Modo Mio Rustic Italian Kitchen

This past weekend, my wife and I visited this store for the first time. We brought some good friends with us that had not been there either. We intended to have lunch. At first, we waited for about ten minutes to be seated even though we showed up on time and the restaurant was not even half full. Once seated we were met by a busboy with bread. Our female server finally made it over to our table after another ten minutes (she seated us). She gave us our menus and took our drink order. Upon reviewing the menu it seemed like there was a lot of variety and the prices seemed fair. We ordered and the food was brought out in a very reasonable time frame. We were all very pleased with the appearance of our dishes. Three pastas and one salad. The food was great. Our server was very convivial and young. She seemed new and unsure. But, I know in a couple of weeks, she’ll shine. She brought us the desert menus. I noticed though that, on the reverse side, there was a lunch special that included a glass of wine, choice of salad or soup, entrée and desert. All for $ 20. She did not give us this menu when we received the main menu. Some of us would certainly taken advantage of this. I flagged down who I thought was the manager. He turned out to be the owner. I explained my concern for not having been give this choice up front and my dismay at seeing it after we had already eaten. He said they had a Father’s Day menu that they’re using. It was Saturday. We did not even see that one. He asked if there was anything he could do to make it right. I told him that I’m getting more gratification out of giving him a hard time as opposed to being comped for a desert or whatever. He apologized and also got a good laugh out of my response. The owner, Phil, is a great guy and he has a great restaurant there! Overall, we all thought the food was very good and a great deal for the money for lunch. Our server was a real sweetheart and I’m certain that she’ll smooth out the rough spots in no time. We’d definitely go back as I’m certain that the small glitches were just that. We highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants to try something new in Newport Coast. Phil has a good thing going!

The pasta is 5-​star, the salmon salad not so much. Reasons? Fish too much of it, lettuce wilting from the warm fish with its symbolic presence. I also had the coffee powdered coffee gelato which was acceptable but not something I would order again. Service was very good. So if you do go, stick to the pasta dishes.

My family and I frequented Modo Mio and were regular patrons there, so I figured when I made reservations beforehand for my dad’s birthday, and requested a window seat, they’d be more than accommodating. I was wrong. I understand that «prime» seats are never a guarantee and it’s more of a «first come first serve» basis, but it seems like every time we have gone and we see one of the big window-​side tables open, there seems to be a problem sitting there because they are «specially reserved.» (What? What happened to no guarantees unless the seats are open?)
Which brings me to my reason why I absolutely gave up on this place – the manager and the customer service.
As we roll up to the restaurant, stomachs ready and eyes wide open for some carbs, I notice the huge window table open! So I requested we be seated there since I even mentioned it in my reservation. The hostess then proceeded to tell me that one is «taken» already. I asked where we are seated, and she points to the small corner table completely blocking any window view we would’ve had, from the large awkward column that we were situated around. When the manager was called over and this was brought to her attention, she proceeded to say it’s because that big table we wanted was «specially reserved» for another patrons. HUH??? But I thought you can’t «specially reserve?» But she kept saying no, that one is. – with some attitude might I add. AND then proceeded to get defensive and say I should’ve mentioned I wanted the MIDDLE window seating. Are you kidding me? Long story short, the whole thing was shady and completely unprofessional. I admire businesses that RESPECT their customers and are HONEST and they definitely lost both of those attributes to me that night. I was truly disappointed with Modo Mio and will never go back. Do yourself a favor and go to North Italia like we did afterwards. They exceeded all my expectations that Modo Mio severed.

Beachfront property at trailer park prices. Superb Italian cuisine at really modest prices. Pasta perfectly cooked and plated.

Don’t go there hungry. Food is great, but service is terrible. Needs more staff. Got there at 12 and didn’t leave until 2pm with only 5 tables seated. Unacceptable.

Food was great! Service was great! Thank you Casey! Restaurant is beautiful! I recommend this restaurant Highly!

