Trattoria Positano

Aya shoshan

Excellent Italian food, like in Italy. We are vegeterian and we had great options in the menu. The gnocci and the penne del campo were delicious. Tomato soup and gorgonzola salad were also great, fresh and full of flavor.

Martin Lemus Shipp

This is the fanciest place to have an nice and truly Italian dinner in Cardiff By The Sea, the taste every dollar spend in this place is worth it, Seafood my favorite, pasta with gambini, zuppa di clam with the company of a good Wine of glass, and the dessert positano lime tarta.

Emilia Ksenia

One word - Quality! Amazing authentic Italian dishes prepared with fresh ingredients, served in a warm and cozy ambiance. Every single dish we tried was delicious, including the home made sauces, olive oil, and the freshly baked bread. And, definitely don't skip the dessert!

From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm, lively, and genuinely family-friendly. It had that cozy Italian charm that makes you want to sit, relax, and actually enjoy being together. No rushing- just good energy all around. And the food… absolutely delicious. It’s the kind of place where sharing bites across the table just happens naturally. We left happy, full, and already talking about what we’ll order next time. Definitely a place we’ll keep coming back to.

We have been going to this restaurant for the past 29 years….the food has remained consistently fabulous with all the fresh ingredients. Having a chef that Is so passionate about his food really shows in each dish. The ambiance is so lovely and authentically Italian - It is a must on your dinning adventure

Love this family owned biz in Cardiff! Food was hot and delicious. Such knowledgable staff (wine was delicious :)) & always treated with care. Will be back & always recommend to friends and family!

Amazing experience! Lovely service and the food was superb. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for an authentic Italian meal with a truly family atmosphere. Will be back!

Delightful & delicious local spot for authentic Italian food. Large variety of options including a gluten free penne, in a quaint dining room or on the outdoor parking. Street parking for 2 hrs between 8 a.m & 6 p.m.

Best Italian in north San Diego! A cute and cozy family owned spot. The pasta is delicious - our favorites are the fettuccine Alfredo, the gnocchi, and the pappardelle. You really can’t go wrong here.

Met up with old friends while visiting the area. This is their favorite spot, and I can see why: family-owned, with authentic old-world Italian charm, excellent wines, outstanding food, and creative desserts. Highly recommended.

Shailesh

Met up with old friends while visiting the area. This is their favorite spot, and I can see why: family-owned, with authentic old-world Italian charm, excellent wines, outstanding food, and creative desserts. Highly recommended.

Valerie Nadalini

Delightful & delicious local spot for authentic Italian food. Large variety of options including a gluten free penne, in a quaint dining room or on the outdoor parking. Street parking for 2 hrs between 8 a.m & 6 p.m.

Alessandra Chen

Best Italian in north San Diego! A cute and cozy family owned spot. The pasta is delicious - our favorites are the fettuccine Alfredo, the gnocchi, and the pappardelle. You really can’t go wrong here.

Jim Peterson

Nice wine selection. Amazing Pear salad, and Fig and prosciutto salads for starter. Chilean sea bass (branzino); pasta special with crab. This is our go to spot!

It's a really nice place to sit back and relax. It was quiet on a Sunday afternoon and while most people chose outdoor seating the indoor was nice and vacant. They have large windows giving you a nice view towards the ocean and its complimented by a chill Italian themed playlist. There were many small art pieces that add to your viewing. I think it's the details of this place that make it much nicer. It's definely a spot to have a relaxed intimate meal with someone. The food is wonderful. I had a plate of Pappardelle Bolognese and was not disappointed by the flavor. It was cooked nicely, and hot when served. The plate was showey too with its garnish. Although it mentioned ground beef in the mix, I could taste the pork more than anything but the food was still good. I was recommended a good wine pairing. They even refilled it the moment my glass was empty. Aside from that I was not intruded upon while I enjoyed my meal. It seems they are attentive at the appropriate times so I would call their service very professional.

This was the perfect ending to the perfect day! What a quaint little hideaway! Food was very good and service was excellent. The ambiance and decor take you right to the heart of Positano Italy. It is rather stuffy and humid during summer months - get a seat close to the door for a light ocean breeze. We ordered the Alfredo with Chicken, and the Spaghetti Bolognese. The starter salads were just right - light and not over embellished. We also ordered the tiramisu and two glasses of Prosecco. It was a little pricey ($125 out the door including tip). The restaurant is owned by three little Italian sisters who like to mix it with the locals walking by - especially those of a K9 race. Overall lovely night.

Burrito

It's a really nice place to sit back and relax. It was quiet on a Sunday afternoon and while most people chose outdoor seating the indoor was nice and vacant. They have large windows giving you a nice view towards the ocean and its complimented by a chill Italian themed playlist. There were many small art pieces that add to your viewing. I think it's the details of this place that make it much nicer. It's definely a spot to have a relaxed intimate meal with someone. The food is wonderful. I had a plate of Pappardelle Bolognese and was not disappointed by the flavor. It was cooked nicely, and hot when served. The plate was showey too with its garnish. Although it mentioned ground beef in the mix, I could taste the pork more than anything but the food was still good. I was recommended a good wine pairing. They even refilled it the moment my glass was empty. Aside from that I was not intruded upon while I enjoyed my meal. It seems they are attentive at the appropriate times so I would call their service very professional.

