Renato’s
15383 Brookhurst St, Westminster, CA, 92683
Renato’s Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Westminster for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Westminster for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Westminster for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
15383 Brookhurst St
Westminster, CA, 92683 - Phone (714) 839-5755
- Website https://www.renatoscatering.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
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 : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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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Sunuggles T.
if you are looking for real italian pizza this is the place !!! huge pie for twenty bucks always fresh and hot i drive from hb just to get this pie... the other food is okay but the pizza a bomb
(5)Ben D.
I can't say I love the food here. I ordered the meat ravioli with meat. Upon seeing it land on the table from the server's hand first impression was bad. It looked like gooey paste. It did not like saucey and fresh. Before I even taste anything I sliced a piece of ravioli to inspect the ground meat inside and it looks undercooked. I managed to eat a quarter of my dish because I was hungry but because it was not good I couldn't forced myself to finish it. I didn't even want the leftover as lunch. The taste was bland, stale and overall boring. My sister ordered something with pasta and mushroom and hers was equally disappointing. The service is decent here and the ambience is nice but from the food we tasted today we are not coming back- just not up to our standard for Italian food unfortunately. They could go lower on the price for the quality of food. My dish was $13 and came with a side of soup. It could easily be charged $9-$10 due to the quality it was made with. This is purely my opinion. Maybe their pizza is good??? lol
(2)Helen D.
The two things I really really enjoy here are the seafood linguine (which is fresh seafoody goodness) and the eggplant parmigiana sandwich. Last time on the way to SD, we stopped in n ordered the sandwich to eat at a table with no problem. This time on the way back from SD, the waiter had an issue with us ordering sandwiches to dine in when it is supposedly only available on the TO GO menu. So he went to ask the cook. I said LOOK, we came from SB n chose this place for lunch because we have particular cravings. We could've picked one of my many other favorite spots to fill our tummies ok........ so make it work!!!!! So yah, still very good.
(4)Thao V.
I've eaten here plenty of times and have come to terms that I've truly experienced better. They're always understaffed making my experience more miserable each and every time, but I have to say that the servers are always accommodating and apologetic. Food is good aside from the complimentary garlic cheese bread. They also don't offer freshly grated Parmesan for your entree like other Italian restaurants do. **RECOMMEND** Rigatoni Renato - My favorite dish here. It's tasty, creamy, and filling. Pizza - They certainly don't skip on the toppings. Made fresh to order and usually takes about 20 minutes for pick up. **DO NOT RECOMMEND** Fried Mozzarella - VERY tasteless. Probably the worst I've ever had. Caesar Salad - Everything about this salad was cheap tasting. Romaine was far from fresh and croutons tasted stale and old. **MEDIOCRE DISHES** Linguini w/ Fresh Clams - Flavors are well balanced and light. Clams are tiny though and I'd question whether or not it's fresh. Calamari Fritti - Good as a starter. Large portions. The marinara dipping sauce is very good. After having tried more and more Italian restaurants, Renatos seems to keep falling to the bottom of the list. I used to really enjoy this restaurant, but it's gotten worse and worse each time. I'd return for pizza and the rigatoni, but wouldn't dine in to have to experience the excruciating wait.
(2)Rogelio V.
Favorite Italian place in Westminster when it comes about Italian plates but im,very disappointed with their pizzas I order a large one with three toppings and it taste so good but THE DOUGH IT'S NOT GOOD! The whole thing its messy when we grab a piece the toppings fall off out of the bread. It tastes awesome but they have to do a better work to keep it together.
(3)Chloe Minh T.
1 star for service and 1 star for everything else. Pasta was horrible, too bland and too little sauce. Got the spaghetti and meatball. The sauce tasted like can tomato sauce. Meatball was too dry. Ask for extra bacon, I could barely taste any bacon. Also got the seafood pasta, still tasted like seafood in can tomato sauce, and too bland.
(2)Jasmine V.
Renato's is the place I come to when I am craving Italian food in the Westminster area. Quick take-out and good customer service. Diana (the waitress) is always very friendly. She takes her time and goes over the items on the menu, making it a lot easier to choose what i want. So far, I have tried the pesto chicken pasta, linguine pescatore, renato rigatoni with pink sauce, their pepporoni/sausage pizza, calamari and everything has been great. It is good place if you want authentic Italian and quick service
(5)Lauren B.
Wow! I was totally impressed with the food here. Taking suggestions from my fellow yelpers I decided to try this place. It is in the corner of this little strip mall, kind of hidden. The pizza is awesome, they have wood-fire oven and they make their own dough and sauce here. Totally recommend the Special pizza - pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions and bell Peppers for $13.95. (Great price in my opinion!) You can order pizza thin, thick or regular. You can also order it as it a take-out a great pizza for a movie night. We also order the Linguini Pescatore - a sumptuous array of clams, scallops, calamari, mussels, and shrimp on linguini pasta, marinara for $19.95. This dish was also very very good. I love seafood so this dish totally hit the spot. The calamari and mussels were my favorite part. On top of all this you get a salad and toasted garlic bread. My only hang up was we ordered a bottle of wine and the temperature was a little warm. I do not think they store their wine correctly. Just stick to the food. You definitely will leave full and with leftovers, I am eating the pasta for lunch I can't wait. :)
(4)Kathryn P.
Ordered the Linguini Pescatore $ Farfalle Aurora with chicken. Instead of bow ties we substitute the Farfalle for linguini and substituted the linguini Pescatore for spaghetti pasta. No problem. Both dishes were good and flavorful. Large portions for both dish, 2 can probably share one order. There is a splitting charge. Chicken cooked well and not overdone, good amt in the dish. Lots of seafood amt too. Free garlic bread and refills Very accommodating and we are able to change any entree with any pasta or sauces we like. Waitress was very helpful and nice. Water was refilled. Cute outside seating. Enclosed with lots of plants , fills private in the shopping center Easy parking. Will definitely come back.
(5)Lindy K.
My family and I just love Renato's. They always have excellent service and consistently delicious food. My order is always prepared correctly and given with a smile. Thank you, Renato's for being the best!
(5)Kelly M.
The food here is just ok. Nothing special that brings me back and want more. Slow service.
(3)Ashley S.
It ws 8PM on a Wednesday and we just wanted to grab a nice dinner, but we weren't sure where. We saw this place on Yelp and decided to give it a try. The food was pretty good, the servings are really large, and the service was fantastic! I've been to restaurants around closing time and have received lousy service because they just want to go home, but our server was very friendly and wanted to make sure we were able to have a nice, peaceful dinner. We didn't feel rushed at all! If I want Italian food and I'm in the area, I will most certainly be giving my business to Renato's.
(4)Evelyn T.
We live live walking distance to the this place and we go as often as we can. They have the best pizza always fresh and hot!! They have out door seating with heating for the cool nights and the little lights that makes it look super cute. Recommend this place to anyone in the mood of good pizza
(5)Annie P.
Everything is delicious. Their pizza is freshly made and you absolutely must get the mussels as an appetizer while here. You will be impressed. The service is wonderful. I would go here over Olive Garden anyway.
(4)Danielle D.
My family and I came in hoping to have a tasty dinner. Boy were we disappointed. The service here is extremely slow. We came in when it wasnt busy and waited about 10 minutes to be seated. After we ordered, I saw the workers standing around and chatting. We waited about 15 minutes for drinks and our appetizers came by after another 5 minutes. After that we had waited 30 minutes for our main dishes. The food here is served in small portions and its quality isnt that great. Not only that but its also overpriced! $20 for 4 pieces of lobster ravioli? Ridiculous! The lobster ravioli tasted bland and its sauce was way too salty. The linguine maestro wasnt all that special, it was rather dry and distasteful. The soup was chalky and the calamari was a bit undercooked. Honestly, I could probably get better food for a cheaper price down the street. I wouldn't recommend and I'm definitely not coming back.
(1)Johnathan D.
I come here every month or so for my dose of the alfredo fettuccine and every time I do, I am not disappointed. The service is quick and friendly. The food itself is flavorful, and the waiters are constantly checking on us. My only gripe with the restaurant is the overall atmosphere. The restaurant is empty a lot of the time, and it feels lonely. Excellent service, delicious food, and sanitary restaurant.
(4)David A.
Recommend, recommend, recommend..... As we were looking for a place that was open Christmas Eve, I thought "maybe". I've driven by quite a few times and was 1) surprised by the location near Little Saigon and 2) unimpressed by the strip mall that it is located in. Boy, am I glad I gave it a chance. When we first showed up with a party of 6, the owner went out of his way to set us up with a table. We were lucky enough to catch it at a lull, so the wait was not too long. If we had gotten there 5 minutes later, we would have had to wait. It was that busy, which was a good sign. The started us with some damn good garlic bread and we perused the menu while sipping on a glass of wine. My Chianti was very good and the price (at $7) was more than reasonable. The table ordered Chicken piccata (mine and very good), the farfalle aurora w pink sauce (a nice flavor and was devoured by the daughter), the cheese ravioli w vodka pink sauce, a pizza with ham and black olives, and fettuccine alfredo. Everybody was pleased by their choices and they unanimously approved of the restaurant. We were too full to eat dessert. The service was excellent and, though they did mess up (briefly) by forgetting to bring my son's pizza, they were attentive and accommodating. They even filled our wine glasses up for gratis when they realized they had messed up. They didn't have to do this, but it certainly was appreciated. Actually, you are supposed to let a pizza sit for a bit before diving in, so it worked out for the best... You will find me visiting again. Thank you, Renato's...
(4)Tintin B.
We had dinner on Saturday evening around 7:30pm today and the restaurant was packed. Everything we ordered came out perfect today. Our waiter is Jose and he is awesome!! We ordered the rack of lamb and shrimp diavolo and calamari fritti too. We also had the Italian salad and Caesar salad with a wonderful William Hill Cabernet glass of wine. The bread here is fantastic!!! It goes well with the great marinara sauce or just by itself. The table next to us ordered the Supreme pizza and they loved it!! A perfect evening with my family and a lovely video presentation of the Beautiful Italian countryside. The bathroom was clean too. The service was impeccable today!!! You are Awesome Jose!!! Come and enjoy a wonderful evening here in lovely Westminster. You will love it here!!!
(5)EDGAR P.
The BEST place to get catering from. We book them every Christmas and are never disappointed. If you're dining in house, get the Checca. They really do a great job of it here.
(5)Kelvin C.
A surprising find in Westminster, Renato's definitely has one of the best thin crust pizzas in town. Given that, all their other items were pretty mediocre. From the cold complimentary "toast" bread, the salad, and the Chicken Parm. Come here, order their pizza and leave happy. Just make sure you don't come on a busy day because our poor waitress was trying to serve the entire restaurant by herself. I thought she was going to collapse from running around. 3 stars.
(3)Kimmy D.
We came here on a recommendation from a friend. We had the complimentary garlic toast, salad, rigatoni, and fruti de mare seafood pasta. The garlic toast wasn't too great. It just was there to munch on as we waited for the rest. The salad was great simply because the dressing was quality! I hate ordering a salad in a restaurant only to be served cheap bottled dressing. This dressing was delish! The Rigatoni was also very good. Great flavor. The seafood pasta had great flavor and large pieces of seafood. All in all this was a good dinner and I am sure we will be back. Not the best I have ever had but definitely better than a lot of other Italian restaurants we have been! To top it off....although the service was a little slow.....it was great service! Everyone seemed to work well together and they were all very pleasant!
(4)SHUSHAN RAZMIG MADENLIAN Z.
Love love love this place will definitely be back especially because it was so amazing the food is delicious
(5)Omar P.
I came here on a Saturday and was not disappointed. I had the Calamari Linguine and substituted the wine marinara sauce for the pink sauce. Calamari was cooked just right and pasta was perfect. Service was spot on, bread was replenished promptly and ice tea was refilled quickly as well. Prices have be raised slightly but it it well worth it.
(5)Monique N.
Oh, Edge-of-little-Saigon how you've surprised me yet these past few days. Hidden in the depths of the Vietnamese caves lies a diamond gem. Renato's. You would've never discovered this place if you haven't seen their Italian decor that highlights itself from the boring white buildings and crappy drivers. The food is AMAZING. Well the "Tortellini Della Casa" is TO DIE for. Yes. Take my word. This is their BEST dish hands frickin' down. I tried their other chicken one and it is just not as good. The Tortellini Della asa comes with this specialized pasta filled with CHEESE. I don't know what kind of cheese but it's damn delicious. Then it's evenly balanced between a Gorgonzola cream and olive oil. Sauteed with mushrooms, peas, sliced garlic and ham. Then finished with some chopped basal. This dish will come out PIPING hot and it is fit to feed two decent sized Asians or 1 very hungry Asian. Paired with a side salad or soup of you choice (mine was Cesar Salad which was damn delicious) and freshly made garlic bread. At this point you're either hungry or still wondering what my real judgement is for this place. Well, for this one particular dish I give it 5 stars, and for this entire establishment? I'd have the cater my wedding. That's how delicious it is. Of course I'd have to taste their other "signature" dishes but this Tortellini. Renato. We will see each other again. Whether it be for lunch, dinner, linner or on my 'big' day. Thank you for making delicious food.
(5)Tran T.
Been here 2 times, but still haven't quite eaten a real entree or pasta dish. My first time, my bf and I both got our own hero sandwiches. They were cheap at around $7 each and they were HUUUGE! I got the eggplant parmesan hero and it was super yum with a side of grease as well. On this first visit, my bf and I also noticed how every customer that walked into the restaurant seemed to be a regular as the restaurant staff was chummy with anyone who came in. The waiter told us that their restaurant is family-owned and has been open for about 30 years. My second time, I went for a friend's birthday dinner. The dinner was a bit late so I had my own dinner beforehand and decided to have dessert at Renato's. I got tiramisu and boy, it was like melt-in-your-mouth good! It was a bit strong on the coffee flavor, but I loved it and it's been a long while since I've had tiramisu as good as I had at Renato's! All my friends got a variety of pasta dishes. One friend did care to give me his input on the food. He said he felt like the pasta itself was perfectly al dente, but he felt like the cream sauce in his fettuccine al mare was a bit bland. The service was super friendly, as one of the waitresses even offered to take pictures of our party of 10 for us, even though I had my camera out for food photos only (so I had to tell her no, since my lens wasn't meant for group shots!). I was a bit sad to find that they didn't have a large variety of salad options (house salad or chicken salad) since I'm currently on a diet and didn't want to binge on pasta at the time, but that's okay. When I'm ready to eat carbs, I'll be sure to come back and try me some of their pasta dishes for myself.
(4)Jade N.
Renato's is definitely a hole-in-the-wall place. It's located to the right the Radio Shack in the CVS/Little Saigon Market center and can be hard to miss sometimes. The restaurant is small and quaint and the servers are pretty attentive. One of them did tell me that you have to ask for the breadsticks though; they don't automatically bring them out like other restaurants. I had the cheese manicotti and penne pasta. Not bad! The manicotti were stuffed full and the sauce was delicious. ;) The portion was HUGE for $13.00 (then again, it's Italian! What'd ya expect?). I couldn't even finish one manicotti on my own. It was definitely tastier with some chili flakes on there. :) I came there with the G.I. Joe Search and Rescue team for a meeting and they were able to accommodate that (small group of 5), which was great. :) Everyone liked their food. If I recall correctly, the items ordered were: -- manicotti (mine) -- alfredo (?) with clams -- meatball sandwich -- penne pasta -- gnocci All together, our meals totaled $60-something dollars (including drinks). The server was very nice and wrote down the cost of each plate on our receipt so that we could more easily split the bill. :D Good stuff.
(4)Anisa T.
I have been seeing this place every time I go to saigon city.. So my bf took me for my birthday... When we first walk I'm we wait about 2 min with ppl just standing there talking but it's ok it's not that long of a wait when we got seating it was quite uncomfortable.. There was like 5 parties and they stuck us all in one corner... It's like really close to each other.. What we had Garlic bread: was not good stale and not much flavor, we were trying to wave ppl down for some olive oil and balsamic but no luck... Pasta with shrimp and pink sauce: it was pretty good... I had to add some salt and pepper but it's pretty good. Pepperoni and sausage pizza with pineapple: it was pretty good it was a little soggy but I like the tomato sauce on it. I might come back one day it give it another try:)
(3)Kazumi P.
We came in on a whim curious more than anything about this Italian restaurant in the middle of pho country.I must say me and my husband were pleasantly surprised . We ordered fried zucchini for starters which was juicy on the inside and crispy outside It came with the house red sauce and we asked for ranch . We then shared a large thin crust special pizza which was great and tasty . The linguine calamari was also amazing and the calamari was so tender. Service was great and ambience was good. Overall 4 stars for this hidden gem .
(4)Rommel B.
Wow! Fresh ingredients! Hands down, best pizza I've had and I have been to Italy. Service is great and the atmosphere is very relaxing.
(5)Amily F.
My favorite dish here is the linguini pescatorre with lots of succulent clams, scallops and shrimps. The best tiramisu in the OC is also here. Their friendly service is outstanding. This is now my favorite and most frequented Italian place in Orange Co. Highly recommend this Italian restaurant to all.
(4)Ellen W.
Great for lunch! Wait staff is nice/attentive, large menu, food is good, and orders come out quickly from the kitchen.
(4)Kalee T.
I came here for the first time last year, and we fell in love with the food. We've been here I would say at least 10 times? Everytime I go I bring someone new and so far everyone's loved it. service: used to be horrible. If I was reviewing this place last year, it would've gotten 3 1/2 stars because of service. However, I came back last month, and they seem like they did a total 180! The douchey front desk guy was very nice and smiley, the same waiters we had that were unattentive were suddenly great! and they brightened up the lighting and got new laminated menus. go Renato's! Food! On Friday's the have clam chowder which comes with a pasta dish. I recommend it! EVERYTIME I come, I either get the chicken or salmon farfalle. It's basically bow tie pasta with pink vodka sauce, but it's the best I've ever had. period. I never get anything new because I love it so much! Also, portions are HUGE! and they cook their noodles al dente which I really appreciate. I hate mushy pasta noodles the garlic bread is nothing special though.. DEFINITELY a must try! You'll be hooked on the restaurant!
