Tutto Fresco Kitchen & Bar — Restaurant in Rancho Santa Margarita

thought i’d give it a few nights to not write such an emotionally charged review, give the place a fair shot. but thinking back on my dinner last week at tutto fresco and i’m instantly reminded of the utter disappointment that dinner was.

overall bad vibes, like cant really fault the restaurant, but no other guests really seemed like they were enjoying themselves. within 2 minutes of cheerily greeting my old friends, the double dating 60 year olds at the next table over were grasping their pearls, demanding a new table because we dared be jolly. and no i promise none of us smelled (pit check passed)

now onto food (i wont be brief): what to get as a shared appetizer with friends when you’re too busy catching up to take in the 40 something item menu, but the top listed app must be a safe bet? right? WRONG. the spinach and artichoke dip was so greasy i thought i was gonna die. the chips were mid, like whatever, that’s not your thing… but this is your #1 appetizer. any mexican grocery store’s bagged chips wouldve been an upgrade

now i’m not strictly a vegetarian but with how scary greasy that app was i thought i’d play it safe because god knows what some bacon filled pasta would come out looking like. my choice: vegetali pasta. but ofc need some gains with that and our server knew that so i got upsold on some blackened salmon to top it. i’m not ashamed to admit. i got the most bland penne with some weird cacophony of steamed, under seasoned vegetables. like who throws diced beef tomatoes on pasta like it’s pico de gallo. the salmon was somehow overcooked and raw at the same time. i hate food waste and that’s the first time in a while that i havent finished my meal or taken it home as leftovers.

this is all besides the point if everything cost what it was worth. who could complain about the bare deliverance of calories and nutrients, with lively restaurant service, if it was $4, $5? wouldn’t be hear if it was…. no, i’m here because my bland penne with steamed veggies was checks notes TWENTY FOUR DOLLARS. idek what the salmon upsell was, $10 at least? sure, i ordered a niche thing but… if it’s that bad take it off the menu. that meal at that price is deserving of no praise, youre only gonna get outrage.

credit where it’s due to grace, our server, who was very patient with me and my friends throughout the evening and more so when we sprung credit card roulette on her (praise i didnt lose that, that wouldve been the fastest disputed cc charge in the west (but...

2/10/2025

What an amazing dining experience this evening. We were greeted by the hostess and sat in the outdoor patio area. We immediately surprise by Ashley who we haven't seen for about a year. Ashley used to be the manager of Carmelitas by the lake in RSM and we were so happy to see her here. What an amazing person she is. Jake was our server and also very kind, professional and efficient. We started with the Quest red blend and the eggplant rotolo appetizer. Gelena, Miguel and Addie were are so nice and efficient in providing service at our table as well. I also had a Cesar salad which was very good. For our entrees my wife had the spaghetti squash with jumbo shrimp and I had the Camera which had chicken and sausage. Both dishes were fantastic. The bread Miguel brought us was excellent also. The ambiance was pleasant and positive. For dessert I had a cup of black coffee and Ashley brought us a delicious cheese cake which we shared. Such wonderful people, good food and excellent service. Highly recommended

Previous visit Had a nice dinner at Tutto Fresco this evening. We arrived in time for happy hour. We started with the stuffed mushrooms and a few drinks. Conner was our server and very professional, polite, and attentive. We also chatted with Miguel, whom we have known for quite some time. Marc brought us fresh bread and informed us that Miguel made it. We ordered dinner, and my wife had the Italian chopped salad with a side of shrimp, and I had the eggplant parmesean. Both dishes were good, and we enjoyed our time in the patio area, which had a cozy and positive...

4-16-25 back again and I can’t say enough about Tutto Fresco in Rancho Santa Margarita. Steve the owner is top-notch in the way he has taken over this awesome place in 2000, from two Italian brothers who did a great job as well. From delicious meals, great ambience, a very reasonably priced menu, to customer service ( River did a phenomenal job), it’s always worth the drive out from Murrieta to come here. If you have an opportunity to visit, please do. I guarantee you will be glad you did. Thank you Tutto Fresco!

2024 This place is amazing!!!! I’ve been coming here and it’s previous location in Rancho Santa Margarita(next to the movie theater), since 1988’ish. At that time, it was owned by two Italian brothers, who were just awesome. Even though management has changed, the food is still delicious, customer service is excellent and it’s a place I visit every time I’m in the area.

Maty was an amazing waiter. Courteous, professional and very accommodating. Jorge was very attentive to my every need. In my humble opinion, customer service is hard to find nowadays. Not the case at Tutto Fresco. I had the Fettuccine Carbonara, delicious!!! It’s not on the menu, but they made it happen and at no additional charge!!

Prices are very reasonable and the quality of food is top-notch. I Left feeling like a VIP!!

I highly recommend Tutto Fresco and will continue to make this my go to Italian food restaurant, in...