Luciana's Ristorante

Delicious food served by friendly servers. My daughter and I shared an arugula salad, fried calamari, a small charcuterie board, and a yummy seafood risotto (not pictured). Reservations recommended.

Good Iralian restaurant long time established but now located in the middle of the new development. Great menu with wide selection of Italian dishes typically not found in local restaurants. Fair prices with good portions.

+5

My wife and I wanted some good authentic Italian food for Mother's Day 2021. A quick search on Google Maps turned up Luciana's Ristorante in Dana Point California. We were impressed by the Authentic Italian dishes they offer, the quaint atmosphere and the old world decor, it feels like you're dining at a real Italian farmhouse. We opted for Linguine Luciana, a pasta seafood dish with, Shrimp, Mussels, Clams and Scallops with a Marinara Sauce over Linguine pasta. Paired with Italian Pinot Grigio wine, both the wine and food were very delicious and met our expectations 😋 for dessert we picked the Creme Brule and It was just so authentic we couldn't be happier.

Top 2 favorite Italian restaurants we’ve been to in SoCal. Authentic Italian cuisine and the servers spoke fluent Italian! We enjoyed our anniversary here and were extremely happy with the food, service and you can’t beat the scenery over looking the beach. Amazing place. Will be back soon.

Great for dinner, happy hour, any time. Had the shrimp scampied, excellent

OUTSTANDING!!! a very friendly staff member, Steve, the GM, greeted us at the door. He asked how many in the party and I looked him in the eye and said "17". He "FROZE" for second and then I said "2". He handled it well. I do this everywhere I go. "17" The atmosphere is so nice it soothes your soul. Our 1st waiter, Jose, was very courteous and friendly and let us know that Francesco would be our guy. They are so professional. You feel like you are the only guest there and you are waited on hand and foot. We had the Lasagna and it was "FANTASTIC" The food, personnel and the experience was well worth it. Definitely coming back when we come to Dana Point again.

Thus place is a great local spot. Mike is an angel 😇, he always takes great care of us!

This is the second time we eat here. We have ordered clams and mussels in wine garlic sauce, egg plant rolotini, calamari, and burrata for appetizers. ALL EXCELLENT! HIGHLIGHT: THEIR RED GRAVY! ITS EASILY ONE IF THE BEST RED SAUCES I HAVE HAD IN 60 YEARS OF ENJOYING ITALIAN FOOD. As entrees we've had lobster ravioli, tagliatelle, osso buco, seafood pasta, and special ordered linguini Alfredo. ALL EXCELLENT. HARD TO CHOOSE A WINNER. Again exceptional red sauce. Twice slow cooked the "old way", no sugar break here. The osso buco can be can be fork cut, no knife needed. Phenomenally good tiramisu, canoli or no flour chocolate cake for dessert. GREAT place!

Great food and located perfectly in downtown Dana Point. If your looking for Italian this is it!

Fantastic restaurant! Food, service, ambiance and price were all excellent. Best meal we've had in a longtime

Today I attended a Celebration of Life at Lucianas in Dana Point. It was held in their private venue room outside the main ristorante. It was absolutely beautiful. They made sure everyone felt warm and welcomed. Had a prefix menu to choose from with great selections. Cash bar and Valet parking. The staff and GM were amazing. Everything looked seamless from our end so you know that they are professionals in what they do. I would recommend anyone who loves Italian to dine here and if your looking for an intimate venue this is the place for you. Thank you to the staff tonight for everything.

What a great place to dine. The plates are portioned but delicious. The chicken picatta was great. Don't forget the mango sorbet. Our server Chris was top notch and professional. He explained everything on menu and gave us Great recommendations.

A wonderful true Italian restaurant. Atmosphere is like being at your relatives home for dinner. Food is delicious and service is attentive and friendly. Price is on the high side but expected for the area and quality.

My Girlfriend and I ate at Luciana's this evening and I got to say the food was absolutely delicious, but not only was the food spectacular, the atmosphere was stunning. To top it off, the most spectacular service ever at any restaurant i have been to. Our server was Oscar and I got to say, it was an energizing and refreshing experience. Not only was the customer service beyond exceptional, Oscar made the experience personable and fun. We will definitely be coming back! Thank you!

Cheyenne was fantastic! We had a delicious dinner! Enjoyed the ambiance and can't wait to return! The best Google find.