(5)Michelle V.
I'm a fan of this place! The meals come with a side salad and bread. Every time i go here, i order a Aurora Farfalle as my main dish. It's a bowtie pasta with sun dried tomatoes and pink sauce. Not a heavy dish. Yummy!
(4)Alan T.
Came here for Valentine's day ^_^ That place was more crowded than expected, and consequently so, service was a bit slow the whole night. On the bright side, the food was well worth the wait. Fried Calamari appetizer was light, crispy, and delicious; I did my best to eat slowly so that my girlfriend could get her fair share. We had to wait about another 20 minutes before the entrées were brought out; ^_^ my girlfriend had entrée envy! We were wondering why other people had bread and we didn't... turns out... garlic bread comes out with your entrées.... interesting. I got risotto in a saffron/fish broth with fresh pieces of squid, catfish, I think, mussels, and clams. This was one of the best Italian dishes I've had. Though some bites of risotto were a bit undercooked, I was happy with my choice. Girlfriend got salmon fillet with angel hair. Lemon capers was a nice addition :) Couple of yelp buddies recommended the tiramisu; delicious indeed. I wish the coffee taste was a bit stronger, but at least the tiramisu had that strong rum taste I like. Didn't realize this Italian restaurant hiding in the shadows of Saigon City would be this good; and... it's joggin distance. Of course I probably ain't ever gonna jog here to eat, but I like knowing that I can do so. Before concluding, I'd like to dedicate this review to my girlfriend. Lucky am I to have had her as my Valentine for 3 years in a row. La ringrazio molto, il mio amore. I sure hope that google translation is right.
(4)Jersey Girl D.
We have been eating here for over 15 years and have NEVER had a bad meal. We are from Jersey and the pizza is the closest to East Coast pizza as it gets. This restaurant is filled with wonderful people who know you by name when you call to order. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The owner is so nice and appreciates his customers. His son is great too. Even the cooks recognize you and ask you how you are. I will be coming here as long as I am with in driving distance. LOVE IT!
(5)Josh P.
I've been eating at Renato's since 1990, and it is still the best I've ever had!!! I've eaten pizza at some of the most notable place around the United States, yet nothing compares to a slice of Renato's. No matter how far away I am, I always come back =D You can't go wrong with anything on the menu, as well. Its all amazing, freshly prepared and never frozen! Great service; friendly people all around. Inside: Ambiance is great. Cozy and romantic. Great for a date night with the wife. And great for dinner with friends. Outside: Great to enjoy a pizza with friends on a mild day. Love to eat outside with the crew after a day of surfing! AAA+++
(5)James K.
This is a local's joint. I've been dining here for years, literally the only Italian restaurant in vicinity. A safe haven from the million Pho establishments that dot the place. Parking is vast, but the layout is retarded in some spots. It is a 1 way lane that has parking spots that point opposite directions...does that make sense? I'll take a photo one day...oh yeah and since I am Asian I can say this...BEWARE of @$!AN DRIVERS, it can be an obstacle course (I hope yelp does not censor this review). This place has an open kitchen, a vast array of wine, and show Andrea Bocelli on the flat screen on a good day. It is a casual dining experience where you can get buzzed off wine and sober up with a cappuccino after lunch or dinner. They have a little patio if you need air and spectators while you dine. I just really like ordering take out and enjoying my meal at home. Order 10 min ahead and you'll be good to go. Italian food = pasta, get the pasta since it is always cooked fresh to perfection. I personally recommend all their seafood pasta (pescatore and linguine with clams my favs). They do not skimp out on the little sea critters and you know it is fresh, smells like the sea. Pizza is good, but I've had better else where, so I recommend you stick with the pasta dishes. If you dine in, you get soup or salad, none for take out. The Minestrone is good, salad is just "a salad" nothing special. When I need to escape my Oriental prison, Renato's is my Italian beacon. You guys are doing the community a service by sticking it out. Much obliged!
(4)Thy D.
The tortellini della cass is sooooooooo good. But when I ate the pizza, it was not as good. Thus killing the dancing sensation on my taste buds. The garlic bread barely had any garlic :( I would only come back for the tortellini
(3)Bear B.
Makes me sad to give it one star. I REALLY like their pasta! I've gone here before, and my experience then was so much better than this one. But....... NEGATIVE ONE MILLION STARS FOR SERVICE. This will probably be long, and I don't know if you guys would read it but... I HAVE A LOT OF ANNOYANCE I NEED TO TAKE OFF MY CHEST. Called in about 2 hours beforehand for a table of 13. I was the first to get there, and they didn't even have the table yet. It's not that they forgot, they remembered! They just didn't do it? I don't know. But anyway.... They had to ask another party to move to another table for us. I felt really bad... but luckily that party didn't mind. Oh, and I don't think there's a hostess? I walked in and just looked around going "uhh...." for a minute and feeling lost and dumb before I approached someone working at the pizza counter or whatever. The waiter we had that night was horrible at the least. There were a lot of things he did that really irked me, but these are the main ones. When he asked who the head of the party was and I said myself, he gave me a "YOU?" with one of those "oookay......" faces. What's that suppose to mean?! I don't know exactly, but I felt offended. Wonderful start. IF YOU HAVE A BIG PARTY YOU CAN'T SPLIT CHECKS. Apparently, this is too complicated and they'd rather not deal with it. Okay, okay. That's understandable I guess? We asked if we could use multiple cards. He said yes, but told us to "Make sure we didn't use too many" because we shouldn't "make it too hard" on him. You are our waiter. We're leaving you tip for a freaking reason. You're suppose to be taking care of us. With only 4 of the 14 people in the party there, he kept rushing for us to order appetizers. We told him we'd wait for everyone to get there, but he continued asking us. A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES. Wtf? And it's not like the people were late. The entire party arrived within 15 minutes of the reservation time. We continuously felt rushed the entire night. NOT OKAY in my book. We're a big party, let us decide! So we ordered, and my friend wanted Fettuccine Alfredo with clams. The waiter goes "Uh.. that's a weird order." WHO CARES. THAT'S WHAT SHE WANTS. My goodness. He kept telling her that it was an odd combination, but she insisted on getting it anyway. So when he was bringing out the food, of course he tells you what you ordered and puts it in front of you, but when he gets to her he goes "and whatever this is." Really? Why do you keep insulting your customer's taste in food? And she LIKED it btw. I really don't see how that's weird though, really. So, half of our party was done eating but the other half was not. They started clearing the plates, which is totally normal. Until he took someone's plate THAT HAD A FREAKING SLICE OF PIZZA ON IT. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!?! I... don't understand. Shouldn't you have EYES TO SEE. Or have a mouth to ASK. It wasn't even a skimpy piece of food either. It was actually a slice of pizza. Smh. So it was my 20th birthday and my friends decided to get me a cake. It cost $1.50 per plate if you want to serve a dessert that you brought. Okay, even though I think that charging for plates is totally unnecessary, I've seen it done before. But at like, $0.50 per plate. A dollar fifty per slice?! That's almost the price of the cake itself! It's because we're using their utensils apparently... Well, the place the cake was ordered from provided plates and forks and a knife, so problem solved, right? Nope. Even if we provide out own utensils, we'd still get charged. Ridiculous or what? Renato stepped in I guess and he said it was okay. I just hope our waiter didn't spit on the cake or something. Last thing. Obviously, if the cake is in front of me and I'm the one taking pictures with it, you would think it was my birthday right? He said Happy Birthday to my sister... and she was like no... it's not my birthday. And then he goes oops my bad or whatever. Well, walking out... he said happy birthday to her AGAIN. This is more funny than annoying, though. We don't even look a like. Trust me. I think I'm adopted. But whatever, I definitely didn't need any well wishing from him anyway. Good thing about this place is that the required tip for parties of 6+ is only15%. End consensus. It's because we were Asian. Haha.... Also, we were young. He looked disappointed when he found out we couldn't have wine. No wine= smaller bill= less tip. All speculation, of course. So disappointed. Service is a biggie for me.
(1)Joel R.
Best homestyle Italian restaurant in Westminster! And very affordable. My favorite is the Penne Arrabiata (and I add sausage in there). For apps, go for the Zucchini Sticks.
(5)Chris D.
After shopping at Target I find a flier for Renato's chillin' out on my windshield. My first instinct was to toss it on the ground or stick it on another car but I'm hypnotized by this fancy flier which is on thick glossy paper with full on color pictures of pizza and pasta. Since Rentato's spend some serious change on these fliers I figured it's worth checking it out especially when the flier has a coupon. I then notice the address... WTF? Italian restaurant in the heart of Vietnam? Hmm... this I have to see. The fact this Italian restaurant has hung onto it's life amidst the take over of Little Saigon is impressive. This restaurant is a few doors down from Saigon City supermarket in a sea of Vietnamese signage. When walking towards the entrance we see many people walking out with to go orders. We walk in and it's very confusing on what we do next. Do we order at the cash register, do we sit down, what needs to happen? Since nobody approached us or asked what we needed I asked what we need to do in order to eat. Scowling lady said to pick a seat and we were given menus. It was a bit awkward but our experience only got better from this point on. Our waiter was Renato Jr. and he was awesome. Since it was our first time here he let us know they make everything from scratch and the restaurant is family owned and operated. While we checked out the menu we were brought out some hot and fresh garlic bread that tasted great. We started with some fried zucchini. Be warned, this appetizer could feed a family of four. $6.95 and I swear there was probably 30 or more pieces of the golden crispy zucchini. I could of built a cabin out of how many pieces we got. Dipped into the marinara sauce made for an awesome beginning but boy was it way to much food especially when every entree comes with soup or salad. Dinner salad with Italian dressing made from scratch was perfect. I love anchovies and was glad to hear they use anchovies in both the Italian and cesar dressings. The Italian dressings was excellent and you could tell this was not some off of the shelf bottled crap. For my entree I ordered one of my favorite pasta dishes the Spaghetti Puttanesca. This spaghetti is tossed with olives, capers, garlic, anchovies, and marinara. The anchovy fillets are melted into the olive oil while sauteing the garlic which infuses the dish with it's wonderful flavor. I liked how they didn't overkill the marinara sauce allowing the ingredient flavors to really shine. They did a great job on this dish. Donna had the gnocchi with gorganzola sauce and she said it was excellent. By this time Donna and I both felt like we were going to explode from over eating. We said no to dessert but Renato Jr. insisted and brought out a piece of Tiramisu on the house. Not wanting to be rude we consumed it.... oh man was it great. One of the better tiramisu I've had in a long time. Only reason I'm not giving this place 5 stars is it was so damn hot in this restaurant it was like eating in a sauna. My face was dripping from sweat the entire time. Summer season is definitely the time to get your food to go from this place or eat out on the patio.
(4)Erica M.
Renato's is surprisingly nice, given it's location. I was there with a large group and the food was hot, fresh and plentiful. Being a New Yorker at heart, I have to say that the pizza crust was a bit soggy for my taste, but the pie had lots of cheese and toppings. The calamari was fine and the Fried Mozzarella Cheese sticks were great - not too gooey or stringy. Certainly not a bad meal, but not remarkable either.
(3)Eddie C.
This place seems so out of place. I mean, we are in the middle of Westminster, with Vietnamese shops all around, and then you see an Italian place with their Italian decor? I thought that this place would be very good since it seemed to have survive through the onslaught of its immigrant neighbors. Alas, I was disappointed. We ordered the spaghetti and the red sauce was too sour and tangy. It tasted more light than the richer flavor that I expected. We try to order the Minestrone soup, but they were all out of it in the afternoon. How does a place run out of their very few soup selections? We also got the chicken parmigiana, and again, the red sauce just killed the entree. And this entree didn't come with angel hair or spaghetti noddles... it came with penne pasta... a poor choice of pasta, IMHO. The best part of our meal was the garlic bread that comes with your meal. I think this place is best for pizza and bread since they have dedicated ovens to bake the bread nicely. Overall, a mediocre place for Italian food.
(3)Jessica B.
My aunt and uncle love this place! I have enjoyed everything I have eaten there but it is very heavy, so very Italian! lol I had the lobster ravioli and it was very good, the sauce was my favorite though nice and creamy:) BUT I kept seeing pizza everywhere and let me tell you, it looks delicious! I have told my boyfriend next time we are in the mood for pizza, we have to come here! They are huge and not at all stingy with their toppings, which is a major plus for me! I hate when places are stingy with toppings, they are not THAT expensive, come on now, share the wealth of cheese and veggies ;) As far as the ambiance, it is casual and very down to earth. The cooks and kitchen staff greet you as you walk in which is always nice to see. The inside is nice a cozy but you have the choice to sit outside which is very shaded and also really comfortable plus the service is always wonderful!
(4)Michele M.
I love this place from a basic pizza to lasagna to scallop linguine with pink vodka sauce. So far everything that I've tried has been good. It's a smaller place with dim indoor lighting which I also like. It's closed on Mondays though.
(4)Richard L.
This is a family own restaurant. From father to son and it seem to be grandson next. He start to run the place.It is nice to see a family own business like this. Great pizza made with real mozzarella cheese. You can stretch out the cheese about a feet long.
(4)Julie D.
Why, Renato's, you remodeled! Their formerly simple outdoor seating has now become a beautiful, rustic patio outfitted with space heaters, ceiling fans, and lots of potted plants. It's a look that befits an eatery with really top-notch authentic Italian food. Today I ordered 2 sets of garlic bread and ate them, and them alone, for dinner. That's about six slices of pure, herb-y, garlicky bliss. Clearly my love for their bread borders on obsession, but any dish here can make you a believer. Like I said in my last review, I consider Renato's an institution here, and nothing has changed since I've moved (give or take decor changes). Go here!!
(5)Bobby N.
the works and hawaiian are the best pizzas..even the sodas taste good.
(5)Linnie N.
This restaurant was a random find for me. I've driven by it many many times but have never tried it. Back in December I had a craving for Italian food and decided to do a random Yelp search and landed here...and Italian restaurant smack dab in the middle of Little Saigon. I'm sure you can detect some skepticism on my part =/ I dined with one other during the busy last-minute shopping date that is December 23rd. The place was not densely packed...in fact, my table was one of two that was occupied and it wasn't before long that my table was the ONLY table occupied. I ordered the chicken marsala and highly recommend it. The Our server was a particular gem! My dining buddy had a hacking cough and the server came to our rescue a cup of hot water with tea and a wedge of lemon on the saucer. In any other circumstance I'd say that he brought it over to shut us up as to not scare away the rest of the diners in the restaurant but since the place was not densely packed I found his helpful nature to be genuinely caring :) I've only tried one dish and I absolutely loved it. The food was savory, the chicken was moist, and the sauce was flavorful yet light. My next dish to try will be ravioli. The tiramisu was yummy also :)
(4)Cindy V.
This place has the best Italian food I've ever eaten. The servers here were really nice, and I got to talk to the owner myself. I ordered the calamari pasta and it was AMAZING. Compared to their portions, the price here is pretty cheap. Their garlic bread is like nothing I've ever eaten before..SO GOOD!! We came in on a Saturday night and it looked really busy, however we were seated immediately. They were nice enough to give us minestrone soup that was on the house :)
(5)Daniel L.
I've been a regular here since 1995, when I was working a couple of doors down in the pure water store. It's a bit odd seeing an Italian restaurant in the midst of Vietnamese shopping plazas, but one must keep in mind that Renato has been in this location for some 20 years or so, predating nearly every other local business. I love their single slices of pizza, usually I'll have two and they are quite filling. Slightly oily but nothing a quick blot with a napkin won't fix. Most importantly the cheese doesn't slide off the pizza as it does in many other places. Also good are the hot, toasted meatball sandwiches, these never fail to satisfy. As for Renato himself, he's a gracious host. His son and daughter are also prompt and polite, I've literally watched them grow from small children into the adults they are today. They remodeled not long ago, the outside now looks very lovely whereas before it was very...blah and unappealing. That had been my only complaint about the place. A word to the uninitiated: if you come on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night and see the parking lot completely full, don't fret. You should still be able to get in as while Renato's does get busy, many times the neighboring Chinese restaurant, "Seafood World," has weddings where the guests tend to overflow from that parking lot into Renato's. The Chinese restaurant usually has their security come down into Renato's lot to redirect the wedding guests away from Renato's parking.
(5)Melani B.
I have been coming here since I was a teenager. Still have the best pizza hands down. There pizza is PERFECT everytime! Great service, not to busy, romantic atmosphere- so good for date nights :)
(4)Julie N.
Growing up, I've always seen this place, but a bit sceptical to try because its in the middle of Little Saigon. I was recommended by a couple friends. Then one day...it happened! Came to a very chillaxin environment. They had really amazing paintings on their walls. The waiter was really nice and the place setting was romatic, good for a cheap date. I ordered a chicken alfredo (this is my usual pick when I try a new italian restaurant. If the alfredo is not good, nothing is...bottom line). It was amazing, they threw in some roasted garlic and the whole fork-full bursted in my mouth with creamy yet garlicky pasta that fulfilled my cravings and satisfied my belly. My friends bought their pizza and that was really good too, I didn't have much interest in the pizza due to my yummy pasta. Totally recommended!
(4)Tepring P.
Go to this place. Tonight! The best pizza. I am somewhat of a pizza-snob. I don't really like thin crust although some unique flavors can be nice, I like deep dish chicago style, but who can eat that every friday night. So this place is perfect. Normal thickness of crust and excellent toppings and cheeses. I don't know what makes their pizza SOOOOO amazing, maybe their brick oven. Maybe the italian papa's making it fresh, who knows. But go get some now. Pasta is good too. Lots of it and nice flavors. Glass of house red is about $6, Cheese cake I think $5 It is my go to spot when I dont want to cook or go out to an expensive restaurant.
(5)Elisa R.
Delicious Italian food
(4)Crystal P.
