OltreMare

I gotta say, this was a terrific experience. We were in San C at the end of July 2011, and wanted to go over to the pier (Fisherman’s) for dinner and cocktails, but the wait was about 2 hours. So, we walked back up the street, and stopped at the OltreMare — a place we had passed by many times, but curious about. So, we decided to give it a try. We got a beautiful table right on the ‘deck’ and we were greeted immediately by our fantastic waiter (actually, several different people stopped by to check on us throughout the night — all very nice and helpful). We had a terrific bottle of wine, two of their salad selections, and two entrees). The chef even sent out some freebies during the meal — a few samplings of apps, etc. — on the house, and for no reason. What a nice surprise!
We watched the sunset, and were never hurried, and the food all came right on time — and was absolutely delicious on all counts. The «nice» level was on overdrive — everybody was delightful. We will be going back again next summer!

When walking with our dog down by the beach, we stopped by to see if we could have dinner on their patio if our dog laid by our feet. We were told, of course, we are dog friendly. That alone would get me to give a positive review, especially since the owner brought a bowl of water, and a dog treat. Luckily, the food was tasty too!
We were given an amuse bouche of Fried polenta served with their marinara and cheese fondue, that was a nice mouth watering start. For starters, we ordered crab cakes, which were nice, and a nice refreshing salad with their house dressing.
Entrees were a parmesan and sesame crusted Tuna, and Penne with a blush vodka sauce. I never would have thought that Parmesan and tuna would mix, but was quite surprised at how delicious it was. The pasta was cooked al dente, and the sauce was very flavorful.
For dessert, we had a sampler platter of flourless chocolate cake, tiramisu, penna cotta and crème brûlée. All were tasty, but the tiramisu was a bit too strong with the rum for my taste.
I’ve read some of the other reviews here on Unilocal and some were complaining at the prices. Sure, the prices were slightly high, but you have to consider the location, which is right on the beach, and the rent has to be high. The ambiance and friendliness of the owner and staff was worth it!

They wouldn’t let us in since they were short handed in the kitchen. Well, you’ll never see me again.

Tutto Bene! This ristorante offers up everything you could ask for before you ever have to ask.
I could go on and on about the menu! For those of us who TRULY appreciate an inventive menu, one that captures and celebrates the culinary art — this restaurant offers up some exquisite Italian food that will put your lasagna and spaghetti to shame. Jump down a few paragraphs for the mouthwatering details.
While sitting on the intimate patio, taking in the salty fresh air, listening to the whistling palms, watching the waves crash into the pier, the town bustles with surfers, locals, and sightseers alike.
I found the service to be warm, friendly, and genuine — as if I was a very special guest — that my presence was truly appreciated. I also noticed that the other guests were treated the same (so maybe I wasnt the only special one). A couple at the table next to mine was celebrating a special occasion of some kind. They were sipping bellini’s when the owner came out and offered one delish-​dish appetizer on the house — (a fried polenta with goat cheese appetizer — nothing short of ’ TO DIE FOR’).
I enjoyed homemade Italian herbed Foccacia bread, while I sipped my cosmopolitan (one of the best I’ve had since Sex in The City originated).
Then enjoyed the polenta goat cheese fritters served with a balsalmic reduction drizzle and topped with a parmesan marinara sauce. WOW!
The bruschetta was refreshing — the bread was the perfect combination of crunch and comfort on the palette and was well balanced with a fresh citrusy, zingy tomato basil. Perfection.
One of my favorites — the Flan di Verdure… (Dont be mistaken by its title, which for some may initiate a flashback of a Chevy’s Birthday celebration.) This creamy egg & vegetable flan is served with an incredible cheese fondue. Packed with flavor and sophistication, this well balanced, and creamy comfort food will send your senses soaring. Its richness in texture is as comforting as dessert, and is balanced by the savory of the cheese fondue and dash of truffle oil (the tastiest oil ever). Bellisima! I enjoyed this with a glass of Barbera red wine, a wine packed with a sultry personality, and unique notes to explore. Dont waste your time — buy the bottle straight away and enjoy exploring the pairings.
The owners? I was priveleged to meet them both — awesome people with strong passion and conviction for this restaurant and the experience of dining. I wish them much success in the future and will be frequenting this restaurant for years to come. You must as well!

Went for the first time several weeks ago and we were quite pleased and can’t wait to go back again. We started out with the Flan that was amazing and literally melted in our mouths — it was very rich and delicious. I chose the Ravioloni Ripieni which was homemade wheat Ravioli filled with ricotto and spinach in a unforgettable creamy walnut sauce. My husband chose the Tonno in Crosta which is Tuna loin with a crust of parmigiano cheese and various other delectables with a side of creamy potatoes. I had a dish similiar to this many years ago at Antonello’s and have never forgotten it and will not forget this dish at OltreMare! We finished with Lemoncello and their Misto Dolci which allowed us to explore several of their dessert dishes!
Don’t know why several of the reviews were so negative but our experience was far from bad service, bad drinks and bad food just the opposite! But we love Northern Italian food! Actually we love all food from Italy and the great wine!
We look forward to our second visit!

We ate here with friends on 3÷27÷2010 at 8pm. The service was indifferent and slow, and the drinks horrible (Martinis with hardly any discernible alcohol content). The shrimp on my Chichi Salad were over cooked a pointed to a trend that continued to my main course Tonno in Rosa (tuna steak cuts). Everyone else in the party said their food was «okay», which is hardly tolerable for a $ 186 for four dinner and drinks (no wine). Why no wine? The service was so bad we didn’t think it would arrive in time to enjoy it.
As locals the location doesn’t impress us one bit. Yes, it’s a nice spot, but there are 10,000 other nice spots along the coast in Southern California, so why waste your money here? My wife and I were talking about this after dinner and agreed that if we were strangers in town and walked up to this restaurant we’d take a pass. Why? Because we have observed that when dinning for food, restaurants «with a view» can be a real crap shot.
I’ll stop here, but, frankly I can’t say enough bad things about this place. If you want to eat in San Clemente go up the hill a few blocks were there are some places with much better food and service.

AMAZING! Fresh, fresh, fresh. Authentic. I highly recommend Oltre Mare for anyone that loves good food. This is an Italian restaurant unlike most. The dishes are inventive, refreshing, tasty, and very well priced. The dishes represent another side of Italian food that is very true to Italian regions that Americans ususally don’t get to experience.
Seafood is a main component on the menu, and being allergic to it I was very pleased to find a lot of other DELICIOUS items. The pork and yogurt sauce is out of this world! The pâté is something I’ve never had and had to order two plates of (it’s not your typical pâté with sweet meats, I believe it’s potatoe based). The wine selection is unique, affordable and so tasty! Oh and the pesto pasta is mouth watering!
The food is not the only great thing about this retaurant. The location is great, it’s across the street from the beach in San Clemente. There are beautiful ocean views and an intimate ambiance to boot. Great for a date, to grab a bite to eat with the family, or go out with friends for apperitivo.
Oltre Mare= Delicious food. Beautiful location. Great price.
Definitely making the drive from San Diego to indulge again!