The Mission Square Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Whittier

Title: A Delightful Culinary Experience at Mission Square Italian Restaurant

Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Mission Square Italian Restaurant in uptown Whittier, and it was an absolutely delightful experience. This charming, family-owned establishment exudes warmth and hospitality from the moment you step through the door.

The ambiance of Mission Square Italian Restaurant is inviting and cozy, with an intimate setting that sets the perfect stage for a memorable dining experience. The restaurant is tastefully decorated, combining rustic elements with a touch of modern elegance. The friendly staff welcomed us with genuine smiles and ensured our comfort throughout the evening.

One of the highlights of Mission Square is their wine selection. Whether you're a wine connoisseur or simply enjoy a good glass with your meal, you'll be pleased with the variety of wines available. The knowledgeable sommelier is more than happy to assist in selecting the perfect pairing for your chosen dish, enhancing the overall dining experience.

The menu features a wide range of options to cater to different preferences and dietary needs. Whether you're in the mood for traditional pasta dishes like lasagna or spaghetti carbonara, or craving seafood specialties like branzino or shrimp scampi, you'll find a delectable selection to satisfy your cravings. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are also available, ensuring that everyone can indulge in the culinary delights offered.

What impressed me the most was the use of fresh, high-quality ingredients in every dish. The flavors were authentic and robust, transporting my taste buds to the heart of Italy. The attention to detail and the passion for creating exceptional cuisine was evident in every bite.

The service at Mission Square Italian Restaurant was outstanding. The staff members were attentive, knowledgeable, and passionate about the menu offerings. They were more than happy to provide recommendations, answer any questions, and ensure that our dining experience was nothing short of exceptional.

If you're searching for an Italian dining experience that combines family-owned charm, an impressive wine selection, and mouthwatering cuisine, Mission Square Italian Restaurant is a hidden gem that should not be missed. From the warm and inviting atmosphere to the outstanding service and delectable dishes, this restaurant exceeded all...

If you're familiar with Rick's Drive-in, in Whittier, on the corner of Greenleaf Ave and Penn, the restaurant is next door, east of Rick's. There are signs warning not to park on Rick's property. Parking was scarce on a Friday night.

Mission Square building is in the Spanish style missionary. Very well done.

Our very good friends and us arrived a few after 7pm. We had a nice, cloth-covered table and napkins in the patio (next to one of the patio heaters) that kept us toasty warm on a 55° night.

The patio was gently lit and very inviting. We asked that the high-energy jazz playing on the fine sounding system be turned down a bit since we were sitting underneath one of the speakers.

In the center of the table was a bright, tiny light with a tiny shade, about a foot tall, that really added to the ambiance. It kept the table very well lit without being uncomfortable for your eyes.

Soft bread triangles were served with a small dipping bowl of olive oil and vinaigrette. The bread was freshly made and soft. We later found out it was the same as was used in their pizza. Pizza will be on our next visit!

Two garden salads were shared. The lettuce was very fresh and the vinaigrette was super delicious! DO order this!

We ordered four entres: 2 lasagna , linguini pescatorre(5 different seafood pasta), and a vegetarian pasta. All were reported to be very tasty. Note: entres do NOT come with sides.

We brought a few bottles of wine with us and paid the corkage fee. Mmmmm good!

For desert, we shared a vanilla gelato and tiramisu, both a tasty finish to a wonderful meal shared among great company.

For four people, 2 salads, pasta entres, and 2 deserts, kinda spendy.

We also chatted with the server, bus boy and host, all enjoyable conversations in a relaxing, social setting; no tech involved. Getting to know people face-to-face is still a great adventure. Also, every Monday evening there is live music.

The bathroom was found by walking through the storage/prep area of the kitchen. Needs some serious upgrading. There is a second...

First time visiting this place. We decided to try this restaurant because my daughter wanted some.good italian food. The location is nice and secluded. There is a pretty fountain and you feel like you're in you're patio.

Now on to the part where everything goes south.

Drinks: They start you off with little glasses of water. 4 or 5 sips and done.

Wine selection is good but only one selection of beer. Saw some bottle of a couple other brands of beer but maybe they ran out.

Their lemonade was good and refreshing.

Appetizers: We ordered two appetizers. Fried calamari and antipasto.

The fried calamari was good and so was the marinara sauce.

The antipasto was a big disappointment. It wasn't antipasto. It was thin slices of zucchini served on pesto sauce with a some cheese on the size. The presentation wasn't very prettt but I thought I would give it a try and was disappointed. I took one bite and that was it. I had another person in our party try it and they did the same.

The ciabatta bread was hot and fresh out of the oven and served with a oil and garlic dipping sauce. If you just want to have a couple glasses of wine and bread. Best part of the meal. This is the perfect place to go.

Entrees:

Lasagna was good. Very flavorful and good portion. I would order this again.

Rigatoni was also very good and they give you a good portion.

Two people in our party ordered the seabass and they loved it.

Service: There was only one server handling all of the tables. It took about 15 minutes to get our drink order. 18 minutes to bring out our drinks. 25 minutes after we were able to order our appetizers. 10 minutes later we were able to order our food. Food was served in about 20 minutes. The server looked like he was rushed. Not his fault since he was handling all of the tables there.

The server was friendly and I believe he truly tried his best. He cut a cake for us and served it which was very nice.

I might give them another try and will update my...