Antonucci’s

9 Reviews on “Antonucci’s”

• Cbrinkman12

  Mission Viejo Secret Revealed!It is not fair that only locals know of this GEM, unobtrusive and hidden as it is, in a boring strip mall on the corner of Alicia and Muirlands in Mission Viejo. Established in 1976, the locals want to keep it their secret. The gig is up! I’m TELLING! I’m YELLING!Antonucci’s is yum-a-rino! (A new discovery deserves a new word!) Old-fashioned just-like-in-the-old-country, Italian simplicity and goodness! I had the Chicken Marsala, oh-so-tender chicken smothered in abundant, rich brown Marsala sauce, lightly topped with sauted mushrooms, a dish so classic and simple that it is often hard to get right, and they did. Spot-on delicious. The accompanying pasta with marinara sauce was uninspiring, but I dipped mine in the Marsala sauce, which took it up a notch. Be sure to add the small dinner salad; crisp iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, feta cheese with a light dressing, just enough to make you want more! A very satisfying meal. I want to go back. Our waitress, Jennifer, was gracious, attentive and unobtrusive, which also hits the mark!You don’t go to Antonucci’s for ambience. It is a little weird. A jewelry table in the entry, somewhat an oxymoron, wipe-able tablecloths, paper napkins, a somewhat open (and very clean) kitchen, overhead lights bright enough to stifle romance, a long narrow restaurant with an overflow room at the rear (perfect for group events) – in other words, a mishmash. But they do have a full bar adjacent to the restaurant that invites lingering and seems to be a friendly and comfortable hangout for locals that prefer to drink dinner. But you do not go to Antonucci’s for ambience; you go for GREAT FOOD, FAIR PRICES, GOOD SERVICE and the opportunity to say hello to Bob, the owner, who is always there, perhaps another reason this restaurant is so darn good. Tell your friends, but please, not too many. I do not want to have to wait in line next time I need my fix of great Italian food.

  December 5, 2015, 9:36 am

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• Stparker

  Disappointed. I have been going to Antonucci’s for 15 years and the service is average whether you are dining in or taking out. The owner can be friendly, but it is not consistent. I was meeting my brother and his family there for dinner and put my name in to be seated and he ignored the fact that I had been there a while as he sat other patrons of more importance. He knows my brother well, and once he walked in the door he was treated like a VIP and was seated right away at which point the owners jaw dropped when I sat with them and he was suddenly kissing my butt. It was pathetic. It didn’t help that my chicken lasagna was frozen in the middle. Gross. The pizza is excellent, but the rest is microwaved. It is not the best Italian food in Orange County. Roman Cucina’s is better.

  August 25, 2015, 6:55 pm

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