Luciana’s in Dana Point completely exceeded my expectations. I called ahead to ask if they ever offered Chicken Francese (also known as Francaise) or knew how to make it. To my surprise, they called me back and said the chef would be happy to prepare it for me. I was absolutely elated. I’ve searched all over Orange County for this dish and could only ever find it in Los Angeles. The world famous Brown Derby in Beverly Hills used to serve it as one of their specialties, so this brought back wonderful memories. The photo doesn’t begin to do it justice. The chicken was tender and mouthwatering, and the sauce was pure perfection. I’m so grateful the chef agreed to make it just for me. They truly made my night. Truly, anything you order here is exceptional. I also love their Chicken Parmesan, Surf and Turf, and every pasta dish I’ve tried. Luciana’s is one of those rare places where every meal is prepared with care, the flavors are incredible, and the hospitality makes you feel right at home.

Mike was our sever and he was incredible. We came here for our friends birthday and it was a great decision. The menu is incredible and this place is an amazing value. I had pasta primavera from off menu. The ambiance is great and it has an amazing cozy vibe. We can’t wait to go back. The best part was the tiramisu so delicious. The only downside is the restaurant is a bit small.

We had a lovely dinner at Luciana’s! Started off with lemon drop martini + calamari + fresh yummy burrata. Then came the pastas that were so tasty and delicious: my pesto rigatoni with chicken & pine nuts was a good size, just the right amount of creaminess and pasta was al dente; my husband’s rigatoni salsiccia was just as tasty with generous servings of sausage, I kept on digging into his plate! Son enjoyed his porchetta as well. Dinner was well-paced, ambience was cozy and festive and service was attentive and friendly. For the quality and location, it was also reasonably priced. We reserved on OpenTable. We will definitely return! More food& travel on IG: @i_therefore_conclude

Went here to celebrate a birthday... pleasantly surprised by the quality of food, service and great, old school, atmosphere. One of the best American-Italian restaurants I've been to...

A classy restaurant. Great Italian food, tastefully interiors and treat service. Also an integral part of the Lovely Dana Point

We came here for dinner and the food was amazing, the staff was was extremely friendly. We are not wine connoisseurs or anything of the sort, but the waiter manager to figure out exactly what we wanted and the wine that he gave us was amazing. I also had the martini and it was made to perfection. The restaurant had a good ambience to it that would make a great for a date.

Staying at the Ritz for a meeting and this was recommended to us by the staff. A local favorite for 40 years for good reason. Food was excellent - simple fresh ingredients, classic prep, and great presentation. Started with the roasted beet salad and carpaccio, both very good. Mains were excellent - Toscana fettuccine was perfect for my girlfriend with a dairy allergy, the bucatini all’amatriciana had generous portion of pancetta and the pasta was on point. Sorbet and flourless chocolate cake were both yummy. We had excellent service and the bartender made excellent wine recommendations. A fantastic meal in a cozy atmosphere. We will be back next time we’re in Laguna Beach/Dana Point!

Honestly, I'm upset I haven't been here before this year. We've lived in the immediate area almost a decade and it was actually visiting family who made the reservation. The food is wonderful. Cocktails are delicious. Service was top notch. We will definitely be back for more wonderful Italian food soon.

I love this place. Everyone that works here is so kind which makes it very special. We make it a point to visit every time we are in Dana Point. We have never had leftovers or tried anything we didn't like. If the weather is nice there is also a nice patio area to enjoy the ocean breeze. I would recommend that you have reservations. My parents have tried to come the night of and it was completely booked about 3 different times.

An excellent Italian restaurant, in a casual environment of Dana. The food is just excellent, served perfectly with very attentive staff who were very quick and friendly. Anything you needed was done fast with a smile. Lots of traditional dishes, a lot of seafood. The restaurant has an indoors, outdoors and another outdoor on the corner on a large tent.

Great place with a gem of deals. Great place for date night or, like us, to treat the entire family. My steak turned out slightly over cooked but it was still flavorful to the last bite. My lady's lamb chops she described as perfect.

I AM

Luciana’s in Dana Point completely exceeded my expectations. I called ahead to ask if they ever offered Chicken Francese (also known as Francaise) or knew how to make it. To my surprise, they called me back and said the chef would be happy to prepare it for me. I was absolutely elated. I’ve searched all over Orange County for this dish and could only ever find it in Los Angeles. The world famous Brown Derby in Beverly Hills used to serve it as one of their specialties, so this brought back wonderful memories. The photo doesn’t begin to do it justice. The chicken was tender and mouthwatering, and the sauce was pure perfection. I’m so grateful the chef agreed to make it just for me. They truly made my night. Truly, anything you order here is exceptional. I also love their Chicken Parmesan, Surf and Turf, and every pasta dish I’ve tried. Luciana’s is one of those rare places where every meal is prepared with care, the flavors are incredible, and the hospitality makes you feel right at home.

