hit or miss (there are rays of sunshine amongst the staff though). Nothing that an attentive manager couldn't fix. Service was fantastic when Joey ran the place. Save a few bucks and go to restaurant.com to get a coupon. Just know you'll have to spend a minimum with the restaurant.com coupon.
(4)Federico P.
When I try new Italian restaurants I always look at the basics first: the menu (how many misspellings), the bread, and the olive oil. Fratello's failed on all three counts so, I admit, I was already expecting the worst. I ordered a Caprese Salad, and since it came with balsamic vinegar (never had balsamic on caprese in Italy), I asked to bring the dressing on the side. When it came, the tomatoes where tasteless and rock hard, the sliver of buffalo mozzarella was smothered in imitation Parmesan cheese and the whole thing was covered with oregano AND enough basil to make a pesto for a family of twelve. Simply awful. My daughter's cheese ravioli had so much marinara sauce that she took off a half cup of it (literally) and they were still floating in sauce. The sauce itself was tart and tasted like canned tomato paste, and if you run an Italian restaurant and cannot deliver a half-decent marinara sauce you should not be in business. My wife's sauté calamari were soaked in an overbearing garlic-oregano liquid, too strong to eat as a soup, and not strong enough to dip the bread into, assuming you would even want to entertain the thought of dipping a piece of the spongy bread-like item they serve you. If the quality of the food was sub-standard, the service, atmosphere, and price didn't make it any better. Our waitress was not very friendy nor efficient, the decor is a little pretentious yet you have to stare at two lit Pepsi coolers side-by-side, there is no music, and the prices are high, too high for what you get. All in all it was a forgettable meal and we will not be going back. I would strongly entourage the owners to try out Romano's Macaroni Grille, where you can get better food, much more authentic, and spend 25% less. My review, as we say in Italy: "terribile".
(1)Josh B.
I reserve one star for those truly awful experiences. Look, if you are going to serve me worse than fast food italian at fine dining prices, I'm going to be pissed. Let's see: Child's pizza - forgot to fire it. People with kids - you know how that goes when your food shows up and the kid's doesnt for 15 min. My "Seafood San Clemente" - raw lobster tail (sent back, never returned); unseasoned seafood; bland noodles; an ocean of tasteless broth. I had visions of Gordon Ramsay vomiting. Antipasto - Carl's junior salad bar is better Wife's lobster ravioli - undercooked pasta Totally disgusting, I can only assume the people in there are clueless about real food.
(1)Jacob G.
Joey is the Man!! Always have great service and the food is always amazing. Never a let down.
(5)Jason P.
My wife and I went here for lunch the other day and..... WOW!! Very, very good food! I must say I was a little skeptical at first when we were the only customers in the restaurant. I'm guessing Wednesdays are slow. The waitress/hostess was very friendly and prompt. We ordered their minestrone soup, chicken penne, and the fetta pizza. Everything was outstanding, fresh and large portions When we were ready to pay the bill I realized I didn't have my wallet. Our waitress just smiled and said,"don't worry about it. Just come back whenever you can." Really?? I was thinking sweet!! Free lunch! Being that we only live a couple miles away we did get back to satisfy the bill. I really want to come back for dinner but I am thinking Wednesdays for lunch are awesome being the only one there :)
(5)David V.
I like the atmosphere, and the price is right, but the food is nothing special. I know, I know; price, abmience, good food--pick any two. I had the Eggplant Parmesan, and my wife had the Ravioli. Both were smothered in tomato sauce, to the point that I couldn't taste the eggplant. Her Ravioli was buried in the stuff, and she said it tasted like it came out of a jar. All in all, a really disappointing meal. That's a shame, because we both really wanted to like this place. Our search for a great neighborhood Italian place goes on...
(2)Nick S.
Gluten free pizza! Best cesear salad in southern OC.
(5)Jack W.
The Fratella bread is great
(5)Diane W.
We love the FRAT HOUSE! We've enjoyed their Happy Hour to sit down family style meals and take home goodies. The bar is a happening place to hang out with locals and Bobby the owner, the staff is awesome. My husband and I go there often. We always have the best time, amazingly delicious food. ~ the live music is great, always a new DJ or band playing. Ryan, the bar tender pours great drinks.
(5)Soccer D.
I had my doubts too but the pescatare (or similar) and the meatball sandwich rocks. Choc Desert was to die for. My kids fought over it. Drinks were cheap. $6 for a mai-tai. Yeah. Pizza for the kids was amazing as well. Something about the cheese. No waiting as other reviews said so perhaps we came on a good day.
(5)Jenny E.