Even under new ownership Modo Mio continues to deliver great food. Enrique is a gem and always delivers our food hot and with a smile on his face. We had veal a limone with fettuccini Alfredo — excellent home made pasta. The service has improved and the new décor is clean and inviting.

We popped in for dinner recently and I was really excited to give this place a shot, despite the mediocre reviews. We had reservations just in case, and arrived earlier than expected. We were able to be seated right away.
Upon arrival, my first glance at the ambiance was bright, cute and cozy. I couldn’t wait to order a glass of wine and indulge in some yummy Italian food and a cool night. We ordered a couple glasses of wine and the rosemary bred that was complimentary came out. It was warm and yummy and you could smell the fresh rosemary on it. So good! They also offer marinated mushrooms as well which had olive oil, lemon juice and some herbs on it.
For dinner we ordered:
— MOSAICO DI PEPERONI — a light starter
— LASAGNA DI VERDURE — veggie lasagna
— FUSILLI CON SALSICCIE — spiral pasta with veggies and sausage
The appetizer was really delicious. It was a spread of roasted peppers, goat cheese and sun-​dried tomatoes. However, I do wish the plate was paired with something some carbs. A side of bread or cracker would have made for a better pairing to the plate.
The main entrees, the portions were very generous and easily something to pack and take home. What was very disappointing was the lack of flavor and the pop of wow in the entrees. There was no amazing tomato flavor or herb factor. It was just boring to be completely honest. I was really hoping for so much more than what I got. It really ended up being the deal breaker for us. While the bread and appetizers were great — the flavorless entrees really made it bust for us.
Overall, great cute place, but just nothing wow about the food to get me to come back.

Came here for an unplanned dinner. My cousin and I just got in from out of town and we were famished. It was one of the recommendations from our resort. The service was prompt and when i mentioned it was my cousin’s birthday, they gave us a complementary appetizer and dessert.

Had such high hopes for this place. Food was alright, but service was lacking. My friend and I decided to come for OC Restaurant Week. Made a reservation online via Open Table. Easy enough. Parking was plentiful, though there is construction going on in the lot. We were seated promptly and got our choice of tables. I selected the one right in front by the window, where you can see the ocean if you gaze past the lot. The décor was modern and clean. Art on display was very intriguing! Each had a little artist card; they might even be for sale.
Service was a little slow. Took awhile to place our order. Every meal comes with a little mushroom appetizer and bread (Evoo and balsamic is on the table). The bread was amazing… crusty outside, but soft inside with a hint of rosemary. But… while waiting for our food i looked down at my water glass and saw lipstick on the rim! Eek! Needless to say, it wasn’t mine… I wasn’t wearing any lipstick. The server replaced my water, but she wasn’t very apologetic. And not as attentive as she should’ve been for a restaurant of this caliber.
The caprese I selected for my prix fixe lunch was pretty standard. It was better after I added a little balsamic. My salmon salad was better. Well cooked, but it needed a touch more salt to combat the bitterness of the arugula. After I finished, I noticed another server offering freshly grated parm. I would have liked that but unfortunately it wasn’t offered to us.
We were running short on time after eating our entrees, so the server offered to box our desserts which were included. That was nice. We waited a bit longer for our check to arrive, and it was brought to us by a nice lady who may have a Manger. She apologized for the delay at least.
Overall, not a great first experience, but I may give it another shot.