Jordan StClaire

Mike was our sever and he was incredible. We came here for our friends birthday and it was a great decision. The menu is incredible and this place is an amazing value. I had pasta primavera from off menu. The ambiance is great and it has an amazing cozy vibe. We can’t wait to go back. The best part was the tiramisu so delicious. The only downside is the restaurant is a bit small.

Nawaz Shah

A classy restaurant. Great Italian food, tastefully interiors and treat service. Also an integral part of the Lovely Dana Point

Maria Vee

We had a lovely dinner at Luciana’s! Started off with lemon drop martini + calamari + fresh yummy burrata. Then came the pastas that were so tasty and delicious: my pesto rigatoni with chicken & pine nuts was a good size, just the right amount of creaminess and pasta was al dente; my husband’s rigatoni salsiccia was just as tasty with generous servings of sausage, I kept on digging into his plate! Son enjoyed his porchetta as well. Dinner was well-paced, ambience was cozy and festive and service was attentive and friendly. For the quality and location, it was also reasonably priced. We reserved on OpenTable. We will definitely return! More food& travel on IG: @i_therefore_conclude

Marek Minecki

Went here to celebrate a birthday... pleasantly surprised by the quality of food, service and great, old school, atmosphere. One of the best American-Italian restaurants I've been to...

Jeremy

We came here for dinner and the food was amazing, the staff was was extremely friendly. We are not wine connoisseurs or anything of the sort, but the waiter manager to figure out exactly what we wanted and the wine that he gave us was amazing. I also had the martini and it was made to perfection. The restaurant had a good ambience to it that would make a great for a date.

Phil Chuang

Staying at the Ritz for a meeting and this was recommended to us by the staff. A local favorite for 40 years for good reason. Food was excellent - simple fresh ingredients, classic prep, and great presentation. Started with the roasted beet salad and carpaccio, both very good. Mains were excellent - Toscana fettuccine was perfect for my girlfriend with a dairy allergy, the bucatini all’amatriciana had generous portion of pancetta and the pasta was on point. Sorbet and flourless chocolate cake were both yummy. We had excellent service and the bartender made excellent wine recommendations. A fantastic meal in a cozy atmosphere. We will be back next time we’re in Laguna Beach/Dana Point!

Jenn E

Honestly, I'm upset I haven't been here before this year. We've lived in the immediate area almost a decade and it was actually visiting family who made the reservation. The food is wonderful. Cocktails are delicious. Service was top notch. We will definitely be back for more wonderful Italian food soon.

Kristin Klope

I love this place. Everyone that works here is so kind which makes it very special. We make it a point to visit every time we are in Dana Point. We have never had leftovers or tried anything we didn't like. If the weather is nice there is also a nice patio area to enjoy the ocean breeze. I would recommend that you have reservations. My parents have tried to come the night of and it was completely booked about 3 different times.

Michael St. Denis

An excellent Italian restaurant, in a casual environment of Dana. The food is just excellent, served perfectly with very attentive staff who were very quick and friendly. Anything you needed was done fast with a smile. Lots of traditional dishes, a lot of seafood. The restaurant has an indoors, outdoors and another outdoor on the corner on a large tent.

F. A. S.

Great place with a gem of deals. Great place for date night or, like us, to treat the entire family. My steak turned out slightly over cooked but it was still flavorful to the last bite. My lady's lamb chops she described as perfect.

I was here with a large group, family that was in town for Thanksgiving. I wish I could remember our servers name, because she was amazing. I had the lasagna bolognese, and it was DELICIOUS. If you're anywhere near the Dana Point area, you would be wise not to miss Luciana's.

We hosted our wedding party here immediately following our wedding and it was such a wonderful experience. We were able to book their Wine Cellar room and it was the perfect atmosphere for us to socialize and be connected without interfering with all of the other guests at the restaurant. The waitress was amazing and so attentive the entire time. On top of that the food was outstanding. Thank you for being a part of our big day!

Wonderful authentic Italian restaurant. We loved every moment of our experience there. I had the lasagna that was so much that I had to share with my husband. It was excellent. He had the spaghetti bolognese. He said it was wonderful. Are waiter was fantastic ❣️ Service was very quick. We were even able to speak to the owner. He was very pleasant with us ❣️ if you were ever in Dana point, California it is a really a place to eat ❣️We found this restaurant searching Google.

