Pasta Pomodoro

I love this place! I am so sad it got closed down in Laguna Niguel…
Me and my boyfriend always looked forward to eating here.
Their bread they serve with their green sauce is delicious. I always get the Ravioli Di Zucca, it is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted!
Overall, very nice restaurant, service is great, prices are reasonable, and has mouth-​watering foods! :)

I would recommend this place. I left very satisfied from Pasta Pomodoro. I got the healthy chicken and ziti and it was delicious. They have a lot of choices there, and most of them are good.
Wish the spaghetti sauce was a bit better. I make my own, so I have a pretty high standard for sauce and it is the only thing i wish was better.

3.5 stars.
We’ve come here several times in the past month or two because of the Festival, Sawdust and Pageant. Overall, this place is a good choice if you’re not looking for like a fancy schmancy LB place or a hangout spot. The prices are very reasonable (presumably because it’s part of the Pomodoro chain) and for LB, it’s one of the less expensive meals you can get. I like it significantly more than the Pomodoro in Irvine.
The service is spotty. Some days, it’s fantastic. There’s one younger male surfer-​ish server, in particular, that is super enthusiastic and attentive. However, he’s usually behind the bar and doesn’t usually serve the tables in the patio. The rest of them are hit or miss that is rather arbitrary and not necessarily dependent on traffic. For example, some days, we’ll get the extra bread we asked for within a few minutes. Then the next time, it took about 25 minutes for it to arrive. Along this train of thought, sometimes the food takes about 10 to 15 minutes to arrive and sometimes, we’ve waited at least 35 minutes. We tend to order the same thing so i’m not sure what the hold up is. It’s always busy in here too.
The items we really enjoy are the tortellini soup (beef broth + spinach), the roasted brussel sprouts and the plain spaghetti with marinara sauce. I personally think the bruschetta is average but my male counterpart thinks it’s really good. It’s the assembly required type. Oh, I could probably live off of the foccacia bread and herb dipping sauce too. Sometimes they’re a little skimpy with the herbs but it’s still very delicious.
The male host at the front seems to be grumpy on occasions and very focused on assembling the silverware/​napkin rolls. There has been times where there are multiple tables open and I know he’s not waiting for people with buzzers because we’ll end up at one of them. That being said, he’s nice, but I guess dealing with all the cranky patrons complaining about seating and wait times gets to you.

One of my favorite Italian Resturaunts, delicious oil and pesto dipping sauce for the bread, never ordered anything bad here the whole menu is fabulous, enjoy!

We love this place !!
Whenever we come to Pomodoro in Laguna Beach, whether it is on a hot summer day or a winter evening. This neighborhood Italian eatery makes us feel like it’s a special occasion for a number of reasons
The Location: Forest Ave, being on one of the major walking arteries in downtown Laguna, brings some fabulous people watching.
The Staff: We seem to always end up chit chatting with their friendly staff. Last visit the Hostess and our server were sharing some gossip about Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner visit to their restaurant the week prior. (Jennifer was sweet and Ben, well… I can’t repeat what they said)
The Tables: The tables are so close, again we end up sharing a laugh with the people next to us. (This has happen on several occasions) Last time we were there, the table next to us gave us their uneaten dessert. Score!
The Food: Oh did I forget to mention the food. Let just say the bread & olive oil dipping mixture is worth the trip alone. I am the queen of discipline when it comes to saying no to the bread and waiting to eat the real food. DON’T SAY NO. Eat up, the other food you can take home. The dipping olive oil mix (parsley, basil, and garlic lemon, I don’t know what else is in there, I try to analyze it’s goodness) is so divine I dare you to take just one bite.

We tried it last night! Sat at the counter and enjoyed a dinner together – we don’t often get to do that! I enjoyed the bread and the pesto! Yummy! The chicken dish that I ordered was okay :(My husband loved his. He thought the service was not great and I thought it was just right. The waitress was friendly and smiled alot. I don’t like interruptions while I am eating and she visited our table just the right amount. my husband didn’t agree.
We gave this restaurant another chance today for lunch and brought the kids. The kids menu was fun. for the kids. they can chose the noodle and sauce and sides they want and it is illustrated with photos and a coloring page. My fish salad was late – I was the last one served and our waiter was sweating and seemed overwhelmed yet I didn’t think it was that busy. My husband had lasagna and the kids had pasta…
I liked the open-​air feel and that you can eat on the sidewalk. good atmosphere.but I would have to agree with the other comments about consistency…

This place was in a bit of a free fall for awhile– you never quite knew what to expect from one visit to the next. The food quality was quite variable, ranging from great to almost inedible. Service was also a bit of serendipity– could be sparkling or rough on the edges.
Fortunately, the chain’s new owners have taken the issues paw in hand and made some significant improvements. While the menu is roughly the same as it has been, it seems both the ingredients and preparation have been upgraded.
The rotating specials have turned out to be a treat, such as wonderful risotto. The permanent addition of affogato is a wonderful touch. I hear rumors of some more new tasty items in the near future.
The manager has always been the best and fortunately the folks at headquarters have recognized this, so this remains a special place among all of the Pomodoro locations.