This is a delightful Italian place with a wonderful view of the ocean. The food here is consistently good — especially the lasagna.
We refer to this plave as the «mushroom place» because they serve a complimentary plate of marinated mushrooms with each meal. They are marinated in olive oil, lemon, herbs and a touch of salt. They are wonderful.
We have been coming here for a few years now and have tried many things on the menu. Our favorite appetizers are:
Mosaico Di Peperoni, which is a selection of red, green and yellow roasted bell peppers with goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes; and the smoked salmon wrapped asparagus (which I noticed tonight was not on the menu and was substituted with Carpaccio di Salmone, smoked salmon, capers and arugula).
Favorite entrees:
Our very favorite is the Lasagna di Carne. This is home made spinach pasta sheets layered with bolognese, sausage, herbed ricotta in a marinara sauce, topped with a sheet of cheese. It is the best lasagna around. A sweet lady comes around to see how you like the food, and tells you that she bought the restaurant because she liked the lasagna so much.
A close second is the Tagliatella Bolognese. This is a home made thick noodle with a great meat sauce. I think it is very similar to the bolognese in the lasagna.
My wife has also enjoyed the ravioli dishes.
The salads are different, but I generally find that the mushrooms, bread and an appetizer is fine for us.
The only thing I have had that I didn’t care for was the veal picatta. But now when we go, we go specifically for the lasagna. It is awesome.

A neighborhood favorite. I’ve had very good service every time I’ve visited. (and that’s quite a lot) The food is delicious & hot when served. The ravioli trio is a nice variety of ravioli, each with a different sauce. The chicken siciliano, (hold the breading!) is a tasty healthy chicken dish. It comes with potatoes and veggies or pasta. The veal, lasagna, penne with salmon, shrimp scampi, tagliatelle bolognese, martinis, tiramisu… are all very good. Enrique is our favorite server. He’s always working hard with a big smile on his face.

Took a romantic walk with my Valentine on Valentine’s, and since we are adventurous, we decided not to make reservations. We passed this place up and it locked me in when I read the writing on the window that said «Rustic Italian Food.» The estimated wait was around 1.5 hrs, and I felt more than willing, especially with how both hostesses greeted us. We walked around before heading back to the restaurant and settled in the bar, waiting well over an hour, but like I said, we had not made reservations on, traditionally, one of the biggest nights of the year, and I wanted to wait. The bartender, who looked a lot like Calvin Harris, had a positive attitude and did everything in a speedy manner. I had so much fun just watching him. Later on, the owner came by, who, might I add, really did resemble a very delicate form of Elizabeth Taylor. She cheerfully asked us how we were doing. She made excellent conversation and even asked my boyfriend if he had recently spoken to a grand room (seriously). He declined but I was more than happy to urge he was a grand speaker, after all, he has MC’d many numerous events with his powerful deep voice and presence. Noticing us at the bar for more than an hour, the owner brought bread and some «just right» pickled fresh Italian mushrooms to nibble. They tasted fresh, and that made me want to stay even more.
When we finally became seated, we had a romantic little table for two, just like the kind one sees in the faraway magical places one would imagine sitting in, in rustic Italy. The menu offered a variety of extremely delicious choices but I wanted something that brought me much comfort, so I ordered the vegetarian lasagna, while amusingly, my boyfriend ordered the meat lasagna (Cute right?). When the food arrived, the plates gave off a kind of gorgeousness that one might have believed them be as faux plates, such as the kind one uses to demonstrate what the food will look like, once prepared. Further, we had a very sweet, well groomed, and very attentive waiter. Sorry I did not get his name, but he had tattoos down to his wrist on his left arm (Thank you to him too).
On my date, ordering his third glass of wine, the second owner, I believe his name is «Phil» (Elizabeth Taylor’s Look Alike Husband) came by and explained how the wine had become spoiled because it had mixed with oxygen and wanted to make sure he tried it without it mixing with oxygen. Now, THAT can be defined as passion. He even poured it with the fancy Coravin which basically allows to pour from the bottle without having the wine mix with oxgen. AMAZING! To end the night, we shared a lemon cheesecake, which I can still taste in my mouth as I fantasize back to it.
So if you want a great night on the town, do not forget to check out Modo Mio Cucina Rustica. It’ll have your tastebuds watering. I so knew they were worth the wait! So glad I did not leave disappointed. Thank you for a most wonderful Valentine’s Modo Mio Cucina Rustica! xo