Cheyenne was very welcoming and attentive to our needs. The food was delicious. We had veal parmigiano which was delicious. We enjoyed the Lisini San Biagio. The bartender was very helpful finding the wine we wanted. I enjoyed the chocolate dessert immensely. Cheyenne thank you. From MA!!

Tara Hipolito

Cheyenne was very welcoming and attentive to our needs. The food was delicious. We had veal parmigiano which was delicious. We enjoyed the Lisini San Biagio. The bartender was very helpful finding the wine we wanted. I enjoyed the chocolate dessert immensely. Cheyenne thank you. From MA!!

Michael Gaines

I was here with a large group, family that was in town for Thanksgiving. I wish I could remember our servers name, because she was amazing. I had the lasagna bolognese, and it was DELICIOUS. If you're anywhere near the Dana Point area, you would be wise not to miss Luciana's.

Brittany Jensen

We hosted our wedding party here immediately following our wedding and it was such a wonderful experience. We were able to book their Wine Cellar room and it was the perfect atmosphere for us to socialize and be connected without interfering with all of the other guests at the restaurant. The waitress was amazing and so attentive the entire time. On top of that the food was outstanding. Thank you for being a part of our big day!

Marion Hewel

Wonderful authentic Italian restaurant. We loved every moment of our experience there. I had the lasagna that was so much that I had to share with my husband. It was excellent. He had the spaghetti bolognese. He said it was wonderful. Are waiter was fantastic ❣️ Service was very quick. We were even able to speak to the owner. He was very pleasant with us ❣️ if you were ever in Dana point, California it is a really a place to eat ❣️We found this restaurant searching Google.

Travis White

What a great place to dine. The plates are portioned but delicious. The chicken picatta was great. Don't forget the mango sorbet. Our server Chris was top notch and professional. He explained everything on menu and gave us Great recommendations.

Food was absolutely perfect and delicious when it's arrived. Gave four stars because service was not good. Waited for food to come an hour and a half. One of the guests was not getting a food for another 10 min or so after everyone was served.. They finally brought his plate and it was cold! ...He didn't complain, because was too hungry and others were finishing their meals already... Our group was 10 people. Waitress could not split three ways the bill. We had to grab a menu and calculate ourselves.

Luciana's Ristorante is an Italian restaurant for house-made pasta and other Italian fares in a villa-style setting with a fireplace and patio. We visited this place on July 27, 2018. The décor of this place is reminiscent of a cozy European-style inn, establishing it as one of Orange County's most romantic restaurants. The restaurant was full when we got there. We waited more than 30 minutes to get the seats available. The ambiance of the place was cozy and inviting. We ordered Farfalle Contadina, Lasagna Bolognese, Pollo Florentina, and Fettuccine Toscana. The food was good and the price was a bit high. The support staff was friendly and prompt.

+6

Restaurant is in good location and has good outdoor seating. They don't have parking for the restaurant and it was just street parking. Food was mediocre and relatively less quantity for the price, ordered gnocchi and it was not much better than taking the same from Safeway and adding ready made marinara sauce to it. Wouldn't recommend.

I was lil disappointed with the Caesar salad... I was craving a traditional Italian inspired Caesar salad and the dressing didn't have had that strong Anchovy taste, that it should, and then the parmesan wher flakes, should be shaved of parmesan.. Overall let's just say "I've had better"

Last night Jan 9, 2026 we had reservations for a party of four at six...Now we have been going to Luchiana's for over 25 years, parties, celebrations and this was four our daughters birthday.....There was a LARGE PARTY arriving on the patio at the time we arrived...We were seated promptly and the service when DOWN HILL FROM THERE....everything we wanted to order from Drinks to Appetizers to our meal we had to go and summon the server..We arrived at SIX and by Eight have complained to a guy in a blue shirt who said he was a manager, he was an OH Well answerer.....By EIGHT WE HAD NOT BEEN ASKED ABOUT DESERT SO I SUMMONED THE GUY IN THE BLUE SHIRT, AND ASKED FOR THE CHECK...HE SAID HOW ABOUT DESERT, I SAID AFTER TWO HOURS OF THIS HORRIBLE SERVICE..JUST THE CHECK PLEASE.....HIS ATTIDUED WAS AGAIN IT IS WHAT IT IS.....SORRY LUCHIANAS AFTER 25 YEARS AS A LOYAL CUSTOMER YOU HAVE LOST ME FOR VERY GOOD REASON...