(Came here in January 2010, I think… man I gotta do better with finishing and posting my drafts.)
Came here with Dad after wandering around at Crystal Cove. We had the caprese salad appetizer — really yummy, but then I do have a thing for tomatoes, olive oil, mozzarella and basil. I could live on that stuff. Their bread with oil for dipping is also quite delicious.
As it turned out the appetizers were better than the dinner. The chicken parmigiana I had was way too salty. Dad tasted some seafood flavor in his veggie dish which was a big turn-​off for him.
Not sure I’d come back here, but if I did I would try something different, or just order two caprese salads and make a meal of it.

One of my favorite places to eat. Sitting outside on the patio is nice with the heat lamps overhead at night. Never had a bad meal here. The salmon is very very good. Nice warm bread and olive oil/​pesto before the meal. Recommend ignoring the mediocre reviews and coming to try it for yourself.

This is a nice restaurant with a nice view of downtown Laguna Beach. The price is great bang for the buck, where much of the food is around $ 10, particularly, lunch. The interior is pleasant and looks quite sleek. It is a good sized room and one can seat 8 or more if needed. There’s also outdoor seating.
They serve you bread and some olive oil mixed wtih herbs, possibly basil. I loved this sauce – in fact, I thought it was the best part. They mainly serve Italian food here and I ordered a Penne, a spicy kind, for lunch. It came with a Minestrone Soup (or salad), which was about average, admittedly. The Italian dish I got was spicy, and had a kick like jambalaya. Admittedly, though, this is more of a personal preference, but when it comes to Italian food, I’m usually looking for subtleties in flavor (with herbs and such). The flavor was bold – still tasty, a little salty – still great for the price. However, if I was judging on the flavor itself, it felt a tad simple for me. The bread and sauce in the beginning was still my favorite part – more so than the main dish. I would certainly come back again, but I would try out their other dishes to give a better-​rounded opinion.

I love this place. Price is great and food is pretty good.
Can’t beat their bread and pesto.

Pasta Pomodoro is a great place for those that like a little more modern take on pasta and Italian food. I had the Fettuccine Alfredo and loved it. This place is a little small and tight though (as in, the tables are too close together) and the waiter I had was pretty rude; that’s why I’m giving it three starts.
I like the location of this place because it is really close to the beach and the atmosphere is nice, as well as, casual.

Pasta Pomodoro is a very great choice for those who want great food on a slightly restricted budget. Great quality, semi-​authentic Italian fare set in a comfortable and casual atmosphere.
This location is in the beautiful and quaint area of Laguna Beach. Located only ½ a block away from the beach, it’s a great place to come and grab lunch or dinner. We opted for lunch.
3 of us split a spinach salad with bacon and shallots. Just wonderful. The bread here is also really good with the oil and pesto sauce that they give you. For my main entrée I had the bolognese. It was wonderful. Flavorful. And just the right size.
The service was also very, very good. An overall great experience. And one of the best things about this place, OUTDOOR SEATING!

In August I visited friends in the area and we wound up eating here for a late lunch, early dinner. I was surprised to see the place so empty, though it was a Wednesday late afternoon. The menu had a lot of stuff that looked really good, I was pretty impressed by the selection. I had the Frutti di Mare and it was really good. The seafood was cooked well and my mussels and clams had no grit, success! For $ 12.50 I was expecting a small portion, but the plate of food I got was pretty big and filled me up. They didn’t skimp on the seafood either. One of my friends Gemelli and the other had the Penne Portobello, both had no complaints.
I had no idea this place was a chain restaurant in California based on the inside, it looked really nice. Next time I’m in the area I’d go back.

I like this place for a number of reasons:
1) Complimentary bread + pesto
Pasta Pomodoro is not afraid to deviate from your normal bread and butter and they shouldn’t be b/​c they have their pesto sauce to boast of. This has got to me one of the freshest and most flavorful pesto dipping sauce I’ve ever had. I always ask for more… after all, it’s complimentary.
2) Serving Size
For most dishes, you can choose to get a half of a serving which is just enough for me since pasta is so filling. I hate having to take it home since it never tastes the same. But with the half-​servings, I am satisfied. Not to mention, lunch specials for about $ 7-can’t complain!
3) Ravioli Zucca
Butternut squash ravioli-​what more can I say? All you need is one bite and you’re in heaven! This rich and tasty treat is one-​of-​a-​kind and is perfect for satisfying my craving for something slightly «out of the ordinary.»
4) Ravioli di Magro with Gorgonzola
If you feel like eating something a bit more rich and creamy, this will not disappoint. I love how fresh it tastes.
5) Service=AWESOME!
I love the people that work here b/​c they totally take care of you!
6) People watching
Probably one of the best places to people-​watch in Laguna Beach. Make sure you sit on the patio. You’ll get the best view-​promise!

