Crivello's Italian Bistro - Italian restaurant in San Juan Capistrano - 31882 Del Obispo St, USA

This place was unknown to me until yesterday, and I'm so stoked that we came across it while out shopping. The restaurant was nearly full, but we were fortunate to get a nice table, and we were greeted, served promptly, and the menu was packed with traditional dishes, all of which sounded awesome. But as is my way in a new restaurant, I went right for one of the most difficult dishes to execute....the manicotti :) While I fully expected to be underwhelmed, when it was brought to the table, I was immediately surprised (pleasantly) rather than using manicotti pasta shells, the chef had given it a twist, using a scratch made crepe as the shell to hold the delicious ricotta parmesan blend. I could instantly tell the marinara was handmade, adorned with a beautiful fresh cut chiffonade of basil sprinkled over the sauce and plate. The smell was amazing. And then, the first bite.....omg! The balance, the fresh ingredients, bright marinara sauce, creamy ricotta, fresh basil, absolutely amazing and delicate. It was a 10 out of 10. My wife ordered the italian sub, panini style. It was also packed with beautiful fresh cold cuts, tomato and cheese, perfectly pressed and warmed. Delicious! It isn't often that you encounter someone in the kitchen that truly knows what they're doing, but Sebastian blew us away with his approach to Italian/Sicilian dishes. He is absolutely a master chef. I would wholeheartedly recommend this place to anyone. Can't wait to go back. I was told by our server that the Tiramisu is a family recipe, and on a scale of 1-10, it's a 100. Definitely on my list for next time. :))

A snug Italian restaurant with a wide array of pasta options. The Linguine Frutti de Mare was hearty and delicious. I also enjoyed the cozy ambiance and attentive service.

Great service by Dylan! Had the carbonara but substituted for linguine instead of spaghetti pasta, no peas (my preference). It was delicious. The Cesar salad was fresh and great. Would recommend

We were warmly greeted by our server Natallia and escorted to a table on the patio. She was very informative about everything on and off the menu. From our first course to dessert the food was amazing. I had the Lobster Raviolis for my main course and my mother had the chicken parmigiana both were absolutely delicious. I would also like to mention the fact that Natallia was checking on us but we never felt rushed it was a perfect balance of customer service. Looking forward to returning soon!

Very authentic Italian food, great service, nice place to spend time with family and friends… Kelly did great!!!

Food was SO GOOD!! My server was literally the friendliest person on earth. Love that woman. Food made me almost cry tears of joy it was THAT GOOD.

Even though our first visit was wonderful and we were excited to go back, we were surprised that the second visit was even better. The food is made fresh to order, with the sauces made in house. The eggplant parmigiano is fantastic, the Cesar salad has so much flavor, and the tiramisu (made in house) is so delicious. My wife couldn't stop taking about the lobster ravioli. We plan on coming back regularly to explore the menu.

Kids got hungry on the way down to San Diego so we decided to make a pit stop in San Juan Capistrano. It was mostly by chance that we stumbled upon Crivello's Italian Bistro, a cozy corner spot in an otherwise unremarkable shopping plaza. The bread was amazing and the service was even better. After a ridiculously delicious bowl of spaghetti with meatballs and a portion of lasagna my kids say Garfield would have approved of, we continued on our way, our bellies full, my wallet only slightly lighter and our souls content.