I've never been in love with this place. The food is good for California Italian Food,by no means great. The last time I went in there the food took nearly 30 minutes to come out and there wasn't anyone else in the place. Well except for the roudy bar crowd that was watching a game. The food was okay. So let me fast forward to a week ago. My dad is terminal and we had a rough day. I didn't feel like going out to get what he wanted Italian food. I called restaurants on the run and ordered calamari and eggplant parmigiana. My total was $49 which included tax, plus their fee. I got the food and I was shocked at what I saw. The calamari had 12 small pieces. I opened up the eggplant and it was half full. Half of it was just cheese melted on the top. I immediately called fratellos. The manager offered me a free half order of calamari when I dined there next. I listened to him put on the Italian pronunciation "callllaaamarrrri" felt like I was dealing with a used car salesman. It wasnt worth telling him that no self respecting human being is going to show up there for a free half order of an appetizer. I was a pepinos customer For the last 10 years. He said this must have been an error but I find that hard to believe. If you're a takeout customer I would strongly recommend that you check your portions and don't even bother with ROTR. Overall go to pepinos this place isn't worth it. I will add a picture.
(2)Es G.
I'm going to have to agree with those that posted one or two stars...Bland food, felt dirty, won't be going back. When I walked out, I actually quoted Bette Davis' line from a famous movie.
(1)Albert E.
I ate here on New Year's Day, while there was no other place to eat around unless I wanted fast food...NO THANKS! When you first walk in....pretty impressive decor and high class for an Italian restaurant was my first impression. I was pleasantly surprised that the food was relatively good. My friends ordered a simple Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and Sausage on the side. I ordered the Diavolo Angel Hair Spaghetti which is considered their spicy dish. The breads were made fresh and the salads are simple iceburg lettuce, tomato slices, olives and cheese. The location of the restaurant probably prompts the restaurant to charge more than what the food is worth....so in my book, I will travel further away from here to get the same quality food elsewhere. Four stars for the food, two stars for the prices....averages out to a three star restaurant.....not bad!
(3)rachael m.
I liked this place better when it was a peppinos... The service was okay.. the host was a little rude and told us to sit wherever without even looking at us. The wine list is okay. We ordered the fresh clams in white wine sauce for an appetizer, the clams seemed fresh, but the sauce was super salty and buttery, and otherwise flavorless. The salads we were brought before our dinner were made up of iceberg lettuce, two tomato slices, olives, and more dressing than I've ever seen put on a salad in my life. I ordered the fresh halibut over linguine with white wine sauce, it was okay, again.. fish was good but sauce was flavorless and over buttery/oily. He ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. Decent, but very salty and the tomato sauce was rather sweet, not tangy like we like. Waay too expensive for this olive garden-esque fair... would not go here again or recommend it to friends.
(2)emily s.
I am from the east coast, grew up with close Italian friends who ran an Italian restaurant that was in their family for generations... So I put all Italian food against theirs. So good here! Bruschetta was fantastic. Calzone = amazing.
(4)MIke C.
I read all the reviews and to me, its not as good as the good reviews, but not as bad as the worse reviews. I usually just get take out pizza which is ok, not the best but hey its close to my house so its easy. The service can be spotty. I have had good luck in the sports bar but in the restaurant the help (mainly high school or college kids with limited motivation) can try your patience.
(2)David T.
Weak as far as itialian restaurants go. Took the out of towners there Thanksgiving weekend and it was dissapointing. It's ok, but you don't leave feeling you got a great meal. For the price you feel like you could have done better....even cooked it yourself at home.
(3)Meryl S.
OK...Let me start off by saying this is the BEST BEST BEST Italian restaurant you will go to in Orange County!! One side is a family friendly sit down side..the other is a newly renovated sports bar that has HANDS DOWN the best happy hour out there! It never ends! half off all appetizers that are a truly home made Italian meal! Largest Wine list too! Have them pair a wine with your meal...it's Heaven! Oh, and the pizza...OH MY...it's the closest thing you can get to Good NEW YORK pizza! They even make Sicilian style pizza that is to die for! Super nice owner and staff. You truly feel like family here and everyone is italian and loud! Love it! You have to go to the bar side about 20 minutes before any good game is on just to get a seat!! Everything is good on the menu so you can't go wrong with anything! I come down with my family (all 5 of us) almost every week full, happy, and very "merry" for under $100!!!! That's including drinks! Just try it! You can't go wrong!
(5)R D.
The red sauce has this weird tinny taste to it. It's weird I tell you! But this is the only restaurant (as so far) in which I will eat the minestrone soup. I don't like beans in general and, thereby, do not eat them. They told me it was vegetable soup. It was good vegetable soup with pasta... and beans. But good. So good~ I've been here a number of times and the food is really good. I stay away from their red sauce (do you hear an echo?) and had a white wine sauce with my seafood pasta. It was absolutely delicious! Needed some tabasco but thats not cause the food was bland I just like spicey. Anyways, the prices are reasonable and the staff are very kind. Our waitress took a little long (I mean it was just us and 2 other tables so...) but she was friendly and the owners greeted us like we were long lost friends. Makes a girl feel homey, yanno? All in all a good experience and I would come again. Someday.
(3)Karla R.