First time here, I'm happy to say I'm an oriental looking to escape. Here's the place! Pretty much a hole in the wall with a very.. distant location. Had no problem finding a table, parking, or anything, no real complaint. But I do wish people knew more about this place! I had the Rigatoni Renato. It was amazing. Great taste; not too much, just right. Garlic bread was addicting. Wine was devine. Llalalala..
(4)Joe K.
Awesome pizza,large pizza will feed 4... Pesto sauce is the best I've ever had. Service a little cold, but effective. Fair prices. Chicken Picatta also very tasty, garlic bread and salads...meh! Haven't tried the deserts...I'm always too full after the meal.
(4)Thanh N.
I was craving for pizza and I found this place. The pizza was really good. It took a long time for the food to come out but it was worth it. We sat outside and enjoyed the nice decoration. The service was OK. The guy came took order and came back a few times to refill the drink. The price was very decent. We paid $35 dollars, tips included for a large pizza with three toppings, 2 cokes and 1 coffee. I haven't tried other dishes but I will come back to discover more good food.
(4)Jax L.
overall, 3.5 stars, i really wanted to like this place more than i do, but the flavors are not developed to a point where it leaves something to be desired. -minestrone soup: 5 star: fresh, tasty broth. -house Cesar salad: 2 star: nothing special, but way overdressed. -fried calamari: 5 star: lightly fried, not too much oil. -bruschetta: 2 star: not brunt, but there was not enough seasoning in the tomatos, and since when did bruschetta have green and red bell pepper? -lasagna: 3 star: the ricotta cheese was too overpowering. -veal parmigiana: 3 star: tasted like chicken, nothing special. -tiramisu: 3 star: the lady fingers on top of the cake was stale and wayyy too much chocolate. but yes, i enjoyed the strong rum flavors :) -cleanliness: 4 star -portions + pricing: 3 star, think olive garden prices, not as cheap as everyone is raving out, but yes, their portions are generous. --service: 1 star: I stood there for like 10minutes waiting to be seated, two people looked at me, one guy walked in the kitchen, the other guy ignored me and took phone calls for pizza order. i don't know about you, but i've worked in customer service a lot, and you have to take care of the customer in front of you, before you worry the customers on the phone.
(3)Roderick J.
This place simply has excellent food! I have enjoyed every dish I have had at Renato's, there are still a couple of dishes I want to try but this place is always my first choice for pizza in Orange county. I absolutely love the egg plant Parmesan, it is off the chain! This is absolutely the highest 4 stars I can give without making it a 5, I'm stingy with my 5's. I think the owner is a food snob which is great for his customers, he makes sure that the food he serves in his restaurant is top notch! Try this place and you won't be sorry, the restaurant is small but intimate which is refreshing. I always get wonderful service as well! The wait staff works hard to make sure you have a great dining experience. Love this place!
(4)Julie L.
I'd like to round up my 3.8 star to 4 stars mainly because of the service. The first time I came here was on Valentine's day and I happen to thought the food was AMAZING! well that's why I go to places twice now before I write a review I came here last night for a friends night out and the food wasn't horrible. It just wasn't up to par as Valentine's day. We ordered the fried calamari as appetizer and for entrees we got a fettuccine chicken with pink sauce, penne arrabiatta, meat ravioli with pink sauce, and some sort of creamy rigatoni. Well honestly, my 3 friends and I barely touched our entrees because we came here already half full from about 3 hours ago. The calamari and the soup or salad that came with the entrees filled us young girls up :) Calamari tasted a bit more heavy than the last time I had it, but clam chowder was very good. But the little that we did get to eat, the food was very mediocre. It didn't have that same PIZAZZZ! The pink sauce and the cream rigatoni sauce seemed like something I could've whipped up just by mixing store bought marinara and alfredo. I guess it's because my boyfriend and I ordered from the specials during Valentine's day last time. Service is not so attentive and a bit slow for a restaurant with only 3-4 tables filled. :( That's all I have to say. Overall, I'd come here for to-go if I don't want to drive all the way to Newport for Mama D's, a fantastic place that offers great service.
(4)Thanh P.
Wow what a hidden gem! I'm from Philadelphia, PA and I feel I know what good italian food should taste like..... this is it! its the closest good authentic peoples italian restaurant on the west coast. Most of the high end italian restaurants aren't really true authentic italian..... Renato's does it right. The decor inside is very nice and clean... not what you would expect from looking outside of it. I only came here because my 2 nephews also originally from Philly had told me that the spaghetti here was awesome..... I'm glad I did because I've always known about Renato's but its' location and the outside view has always made me steer clear from it.... so trying Renato's and discovering its true flavors was a true blessing... Try it!!! you could definitely do worst at many other places for much more..... They have nice competitive prices....
(4)Nisha W.
Love the food here! must try at least once! the food is so good and the staff is so friendly!
(5)dorothy f.
I used to live across the street from then, this was my go to take out Italian spot. I'd not been here in over 5 yrs, went in for an early dinner with by bro and his hunny. I forgot how good the food was yumo~ and very reasonable priced. We had: Calamari 5 stars Caresse Salad 5 stars Lasagna 4 stars Sausage & Peppers with Penne 5 stars Chicken Parm 5 stars Eggplant Parm 3 stars Meatballs 4 stars Keep in mind I'm Italian and hard to please, but this family owned hold in the wall is great. they've done some long over do renovation. I will definitely go back for dinner with hubby. They used to have a piano player there on the weekend and it's still there. The wine selection is OK and fairly priced. I've had most of their chicken dishes and they are great, it's all pan fried. The pasta with Vodka sauce is good too. Pizza is good an garlic bread it to die for.
(4)Lin D.
Love this place!love this place
(5)Wendy N.
Had their ravioli w/ vodka sauce...and their pizza. Both were very good and a great deal considering portion size and quality. Will definitely be back...and I'll bring the family this time!
(4)Nat N.
I've been coming back here consistently for a little under a decade.. all for their Linguine with clams (white wine sauce) and spaghetti with meatballs! That is my go-to items whenever I eat there or take it home with me. I always take my friends here whenever they crave some authentic Italian dishes. Their garlic bread is addictive so be careful with those. Their pizzas are also delicious! I usually grab a single slice and add some toppings. Their individual slices compare to 2 regular slices elsewhere! Too many great things to rave about this restaurant, please do yourself a favor and try this place out.
(5)Michelle W.
I loveeeeeeeee Renato's! It's quiet. It's romantic. It's a little Italian gem in Little Saigon. The service is great, the food is delicious. What more could you want?
(5)John V.
Would you be astonished to find an excellent Italian restaurant in the middle of Westminster? I would too, and this place keeps me hoping to find one. I read about the wonderful service here but reading is as far as it went. When we arrived I walked past the chefs (cooks?) outside on the patio.Someone was having wine and a smoke so I thought the place might be closed...no such luck. I did eventually get someone to seat us and we ordered quickly. We were pretty hungry and just wanted to eat. I think we made a mistake thinking this was a restaurant and not a pizzeria. The two couples who ordered pizza looked happy with their orders and I should have made my family order that. I ordered the ravioli and the minestrone soup. (Not a challenging choice but as I said I wanted to eat and go.) When the soup arrived it was warm, and I mean warm. Not hot, not steaming, warm. As hungry as I was I risked the botulism that soup that was A) sitting in a too cool heater or B) kept in a fridge for who knows how long and microwaved, would give me. Lucky for me I have a strong (and yes large) stomach and did not get sick, but neither did I get satisfied with the soup. Cool, drab, and unfulfilling (kinda like my last girlfriend) . So on to the ravioli. This was not bad...don't get me wrong, it's not great but not bad. I did like the fact that the pasta was a bit firmer then you usually get but I am not sure if that is style or that they just wanted it to get out so they could go back to the patio. The vodka sauce was good, but I have had as good if not better out of a jar. My son liked his pasta but my wife did not like her chicken Parmesan sandwich. It was way too salty and lackluster on other flavors. So why the 3 stars if i hated it so much? I really want to go back and try the pizza. It looked good and those employees seemed to be working hard. So I will give it a shot there. I might have just hit this place on a bad night. The problem for them is I MAY NOT HAVE.
(3)Helen A.
I like this place. The pizza is nice and the interior is decorated nice. The people are nice and it's a hole in the wall place. Yum.
(5)Kathy C.
This place was just ok for me. The waitress we got was nice, the decor is reminiscent of an old school Pizzeria place. I was really disappointed in the the garlic bread people raved about in the reviews. It didn't have any flavor to it, much less garlic. I don't think there was even salt in it. The only good part was that it was crunchy, and not dry, it looked like it would be good until you bite into it and all you taste is crunchy bread and some oil. I got the Chicken Piccata (Chicken in a lemon, garlic, butter, caper sauce). It came with a side of penne pasta topped with the red sauce (which kind of ruined the lemon sauce on the chicken side since they are on the same plate). The chicken was tender and juicy, the lemon sauce a bit tart but overall good. I agree with some of the other reviewers about their tomato sauce, it was just a bit too tart for me, although it goes perfect with their garlic bread and calamari. The tart-ness helps cut the grease, but the sauce is just so so. Overall, the food was ok, the portions are large (enough to split or share between 2 people). The table next to us got pizza, and it looked good. Since they have the huge pizza ovens, maybe that's the thing to get at this place. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but if I'm in the area and wanted Italian food, I wouldn't mind stopping by.
(3)Michael B.
ordered to go and had a heineken while i waited. on an unrelated note, l had a small conversation with a man from Holland. its surprising to hear interesting things from complete strangers. i asked the girl working on the counter what would be the best thing on the menu and she was kinda thrown off. she recommended linguini pescatore which tasted decent. full of flavor but seafood pasta isn't my thing i guess. i ordered a minestrone soup as well but for some reason had a lot of oil in it. aside from the soup everything else was decent. i will update when i try the pizza and other selective items on the menu
(3)Diep T.
Chicken Alfredo. They are by far better then alot of italian places i have been too. little hole in the wall hidden by huge building so its kind of hard to find. lucky i stumbled upon it one day. i have never dined in always to go
(4)Vanessa B.
This place is soooo good! Simple Italian and nice ambiance. My boyfriend and I returned for Valentine's night dinner...all under $45! I am hooked on the gnocchi with Gorgonzola cream sauce and the tortellini with green peas, mushrooms, ham, basil, and Gorgonzola cream sauce! The tiramisu isn't half bad. It needs a bit more espresso flavor. Things they can upgrade...do something cool with that nice television! Improving the garlic bread would really help too.
(5)Caprice L.
Reading the reviews, I was really excited to try this place when i was going to be in the area for work. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype for me... My colleague had the pesto and it was too oily and not very flavorful. I had the penne arrabiata and it was pretty good, but not good enough to draw me back in...
(3)Makoto N.
Renato's is one of those places in a run down strip mall next to a radio shack that you wouldn't even think that they would have good or even decent Italian food. BUT... SURPRISE! they do! The staff isn't overly talkative but friendly. The seating section behind the wall is more romantic leave you alone type of atmosphere. There are a few tables by the counter and a few outside on the patio as well. I like the patio because the air seems to be a bit stuffy inside but that could be just me. Now the food: It's delicious. Renato's has been around for a while (over 15 yrs) and in this time their recipes and quality haven't changed one bit. They have the best Salmon with Vodka sauce pasta and my favorite is the spaghetti with meat sauce and meatballs. The garlic bread that comes with each order of the pasta is fabulous. They use thick slices of soft Italian bread and coat it with garlic and butter. The result is a buttery crunchy garlic bread that is soft in the middle to soak up some of that extra pasta sauce that may remain in your dish after you devour your pasta meal. The antipasto salad is big enough for 3 people and is piled high with tons of Italian meats and cheeses. I like the pizza's here too but becareful not to get too many toppings because they are fresh ingredients and can get to be a bit soggy if you get too many on your combination of pizza. Overall it's a great place for just the food but also a great place for a little romantic dinner too. It's quiet enough to have a private conversation and enjoy your dates company. Next time you are sick and tired of all those boring commercial "chain restaurant" Italian restaurants go to Renato's you won't be disappointed!
(4)Eugine Y.
Yo, this place has got mad flavor! Straight up! It's tucked away, so that's a plus in my book so it doesn't get all bombarded by annoying ass people. It's been there since I moved down to the Westminster/Garden Grove area over two decades ago. Honestly, I can only speak for a couple of items on their menu because I can't bring myself to go there and not have the same go-to items. If I want pizza and Renato's is open, I won't have any other. On-the-realz! Sh!t is freakin' amazing. They have excellent zucchini. Their chicken parm sandwich is always a winner. Tastes like victory. When we dine in, we always see what other people order and it all looks mad tasty. It seems like a lot of the other patrons order the linguine and clams more than the other. So based on that observation, I'm recommending that. But the pizza is what has us coming back. There used to be a nice Italian kid that worked here. He would say 'thank you' to everything. Can I have a refill please? Yes, thank you. Ok, thanks man. You're welcome, thank you. The decor is nothing spectacular, but who cares, you're not there to pretend you're in Italy. If you are, you have problems.
(4)Kathryn D.
Loved this place. We found it on Yelp. The service is excellent, food was great. If your looking for a comfortable, casual dining experience and you love home made pasta...Renato's is your place.
(5)Mic W.
Been coming here since I was a young'un. Best italian spot in OC. 2 words: RIGITONI RENATO. Best pasta ever made.
(5)Alissa D.
I can't believe I haven't written a review for Renato's I've seriously eaten here since u was born! Their service is great, their food is delicious, filling and comforting. You can never go wrong with the pizza and spaghetti...with garlic bread and minestrone soul (dine in only). I really enjoy Hawaiian toppings or pepperoni, sausage mushroom and olives...so good! Their seafood linguine is also always a good choice, don't know what to eat? Definitely definitely try this place!
(5)Toni D.
We were in town for a family reunion and found this place on Yelp. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was nice. We were a group of 11 and they accommodated us no problem. I especially liked that the place was full of old Italian couples dining. A good sign!
(5)Alain T.
I came here for the first time with my wife and mother in law. We were seated quickly and given the menu. The restaurant is nicely decorated and looks charming. I ordered the pizza with 2 items ( italian sausage and meatballs), my wife ordered the lobster ravioli and my mother in law had spaghetti with meat sauce. The entrees came with soup or salad. My wife had the minestrone soup which tasted bland and my mother in law had the lentil which was also bland with very little flavor. For me, the pizza was bad because I dislike nothing more when you pick up a slice of pizza and all the toppings fall off and you left holding the pizza dough. Nothing worse than soggy pizza dough. That is one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to pizza. I expect to bite into a slice of pizza with all the toppings. It's a simple request. Very disappointing meal for me. The lobster ravioli tasted just OK for my wife. Probably will not return.
(1)Huckleberry L.
Still about four stars. Pizza was still very good but the one at Mama D's is slightly better. The lasagna was very good. The fettucine alfredo with extra garlic was great. Finally the farfalle with sundried tomatoes was okay but I was the only one in a party of six that actually liked it.
(4)Marc L.
Back when The Sopranos was at the height of its popularity, I would frown in disappointment at certain episodes, knowing that all of the artery-clogging foods Tony and the gang enjoyed were far from reach. In Southern California, there aren't that many restaurants like the fictional "Vesuvio", and chains like Macaroni Grill and Buca di Beppo can't stand in as an appropriate substitute. If anything, we have plenty of up-scale Italian restaurants, serving up all sorts of regional specialties... but what I REALLY craved was the Italian American dishes made famous on HBO's award-winning show, without the inconvenience of flying over to Jersey. Enter Renato's... It's a cozy little place in the middle of Westminster- definitely not the first place that comes to mind for good Italian food... But that just means Renato's is a hidden gem! While there are times when the restaurant is completely empty, Renato's is usually bustling with customers, dining in and picking up take-out during lunch and dinner. At any given night, you can even see Renato himself, taking care of catering orders and talking to older customers. Again, if you're looking for authentic Italian dishes, go to an up-scale place in Beverly Hills. Renato's has wonderful comfort food entrees, like chicken parmesan, eggplant parmesan, lasagna, baked ziti, manicotti, spaghetti with meatballs, and an AWESOME dish called Rigatoni Renato (rigatoni, fresh vegetables, chicken, and cream sauce). They also have delicious hot and cold sandwiches, and even hard-to-find items in SoCal, like capicola... better known to Sopranos aficionados as "gobbagool"! On top of that, Renato's is well-known for quality catering- they do weddings, corporate meetings, graduation parties, and even Hawaiian luaus! I have been to a few events with Renato's catering and it's always been top-notch- fine pastas, savory meats, and fresh seafood. So take it from me, if you want some quality Italian American food within easy reach in Southern California, head over to Little Saigon for a delicious meal... or you can always pick up an order and bring it back home to chow on while watching The Sopranos on DVD.
(4)Virginia L.
Horrible place!! Spaghetti tasted fishy, the scallops were mushy, the garlic bread tasted like it had freezer burns and of course for a Wednesday evening , what appeared to be a slow night and only about fourteen people in the restaurant the service was really bad. There was a bar tender and a one server, but there may as well not have been anyone working other than the cooks,cooking up that terrible food. I highly warn anyone planning to dine at the place, Don't eat here. We only tried this place because of all the great reviews i read on yelp, now i'm convinced all the reviews must have been written by employees of this terrible restaurant. Take it from me if you want really good Italian food head on over to Mama Cozzas or Cortinos in Anaheim
(1)Christina P.
I have been eating there for about six years, and it is the best Italian food that I have ever had. I have eaten at many places such as Mama Cozza's, but Renato's still remains my favorite restaurant to get Italian food. They have really good pizza, and pasta. My favorite things there are the fried mozzarella sticks, the chicken parmigiana, and the tiramisu! The only thing is that sometimes they forget about the garlic bread and it is sometimes a bit burnt but that really does not affect my view on this place. They just remolded the patio so it looks way nicer, and they added a small bar. So if you are looking for a great italian place to eat this is it!
(5)Nghi L.
