Mangia Bene Cucina - Laguna Niguel

Update 2021: Today, I ordered the Taglio Salad, gluten-free pepperoni pizza, and lasagna. The salad was fresh and delicious, with the peppers being incredibly tender. The pizza was spot on, with the perfect balance of cheese, crust, and pepperoni. Now, let's talk about the lasagna... this is the kind your Italian grandmother would make for dinner in her kitchen. Don’t have an Italian grandmother? No worries—head to Mangia Bene for truly authentic homemade Italian food!

My family was inaugurated on Saturday, October 1st at 7 pm in Managua Benne Cucina, Laguna Niguel. We sat in the right corner of the restaurant. My two kids got spaghetti with meat sauce. My older daughter, age 8, sent it back because she said it tastes bad. I tasted it, and it was a little off. They replaced them with Marinara. My younger daughter, 5 years old, ate her spaghetti. One hour later she threw on her bed and carpet. I spent all Saturday night care for them and clean up the disgusting, gloomy smell. She was fine when all spaghetti came from her. We called the restaurant this morning, October 2 and spoke with Reggie, which was EXTREMELY rude. He only offered to reimburse my daughter $10. Unacceptable! I post this review to advise other cartridges and will call the Orange County Health Inspector on Monday. Zero stars.

Elegant yet affordable with 1st class service! The food is amazing and the bread before dinner is worth the trip.

The menu is extensive and quite inventive, and the cocktails are excellent. The location is lovely as well. However, the prices are on par with those in Milan, London, or Paris, which feels excessive. Even the overpriced Laguna is more affordable. Additionally, the management seems to be inexperienced; it feels like they’re still getting settled in during their opening weekend.

We visited the restaurant tonight based on recommendations and positive reviews, and we were not disappointed! The food was excellent, featuring Calamari Fritti, Gnocchi, Pizza, and their Salmon Special. Our waitress was attentive and offered great suggestions. Her assistant ensured our water glasses were always full and kept the complimentary Garlic Bread coming. We highly recommend this place and will definitely return!