Ottavio's Italian Restaurant - Lakeside, California

Jeff C.

We had a magical dinner at Ottavio’s! We went on a Friday night and had to wait 40 minutes due to how busy it is, the weather was good so wasn’t too bad a wait. We sat on the dog friendly patio which was really nice. We started with the garlic bread and Brussel sprouts, and for entrees the rigatoni Ottavio’s (the cheese is amazing) and penne alla vodka. The service is quick and very friendly. Definitely recommend, great family friendly Italian restaurant.

MAVG R.

Seafood marinara was delicious and fresh. Calzone was huge. Tomato basil soup was also good. Love the brussel sprouts. Friendly and efficient staff.

Alicia L.

The food was absolutely amazing! I recommend the Brussels sprouts appetizer plate, best appetizer I've ever had. The staff are wonderful and everything came out very quickly. Definitely be aware that the portions are huge, plan for leftovers unless you can EAT. There's a bit of a wait if you don't have a reservation, but that's because it's so popular! This place was FULL! We showed up on Valentine's Day with no reservation and we only waited about 25 minutes. We will definitely be returning for future date nights!

PJ

My date and I were seated in the outdoor patio so I didn't get a good look at the atmosphere. They did have heaters that they turned on for us. Our server David was awesome. Very nice and had knowledge of the menu. We had such a great night there. The food was delicious that day and the day after for leftovers. Will be returning.

Shondra J.

A small, intimate restaurant with good service and delicious food. We heard rave reviews for years, and are so happy we finally tried it!

The gluten-free options are the best I have found in East County. The meat sauce is flavorful with just the right amount of meat. The Alfredo is scrumptious! The chicken marsala was unique, with a flavor a bit on the sweet side. There was a hearty portion of chicken and mushrooms in the dish.
The spumoni is a must-have dessert.
Highly recommend this restaurant if you want a fantastic Italian meal.

Mary ?. T. T. L.

We opted to dine on the patio and it was perfect. It was a misty cool evening but with the awning and heaters, it was perfect. The service was excellent as well. I drank my Blood Orange beer before I got a photo of the full glass, but it was cold and the orange flavor refreshing. The menu has plenty of options including vegan dishes. I chose the Sicilian Feast which includes Lasagna, Spaghetti and Fettuccine Alfredo. December 2023 the serving was large enough for 2 to share and priced at $24 and I felt it was a reasonable price for the serving size. Complimentary foccacia, oil and vinegar are a nice addition. My husband opted for the Spaghetti and Meatball. This was also a nice portion, suited for 1. We will be back.

rebecca G.

Hands down my fave Italian restaurant in San Diego county. They have this amazing seafood chowder on Fridays/Saturdays which has shrimp , clams, and maybe scallops sometimes? The calzones are huge, easily split by three people… yes seriously. And the focaccia is the best and always tastes fresh.
Service is always friendly and professional, wait time can be 30-40 on the weekends BUT ITS WORTH IT!!

Christina G.

Food was great and seating was very comfortable. The only downside was that we were rushed to order, eat and leave. We had been seated for less than five minutes when the waiter stated that he needed to get our order in. Then, as we were still eating he asked if we needed boxes.