DAY1: We ordered their large special pizza which had pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, red onions, and bell pepper toppings to go for dinner. I liked the homemade pizza dough which was just the right amount of dough, not too thick or thin. I also liked the semi chewy texture of the dough. However the pizza was very salty. I had to drink 2 glasses of soda to curb the saltiness from the pizza. I think if they cut down on the salt by 3/4 then the pizza might have tasted alot better. I ended up scraping off all the toppings and just ate the dough by itself. Because of the good texture of their homemade dough, I could imagine their breadsticks being yummy, which I might try next along with a few other pasta dishes I have in mind. I would go again to try other things except for the pizza unless they alter the salt level down to a minimum. DAY2: The leftover pizza I ordered on DAY1 tasted better the next day! The dough was still soft and chewy. It didn't turn hard like most pizzas do after microwaving it to re-eat. The cheese still oozed and the topping were still good and yummy. Note to self: order pizza one day ahead to enjoy next day. It was also less salty. Wonder if the salt finally dissolved into the toppings and dough thereby making it taste better? Whatever the case, score on both accounts.
(3)Andrea V.
My husbad and I love this place. The catered our engagement party and we go there regularly for dinner. Everything we ever order from the menu is out of this world. The owner, his family and their employees are very, very friendly. Prices are very reasonable. Odd location, but definetly a must!
(5)Tony C.
True to the other positive reviews, the restaurant lived up to its reputation. The staff were friendly, the place open and well decorated, and the food quite tasty. I can see myself frequenting this place again when I'm in the area and craving Italian food. This place is definitely a gem of a restaurant located in an area where another genre of food holds dominance.
(5)Bryan M.
This place has delicious food a real gem I the heart of little Saigon. I didn't expect it to be delicious but it was amazing!! Also $10 cork fee so I recommend you bring your own wine. I will definitely be returning to this place.
(5)David S.
Epic family run pizza place. I stopped by on my way to play D&D at Brookhurst Hobbies and immediately fell in love with this place. Friendly, Old-School, Fast--just about everything I want in a game night pizza place!
(5)iris a.
Literally next door...awesome food I have never been disappointed!!! Oh except this one time where they charged me the wrong check (but they fixed it right away)... Their minestrone doesn't have beans so I don't have to pick em out =P ... Yummy Garlic bread... Try the pink vodka sauce... YUM! renato himself prepares your dishes... So friggin awesome... If you order a pizza ask for a thinner crust because they can sometimes be doughy.. Oh, and try a panini for lunch sometime!! They're all yummy :)
(4)Jonathan S.
While talking pizza with a grocery store cashier, she told me the best pizza was just down the street and she had been going there for years. Renato's. I had never heard of Renato's, but since I am always on the hunt for new great pizza I made a point to go check it out. I was initially off-put by the shopping center, and the mouse that went running by my feet when I exited my car didn't help, but upon entering Renato's my hesitance melted away. It has a homey Italian feel, with some basic murals of Italy and a statue of a fat Italian chef with a mustache. Bonus points! One of the first things I noticed upon ordering was that I was the only customer that ordered pizza. This showed me that pizza is not the only thing Renato's does well. I was really pleased with the Pizza! It's best if you eat it there rather than taking it home because the crust can get a little soggy, but it still tastes great. After subsequent visits, I have confirmed that Renato's is a definitely a great Italian restaurant that happens to serve great pizza as well. The Tortellini is fantastic. I've had it numerous times. The Chicken Parmigiana is HUGE, and the batter is not overly spiced, which for me, works better with the tangy marinara. The spaghetti with meatballs is pretty good as well. The prices are also tasty. I recommend this place for all of those Italian-American comfort food obsessed people. Who would have thought you could find great Italian food in Westminster right next door to dim sum? Oh, and if you're ever in Naples, apparently there is another Renato's there. Naples and Westminster? Was that always the plan?
(4)Mike M.
Excellent pizza, very flavorful marinara and meat sauce, fresh pasta, delicious tiramisu, pleasant atmosphere, good service, decent prices. I've been going here for 13 years, and the quality has been consistent. My favorite items include the ravioli, chicken parmigiana (entree or sandwich), pizza, and the fried mozzarella.
(5)Darlene N.
I ordered the Lasagna and my boyfriend had the Shrimp Fettucini. My lasagna was okay..I did not want to finish it so I switched with him. The shrimp fettucini was wonderful. I usually get sick of eating too much fettucini alfredo but I finished the whole thing! Oh and the garlic bread was good too.
(5)Sandy T.
There are some days, as a resident of Garden Grove, that I just don't want Asian food. No Pho, no boiling crabesque type places, no korean bbq, no sushi, no chinese, etc... I just want something familiar and comforting to my kraft macaroni and cheese raised tongue. Not that Renato's and Kraft are on the same level, but I was raised in a non-asian culinary little world. Don't get me wrong, I love all sorts of food but some days, italian food really does give you a happy face. It has become increasingly hard to find non-Asian or non-chain food around GG that isn't near disneyland. I googled "italian Garden Grove" and came up with one restaurant that appears to have closed and another that is over by D-land so no go on Italian in GG but there is this place called Renato's over in Westminster/FV area.... hmm off we go. In an Asian supermarket parking lot with a Hong Kong Dim Sum and other asian cuisine eateries, Renato stands in its glory. Outside it looks like a little pizza place or something but once you walk in, you know you are in for a treat. The seating area is cute and quaint with a painted scene on the wall. I ordered the Tortellini dela something that came with ham, peas, cream sauce and tortellini & a salad. Sooo good. Shaved garlic in it, mmmm. Okay, I just drooled on my keyboard while typing that. The bf ordered a red sauce dish with "farfalle" in it. Can't remember the exact name even though I had spotted it first we have this "never order the same thing" unspoken rule between us. (It happens more often than not that one of us wants what the other one wants... weird.) All I know is I left with a happy tummy. Full, but happy. We ordered tiramisu to go. So later that evening we ate more of our leftovers from dinner and the tiramisu. Holy cow. Fresh tiramisu. ..insert more drooling... Renato's welcome to my world.
(4)Gabriel M.
Update: Looks like someone read my review. I can say that service has been turned up a notch. Thank you for doing that! Here's a good tip: If you are going to order a pizza (they are DAMN good), upgrade the cheese and you will be blown away. Very, very good! The location of Renato's is ideal for the area, because it's the only Italian restaurant within a 5 mile radius, so by default we discovered this location. The food is good and fresh, in fact many of the pastas are made by hand. Most impressive are the excellent pizza's which I highly recommend. The salads could use a real remodel as they are barely above cafeteria food quality. The place is always clean and the atmosphere (from the other customers) is friendly. My only complaint, and it's a big one, is with the young ladies that work there. I have noticed this behavior on several occasions that we have dinned in and when I have waited for an order, I have witness what I'm about to explain, happening to other guests. What did I see? The staff that is suppose to greet guests as they arrive, don't. In fact, they just stare at you (and on one occasion they actually said something to each other as we entered and laughed), the waitresses are also very UNFRIENDLY, they just hand you the menu and ask you "what do you want?" Ok now granted, I'm not asking for the 5 diamond service, I'm just asking for the staff to be FRIENDLY and to create a FAMILY atmosphere. It's very obvious that the people that are working the register and the one waitress I always see are part of the family that owns the restaurant. Either they hate the fact that they work there, or they have never learned that the customer always comes first. BE NICE, SMILE, ASK QUESTIONS. You'd be surprised how many people would be willing to spend a little more, drink a little more and tip a little more if you would just do that.
(4)Corina S.
5 stars times 2! Renatos is PERFECTION! It is located in the unsuspection parking lot where the Saigon Market is. I would never have found Renatos without Yelp, so thank you my fellow Yelpers!! We go here about once a week and we look forward to it every time! We recently had a family get together and we told everyone how amazing this place was and since our family is Italian they were excited to try our hidden jewel. Our table of ten everyone had something different, plates were being passed around the table with everyone saying "take a bite you have to try this!" EVERYTHING is delicious! from their salad, soup to entrees, lasagna, eggplant, pasta, linguini, I can go on and on! Try not to fill up on the garlic bread. Every time we go we always get the same waitress and she is so wonderful! I have already decided that when I get married Renatos will be the ones to cater. And if you happen to be getting married you should check them out, they have a whole menu on their website specifically for catering.
(5)Margie I.
I don't know what authentic Italian cuisine should actually taste like and I've been to Italy, but I'd imagine that it should taste something like what they are serving up at Renato's. I've been there more than a handful of times and usually I'll get the calamari pasta. And every time it comes out piping hot and just as delicious as the time before. I also tasted my mother's favorite, the clam spaghetti with white wine sauce (not on the menu) and it also is quite flavorful with generous amounts of clam. The staff there is very friendly and it seems like you're going to your auntie's house for dinner. They must be doing something right for a little Italian restaurant to be able to survive for so long in Little Saigon.
(4)Vicky N.
So small family owned places usually serve with great customer service, right? Especially when they're competing with the big chains. However, this one has snooty servers and waitresses working here. Sure, the food is good but their service makes them just blah overall. Hmph!
(3)Shig N.
Some friends (Lori, plus Tony & his wife) took us to Renato's for lunch. Since this was an Italian restaurant it was time to try their spaghetti and meatballs - a standard way to measure Italian restaurants. It was uncrowded - so that was nice. I felt safe know that both Tony and his are Italian and they would know good Italian cooking. Our servers were of Italian descent so that added to the ambience. Well, it didn't add much - not as much as their friendly service did. We started with appetizer that Bump likes at Roman Cucina. Good - but Roman Cucina's had a more exciting taste. The spaghetti was great. Two meat balls with the pasta. I liked it. I liked the company better. Overall it was a nice place and I would go back again.
(3)Natsu H.
The best place for Italian food in the area in my opinion. Their calamari is always great, it's not greasy and heavily "battered" as the other places. The mozzarella and prosciutto stuffed chicken dinner entree is DELICIOUS and I highly recommend it if you don't feel like eating pasta or pizza.
(5)Tuyen T.
I first stumbled upon Renato's during lunch because it is literally a two minute walk from my work and was instantly enamored with it. They are a small family operated Italian restaurant that also offers catering. I have tried countless sandwiches and pasta dishes and have yet to be disappointed. Some of my favorites include: chicken pesto sandwich, rigatoni renato and the aurora farfalle. Their pizzas are also really good though a bit on the greasy side and they offer it by the slice as well. They have a huge wine selection though I have never come back for the dinner, the decor of the restaurant is quite nice and the dine in prices are a few dollars more than their regular take out menu prices. But still very reasonably priced. I definitely recommend trying this place at least once, you're sure to come back!
(5)Jordan B.
So, last night, my boyfriend and I wanted to have a nice date night. We decided we wanted Italian and didn't want to go to Olive Garden (just wanted to try something new), we got on Yelp! and this was the closest to where we were, looked promising from the reviews and well, we were hungry! So, we parked our car and went in. As soon as we step inside, we look at the menu that's taped to the counter (I'm assuming it's for the take out guests, but I thought it'd be nice to know what kind of food they had here before I sat down). The menu looked pretty small, but whatever. As I was listening to the girl behind the counter try to convince a customer into buying something, I couldn't help but realize that she had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. The best descriptive word she used was "wet". Yeah, that's awkward. So, we were seated and immediately saw that the environment wasn't very pleasant. The people were generally elderly and seemed to look down on the fact that I have facial piercings and my boyfriend had his tattoos showing. Okay, so, the paintings on the walls were okay, I've seen better (and in a city like this, you'd think they'd put a little more money into it, but whatever), there was a flat screen on the wall and it was a show on wine grape picking and vineyards (that was sort of tacky). So, the waitress comes around and she's speaking incredibly slow in a Romanian/Greek accent. She takes our drink orders and it takes 10 minutes to get a water and a coke. So, I'm already irritated because of the dirty looks, but now I'm irritated because I chose this place specifically because I'm HUNGRY. So, we're looking at the menu and low and behold, it's a rip off. We wanted to share a meal. In order to "split a plate" that would cost $9, we have to pay $3! WHAT? Beyond THAT, there's a $4 service charge on any credit card if your meal is under $25. So, basically, we'd almost be paying as much to split a plate and use a credit card to pay than we would on an actual meal! Are you serious? Wow. So, at this point, the waitress has left us for about 15 minutes randomly, enough time for us to thoroughly decide how much we hated this place and thought it was (for lack of a better word), dildoes. So, we asked for our check from a random waiter who happened upon us, and it took them 3 minutes to get it to us (this restaurant isn't large, so it's not like they have very far to walk and it wasn't busy). We paid $3 for my Coke and left the girl a $.60 tip which was more generous than I wanted to be. We ended up going straight to the Olive Garden and had an amazing time. This place is NOT worth it.
(1)Tommy N.
Minestrone soup was bland, Lasagna was luke warm, Garlic bread was half burnt. This place needs a visit from Gordon Ramsey and Kitchen Nightmares, either that or serve up some Chef Boyardee.
(1)Paulina N.
This is place is great! It's small and cozy but the food is absolutely great! Not just their food but their service as well. I was so astonished by everything that I couldn't help but let the owner know. The location may not be so hot since its in the middle of an Asian community but they have been there for over 20 years. Their food is nothing compared to something like olive garden. this food is pretty much AUTHENTICALLY HOMEMADE. they make the pasta right there in the kitchen from scratch. I love this place, its great for just a small romantic date or for a family get together. I guarantee whatever you order on their menu is good. I'm never afraid to venture out of the ordinary because i know it's all very yummy.
(5)Sarah K.
In my spare time, I fantasize how I want to spend my saved up calories here. Shall it be deliciously savory lasagna or perhaps the delectable puttanesca? Or a perfect slice of pizza rolled around any other pasta dish... mmm. The fantasies of a major foodie on a diet. This place is quite the enjoyable break from the usual bombardment of Asian restaurants in this area. The service has always been very attentive and friendly. The wine list is not extensive but the selection is not your usual Francis Coppola garbage Eat here. Do it nowwwwww
(4)Michael S.
Nearly hidden and surrounded by Asian businesses and a ghetto parking lot. This hidden gem sits quietly in a corner unit. As you walk through the patio area to the dining room you are whisked from the concrete jungle into Italy. (maybe not the real Italy but a nice southern California alternative). The bread was tasty and toasty. The chicken parm and meat ravioli was delicious. There was only a small handful of people which was nice change of pace. The other reviews on yelp appear to be accurate. The place is clean and well kept. I will be returning to see how much closer I can get the feeling of sitting in a Florence cafe without the 1500.00 airfare.
(4)Joie T.
It's a nice and cozy restaurant but I still prefer my Buca Di Beppo. They had nice garlic bread and pasta.
(3)Eduardo H.
Renato's is a SOLID place to go if you are in the mood for GOOD Italian food! The pizzas are very good, and their other entree's solid. It keeps me going back time after time. I like the ambiance and the service is above average. I would rather spend a little more eating at Renato's than at some chain Pizza joint.
(4)Tim W.
Took my girl here the other day and reminded me that I hadn't written about this gem of a restaurant. Been here a few times in the past year and have loved almost everything. Oddly enough, I see one of my pastors here EVERY single time I come; he must really like it. Its located in a small strip mall on the corner of Brookhurst and McFadden next to a Radio Shack. From the outside, it looks like an old typical pizza parlor. When you enter, there is a couple of tables in the front, with a direct view of the pizza oven/area. On the other side of the wall behind those tables is the main area, which is more secluded and quiet. On this last trip, we ordered the veal picatta and a small sausage pizza. The picatta comes with a house salad with homemade Italian dressing or their Minestrone soup. I opted for the soup as I have never tried it in the past. The Minestrone is a little different here; it had broccoli, squash, green beans, carrots, and probably a few other things I missed. Although it didn't seem like the typical Minestrone, it was very good. With the soup came a few pieces of garlic bread which they make to order. I saw them sliding individual orders into the pizza oven all night. The garlic bread has a great garlic taste and was toasted perfectly. The veal picatta came out next with a side serving of pasta with marinara. The veal is cut real thin, but had a great lemon flavor alongside the capers. My favorite thing from Renato's is the pizza. You can see one of the chefs preparing your pizza out front; not necessarily tossing it into the air, but just stretching it and putting everything on. The sausage has a mild spiciness to it and goes great on the pizza. I once had a pesto pasta here; it tasted like seafood. Everyone else that I was dining with agreed. Not sure if it was accidental or if their pesto just tastes like seafood. Anyways, I asked for another dish and got the meat ravioli which was very good. I'd definitely get that ravioli again. Service is good with quick refills. I've mostly seen the same waitress though; she's not greatly talkative but gets the job done. Give Renato's a try; you shouldn't be disappointed.
(5)Andy N.
I've only had the Pizza here and it is so good. The enviorment is very romantic old school setting. This place has been here for over 15 years and is still doing well in this area. You wouldn't expect this spot to be in this heavily populated asian area. Everything is cooked to order so it comes out hot and frresh. I will come back to try the other things on the menu and have some Moscato deserrt wine.
(4)Far D.
I can't attest for the food but I've been meaning to try it but the tiramisu there is awesome!!!!
(4)Tom T.
The food is great, .....but the service is hit and miss. Their pasta and pizza are the best. The only complaint is their garlic bread is a little plain and the clam chowder could be thicker. An assistant waiter is suggested.
(3)C L.
I love this homey restaurant :) my favorite has to be chicken fettichini alfredo. I would pick it over olive garden's any day.
(5)Craig D.
I admit it, I am a food snob and would rather eat something I made than go out and have someone else make it. My wife and I moved to Westminster around 18 months ago. I would pass this place as I rode around the neighborhood. It stuck in my mind one night when we wanted some kind of Italian food. I figured, what the heck, let's try it. We have tried many of the items on their menu, including a few of their Pizzas and have enjoyed them all. The Linguine and Clams is my favorite, and the Ravioli in Pink Sauce is outstanding.
(4)Sarah P.
very good pizza! it reminds me of the costco pizza but more fresh and less greasy. good price for a large portion. but the crust does get soggy after sitting in the pan for a bit. pasta dishes are good too, not amazing but pretty solid. garlic bread is good and they will give you as much as you want. good prices too for how the pasta dishes come w/ soup or salad. both the soup and salad were very tasty. i came here twice in one week and would come back again.
(4)Alex T.