Nancy Arenas

This was the perfect ending to the perfect day! What a quaint little hideaway! Food was very good and service was excellent. The ambiance and decor take you right to the heart of Positano Italy. It is rather stuffy and humid during summer months - get a seat close to the door for a light ocean breeze. We ordered the Alfredo with Chicken, and the Spaghetti Bolognese. The starter salads were just right - light and not over embellished. We also ordered the tiramisu and two glasses of Prosecco. It was a little pricey ($125 out the door including tip). The restaurant is owned by three little Italian sisters who like to mix it with the locals walking by - especially those of a K9 race. Overall lovely night.

J Johnson

Nice spot near ocean and other dining venues. Park on street. Good portions. Pleasant. My lasagna was good and the spaghetti and meatballs was was ok. Staff nice. Clean place. Then hop over to VGDonuts for dessert

Justin B.

Solid Italian place in Cardiff, definitely authentic, but they have their own unique dishes, a couple of the pastas are handmade as well. I had high hopes, and I was with a big group. Most of them were very satisfied and loved their food. However, it didn’t quite meet my expectations. Ordered bruschetta which was good but needed much more balsamic, couldn’t taste it. The pasta I ordered was under salted and generally just decent. I was hoping for something better. However, I enjoyed the experience, and would likely come back again and try something new.

Laura Schnaps

We had a lovely dinner on the patio. I ordered the halibut special that was cooked to perfection in a wine sauce with tomatoes and porcini mushrooms. My husband ordered the branzino also cooked impeccably with crispy polenta. My dish was slightly too salty but delicious and my husband's had a little too much polenta but it was delicious also. Others at the table ordered the veal scallops from the menu and said it was an excellent preparation. One person ordered salmon from the menu and said it was the best she'd ever had. The tiramisu was delicious as was the apple pastry alla mode and the salads people ordered were all different and delicious from the basic mixed greens to the pear salad and the truffle ceasar. We would all easily come again.

I am first generation Italian American. So I know what proper quality food tastes like. This place delivers. From the appetizer to main courses. I love hearing the sisters speaking Italian to each other. And also the view is nice.

t diamond

Bland food, watery sauce. I believe that says it all

We went there early hoping to get the real Italian feel, and meet the owners, but we were totally ignored by the Italian owners (the 3 sisters), they rather hugged and socialized with their regular customers. I told them it was my husband's birthday, and that was also totally ignored. We did not feel welcome at all. However our Brazilian waitress was nice. We're not going back there and won't recommend this place to our social circle. Mi dispiace tanto.

Kathy ten Broeke

We went there early hoping to get the real Italian feel, and meet the owners, but we were totally ignored by the Italian owners (the 3 sisters), they rather hugged and socialized with their regular customers. I told them it was my husband's birthday, and that was also totally ignored. We did not feel welcome at all. However our Brazilian waitress was nice. We're not going back there and won't recommend this place to our social circle. Mi dispiace tanto.

Discriminatory and Disappointing Experience – Denied Entry for a Service Dog I had been looking forward to trying this place for a while and finally decided to go tonight with a friend. Wanting to make sure everything went smoothly, I called the restaurant in advance to ask two specific things: whether the patio was open and if they allowed dogs. I was told the patio was only open on weekends but yes, dogs were allowed. When we arrived, I was seated quickly with no issue—and my puppy was with me. Everything seemed fine until my friend walked in with her American Bully, who happens to be a trained service dog. Suddenly, the staff told us we had to leave. The waitress claimed I had only asked about one dog on the phone, which is completely false. I explained that my dog could leave if necessary, but my friend’s dog is a service dog, which is protected under both federal and state law. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California law (Civil Code Section 54.1), it is illegal for a business to deny access to a person accompanied by a service dog. Emotional support animals are not covered, but this was not an emotional support animal—this was a trained service dog performing tasks related to a disability. Instead of correcting their mistake or accommodating us, another employee came over and said they were worried other customers might complain the next day and they might lose business. When we reiterated that this was a service animal, they asked if the dog had a vest, which is not required by law. My friend had her service dog ID tag, which is also not required, but they completely ignored that asking for the dog vest. When we explained it’s not required, she told us again that we could not stay. What made this experience even worse was the way we were treated. Had the staff handled the situation with even a little professionalism, kindness, or tact, it would have made the experience far less upsetting—even if we still disagreed. But instead, we were met with coldness, misinformation, and condescension. It’s disappointing enough that they blatantly violated ADA and California law, but their complete lack of empathy or understanding made it all the more frustrating. At that moment, there were only two other parties in the entire restaurant—a single diner who I had already spoken to and said he didn’t mind the dogs at all, and a small family. They could have easily seated us farther away, on the patio or made some other reasonable accommodation. Instead, they chose to exclude us entirely. We ended up going to Besta Wan Pizza House, and the difference in how we were treated was night and day. The staff there immediately welcomed us with genuine warmth and respect. They not only allowed our dogs but came out with milk bones and water bowls—without us even asking. They smiled, chatted with us, and made us feel completely at ease. That’s what real customer service looks like: treating people (and their service animals) with kindness, dignity, and understanding. They said they were worried about losing business over dogs being present. Well, they did lose business—because I will never be back, and neither will my friend. And anyone I know who cares about accessibility, inclusivity, or simply treating others decently will hear about this experience too. I sincerely hope they take this as a wake-up call to educate their team and do better in the future.