EAM

I was lil disappointed with the Caesar salad... I was craving a traditional Italian inspired Caesar salad and the dressing didn't have had that strong Anchovy taste, that it should, and then the parmesan wher flakes, should be shaved of parmesan.. Overall let's just say "I've had better"

Herb Lieberman

Last night Jan 9, 2026 we had reservations for a party of four at six...Now we have been going to Luchiana's for over 25 years, parties, celebrations and this was four our daughters birthday.....There was a LARGE PARTY arriving on the patio at the time we arrived...We were seated promptly and the service when DOWN HILL FROM THERE....everything we wanted to order from Drinks to Appetizers to our meal we had to go and summon the server..We arrived at SIX and by Eight have complained to a guy in a blue shirt who said he was a manager, he was an OH Well answerer.....By EIGHT WE HAD NOT BEEN ASKED ABOUT DESERT SO I SUMMONED THE GUY IN THE BLUE SHIRT, AND ASKED FOR THE CHECK...HE SAID HOW ABOUT DESERT, I SAID AFTER TWO HOURS OF THIS HORRIBLE SERVICE..JUST THE CHECK PLEASE.....HIS ATTIDUED WAS AGAIN IT IS WHAT IT IS.....SORRY LUCHIANAS AFTER 25 YEARS AS A LOYAL CUSTOMER YOU HAVE LOST ME FOR VERY GOOD REASON...

Not good service, not amazing food Where to start? We made a reservation for my mom's birthday a party of 10 at this restaurant, they seem decent & with good reviews, well, complete disappointment... We ask for some entries, those were good, but then they brought another entry that wasn't ours, after that, we waited 60min, yes, 60 MIN for our plates to arrived, what happen? They forgot, we over heard the waiter telling another one to ask for the plates again because they totally forgot about them. 60 min later...we got out plates, some of them were good but not amazing, the drinks were WAY BETTER than all the food we got. The waiter at the end tried to be nice & did a surprise cake for my mom, I can say that was the only good thing of the night. Recommendation: go to Ralph's or Albertsons & buy a microwave Italian dish, that way better & cheaper! Not coming back, hopefully they will get better. The location is amazing!

Renata Flores

Not good service, not amazing food Where to start? We made a reservation for my mom's birthday a party of 10 at this restaurant, they seem decent & with good reviews, well, complete disappointment... We ask for some entries, those were good, but then they brought another entry that wasn't ours, after that, we waited 60min, yes, 60 MIN for our plates to arrived, what happen? They forgot, we over heard the waiter telling another one to ask for the plates again because they totally forgot about them. 60 min later...we got out plates, some of them were good but not amazing, the drinks were WAY BETTER than all the food we got. The waiter at the end tried to be nice & did a surprise cake for my mom, I can say that was the only good thing of the night. Recommendation: go to Ralph's or Albertsons & buy a microwave Italian dish, that way better & cheaper! Not coming back, hopefully they will get better. The location is amazing!

The food was some of the worst Italian food I’ve ever experienced. Very mediocre for all the dishes. I wouldn’t waste my time eating there.

Had hoped to spend our anniversary at this wonderful restaurant but once again we were placed in the library next to a business dinner of loud people. Needless to say, it was not what we had planned, will be a long time before we go back. Food was great, as usual, but feel that the situation should have been taken care of immediately.

Reservation for our 56th (!!) anniversary flushed down the toilet when arrived to find no parking!!! At 76 years of age, one disabled,, we aren’t up to tramping 5 or 6 blocks. Has it never occurred to those well known snobs to, maybe? Reserve PARKING for those with reservations??? We should have known better, what with all the bad reviews regarding customer dissatisfaction. ( As in “We can’t get no…..”)

The lamb shank osso-buco was tender but dry and fairly flavorless. The lasagna was gooey and fairly flavorless. The sea bass special was too spicy, and indifferently set up. Lots of valet parkers, not enough staff inside, and insufficient wine lists (! seriously ?? ) Our waiter did her best in what seemed to be an over-managed (though inefficient), understaffed situation. It used to be great, I hear... and at the price, the food ought to be at least excellent. It wasn't.

Debra Bankler

Reservation for our 56th (!!) anniversary flushed down the toilet when arrived to find no parking!!! At 76 years of age, one disabled,, we aren’t up to tramping 5 or 6 blocks. Has it never occurred to those well known snobs to, maybe? Reserve PARKING for those with reservations??? We should have known better, what with all the bad reviews regarding customer dissatisfaction. ( As in “We can’t get no…..”)