This is my favorite place to order pizza. I normllay order a large pizza with pepperoni, sausage, and mushroom. This place is nice and quiet and is in the corner of the shopping center. Good place to bring a date to hang out.
(4)tracy N.
2 words: garlic bread. renato's has the best garlic bread i've ever eaten in my life!!!! and their farfalle aurora is to die for. tirimisu melts in your mouth. end of story.
(4)Melody K.
I really like this place, I have never been to Italy but this is what I imagine true Italian food would taste like. (The chief is from Italy) I can't even start, everything is sooo good. I have tried their stuffed mushroom, mozzarella sticks, and bruschetta. All sooo good!!! For their main entrees I have had their chicken, chicken fettucini. Along with their restaurant they also cater and are priced very competitively. They are very professional and easy to work with.
(5)Lydia K.
yum! went here for dinner w/ a group of friends... i kinda scratched my head when one said "good italian in westminster" i had the lasagne (which is pretty much as big as your face) - so good. the bolognese sauce is just the right consistency, the alfredo sauce isn't overly heavy, the minestrone is really good. didn't have room to try the desserts but i'm eyeing the tiramisu next time
(5)Cam-An N.
I had lunch here and I was surprised to find it completely empty on a Saturday because it had fairly good reviews. The sauce was a bit watery. And they don't even serve bread while you're waiting.
(2)JennJenn T.
I couldn't really stay long for this place so I wouldn't say I had the real full on experience, but here's the gist of my little visit. So I've been going pass this place almost everyday of my life, but I never really had the chance to eat here. Quite a few of my friends have been recommending it so I decided to give it a try. I mean food is food right? So I had about maybe 20 minutes to eat before I needed to drive off somewhere to run some errands so I thought...hmmm...pizza place...must be fast. I was so WRONG! Maybe it's just me, but all I saw when I looked at the sign was the big fat word PIZZA on there. But anyway, being the stupid person that I was, I said I was going to dine in when they asked me whether I wanted it to go or not. The reason behind that stupid decision was because I saw the big patio thing in the front that looked more like one of those casual pizza places than an actual Italian restaurant. Once I got in the inside, I knew I was in for one of those full three course meals sort of place. The decor is really nice and I love the atmosphere (except for the fact that there were these two Italian "juice head?" dudes sitting at the table next to me...they didn't really fit in with the whole romantic Italian decor XD). Then they took my order and brought everything out in a flash, which definitely made everything smoother :] The garlic bread was delicious. I ordered this pasta dish...it was pesto something...i forgot, but it was pretty good, except for the fact that it got a little too chewy after awhile. The service was good and the pizza tossing guy is really friendly. Overall, I would definitely recommend it XD The only reason why I gave this place a 4 was because I didn't really get to enjoy the whole place and also because of the overly chewy pasta, but I'll definitely come here again and possibly re-rate this place :]
(4)Christina T.
Never been until my boyfriend took me --- already been back a few times since then. Friendly service and good food. Prices are reasonable and hearty portions. I believe its closed on Mondays. Easy parking and have been sat promptly every time.
(4)Christian P.
Great pizza, great service, great place. Recommend to all.
(5)james V.
This is an Italian jewel in the heart of the Orient. There is a huge parking lot so parking is not a problem. You can eat outside in the patio or inside. The ambiance is nice either for family or romantic date. Service is friendly and nice. The food is excellent. Garlic bread and fried zucchini are OK. The pasta is just right, chewy enough and not soft or soggy. All the sauces are great: pink sauce, wine sauce and spicy sauce. The portion is big enough to have some left over to take home. The price is very reasonable. We'll be back more often
(4)Katy N.
Small little restaurant that has been around for years. decor - alright for a little area; less than 600sq ft food - try their "meat lasagna", "chicken rigatoni" & surprisingly their "rack of lamb" (dining in) was not bad. Calamari - hit & miss @ times price - decent $10-13
(3)Erin C.
Renato's catered our wedding in July 2010. They are truly amazing. My fiancé and I went in for a tasting and they treated us like family right from the start. The food was delicious and the prices were right!!! The owner Ariane responded to all of my emails quickly and efficiently and did everything she could to meet all of our requests. They also invited us to a second tasting to pick out our wines. Now this is customer service!!!!! A few months before the wedding Ariane and her catering coordinator, Ruth, met us at the wedding site and went over all the details. They were punctual and professional. A week before the wedding we went over the final details with Ruth and she was so knowledgeable and professional. We stayed and had dinner at Renato's and it was delicious! On the wedding day I could have cried when I saw that Fiorella had decorated the banquet tables by purchasing urns and flowers to match our centerpieces. Such a personal touch! Ruth and her team were so efficient, professional and everyone told us the food was amazing. They pulled out all the stops! Everything was so organized and Ruth kept a smile on her face the whole time. And boy, I saw her running around taking care of everything! She even poured personal champagne for us after the ceremony ......she met our every need to make us feel special on our day. The Renato's team orchestrated a perfect event. Smile.....:) Do not hesitate to use Renato's for your next catering event.
(5)Richard G.
I had lunch here on a Friday and it was only slightly busy. The service was very good and the restaurant, while aging and in a odd strip-mall location, was clean and pleasant. This is a casual place with average to lightly above average food at moderate to affordable prices. I had the chicken parmigiana sandwich and it was fast and d-e-l-ic-i-o-u-s!. I would recommend it. I don't normally travel in these parts because of the all the usual craziness that goes on and the uniquely Bolsa/Garden Grove area traffic flow problems, but Renato's is a hidden little treasure in the mist of all that. It gets 3 out of 5 stars and is A-OK in my book.
(3)Grace N.
i'm slightly disappointed by my food only because i read so many great yelp reviews here and ratings by my friends! maybe it was because i ordered take-out so by the time I got home, the pasta was too mushy, or that i didn't order the right dish. i got the penne arrabiata; it's my go-to favorite dish and i order it everywhere i go, but i didn't like it here. i will come back again to try other stuff and hopefully have a better rating for this place
(2)Lynsay B.
the food is good and all, but it's their catering that is really top notch. for a VERY reasonable price, they provide well dressed employees, tons of italian food (they do holiday menus like turkey and gravy as well) and even decorate for you. the invitees to the party i had loved the food also. I have used them for a couple of parties and they are always extremely reliable and professional.
(4)Joe W.
So the other day i was sitting in my room enjoying a movie and a beer. I realized that hey a pizza would go great with this case of newcastle... so i started searching for pizza close by... Pizza Hut and Dominos came up first on my trusty laptop but i thought if i wanted cardboard pizza i have tomato sauce and string cheese and some old cardboard in the garage... so i kept looking... then i saw Renato's. I had gotten a sandwich from them before but honestly forgot what it tasted like. So i decided to order a pizza. I bought a medium Pepperoni and Mushroom and lasgna because you have to spend 20 bucks when using a credit card... i was not too impressed by that but thought oh well... i was wondeing why a two item pizza would cost 15.30 though... i found out when they gave me my pizza... 15" pizza a medium?!?!?!?! i was shocked and very excited. i took my food home and took a bite and i must admit this pizza is pretty damn good... not the best ive ever had but hey i dont mind dropping 15 bucks for pizza that tastes good. So Renatos is now part of my pizza diet...
(4)Megan T.
I heard many things about how extraordinary this restaurant is. I am so extremely disappointed. First of all, the service made me question what in the world I was doing there. They servers were so rude!!! I walked in and a man just stares at my boyfriend and I and tells us to seat ourselves. Then the waitress comes over to us and rudely asks what we want to drink and took our order. My good mood was gone. I cannot tolerate such rude people, especially if I'm investing so much money into them. Our food took about 45 minutes to come out, which is so odd to me because there was only one other table of people and they had gotten their food half an hour before we did. I finished all my water before the food came out. That's just ridiculous, honestly. When the waitress came to full up my water, she slams the glass cup on the glass table. Like what is your problem? I wanted to flip all the tables in the room. While we were waiting, I got to listen to the servers in the back yell about how great their Vegas trip was. I couldn't even hear myself think with that noise. I could tell the other table was getting pretty irritated as well. Finally our food comes out and it looks great. I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs and I'm pretty surprised that only two tiny meatballs came with so much pasta. The pasta was hard and the meatballs were so bland. My sauce seriously tasted like metal. I was so pissed off. I couldn't even take another bite. I took it to-go and she packed it in a box for me. Little did I know that wonderful waitress (I'm being sarcastic) didn't close the box all the way and it all dumped out in the paper bag she put it in. My expectations weren't even high when I walked in but somehow they managed to disappoint me!! I will definitely not be coming back. Overall: service was less than terrible, food was bad, and it was extremely expensive for such low quality food.
(1)Stephenie G.
I've been here twice in the last couple weeks to pick up food on my way home from work. It's a nice little place that you might miss if you didn't know where it was. I had a couple friends recommend this place to me and I wasn't disappointed. My first time here I ordered the Farfalle Aurora . I am not a big pasta eater and hardly ever want to finish my plate of pasta, but the sauce on this was amazing. It had sundried tomotoes, pink sauce, chicken and cheese on top of bowtie pasta. It was very good but very rich. The 2nd time I came here was last week and I ordered the antipasto salad. This was an awesome salad packed with meat and cheese! I would recommend both items.
(3)Jared J.
Just wanna say! - Great Service - Great Sauce - Great Dough - Great Sausage - Great Pizza Looked like all the other food coming out of that kitchen was amazing!
(5)Kat W.
We went here with high hopes for some good Italian food. We seated ourselves, and started looking over the menu. We ordered a bottle of wine and bruschetta. I was carded after the waitress had already brought us two glasses and placed the bottle on the table. I pulled out my ID and she just stared at my card for a good minute so I offered my age, and she laughed and handed back my card. Super weird. She proceeded to open our bottle of wine by placing the bottle between her legs and struggling for several minutes. Poured our glasses, placed the cold white wine down on the table, and took our orders. She returned a few minutes later and attempted to put our wine in an ice bucket. She shook an open bottle of wine to make in sit in the ice. Whatever. I ordered the Linguini Pescatore and my husband ordered the spaghetti with meatballs, both come with soup, only minestrone was available, and garlic bread. The minestrone is vegetable soup, generally I expect some kind of bean or noodle in a minestrone, but this was a bland broth with vegetables. The bruschetta was good, I felt the flavor was really missing a fresh shaved Parmesan and some kind of acidity, just personal taste there. The food came out and both dishes were pretty soupy. The spaghetti and meatballs comes with meat sauce and two meatballs. The linguini did have a fair amount of seafood that was well cooked. About half way through eating my husband found an incredibly sharp bone in his pasta while taking a bite. Ground meatballs and what seemed to be a ground meat sauce as well, and there was a bone. We finally got our waitress to come over and asked if finding bones in spaghetti and meatballs was normal at this restaurant. She let us know this was "The first time she had ever seen a bone in someone's food, and that it must have happened when they boiled the meat." Uhm, what? That sounds appetizing? My husband is a very picky eater and asked her if that meant there was a chance of more bones in the food, the waitress said yes and so he was done with his meal. I was done eating at that point and we were disappointing. We finished our wine and the waitress brought out a tiramisu "compliments of the chef." We thanked her, The tiramisu and wine were the best things we ate. We got our bill and the spaghetti was still charged at full price, that was disappointing. If they had even offered 10% off without us having to ask, this would have been a different review. Once we said something the manager, at least we are assuming, then offered 10% but I'll be honest, that wasn't enough anymore. Not only was his meal ruined with literally half of his food on the plate and nothing offered in place of it, they made us ask for a change on the bill. So we asked of 50% off just the spaghetti, the manager grabbed my husbands credit card and said "No, just because you couldn't eat it, I still have to throw it away, you shouldn't get anything off." He was starting to charge us full price! My husband grabbed his credit card back and told the man he can't just charge without our permission! So the man "gave us the spaghetti for free". We will NEVER come!
(1)Vi V.
In the same plaza as the CVS. Small little place so you might drive past it without even knowing! They have indoor and outdoor seating. We already had a group waiting for us inside so we walked right in. Every table inside was taken when we walked in. We had a party of 11 and they sat basically in the middle of the whole restaurant. What we got: Bread and Oil & Balsamic Vinegar: complimentary and you pour the amount of oil and vinegar you want. The bread was like a thick slice of toast and doesn't come out like a loaf of bread. It was pretty standard and didn't have anything special to it to make it stand out. Meat Ravioli w/ Vodka Pink Sauce ($13): comes with your choice of soup or salad. I got it with the clam chowder soup. It was a little bit sandy sadly so I didn't enjoy it that much and it didn't come with oyster crackers! As for the ravioli, maybe my expectations were too high for this place. The outer layer of the ravioli was too hard in my opinion and the meat was pretty flavorless. Vodka pink sauce was okay too. I had a bite of my cousin's gnocchi in their pink sauce and it was delicious! Get the gnocchi instead! Service: Even though there were 11 of us, the service was pretty good. I ordered a couple minutes after everyone else did, but the food came out at the same time. Water glasses were refilled and same with the bread. Our server would also come by to check up on us and he took a picture for us! I'd come back just for that gnocchi though...
(3)Jaymee R.
Our first time checking into pizza place and the food was really good. I enjoyed the pizza and lagasna. The resteraunt is cute inside and we'll maintained. The staff could use a little customer service class. They weren't rude at all but not very hospitable and enthusiastic.However, I would come back here and also recommend others too.
(4)Cammi H.
Got take out here a couple of days ago and I must say it was pretty yum. Picked up chicken Marsala and spaghetti and meatballs. Their tomato sauce is made from scratch and you can definitely taste it. The chicken on for the chicken marsala dish was ridiculously large I couldn't even finish it. Both came with garlic bread, but I didn't care for it too much. I'll probably pass on that the next time. The prices were very reasonable too. Will definitely be back to try all the other delicious looking dishes.
(5)Randall D.
A fantastic find in Westminster. Delicious, authentic Italian food with quality service. My favorite Italian restaurant in Orange County. Want something quick and fast? Grab a slice of pizza or a hot meatball sandwich. Got time to spare? Start off with the Italian sausage stuffed mushrooms, then grab a plate of Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken or the chicken parmesian with side of pasta. Top it all off with a homemade slice of tiramisu and a handcrafted cappucino!
(5)Maria D.
The service was good and the food was good but nothing special for me. We had the calamari, spaghetti and meatballs and a pizza with mushroom, pepperoni and pineapples. The pizza was good but the sauce was watery and maybe the pineapples were not drained properly because the crust was wet. My favorite was the calamari and the hot thick marinara sauce. The portions are good we had a lot of leftovers.
(3)Sophia K.
Came here for a friend's birthday on a Wednesday night. We made a reservation for 10 people at 7:30pm, and my friend said they would give us the whole patio area. Awesome. Walked in and seemed to be pretty poppin for a Wednesday night. There was another graduation party going on in the other half of the small patio area. I didn't really get to take a peak inside to see how busy it was, but I started noticing that it was really busy when we didn't even get greeted until another 5 min. I think I only saw 2 servers the whole night. We brought 4 bottles of wine to drink thinking it was only a one time $15 corkage fee. But nope. It's for each bottle. Good thing Bevmo was having their 5 cent wine sale! Anyway, the bottles were popped open right away and distracted us til the 3rd one was empty and we still didn't get our food. We got some pretty bomb garlic bread and a couple appetizers in the mean time.. but after about 45 or so it was getting pretty ridic and we still didn't get our main dishes! I understand it was a busy night, buuut renato's gotta up their staff numbers or something. Otherwise the 2 or 3 servers I did see were very nice and pretty good about getting plates out of the way and making sure everything was alright once they had time to actually serve us. I think the chef was checking up on us and taking plates away too. Appetizers: - Calamari was good. Nice and crispy. - Buffalo chicken wings were pretty tasty. Slipped right off the bones. But I prefer the skin to be more crispy. For a group of 10 we ordered 3 pastas and 2 pizzas, which was actually the perfect amount. Pastas were medium size. I'm not too sure which ones we got but the scallops in one of them had absolutely no taste. Otherwise, the pizzas were good and had a soft crispy crust. Since the wait for the food was so long, they gave us 2 complimentary tiramisus and ice cream for the birthday boy. I'm glad they acknowledged the long wait themselves. I wouldn't really recommend this place for big celebrations since it doesn't seem like they can handle more than 1 or 2 at a time. Otherwise, I would come again just for a chill night to grab some pizza and have a drink or two with a friend.
(3)Diana B.
I've been wanting to try this place for a while because I hear good things about the food. Well, it was really good. The girl in the front was really nice and helpful. I had the chicken marsala and my hubby had the meatball sandwich. The chicken was well seasoned and the sauce was amazing. I will definitely have this again. The meatball sandwich was really moist and also had good flavor. The portions were very generous.
(4)Cathy V.
My favorite Italian place ever! I can't believe I haven't written this place a review yet. My favorite is the tortellini with ham and rigatoni renatos. I've also tried the lasagna and lobster ravioli and both were good. If you come for lunch it's cheaper and smaller portions. Dinner comes with salad or soup with the entree. All pastas also come with garlic bread and prices are very reasonable. Also had my bridal shower here on the patio. Lunch service can be slow. Last time there was only one server but he was running around and working very hard!
(5)Allen H.
Just one word - BLAND! I ordered a pepperoni extra cheese pizza, turkey sandwich, and fettuccini alfredo with chicken for pick up. Seems like a nicely deocrated and clean place inside. Nevertheless, if the food sucks, then there's no point in decorating it. Sandwich - the smoked turkey made this sandwich a little too salty, but overall it was a good sandwich. The arugula gave it a nice kick. Pizza - extra cheese, should mean VERY cheesy, but it wasn't. I could tell it did have a little extra cheese, but I shouldn't have to order "extra extra extra cheese" when ordering. Someone wants extra cheese, just put a huge handful on there. Come on. It's not that difficult. If you can't afford the cost of cheese, then raise the price for extra cheese! it's like when ordering extra mayo on a sandwich and they just put a thin swipe on the other piece of bread. NO! That's not going to cut it! Extra mayo means EXTRA mayo! Pile it on there! Same with extra cheese! Or any toppings/condiments for that matter! Furthermore, I have no idea what people were saying in other reviews about how wonderful the dough and sauce were. Personally, all I could taste was, well...... NOTHING. Bland Bland Bland. I don't think these other people wriitng these reviews have tried other pizza places before. Fettuccini - not horrible. The noodles were cooked perfect, but the sauce - bland. Came with two slices of garlic bread. No garlic that I could taste. A thin swipe of butter, and a sprinkle of paprika. Again - bland! This whole dish was just - Blah! 1 star for the timely and nice service 1 star for the sandwich
(2)Trina T.