Before Newport Restaurant Week, I had never heard of Modo Mio. It is a nice, small Italian restaurant off PCH. I could stop my review there. Nothing in particular stood out about this restaurant.
I had reservations and we were seated immediately. As part of Newport Restaurant Week, we could order a three course meal for $ 30. After review of the normal menu, we realized that we weren’t saving that much. Here is what I ordered:
— Appetizer: Insalata di Frutta — A citrus flavored arugala salad with fruit. The sliced pears were perfectly ripe and crisp. l
— Entrée: Salmon Scaloppini — Strips of grilled salmon over risotto. The salmon was cooked well, but lacked flavor. The risotto was not impressive either.
— Dessert: Modo Affogato — I paid an extra $ 5 for this dessert and still don’t understand why. A martini glass with gelato and liqueur was brought to me with an espresso cup. The waitress poured the espresso over the gelato and we watched as the gelato melted and became infused with espresso. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious, just not enough to justify the additional cost.
Will I come back here? Probably not. I’ll probably forget that I came here by next year. It just wasn’t memorable.

So Yummy! This place never disappoints. I have been here quite a few times and have never been disappointed with the food or the service.
The staff is great and the food is incredible. Get there early or make a reservation because it fills up fast, or try going at lunch.

We will definitely return; has many more veggie entrees offered than other restaurants; service was good and nice ambience.

Great Food! Great cocktails! Great Service! Walked in was busy so sat at the bar, Andrew our bartender made us a the BEST cucumber basil Martini! Truly the BEST! A Must try! I had the Rigatoni and my husband had the chicken Risotto! Restaurant is under new management. We liked it under the old management but our compliments to the new owners, they have done a good job of keeping the service and food quality the same!.

I wanted to really like this restaurant. The server was really friendly, the décor is nice, the bread is fab, and they give you a plate of marinated mushrooms in olive oil and lemon juice. That was a great idea and was super yummy! Prices are very reasonable and the menu has a nice variety. I love fresh pasta so I had to get the tagliatelle with bolognese. Meh. Overcooked pasta (I hate that!!!) with and okay bolognese. I was really disappointed in that. My dining partner had the breaded chicken with salad and a side of penne with pesto. I tasted it and all was okay as well. The penne was also overcooked and had very sad pesto for the sauce. It was very dried out and lacked flavor.
Anyway, all in all an okay experience.

Tried this place for dinner before going next door for desserts
+Owners were super friendly
+Seating was immediate
+Pasta sauces were well prepared
+Fruit arugala salad was tasty
± Lasagna was adequate
± Bread didn’t seem freshly baked but was soft
— Undercooked pasta
— Waitress didn’t go over any specials
— floating debris in Wine
— Waitress didn’t offer the sauteed mushrooms everyone raves about but offered it to the tables next to us
For the location I was surprised at the mediocre experience.

We walked into Modo Mio during lunch hour to a restaurant that was nearly empty. To me, having a restaurant that is 80% empty during a peak dining time is always a warning sign, but nonetheless, we decided to give it a shot.
The food is just average… the salmon carpaccio was delicious, but the entrée wasn’t that outstanding. The pasta is a bit overdone. They did come out with a mushroom dish that was on the house: a nice sentiment, but the dish itself wan’t that great: it was just raw mushrooms with a bit of olive oil, lemon and seasoning. I think it would have been better if it was cooked.
Also the service there is subpar. Even though the restaurant was practically empty, it took forever for the server to come by between courses. To be frank, our server did not come by at all, other than to drop off our dishes. Because of this, we requested for our check to come with dessert, as we needed to leave soon after lunch, but the server still forgot about us.
In any case, there is nothing exceptional nor distinguishable about Modo Mio, besides the odd fact that there is zero cell phone service in the restaurant for any mobile carrier, which means more face-​to-​face human interaction (the horror!) Can you handle that?