I love Pasta Pomodoro. I’ve been to three of their restaurants, here (Laguna Beach), Irvine, and Corona. All of these are small restaurants, except for Corona. That one is quite big. Any way, every time I go to this place, I have to wait aka, this place is popping!
I love the pesto with olive oil with their complimentary bread and I always get the gemelli with angel hair pasta. I absolutely love sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms and this dish has that with grilled chicken. I never get to finish my plate because it’s so filling. Had dessert here once (tiramisu) and it’s okay. It’s a pasta place so I come here for that.
Also, if you want dessert. stop by the Scandia bakery a few shops down!

After a day at the beach we were all starving and craving some good food. Pasta came to mind so we Unilocal’d a few places and decided to dry this one in downtown Laguna Beach. Boy were we glad we did!
We arrived about 6:30 and were seated immediately. The bread and the pesto/​olive oil dipping sauce was brought and our drink orders taken.
I ordered a small portion of the Conchiglie Gamberi– shells with shrimp, asparagus, tomato, cream & shrimp stock reduction. It was exactly what I wanted and the best pasta I’ve had in a while. I also had a side Ceasar salad and it was great as well… the dressing was perfect, not too much. Both of my girlfriends ordered the Gemelli and seemed to like their dishes as well.
The food was very, very good and the prices were great. I definitely will be back to eat here and highly recommend it to anyone in the area.

I would go 2.5 stars for Pomodoro. This is the only Pomodoro I’ve been to, but they seem to be sprouting up everywhere in Southern California. This Pomodoro is in a very beautiful part of Laguna Beach. The restaurant is very small and has an outdoor patio that is perfect for people watching. Despite crowded streets, the place was very empty.
Prices are not too bad, and the Italian food here beats a chain like Olive Garden and Romano’s Grill. However, this is not the type of Italian food that is going to have you come back again and again. The best thing we had was the Ravioli di Zucca – butternut squash ravioli with parmesan, brown butter, and sage.

I just want to say that I am only giving it a 2 because of my experience. It seems though that other people would not have been as unfortunate as me, and I know for sure that my friends at my table made better food choices than I did =P
Basically we sat down at 3PM to eat, the place was maybe at 60% capacity, but it still took a bit of time to get food out to us. Not that big of a deal. We ate the bread in the meantime which was only mediocre bread. It was a bit tough and chewy, not soft or melt in your mouth bread.
First, my minestrone soup came while everyone else got the salad. The soup was not good. It was too chunky and more on the tasteless side. The salads were much better, but I didn’t end up ordering them.
Next, I had the spaghetti and meatballs with spicy tomato sauce. And this is where things went downhill. The meatballs was really just one meatball. I’m a meat eater and I like to see lots of meat. It was cute that it was one meatball, but my stomach didn’t think it was cute. Next, I broke open the meatball to see that it was still a little purple/​pink in the middle. So I sent it back to the kitchen to recook it. They took about 5 – 10 minutes and got me a brand new one. I broke open the meatball and it was the same story, it was still a little bit pink/​purple. I didn’t want to risk sending food back TWICE so I just decided to eat it. The noodles were dry, it wasn’t very saucy, and overall I could have made better food from off the shelf items at albertsons for less than $ 8.
I like good food and I like food cheap. That’s just what I look for. This place was a decent price since it is next to the beach, but food quality? It’s not much better than olive garden. Spaghetti and meatballs are a very simple and traditional dish, but they failed at making it at least par in quality.

I came here for lunch today and it exceeded my expectations. I’ve eaten here before about 2 years ago but didn’t remember much except that it was just mediocre.
Yes, I am one of the many people who tried this place out after seeing it on the MTV show «Laguna Beach.» However, I don’t know why the cast comes here so often. There are other places that are so much better.
Our server brought out our bread + oil, which was cold and chewy. I don’t really like chewy bread. Our food took some time to come out. There were 3 chefs working and the restaurant was probably barely half full, so I don’t know what the problem was back there. I ordered the gemelli pasta and when it finally came, I was pretty satisfied. It is a delicious dish with smoked chicken, which was surprisingly very moist, sundried tomatoes, mushroom (I found only one mushroom in the dish, although the menu denotes plural), in a garlic cream sauce. Out of our party of 4, I had the best dish.
Minus a few stars for the place that seemed a bit understaffed. Only about one server or two. Also, Tom W. ordered spaghetti and meatballs, but it came with only one meatball. Again, false advertising on the menu. The meatball was also a bit pink on the inside… and the chefs failed to cook it properly… twice.
This place is just mediocre. I think Johnny Carino’s is much better. The one good thing about this place is definitely the salad that comes with the lunch items. I don’t know what it was because it was such a simple salad but it was the best salad I’ve ever had.