We ordered the lobster ravioli and the lasagna. .both weren't good. Was watery when u cut into the pasta. Tasted like it was frozen then heated up. My son and agreed that the garlic bread and the house salad was decent. I love pasta but this was a really bad experience. Not coming back. Sorry for the bad review.
(1)Sarah S.
Came here with boyfriend as he raved about. It's a great lil hole in the wall Italian place. We love getting pizza to go or stopping in and having dinner. I had the lobster raviolis which were amazing. They were homemade not frozen! We eat out a lot and I have travelled to New York a ton. I know good Italian food when I find it. Yes service is a little but why not try and relax and enjoy your moment. Will definitely be back!
(5)Bo H.
Wednesday's have a 25% off on any bottle of wine so Wednesday's are a must! Seafood pescatore, lobster ravioli, rigatoni renato are dishes we've tried and are delicious. The Lodi Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was excellent each time.
(4)Elizabeth M.
Food is delicious!! I give it a 5 star on taste, but a 4 star on overall review. I love Penne pasta and was a little disappointed they didn't have different types of pasta selections. The pasta selection was mainly fettuccini or linguini. The food was a bit too greasy. I would definitely go back. Oh and LAMB CHOPS ARE TO DIE!! Very Tasty!!
(4)Tina C.
Calamari fritti was fresh and crispy. Spaghetti with shrimp and spicy sauce was tasty but not spicy at all. Overall, this is a nice little Italian restaurant but the food was average.
(3)Samuel K.
I came here for the first time last Wednesday night at 7. Wasn't impressed with their interior decor. Everything seemed dated. Kinda reminded me of Carolina's restaurant. The place was dead. Uh-oh, no one here at peak demand dinner time? Not good. I read great things about their spaghetti so I ordered that with meatballs and salad with ranch. After about 10 minutes, the garlic bread came out. I enjoyed it very much. Could have been more garlicky, but it's okay. The salad was super fresh and was refreshing. Finally, my spaghetti came out. I loved the firm texture of the noodles. It was accompanied by 2 meatballs that was rich and flavorful with just enough meat sauce. My mom and sister both got the Eggplant Parmigiana. My sister liked it, my mom didn't. It wasn't breaded and fried like the typical ones. Our male server was okay. On the slower side but was friendly. Overall, the interior decor is forgettable and cheesy but I thoroughly enjoyed the garlic bread, salad and spaghetti and meatballs. I will be back for this again but we waited a long time for our food even though this place was empty so I can't imagine how long it would take if it was full. Anyways, it's the best Italian restaurant in Wesminster.
(4)Theresa T.
Loooooooooove their pizza!:) It's not as greasy or oily which I like! Their wings are good too! I like to dip it with aaaa lot of ranch. AHHAAH The atmosphere in here seems pretty romantic with the dim lights :3 They have an Italian style Like decor :3 Service is goooood Definitely recommend !
(5)Bryant M.
Best Italian food in So Cal! Renato Jr catered our wedding in April and killed it. His team was on the ball and delivered an amazing spread of food for 150 people. I would recommend you stop by and give them a try!
(5)Ashley A.
This place is cozy and awesome. Their customer service stand for the comparison with the other Italian stylist restaurants. The waitress also came in the right time to refill the water glass. After the fulfill arrangements of food on the table they are looking like picture of food displayed on the table. From the point of view the food was just decent and average kind Italian.
(4)Lisa N.
first time i ever had pink sauce was at mama D's in newport beach. i fell in love with it from that day on. i was so excited to see they offered it here, so my friend and i had the farfalle aurora, which is bowtie pasta in pink sauce, sundried tomatoes, chicken and cheese. i don't even know how to describe the sauce, but it definitely did not make me feel the way i did at mama D's..... =( i would NOT recommend this dish at all, though they were generous with the portion. garlic bread was delicious though, and my friend seemed to love her mozzarella caprese! prices are up there with other italian restaurants. a lot of the pasta dishes sound promising, since i live down the street, i'd consider swinging by to try something else!
(3)Queenny C.
I came back again many times after, and always very happy that we even celebrate our anniversary here in a big group The food is always good, and services is always efficient. BTW, all entrees come with either soup or salad, if they have the pasta faggioli soup, I highly recommend because it was very very good ! So 4 stars !!!
(4)Flora W.
So we tried Renato's thanks to other Yelpers' high marks for its pizza. The pizza was actually really good--nice thin crust, and the large we ordered was huge and reasonably priced (I think $16). We got it with half sausage, half pepperoni, and the sausage was really stand-out, far better than the pepperoni. So big points for the pizza. We also ordered the lasagna, farfalle with sundried tomatoes and chicken, ravioli in vodka (or pink) sauce, spaghetti in meat sauce, and cannolis for dessert. The farfalle was good--and pretty light to boot (I think it was tossed in a bit of pink sauce with garlic, parsley, sundried tomatoes, and chicken). The meat ravioli was okay. None of us cared for the lasagna or the spaghetti; they were both generic-tasting and dripping with oil. As far as the garlic bread (which comes free), I can't believe someone wrote that it was the best they'd ever had. If we'd actually paid for it, I would've felt ripped off, as it was drenched in butter and barely tasted like garlic--just okay. The cannolis were also nothing to write home about. All in all, the food is average, with the exception of the pizza. I think the high ratings are because everything is priced so cheaply (most pasta dishes with meat are $8 or $9). I'd order pizza from Renato's again.
(3)Babs K.
The food was good, but $25 for two chicken salads and two cokes? I think that was excessive.
(2)Super F.
Renato's is cozy family Mom & Pop type of place. The service is pretty decent. The pasta is well cooked and seasoned just right. Portions are generous and served hot, just like pasta should be. Their pizza is American style so it's just ok, I would have preferred Italian thin crust since their cooking is typical southern Italian style. Their price are reasonable. I just don't understand places that are 1 or 2 $ signs that add tip to their bills. To me is like shooting themselves on the foot, but that is my opinion from someone that usually lives more than 15% when the combination of service and food is above average like this place. Try it out for an informal dinning experience.
(3)Colleen W.
Went to Renatos for lunch today. My fellow yelpers have not let me down yet. My husband ate the Tortellini Della casa which was highly recommended on yelp and it was delicious. I ate the eggplant parmigiana and it was excellent. Spumoni for dessert was the creamiest we have ever ate. The only complaint was that they needed another server. Ours was nice but very busy and a bit overloaded.
(4)jude a.
Highly recommend their pizza! Wife decided pizza for dinner around 9pm and didnt want to get any other pizza. So I searched YELP and boom!!! THis restaurant was the highest rated italian place around my area so i went ahead and ordered their pizza. Got myself lrg pizza w/ three toppings(mush, pep, and sausage). It was awesome!! Cant wait to try their pasta!!
(4)Paulina B.
I can officially say that i am a Renato's addict. I love their food! Every time it is on point and delicious! The food is always fantastic, however i am reviewing for their TIRAMISU.! It is the BEST tiramisu I have ever tasted!! All of the flavors have the equal amount of every ingredient. Nothing too over powering or nothing missing! Damn Renato's! Because of you! Tiramisu is my crack, and I am a crack head always in need of this decadent dessert ! It is so good, that if i don't have it i start having withdrawals x] I LOVE YOU TIRAMISU!!! if i were to die, this would be the last thing i want to remember eating! Oh yah, the spaghetti and tomato sauce w/ meatballs is always a winner! Bon Apetito!
(5)Mylinh H.
I highly recommend this place. It's a hidden Italian gem in the midst of bustling Asian city. Rigatoni renato - I really liked how the sauce and the chicken came together. Fettucine alfredo with chicken - My cousin said she liked hers a lot. Salmoneti - My whole family had a bite of this and it was wonderful. The salmon was perfectly cooked. The sauce might be a little sour for some. Canolis - Okay i wasn't a big fan of this but maybe that's because I've never had authentic canolis so I have no idea what to compare it to.
(4)Jeremy T.
I would recommend Renato's to complete strangers on the internet. Oh wait. No, but this is a great place to go to get an authentic Italian food fix. The Pizza is always great the thin crust is amazing but the thick Sicilian style is over the top. You can feed an army with the large. One little secret that is not on the menu they will make a White Pizza with there Alfredo sauce that is a grand slam. The Sandwiches, the meatball in particular, are worth every penny and then some. Pasta is always perfect. You must try anything with the Gorganzola sauce you will be a fan instantly. Don't sleep on Renato's
(4)Farheen B.
I was looking forward to eating at this place, but the food was pretty mediocre to be honest. I had the gnocchi with marinara and my friend had the angel hair pasta with shrimp. The gnocchi was gummy and tasted like it was taken out of a freezer and microwaved and then served on a plate. In other words, not very good. The marinara was just average. The pasta dish, which I tasted from my friend was a bit better. I'd probably rate it a 6/10. It had a light, lemon-butter sauce which I liked and since it was cooked with the shrimp, the pasta had a little bit of a seafood taste, too. My friend felt that her food lacked flavor and ended up ordering a side of marinara to go along with it. But she likes marinara on everything, so that's not saying much. Both dishes had good portions for the prices. What really saved this place in my eyes was the cannoli. GOOD GOD! the cannoli was absolutely phenomenal. It was a crispy crepe filled with sweet ricotta and chocolate chips. The flavors, the textures - everything was just perfect. 10/10!
(3)Summer W.
Service is always different. Some times, they would be on top of everything and another day, it would be waving them down for a napkin The prices are average but the food is always good and fresh!
(3)S. M.
Went here with friends for the first time and the food is very good. It is a family run joint and everything is very fresh--I guess that's why it does take some time to get your food. Everything from the pizza to the pasta was very tasty. I really enjoyed the chicken parmigiana and the fettuccine alfredo... didn't really enjoy the garlic bread though..shouldn't complain though as it is complimentary I believe. It would be nice to see a greater selection with their baked pastas such cannelloni or manicotti.
(4)Michael T.
First off, the only reason for this place not getting 5 stars is because of the location. The outside dining area is nice and they have plants to try to hide the fact that it's in the middle of a Westminster strip mall but the ocassional rice rocket with an exhaust the size of a coffee can is a bit distracting and snaps you back to reality. This place has been here 27 years and the owners still make much of the menu items by hand. Nothing in the kitchen is ever frozen and I like the fact that I can hear the chef preparing my meals - chopping, tenderizing, etc. The ingredients on the bruschetta tasted very fresh and there was so much that I had to scoop some of it back onto my bread after the first bite. I had the veal marsala and my girlfriend had the veal parmesan. Both were delicious though I liked her entree more. My girlfriend was able to replace the penne pasta for tortellini with no hassle. Everything about the meal was great and service was very friendly and efficient. We will be back to try the pizza and their sandwiches, for they sound delicious on the menu.
(4)Sandra C.
Just walked out of this place. Waited 15 min. for a table. Had an appetizer then had our order taken, then we were forgotten. Thirty minutes later we were still waiting for our food and noticed a few other tables getting their food before us , so we asked for the tab for our appetizer and can't believe the waiter actually had the balls to charge us for it. This place ruined our family dinner night. So disappointed.
(1)ChaoLing C.
the best ever
(4)Kimberlyn L.
Love this place. Its so weird to walk into this restaurant. Kinda ghetto outside...but when youre in the restaurant, its like youre in a completely different world. I love how well they keep their business clean and cozy. And super affordable. We ordered calamari. Pretty good. We ate the whole thing so I'd assume so. The marinara sauce has a hint of pepper, so its a bit spicy. Really good that way though. My aunt had eggplant parm. And I had the Aurora, which was farfalle, chicken, sun dried tomatoes in a pink sauce. Pasta was cooked perfectly. Chicken was tender and juicy...and they give you lots of it too! Sauce wasnt too creamy, which is the way i like it. Definitely come back...especially since its so close to my house.
(5)Elaine N.
2 words: BOMB CALAMARI!!!! I've tried their pizza and pasta here but everything just tastes okay, nothing special or worth noting... Except.... Omg the calamari!!! Idk why it's so good here but I always order the calamari togo to eat at home. :) I ordered a Hawaiian pizza but it came out kind of undercooked. It wasn't crispy, very floppy. I also ordered the chicken Alfredo and it just tastes like something you can make yourself at home. The location is kind of random, surrounded by vietnamese shops. It's not the nicest from outside but the inside has some cute Italian decorations. The workers are very friendly and attentive.
(4)Tony L.
Everything here is amazing. Their pizza moist and scrumptious. Everything on the menu is very good. My family has been coming here for over 20 years. Their quaint italian atmosphere is a great reminder of Italy.
(5)Nina T.
Renato's catered my wedding last month (Nov 22nd) in Fullerton. We had about 350 guests and everyone raved at how amazing the food was. Every wedding I've been to, the food is always less than impressive. We were determined to find an amazing cater, and my coordinator was right on the money when she suggested Renato's. Renato Jr. took amazing care of us and was so professional and a pleasure to work with. If you are looking for amazing food and service then I highly recommend that you go with Renato's especially for your catering needs. (My personal favorite, was the tri tip carving station!!!)
(5)Joe R.
One of the best local Italian places to eat in the area. Very fresh and authentic Italian food. Some of my family and friend favorites are the chicken parmesan, chicken picatta and definitely their pizza! Can't go wrong there! You can dine in or can also do pickup orders which makes it nice too. Highly recommended for all those Italian food lovers out there like me :)
(5)Kimberly T.
This is one of Westminster's best kept secrets. The quaint little Italian restaurant is tucked away deep inside the bustle of Little Saigon. This is one of the most authentic restaurants I have been to in awhile. I could live on the free bread, alone! Yummy... I was here for dinner, and just had the run-of-the-mill pasta (spaghetti, fettuccini, etc) but it was delicious and definitely unlike what I pour out of the Prego jar at home. Gone are the days of italian chain restaurants! The garlic bread wasn't out of this world. I had expected it to be a bit more savory in such an authentic looking place. Dark and quiet. It can be romantic if that is what you are looking for. Huge, huge dishes. Worth the price. However, consider sharing it with your significant other or take it home and pack it for lunch for the next day!
(5)Roel U.
Me and my wife were driving home from Mile Square Park one evening and wifey suggested we check this place out. I was very hesitant because of it's location. It's tucked behind a Union Bank branch barely visible from Brookhurst Avenue and every time I drive by the place the outdoor patio is always empty . And why the hell would I be eating italian in the middle of Pho and Banh Mi country. Anyway that was about 10 visits ago and Renato's has become a go-to-place for me and my wife for good italian . Over time I've had the following: ~Garlic Bread is always excellent. When an italian restaurant respects it's garlic bread like these guys , you know you're gonna have a good meal (unlike that ice-cold shi**y garlic bread in Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria in downtown Disney) $ 0.00 ~Calamari is always a good portion,fresh and not over-battered $ 10.95 ~Fried zucchini has become a staple appetizer on almost every visit. Crispy,again not over-battered and make sure you ask for side of Ranch dressing.$ 6.95 ~Linguini Calamari- One of my favorites here for the Calamari's freshness and portion .$ 14.95 ~ RIGATONI RENATO is my favorite dish here. The Alfredo sauce is creamy and cheesy ,the chicken and mushrooms are tender and portion is enough for dinner and take-home for lunch the next day and all for $ 13.50. There's a reason this dish bares the restaurant's name. ~PIZZA is always great. Crusty,chewy and just the right amount of toppings. I usually am too lazy to write these Yelp reviews but when I find these real hidden gems that I think deserve all the good word-of-mouth they need I gladly do my part. This place is affordable,the portions are great,the service is good and the food is as good as they get even compared to places that will charge you twice the price.
(5)Lyly N.
When one of my patients, who is full-blooded Italian and from the East Coast, told me that Renato's makes the best Italian food (besides her own food of course), I knew I had to try it! I stopped in on a weekday with some friends and we were seated immediately. After perusing the menu and yelp reviews, we ordered stuffed mushrooms, the caprese appetizer, our respective pastas and tiramisu for dessert. All were delicious! The caprese were HUGE and fantastic. My pasta was the Aurora Farfalle and it was delish! A little on the rich side but dipping some of the garlic bread in the sauce made it better. Portions were huge so we were all able to take home some of our dinner. The tiramisu was a decent size and was easily shared by 4 people. Prices are a bit more on the expensive side but the amount of food that you get is proportional. Service could be a bit better but the food made up for it. Solid 4 stars for me!
(4)Delena T.
Overall great experience! The waiter was everywhere and was on top of everything. He was extremely hard working and made the experience amazing. My boyfriend had gotten the linguine pescatore.. Definitely something unforgettable. The calamari in the pasta was delicious. I don't remember the name of my order but I had accidentally ordered the wrong dish. What I ordered was simply pasta with shrimp in Alfredo sauce. What I had meant to order was that same pasta but with scallops instead of shrimp. I told the waiter my mistake and they brought my pasta back and sautéed it with scallops on the house! Super sweet people. I got both shrimp and scallops yummmmm. I'd recommend to anyone looking for yummy Italian food with impeccable service.
(5)Lily T.
Really authentic and great Italian food. The service here is impeccable! Must order the fettuccine with scallops and pink vodka sauce.
(5)Steven C.
Went to grab dinner at Renato's, $58 paid for 2 spagehtti & meatballs dish, linguini pascatore, clam pasta (forgot what it's called), buffalo wings, and garlic bread came complimentary. Price is very economical for what you get. All very very good, except for buffalo wings are just OK. The garlic bread is to die for, I couldn't stop eating the damn carbs!!!! Situated in the CVS pharmacy plaza, next to Radio Shack. This place is a hidden gem in Little Saigon.
