Fratello's Italian Kitchen + Bar — Restaurant in San Clemente

A restaurant that everyone enjoys (without someone crying, refusing to eat, or spilling something in the first five minutes) is a minor miracle. Fratello’s? Total miracle. This place is a gem. Seriously… and the staff is incredible.

The atmosphere is casual and welcoming—perfect for families, date nights, or a night out with friends. We didn’t feel rushed, even with a full house, and the service was quick, friendly, and patient (even with my indecisive kids who took 10 minutes to choose between pizza and pasta).

Now the food. Let’s start with the sauce because—WOW. I’m talking rich, garlicky, tomato-y goodness that makes everything it touches better. I had the penne with pesto sauce (but I like to mix in their marinara sauce with it cause it legit that amazing!) and literally considered asking for a spoon to finish the sauce. My husband had a chicken parm that was huge and perfectly crisp, and the kids devoured their cheesy ravioli and spaghetti with meatballs like it was their job. The breadsticks are a must try too!

Portions are generous (we took leftovers home and they were just as good the next day), but honestly, we all kept eating past full because everything was that good. The bread basket? Dangerously good. The wine list? Solid. The prices? Totally fair for the quality and size of the meals. Their staff is knowledgeable, top notch and patient!

Final verdict: Fratello’s is hands-down some of the best Italian food we’ve had in town. Delicious, family-friendly, and that sauce alone is worth the trip. We’ll definitely be back—and next time, I’m ordering extra...

This wasn't what I expected. We took our aunt here. It's her new go-to since Augustino's closed.

The patio looked adorable but it was chilly so we sat inside. It was around 6pm on a Fri night and it wasn't busy yet.

I had called ahead a week before and asked if the minestrone was vegetarian and was told by the lady who answered the phone that it was. When I tried to order it this night the server advised me it was not. This was a big disappointment. Train your staff better! If they don't know, they shouldn't guess, they should ask the kitchen!

We ordered the bruschetta with cheese on the side. It was on point! Delicious. We also got the garlic olive oil linguine no paremesan add spinach and pomodoro angel hair no parmesan. They were ok. Nothing special.

The server was annoying. As I said it wasn't busy yet and we kept seeing her just hanging around talking to other employees. This poor work ethic was especially irritating when my aunt didn't have a fork when her meal came and she took a long time (we saw her talking to workers again) despite the fact she could not eat without a...

It’s hard to find the small sign outside of the restaurant. That usually means it’s a great place! Once you walk in, hostess is very attentive. We sat next to the bar. The owner, Joe, is all over the restaurant. He is making sure people have exactly what they need. He did not introduce himself as the owner, my boyfriend did his research and spotted Joe from a mile away. We did not stress or even take time to think of what we needed. The only downfall was that my boyfriend ordered a bottle of Decoy (did not specify) and I Let it roll because I assumed the only Decoy offered was the merlot. Our waiter came back with a white wine bottle but it was not presented, tasted or etc. therefore it was already opened and poured before we could stop him. It was a fowl on both parties. Luckily, we drink both red and white, we enjoyed the bottle we had received to not start a fuss. All in all, it was evident this spot has MANY regulars and after eating there we can see why. The ambiance with the candle on the table is divine. If we lived here we were return...