T Rodkey

Discriminatory and Disappointing Experience – Denied Entry for a Service Dog I had been looking forward to trying this place for a while and finally decided to go tonight with a friend. Wanting to make sure everything went smoothly, I called the restaurant in advance to ask two specific things: whether the patio was open and if they allowed dogs. I was told the patio was only open on weekends but yes, dogs were allowed. When we arrived, I was seated quickly with no issue—and my puppy was with me. Everything seemed fine until my friend walked in with her American Bully, who happens to be a trained service dog. Suddenly, the staff told us we had to leave. The waitress claimed I had only asked about one dog on the phone, which is completely false. I explained that my dog could leave if necessary, but my friend’s dog is a service dog, which is protected under both federal and state law. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California law (Civil Code Section 54.1), it is illegal for a business to deny access to a person accompanied by a service dog. Emotional support animals are not covered, but this was not an emotional support animal—this was a trained service dog performing tasks related to a disability. Instead of correcting their mistake or accommodating us, another employee came over and said they were worried other customers might complain the next day and they might lose business. When we reiterated that this was a service animal, they asked if the dog had a vest, which is not required by law. My friend had her service dog ID tag, which is also not required, but they completely ignored that asking for the dog vest. When we explained it’s not required, she told us again that we could not stay. What made this experience even worse was the way we were treated. Had the staff handled the situation with even a little professionalism, kindness, or tact, it would have made the experience far less upsetting—even if we still disagreed. But instead, we were met with coldness, misinformation, and condescension. It’s disappointing enough that they blatantly violated ADA and California law, but their complete lack of empathy or understanding made it all the more frustrating. At that moment, there were only two other parties in the entire restaurant—a single diner who I had already spoken to and said he didn’t mind the dogs at all, and a small family. They could have easily seated us farther away, on the patio or made some other reasonable accommodation. Instead, they chose to exclude us entirely. We ended up going to Besta Wan Pizza House, and the difference in how we were treated was night and day. The staff there immediately welcomed us with genuine warmth and respect. They not only allowed our dogs but came out with milk bones and water bowls—without us even asking. They smiled, chatted with us, and made us feel completely at ease. That’s what real customer service looks like: treating people (and their service animals) with kindness, dignity, and understanding. They said they were worried about losing business over dogs being present. Well, they did lose business—because I will never be back, and neither will my friend. And anyone I know who cares about accessibility, inclusivity, or simply treating others decently will hear about this experience too. I sincerely hope they take this as a wake-up call to educate their team and do better in the future.

One of the worst dining experiences I’ve had in Cardiff. At the end of the meal, we were handed a completely handwritten bill that was nearly impossible to read. No clear itemization, no explanation. Buried in it was a 20% surcharge that was never disclosed beforehand — not on the menu, not verbally, nowhere. When we paid with a credit card, they added another $8 fee just for using the card, again with no warning at all. When we questioned these charges, the staff became hostile and aggressive instead of professional. They literally told us not to come back if we didn’t like it. No apology, no explanation — just rude, dismissive behavior that made us feel extremely uncomfortable. And to top it off, the food was bad. Bland, disappointing, and absolutely not worth the price or the attitude. Hidden fees, terrible service, and lousy food. Plenty of better options in Cardiff — spend your money elsewhere.

A completely overrated place only good for its location. The wine was rancid and diluted, the salad tired and simply thrown together and the bread rolls tasted like something purchased at Vons and reheated in the oven. As someone who is widely traveled and picky about cuisine, this one is for tourists who want glitter over substance!

Daniel Levy

One of the worst dining experiences I’ve had in Cardiff. At the end of the meal, we were handed a completely handwritten bill that was nearly impossible to read. No clear itemization, no explanation. Buried in it was a 20% surcharge that was never disclosed beforehand — not on the menu, not verbally, nowhere. When we paid with a credit card, they added another $8 fee just for using the card, again with no warning at all. When we questioned these charges, the staff became hostile and aggressive instead of professional. They literally told us not to come back if we didn’t like it. No apology, no explanation — just rude, dismissive behavior that made us feel extremely uncomfortable. And to top it off, the food was bad. Bland, disappointing, and absolutely not worth the price or the attitude. Hidden fees, terrible service, and lousy food. Plenty of better options in Cardiff — spend your money elsewhere.