(5)Kevin T.
I'll be completely honest here the pizza here isn't that great, it has bad texture and it seems really wet, however the pasta and everything else is amazing, it's probably the 2nd best Italian food I've had in OC after mama Ds I just feel the name is misleading with it called being renato's pizza. The best thing on their menu is definitely the pasta so don't judge this place off the pizza
(4)Anne Q. T.
Best pizza in Orange County. Thin crust, I feel that 3 toppings are just the right amount. Decor is indie electric - brick facade, a mediterranean scene mural, glass pendant lamps, etc reminds me of the little restaurants we had visited throughout Rome and Florence. The menu is simple and delicious. Appetizers, pizza, pasta - all good, all the time. Family owned :p
(5)Serena S.
I really wanted to like this place but it didn't meet the bar at any level. The staff was very nice though! The food was just OK and the bread wasn't very good. The 2 dishes we got were lack luster in spite of being their most popular dishes and neither of ate much. 3 stars only because the staff was friendly.
(3)Mai V.
I've never experience such terrible service. I would give them -10 stars if I could. Even TeboTebo's service was better than this place. The servers are EXTREMELY rude and the wait was very long. People who came before us would get their orders taken first, and of course their food came first as well. The waitress with purple hair glanced at us when we came in then proceeded to walk right pass us to another costumer who came after! We stood there for a good 5-10 minutes before finally being seated. I was already very frustrated at this point. Once we were seated, an older man was our waiter and perhaps he was having a bad day but he wouldn't say a word when we were ordering so we didn't know if he got our order down or not. Basically we just stared at him for a good minute, confused, to which he just grumbled "waiting for the next person". Really? I can't believe we paid for that kind of service. Anyways although the food was absolutely delicious I wouldn't sit through the service for it.
(1)Frank G.
I expected better, specially with all the great reviews. The good: *Looks clean. *Friendly staff *Bathrooms were clean *Menus easy to understand Now the BAD: *No music, all we heard was plates, n the phone ringing. -kinda annoying * Slow service for a Tuesday night (Not enough waiters, food took long after ordering) *Food was Ok.. not bad, but not great. Will probably try it again sometime in the future.. It could had been a bad night for the restaurant.
(3)Amanda P.
Cute, cozy Italian restaurant in a nondescript shopping plaza. My boyfriend, who touts himself as the end-all-be-all there is to know about Italian food, was HIGHLY skeptical about this place. But I had high hopes based off of recommendations from friends and Yelp. We got to the restaurant 30 minutes before closing (our bad), but the staff were still very accommodating and the chef even came out to tell us not to rush (we still did. My guy and I both have experience in the service industry, so we know how it much it sucks thinking you're home free and then people walk in the store to dash your hopes). He ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and I ordered the Renato's rigatoni. Despite what I've read in recent reviews, our food wasn't overly salty. My boyfriend was thoroughly impressed with our meals. Not as good as he or his mother can make it, but still pretty damn delicious. This place is definitely in our rotation now.
(5)Travis R.
Good Italian food, good service, pleasant environment, has secluded patio, better than any mainstream Italian joint. I will definitely be back.
(4)Rasheed O.
A hidden gem for Italian food. My families favorite place for comfort Italian food. Their pizza is the best I've ever had. They could have just cheese pizza and have a great business. Definitely recommend to anyone whos looking for home made style Italian food.
(5)R T.
On a lazy Sunday afternoon I felt like pasta. So after reading your reviews I knew I had to try this place. Tuck in Little Saigon shopping center there was easy parking. I ordered the seafood pasta with a side of meatballs. The pasta was al dente and the marinara sauce with all the seafood was perfect! I felt like I was back in San Francisco with all the fresh seafood. The meatballs were very good but the only thing I was a bit disappointed with was the błand garlic bread. Overall I will be coming back !!
(4)H F.
MANAGEMENT IS RUDE & FOOD IS BLAND We had a birthday reservation for a party of five on a Tuesday and the restaurant seem to be slow,with a couple tables occupied. After hearing and reading good reviews of Renatos we decided to give it a try, BUT what a disappointment. We would of been better going to a McDonalds. We were greeted and sat within moments. After taking our drink orders, a basket of bread WASNT placed on the table after about 15 mins of wait. When our table decided to order a large cheese pizza for an appetizer, our server hesitated and gave us a disgusted look as if we were crazy for ordering pizza. This pizza was too greasy and had more cheese than pizza crust. SERVICE of pizza was prompt, and we then proceeded with our main course. The server seem to not care or understand our orders, so when entrees were placed we all got dishes that were misplaced with each other's order. The minestrone had absolutely no flavor and required a doze of salt and pepper. My guest complained her clam chowder was mostly cream and no clams, and her croutons wore stale and old. Salads seemed to be from old lettuce and again had no taste. The big issue here was when we were ready for our bill and how management and our server dealt with the situation. The server completely refused to split our check with 4 guest checks. Our party tried to explain that we wanted different items charged in different bills and she refused to do so. When management got involve they sent her back to us saying their system wouldn't allow it. OUR only option was to pay the whole bill on one card. After several times of going back and forth she expressed that their manager wouldn't allow it, and she wasn't going to manually split our checks. She had a negative attitude and completely refused to accommodate us with our transaction. The server very rudely snatch the check from one our guest and proceeded with card charge. As we were exiting the restaurant we heard a couple negative comments towards us as we were leaving. The chef, server and manager gave us dirty looks as we walked out. Renato needs to have a better system in place, and train their staff for better service but most importantly the food needs improvement. I HIGHLY recommend to add salt and flavor to their food, salt makes wonders.
(1)Laura G.
Family owned, authentic Italian home cooking! Great pizza, really good calamari - pastas and salads. We were a large party and there was something for everyone on the menu - not formula food - this is good Italian comfort foods.
(4)Michelle N.
Scallop and shrimp pasta with the pink sauce!
(4)Tony W.
Renato's is OC's hidden gem for Italian food. It's in the middle of a densely populated Vietnamese area! Take a look at my pictures to see how great the food is. The pastas are great and the pizza superb. Renato's tomato sauce is to die for and makes great sauce for their fried calamari and fried zucchini sticks (a must order item!!!). Service is relaxed and slow but you get to fully enjoy your meal. If you want a quick eat and go, this is not the place for you. It's decent place for a romantic dinner since lighting is dim, but there is a flat panel TV in the room playing Italy related shows. Corkage fee is only $10 to bring your own wine if you wish, Their wine list is subpar and only for casual drinking. Definitely come here whenever you're in the mood for Italian. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Tracy N.
It was an unexpected dinner at this place tonight but it turned out to be quite a yummy date night. Bf and I went grocery shopping at Saigon city super market tonight for the party tomroe. It was late and bf was hungry so it was convenient for us to grab dinner at the only Italian restaurant in the middle of this little Saigon plaza next to the market. As you enter the place, you will enter through a cute little gate into the patio before you come inside the restaurant. It was around 9pm so the place was quite empty with only two other parties remained. At first we planned to just grab one appetizer and one entree but somehow along the way....we ended up with two entrees....everything was delicious. Service was nothing to be complained about...we were content with the service we received. Living in little Saigon for most of my life, I can't believe this was my first time dining at Renato....I would definitely come back here to try their pizzas next time.
(4)Diana L.
I'm so grateful that I live by this place. The restaurant smells amazing when you walk in. My favorite is the gnocchi, which has the right amount of chew and tenderness. I also ordered the tiramisu which is perfection. I also think you get a good size piece for dessert.
(5)Lu T.
An Italian restaurant right in my backyard? But I'm surrounded my Vietnamese people, how is this possible? I have no clue how they've managed to weather the influx of immigrants that have taken over the area but bravo to them. This place has been around forever, even during the pre-Yelp days I always wondered how this place was as my parents drove by it. My verdict is that it's a quiet, homey type of atmosphere that offers solid Italian fare and very reasonable prices. It doesn't look like much judging from the exterior but very warm and inviting inside. Pasta was al dente, sauce was tangy and fresh, ingredients were delectable and portions sizable. Recommended for food and mafioso meetings with the Sicilians. If it's fit for the Godfather, it's good enough for you.
(4)Yuna C.
We have been coming to Renato's for about 10 years. It's been one of our first date nights. This night they must have had an off night. Everything from the food to service was off. The food was salty and the staff up attentive. The concern is that it will continue with this service.
(2)Kris R.
Try it yourselves.
(3)Bill R.
They must have paid someone to put in those good reviews. This place is terrible!! We are here on a Saturday. Almost no one here. Put our order in almost an hour ago. Salads came out forty minutes after the order. Refills, forty minutes later. Still waiting on food.Salad was very unappealing.
(1)David C.
Had dinner here on a Friday night. Was surprise at how cozy and charming the interior space is. Ordered rack of lamb and the seafood linguini; we both loved it. Tasted fresh, just right! I'm no food critic but we do eat out almost everyday. Had this place been elsewhere like Hb or seal beach, ect... instead of little Saigon,You would have to wait in long line. Prices were very reasonable. Service was very nice. Our waiter came back to ck on us again and again. Really appreciate the quality of food and service that this restaurant team provides. It's hard to find. Not sure why others did not have good experience. Was my first time and will be back soon.
(5)Michella F.
Oh my goodness, this has to be one of my favorite Italian restaurants to eat at. The prices are very reasonable and the food is always fresh and delicious. There is a family who owns and operates this restaurant and all of them and there employees are very nice and respectful too. We always order pizza and pasta when ever we go here. But I am sure all of the other stuff on the menu is amazing as well. Definitely worth a try!
(5)Christine D.
Came here for lunch yesterday for the second time. For appetizer, I ordered the calamari fritti which was so fresh and crispy. The tomato sauce was to die for! Portion can be shared between 2-3 people. Moving on, I absolutely loved linguine with clams. Pasta was cooked around al dente and the dish itself was light and flavorful. Fettuccine Alfredo was not too heavy which I anticipated on and the portion was big. Service was excellent. Next time I think I'll try their amazing pizza and tiramisu!
(4)Jessica K.
Lunch for 2 people: Two caesar salads (extra garlic bread) One 15in pizza topped with pineapple, italian sausage and mushroom One tiramisu Everything Was super-good. I Recommend their garlic bread. The bill was 30$ something, not that much for the quality we had :). The bf ordered the 15in pizza, thought that we could finish it. Lol. Not even the third. It wasn't too oily like some chains. The service was amazing! The waiter often came to check on us and we didn't wait between the dishes. I'll dream about their garlic bread tonight. Completely in love.
(5)L C.
Eff Olive Garden when you can go to Renato's!! I have been going to Renato's Restaurant with my family for over a decade, and I will NEVER get tired of this place. Why this place is awesome: 1) Donato DiFlorio (the Executive Chef) makes the most amazing food. It is always consistant which most restaurant chains cannot do! He was born and raised in Italy, so everything that comes out of his kitchen is authentic! :) 2) Daniella DiFlorio works the counter at the restaurant and takes the to-go orders... SHE IS HILARIOUS! She always has me laughing every time I come in. Many customers come into the restaurant to ham it up with her. 3) Large portions - what would an Italian restaurant be without huge portions?!
(5)Oliver N.
LINGUINI AND CLAMS IN WHITE WINE SAUCE IS THE BEST THING EVER. They're pizza is also spot on, their service is wonderful, they always remember me even after months of not coming in. Go here, get the linguini and clams in white wine sauce and whatever else your heart desires because it's all good and you will not be disappointed!
(5)Lisa R.
We New Yorkers are notoriously picky about our Italian food. However, this little place makes an amazing homemade sausage, grilled and served with either cannelini beans or whatever pasta you like. Perfectly seasoned salsiccia! My companions raved about the linguine with clams and meat ravioli with vodka sauce. This is where you should eat after a day at D-land.
(4)Ashley F.
A random pasta place in little Saigon... Sure lets try it! I went here for a friends birthday and had was surprised to find the location next to a supermarket i frequently go to yet I never noticed the place. The restaurant was small but they could easily accommodate our party of 10. The service was very friendly but the food was just okay in my opinion. Each of the entrees had a soup or salad option. For my entree, I got the shrimp with angel hair. s3-media4.ak.yelpcdn.com… The dish had a nice smokey to it but the pasta was too al dente for my taste.
(3)Alicia L.
Wasn't as great as I expected based on reviews. The food was meh and since we had an appetizer plus bread and soup that came with our orders we were full before the meal got there and it took a while :/ also although the service was ok and I was delighted that the guy kept refilling my drink it felt like they took forever for anything and everyone who came in after us was being served before us. Also the guys behind us were vaping, although I don't disapprove I don't appreciate it in a restaurant while I'm trying to eat. Oh and a old guy, the owner I believe was always seemed sort of lost and at some point was just sitting down for a while picking his teeth with a huge toothpick. Ewww not cool.
(2)James L.
This time around, I got to try out the pesto tortellini. I liked the flavor of the pesto though I can't imagine getting JUST this dish as my entree (had to share) as it gets too heavy and boring to eat after awhile. I also got to try the fettuccine scallops in pink (marinara + alfredo) and vodka sauce. I really liked the taste of the sauce itself. The scallops were very secondary in the dish... there wasn't proper treatment of them, they would have tasted better if they were seared but it was not far off from what I would expect if they were microwaved. Still, I enjoyed my dining experience here nonetheless. Still figuring out what is worth getting here and what isn't.
(4)Isaac R.
I have been coming to this place since I was in high school. I've been here too many times to count. This place has the best pizza, the best garlic bread, and my favorite chicken parmigiana. I haven't tried all the dishes here but I'm sure they are really good. I don't think I've had a bad experience here since I've been coming here. There have been some redecorating since the turn of the century. They've closed off the patio and have made some improvements inside. It doesn't feel like you are still in BOLSA! I am only basing my review on what I have tried.
(5)Erin H.
My boyfriend & I were craving some homemade spaghetti but didn't feel like cooking. We were complaining that most restaurants have watery meat sauce... So we took a gamble & won! Bonus: The garlic bread is UHmazing!! Overall pleasantly surprised. We will definitely be back. Thanks Renato's
(5)Jennifer Q.
The food here is great and authentic! However, the service is terrible. When my family and I walked in, the employees proceeded to ignore us. It took awhile before someone finally brought us to a table. Afterwards, it took them another long while before someone took our order and when they did take our orders they were very rude. The waiter took my mom's order then was silent. Then finally he tersely said that he was waiting for someone else to make an order. Another time my family asked for more bread and our waitress at that time brought our only 3 pieces of bread.
(3)Tina T.
Love love love this place! This is one of my favorite Italian restaurants! I've been here many times. It is in the area were Saigon City Market and CVS is. The service is great, and inside, the setting is very cute & romantic. The ravioli, half cheese half meat in pink sauce is delicious. The calamari is one of my favorite appetizers! The salmon bow-tie pasta dish is one my favorites! I asked to change the bow-tie to linguine b/c I love linguine and it came out amazing! Their clam chowder soup is the best, but I think it is only served on the weekend. The price is worth it and it is much better than your usual Olive garden
(5)Wendy M.
We love this place. They have the best gnocchi ever! And the cannoli is amazing. We usually do take out. The place never lets us down!
(5)Lisa T.
I'm torn. Pros: -The food here was delicious.The mozzarella sticks and cheese ravioli with pink sauce was delicious. The garlic bread was okay, but maybe that was because it came out with the salad and we waited until the main course to eat it. I was never a fan of tiramisu, but I thought I would try it again and it was just like what I remembered, coffee-flavored moist sponged cake drenched in rum. Not my cup of tea. The salad was simple. -Plenty of parking. -Quick service (for a large party... we took over the patio for a birthday.) -Authentic Italian food with reasonable prices. Con: -The service was terrible. We felt rushed, even though they knew we were having a birthday party and we reserved the whole (tiny) patio area. We were going to take our time to relax, but our server rushed our orders, wasn't very helpful when we asked about dishes with meat (it was Friday... and the whole lent thing), he didn't refill our drinks, packed up our food when we weren't completely done yet... I was surprised because it was still early. It wasn't like we were there close to closing time. When we drove off, the place was still open for business. Oh well. I want to give it four stars... maybe even five. Here's to 3.5 stars.
(3)Myrna B.
THE BEST PIZZA IN THE US!!! Not Micheal's Pizzeria in Long Beach. Made with real Mozzarella and Tomatoes imported from italy. Sauces is made from scratch daily and veggies are cut fresh daily as well. Are you can really taste the freshness...Yummy!!!!
(5)Anhers M.
Do not order for delivery...took over an hour to get cold pizza My brother ordered so I don't know exactly what he got but cheesy garlic bread was fatty deliciousness, submarine sandwich, pizza, greek salad with so much yummy feta and chicken wings, which were not good! Overall, a lovely change from Pizza hut
(4)Carolyn D.
Renato's is a local gem, tucked away in the far back corner of a mainly Vietnamese-dominated plaza. It's been there for about 30 years & I had it for the first time just last weekend ...& I plan on coming back again as soon as I have another craving for Italian food! Their entrées are very large & come with a choice of soup or salad & garlic bread. Garlic bread here is meh, but was pretty tasty after being dipped in my soup (clam chowder). The Italian salad dressing had a nice authentic quality to it, but was on the oily side. Angel Hair in Putanesca with Tomato Marinara - I was in the mood for something acidic but not too heavy; this was perfect! The pasta was al dente, the sauce rife with capers, tomatoes, & olives. Delicious! I would order this again, if I weren't so eager to try everything else on the menu! Gnocci in Gorgonzola & Basil Cream sauce - These potato dumplings were fluffy & dense at the same time.. dough-like. But the real star in this dish is the gorgonzola cream sauce! It is simply to die for & I wish I'd known about it sooner! It has slivers of garlic throughout & is one of the, most satisfying things I've ever had the pleasure of eating! All the dishes were large, so they're great for sharing, or taking home for a midnight meal. Can't wait to come back here!
(4)Jose M.