The eggplant parm was delicious!! My boyfriend and I bought 2 orders, but we ended up splitting just 1 because the order was massive. Delicious!
(4)K.A. B.
Dinner on 4-2-11: Ugh, what a disappointment. Marinara sauce was like straight tomato paste...thick and acidic. Service was not friendly. Eggplant was heavy and oily. We won't be back.
(2)Steve J.
Decent Italian food at a fair price. But dishes aren't quite as good as they used to be, and the service is inconsistent. Staff is friendly enough, and the sports bar seems to do well.
(2)Summer S.
We always ordered and recently ordered pizza to go. The crust was perfectly crispy and our toppings were fresh. It's a good local place for a quick pick up.
(4)Richard H.
Excellent family food. Great price ponts on Food & Beverages. The Pizza is cooked "to-order". A little known 'secret' (I don't know why??) Fratello's cases its own Sausage! I've patronized this eatery since its conception & I can accuratly say..."I've ordered everything on the Menu...& then sum". Try a Miller High Life. Its the coldest beer in town.
(4)sean e.
The food here is pretty good. It used to be a Peppinos but now its Fratellos. The food has remained quite similar. The pizza is still quite thin. It has the appearance of being a Pepppinos pizza but the taste is alot better. I'm not a huge fan of Peppinos and its the last Pizza place I would choose to eat at. Yet Fratellos is just better. I don't know if its a different Pizza recipe or what. Its very easy to get to its right off Niguel Road and you can see Salt Creek from there. The prices are quite good and the Pizza is "NOT GREASY". Which is very important. Overall I say its Pizza's are quite good.
(4)Chuck C.
Fratello's is a casual LOCAL family restarant that caters to everybody in the OC universe. The owner practically lives at the restarant and is super hands on with the enitre operation. The staff is amazing and friendly. The food is well priced and taste great. I love the fact you can have a cold beer or drink at the bar after a round of golf or dine with the family in the restarant 7 days a week. I have to say good riddance to any negative hyper yelp criteques being posted on this place. Get a life bc it's not meeting your unrealistic dining expectations.
(5)Ann M.
Nice ambiance. Two sides, one serves meals (family friendly) and the other is a bar that had live music when we were there. Good food, friendly and helpful staff. Will return.
(4)Jim B.
We go to the Salt Creek beach a lot and have driven by this place dozen's of times without stopping. Basically, I've given-up on finding any good Italian food in Southern Californian (particularly pizza). After a long walk on the beach, we were starving. So, my wife suggested that we finally give this place a try. The dining area was closed, so we got stuck eating in the bar area. Since it was the NFL playoffs, this was a BAD idea. We should have either asked to be seated in the dining area, or just left. It was just too damned noisy. My ears are still ringing. Since we only had the pizza, I can't comment on the other food in this place. We ordered the Sicilian pizza. This was thick-crust pizza that is cooked on a regular pizza pan (not deep dish). It was huge! And, it tasted pretty good. It actually had some Italian seasonings in the sauce. The best part was the Italian sausage. It was real sausage. Not that god-awful pellet garbage that the chains pass off as sausage (that looks like rabbit droppings). If the choices of beer would have been better, I'd have given this place four stars. Being a small place, they only had 6 different beers on tap. And, all of them were on the light side. I prefer full-bodied ales. But, when you pay only $3 bucks for a draft beer, it's hard to complain. I think that we'll give this play another try. But, only if we can be seated in the dining area. Heck, I can't fault them for closing it. When we showed-up it was the early afternoon. And, things were hopping in the bar area. So, with the staff that they had on hand, I don't think that something I can really fault them on. And, next time I may try something else on the menu besides the pizza. But, it's going to have some of that Italian sausage in it!
(3)Ana R.
Never again!!! This place was a huge disappointment! The ceasar salad dressing was thick and dry. The menu was confusing and worded wrong: Substitute a ceasar salad for a regular salad $2.00. That means if you get a regular salad then you pay an additional fee but not according to them. I was charged for an extra soda which I did not order and the waitress was rude about taking it off. The owner was very argumentative with me about taking off the unreasonable charges. He said " if the wording in the menu is wrong then now you know". If it was my restaurant I would apologize and thank the customer for pointing out the mistake. Everyone that works in that restaurant was in a bad mood. PS: Don't order the Gnocchi a La Joe - It has bigger chunks of garlic than Gnocchi.
(1)Kathryn F.
Food was not very good. It made Peppinos seem like a five star restaurant. The salads were awful. The bread was OK. Stay away from the Chicken Parmigiana. Oh, if only we could get certain meals back, the time wasted, the calories wasted....Try Vila Roma instead.
(2)theresa n.
i was here for valentine's day this year with the bf. i have to admit i fell in love with the place, the food is absolutely impressive. i ordered the imperial tortellini w/ the white clam sauce & the clam chowder soup. the bf ordered spagetti w/ meat sauce. i'll def. come here over olive garden anyday.
(5)