After reading all the favorable reviews I decided to give this place a try. My friend and I came in for lunch and there was just a couple of other patrons at the time. This place is probably more for the evening crowd. Needless to say we got seated right away by a prompt but cold waiter. I ordered eggplant parmigiana and my friend ordered spaghetti in meat sauce. In addition, we also ordered a 13" pepperoni pizza. The eggplant and the pasta that came with it was flavorless while the pizza was soggy. I expected so much after seeing the high stars on Yelp and was disappointed by my visit. One bright thing is that the server is probably one of the most attractive I've seen. But he could be a little friendlier.
(2)Minerva T.
My friend had mentioned Renato's to me one day as a good place for Italian according to his dad; later research on Yelp showed good ratings. We went there one night to check it out, and it really is in the middle of Vietnamese food places, tucked away in the back of a Vietnamese plaza. We started with an appetizer of their fried calamari. The sauce was pretty good and the calamari itself nicely soft but crunchy. I didn't have too much since I had a sore throat at the time so it was a tad hard to eat. My starter for my meal was minestrone soup which was rather uninspired and thin. My dinner was their linguine con funghi (mushrooms) which came quite presentable enough. Linguine tossed with mushrooms, tomatoes, large garlic slices, fresh chopped parsley, and olive oil, it was a simple dish. It could've had flair but it really just remained a simple dish. I actually found it to be too oily and dressed with too much parsley. It wasn't bad but it sure didn't impress me. Duke D. had the Rigatoni Renato which was alright too. On a whim, I figured we should have a dessert so ordered the tiramisu. It was actually quite good being light and airy but also with enough substance to taste the sweetness. The coffee-soaked lady fingers shone through and the chocolate syrup on top not too rich. I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, it didn't make up for the lackluster food in general. Nothing was terrible but nothing was wow-ful either. My guess is that all of the amazed reviews were relative to the location...?
(3)Jason Y.
I call 'em. "Medium special, thin crust, with basil." "Jason?" "Yup." "It'll be ready in 20 minutes." "Great." That's how it is when you grab one every week. A solid 4 star pizza that goes up against some found in Italy. 5 stars for being the neighborhood joint and how it tastes the next day after I throw it in a pan and crisp the crust (then splash a bit of water and cover to melt the cheese ala Guy Fieri).
(5)Gerry B.
Amazing experience. Great food, nice atmosphere. Will definitely come back ! The Fettuccine with Scallops is outstanding, the salads are very fresh and the dressings are home-made and has very special seasonings. The seafood pasta was perfectly prepared... The only advice: pace yourself so you save room for deserts... Tiramisu anyone...
(4)Christopher N.
This place is the epitome of great hole in the wall restaurant. Has great food and a great environment inside. Has the best garlic bread ive ever eaten highly recommended place for a business lunch or a semi formal occasion.
(5)Charlotparis L.
I think this is by far the best Italian restaurant in Orange County,, it's a small hole in the wall place.. feels very warm and cozy. But the food is awesome. Try the gnocchi. It's delicious.. with gorgonzola sauce. I often come here for this dish :) Also the Lasagna is buonissimo!! The pizza is also very good Trust a real Italian... ME! i love it
(5)Janelle C.
Renato's is pretty unassuming at first glance, especially given it's strip mall location alongside Radio Shack and a Vietnamese supermarket. I've been there at least five times now and we live in Irvine so it must be great if we are willing to drive 30 minutes to dine at this place. This time we started off with some Calamari and fried zucchini for appetizers. The portion sizes are big but quality of food is still high so you get a lot of a good thing at this restaurant. For entrees we ordered a medium pizza and a fettuccine with scallops and pink vodka. What a great deal to have a seafood pasta dish for $15.95! And the sauce was absolutely delicious, creamy, deep in flavor and ultra satisfying. The pizza is very good too, loaded with cheese and toppings with a crispy and chewy flavorful crust. The pasta and entree dishes also come with a side salad or soup and garlic bread. Usually the service is very good if you get the female waitress. Tonight we had a male and he was not as good, kept forgetting drinks and other things we asked for. But the food is so good that it made up for it and I'm still willing to award this place 5 stars.
(5)Stephanie D.
This is a hidden gem (like one reviewer called it) that I wish I never discovered. Everything was lacking... -the service - attentiveness little to none at all. -the food - no taste at all. One word - "Bland" Even the garlic bread had no taste to it. What's up with that? I'd rather go to Olive Garden.
(2)Jake J.
Nah
(1)Lauren H.
This place is highly unrated. The food and service is exceptional. Wine bottles are 25% off on Wednesdays. My favorite is the salmon farfalle pasta! This pink sauce is to die for!! Also runner ups include the pizza, gnocchi, and chicken farfalle with sundried tomatoes. Best of all there is plenty of space. Perfect to host birthdays, small gatherings, and they cater!
(5)Kitty P.
We ordered catering from Renato and he was very helpful. Knowing that we are a non-profit organization with a tight budget, he's helped us meet our budget and the food was great, tasty and there was an abundant. The portions were large. The Grilled veggies were awesome. He's even offered to go get us drinks if we don't want to get it ourselves. Great guy, great food, great service and great price!
(4)Amy V.
passed this place a million times and finally decided to stop in with friends...we got 3 entrees and shared it. each entree came with soup or salad. also had free garlic bread while you wait for your meal. FYI did not like the soups (tried 2 of the soups), so I'd recommend the salad instead. I really liked their ranch rigatoni renato - it had chicken, mushrooms and some cream sauce. the noodle used was a hollow tube like thing. did not like the noodle but the sauce was so good! next time I'm going to substitute the noodles with linguini (my favorite noodle so far) tortellini della casa - ham, cheese, mushrooms and green peas. did not like the tortellini pasta because it was too thick (circular hollow pasta). again the creamy sauce was really good! but I'd replace the pasta again tortellini pesto - basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese. instead of tortellini pasta I got linguini so it was better. should have gotten the della casa toppings though because the pesto had nothing in there but the green sauce and basil. so if you get this one, GET THE DELLA CASA TOPPINGS
(4)Liv C.
We ordered the fettuccine alfredo and chicken Marcella. Both dishes were delicious. It is a nice little cozy place in the middle of little Saigon in the corner of a strip mall. If u blink u would pass it. Great for date night. The service was excellent. We will be going back.
(5)Mar B.
Love this little family - owned restaurant with homemade pasta and sauces. Everything is flavored just right. Every time I'm in OC I have to go to Renatos.
(5)Chris D.
Ambiance: Thumbs up. Really makes you feel like you're NOT in the middle of Bolsa. The location is in the same plaza as Capital World for those dim sum lovers who don't know where Renato's is located. Service: Thumbs up. I came there on a Friday night and it was fairly busy, but the service was on point. There was never a time I needed to look for someone - staff always checked on the tables inlcuding food runners, other servers, and the manager on duty. Food: Meh. I ordered the infamous and reccomended dish, Tortellini Della Casa and the Thin Crust "Special" Pizza. I wasn't a fan at all of the Tortellini Della Casa. I felt like the pasta was too thick as if there was too much dough in each bite. The sauce was tasty but a little too rich for my palate. As for the pizza, I wasn't sold at all. However, the portions are reasonable and all the pastas come with a soup or salad and complimentary garlic bread. Love or Hate? Neither. I will probably come here to try it again for a second experience, but as of now, I wasn't sold.
(3)Sean M.
Being Italian/Sicilian I am always on the look out for good food. This place was a win. I had the gnocchi alfredo. AMAZING. The sauce was great and the gnocchi was PERFECT. The service was nice and there was a nice ambiance in the restaurant. I always love finding a good Italian joint and I cannot say this one let me down. It was excellent.
(4)Brittany Y.
We love Renato's! Great food & great service. I love their pesto! We even had them cater our wedding- Superb!
(5)Michelle M.
Whoa, hello unexpectedly yummy restaurant tucked in Westminster. Last Sunday's food adventure led me to Renato's Restaurant. AMBIANCE: There is plenty of parking outside and patio seating. The exterior is decorated so that if you are seated in the patio, you are surrounded by greenery- which makes you forget you are even in Westminster. If seated inside, you feel like you are in a nice cozy Italian restaurant. Walls are decorated nicely and oh! I got to enjoy a little bit of an Andrea Bocelli concert playing on the flat screen. I liked that everything seemed clean! I hate walking into restaurants where I feel like I have to flip through the menu with my fingernail tips and sanitize profusely with my antibacterial soap after everything i touch. It is also dimly lit, so, if you find yourself looking for a cute Italian restaurant to bring your date, Renato's is the perfect, cozy place to get to know your special someone :) If a date isn't what you are looking for, this is also a great place to bring your friends for birthday parties, gatherings too! QUALITY: Andrew D. and I ordered the Mozzarella Caprese as an appetizer. LOVED how it tasted! Mozzarella, tomatoes and basil tasted so fresh- it was just delicious and melt in my mouth yummy. We also ordered a medium Pizza with 2 toppings (mushroom and pepperoni). Medium pizza with 2 toppings was around $16. One bite into the pizza, I was hooked, HOOKED I say! Everything turned black and it was only after I finished my 4th slice that I looked up at Andrew D. and realized that we had both FINISHED the giant pizza!! I don't know how we did it bc that pizza was HUGE, but it was so tasty! The only thing, was that the pizza was a bit saltier than I would have liked. Overall, I still think First Class Pizza is my favorite, but Renato's comes very very close! SERVICE: Service was great!! They switched plates for us after the appetizers, refilled our waters regularly, brought out everything timely and were just overall nice people! I never forget restaurants with great service and I will be coming back b/c of it! **TIP #1: If you are not in the mood to sit in and dine, you can also order your meal to go! ** TIP #2: They serve beers and wine here! Yum!
(4)Jam S.
BOMB CALAMARI!!! The best!! Yummy yummy Calamari..!! Woooohhoooo!!
(4)Jennifer T.
I came here twice already. both times the soups, salad and service really sucks. soup was very bland and tasteless. salad was typical iceberg lettuce - i do not like iceberg lettuce. service was slow even if it wasn't busy and they do not refill your drinks. must flag them down and even then, they still don't do it. their calamari was ok. fried zucchini was great. lasagna & linguine with scallops were bomb. i'd come back for their other pasta dishes but will skip on their soups and salad.
(3)Vittaya L.
Had the Angel Hair Checca and Large Thick Crust Special Pizza. The Angel Hair Checca was mediocre. The pizza was bad. Cheap cheese and chewy crust.
(2)Michelle K.
This is my favorite local place for Italian - their chicken parm and cheese tortellini is my favorite! Chicken Parm sandwich is good too!
(5)Wendy F.
We went here for an early dinner , the place was empty except for a party that was leaving .the hostess /server sat us down and didn't bother to come back ..after about 10 minutes of waiting I told my boyfriend we should leave cause obviously they don't care that we're sitting here .. As we waited I watched the chef/ manager watching tv in the same room we were siting .. As we were walking out I asked to speak to the manager ,wouldn't you know it he is also the chef . I told him what had happened ,he was very apologetic and asked if he could comp us the meal ..but it was too little too late .. I'm not sure how they run their business here , but if they think that all they they have to do is give you a free meal and everything is fine .they are totally wrong ! I look for a good experience as well as good service . Never going here again !! Horrible service !!!!
(1)Lyndsay L.
The pizza is amazing!!! And the large is extraordinarily large!! The calamari and mozzarella sticks were delicious as well. When we first walked in, it was hot and muggy which made our 5 month old angry. The waitress seemed rude at first also. After making eye contact and smiling, she seemed to warm up. The manager also turned the ac on which was nice. I was originally only going to give a three star but eventually things turned around. Definitely my new pizza place!
(4)Marc R.
Haven't been here in years, so i decided to give it a shot again. The pizza was just how i remembered it. Crust was well cooked, and they use a fair amount of toppings. I was a little disappointed with their chichen wings. Not much flavor. Then again, i don't go to an Italian restaurant for wings. All-in-all, i was satisfied.
(4)MissusBugatti J.
I wanted to like this place, I really did. My chicken marsala was too salty and the pasta was flavorless--literally tasted like pasta tossed in plain tomato sauce with no added spices! Appetizer tasted like it came out of a box frozen. One of my friend's caprese salad was drenched in oil--inedible and my other friend's veal marsala was also too salty. I think the majority of these yelpers just haven't tasted good Italian food. I can do better in my kitchen at home. :/
(1)Eddie W.
The few times i have been here the food was pretty good. I tried the mozzarella sticks..AMAZING!!!! The pastas were awesome and everything was reasonably price. I have yet to try the Gorgonzola sauce with the pasta but the next time i go i will certainly try it. The down side is that the garlic bread there is marginal at best, but hey it comes with the meal. The staff was sometimes hard to find but when we needed something they were prompt and polite about helping us. This place is for those who are tired of places like Olive Garden and are looking for better alternatives
(4)Celine V.
It's not that one of a kid but it is definitely freshly baked and the flavors are very unique unlike your basic bitch olive garden. Renatos also has soup if you inside to eat! It's a very dim yet elegant place w/ artistically beautiful pictures or paintings on the walls that take you back to europe for a fun adventure. It's very romantic but cheap and fancy.
(3)Catherine T.
I've been coming to this little restaurant off and on in the past couple of years. However, only for lunch. This past time, my family wanted to come in here for my birthday b/c my brother's girlfriend loves the lamb chops here. We had a party of 113. The restaurant was very accommodating even though we didn't have a reservation. All the people in the restaurant were so attentive and constantly checked in on our table to make sure that we had everything we needed. Great service! The restaurant is small, but there is outside seating as well. Appetizer: we got the calamari to share. Love that the marinara sauce came out piping hot to go w/ the crispy, yet tender calamari. Soup: pasta fagioli was just ok. I think there were just too much beans and not enough pasta. Entrees: Lamb chops: delicious! Lamb chops were tender and not gamey. There were 4 chops and the price was decent for lamb chops. The meat was very tender. Lasagna: the lasagna was thick and drenched in their marinara sauce. I didn't particularly like it b/c there is just too much ricotta cheese where it was overwhelming. The restaurant brought out a complementary tiramisu. I'm not normally a fan of this dessert, but I have to say, it was super heavenly. The dessert was creamy and had just the right amount of richness to make you want to continue eating and not put your fork down. Another plus: it was a huge square. Definitely enough to go around the table a couple of times to share. The price for the food was also very decent. Most of the dinner portions are between $10-15. And, the portion is big enough to share. I shared my lamb chops and still barely finished. As we were leaving, the manager wished me a happy birthday and even gave me a bottle of wine to take home. Now that is customer service! Definite would come back for the great food and excellent service!
(5)Alex V.
Good Italian spot. They have a nice mural inside that made me feel like I was in the heart of Italy itself. Ok well not really, but either way it was a nice mural. I had a pizza and could only finish half which was great because later I had something else to eat. I haven't actually had pizza like they make in Italy here in America. There it's really really thin, you can easily finish an entire pizza by yourself. The slices are so thin it's almost impossible to pick them up and eat them like you would a normal slice of pizza. The staff was really friendly, and I did enjoy the atmosphere so I would def recommend this place. There was this group of old people eating there while we were there, they were actually the only other people in there, we were eating rather early. Old people really do take their time to eat. They have to have been there for a while before we got there and I'm sure were gonna be there for a while after. Although when you're old I guess it doesn't really matter how much time it takes for dinner, I mean what else do you have to do? Unless it's bingo night of course. I could hear them talking about certain things to the normal everyday person would seem totally racist, but to old people it was just quite normal. Ever notice that? old people are just set in these weird racist ways but don't even think that they're racist themselves? That's why I always correct my parents if they say something somewhat odd, because in reality they just don't know any better, I guess things were just different in the old days before the internet.
(4)Hamilton L.
This is going to a nice Italian restaurant I would want to go too in the future rather than the franchise (olive garden). This place like a hole in the wall restaurant on brookhurst and macfadden. Lets get onto the food, Garlic Bread is free 9but you kind of have to ask for it), it is good but it felt a little heavy on the butter side, but can still taste some garlic it felt nice to have some marinara go with it, now leading onto an appetizer. My Dad and I gotten Calimari, and I must say it was fresh, not frozen and light batter which just made it even more perfect. Which is how true frying of such excellent Calimari, paired off with their Marinara sauce that you can tell is homemade and not out of a can. Also comes with a uniquely cut lemon in half if you want the old fashion salt and pepper and freshly squeeze lemon. I had Linguini Maestro (the one with all the seafood) it was great, everything was fresh and how nice it was, but i couldn't finish because of the garlic bread and appetizer. Leftovers but ironically forgot it in the car overnight. While my dad got the pizza, but he didn't enjoy it because of how the dough was very doughy, meaning it was soft and didn't have a crunch or firmness of a normal pizza like it felt like it was not even cooked, but did make for good leftovers.
(4)Kevin Y.
As far as the OC is concerned, this place is as close to Italy as you'll get. I love that it's tucked away amongst the flurry of pho, boba, and cajun crustacean joints in Westminster. I also love that there's never a wait. I can just go in and have a nice peaceful dinner with my wife without being bombarded by the cacophony of restaurant pagers and top 40 hits. Maybe I'm just getting old. Even though their dinner portions are huge, I always end up ordering the bruschetta to start. I'm not even a huge tomato fan, but it just tastes so good! The tomatoes are amazingly fresh and it really does remind me of Italy. I've had the puttanesca - a simple dish with spaghetti, capers, olives, and tomatoes. Even though I am a carnivore through and through, I often pass on other dishes with meat for this one. It's that good. The tortellini with pesto is also very good. It's just a hair salty for me, but the pesto is great. I love the extra pine nuts in there. All of the pasta tastes very fresh and has just the right bite to it. The meat lasagna is omg good. There's just an extra depth of flavor that you won't get at Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill. Be warned though, it's a lot, so you could probably share it with a loved one...or just eat it all yourself and then feel really guilty afterward. That goes for most of the dishes. The pizza is also very good. I don't think you can go wrong with any of their pizzas. I highly recommend this place if you are hankering for some great italian. The prices are pretty reasonable. I can't believe Olive Garden charges the same for their crap. Seriously? Anyway, if you want to support real, unpretentious, and honest food, eat here!
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