Fritto Misto
601 Colorado Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90407 (310) 458-2829
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Sun 11:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
7 reviews
Neighborhood: Westwood
"Wow --- Carlo's recipes will melt in your mouth. This little spot on Westwood will surely please any palette serving delectable Italian…" read more »
146 Reviews for Fritto Misto
I really think LA has terrible Italian food. My friends and I couldn't decide where to go so we decided to give this place a try. There were about 20 people waiting outside however the wait was only about 20 min. The line made us all think the food must be amazing. I thought it was very bland and boring. I got the pasta pancetta which really tasted like something you would get at maria's (which is not a good thing). I guess the prices were reasonable but that's about it.
awesome little spot that's really easy to pass by everyday and not realize what a mistake you've made.
i know because i used to make that mistake everyday when i worked in santa monica.
and then i tried it out one day and fixed the error of my ways.
I haven't been there in a while and it's on the heavier side of the italian food wheel. but it's good for the price and the atmosphere is comfy, so i like it.
If you live/work in the area, try it.
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I know I know....my friends who I went with don't all agree with this star rating....but if I could give half stars I would give this place a 3.5. There are you all happy??
Out of our group of 7, mostly everyone was very happy with their meals, but I think I just got screwed on mine a bit....Now I know there are some people in the world who just can't handle their spices---but why mark a meal on a menu and waste valuable computer ink labeling it "spicy" if it ISN'T REALLY SPICY??? I ordered the cajun spiced chicken pasta, which was presented really well--all of the dishes were here---but this dish was definitely not cajun inspired.....boo. If I order something spicy, it should be spicy!!! I know some people can't handle any spices, but they won't order it anyway so make it spicy for those of us who can handle a little heat in the kitchen!! The chicken was good....just lacked life with that lack of spice.
Their appetizer bread is tasty and comes out from the kitchen super warm and our group definitely kept those baskets comin'. The pillow appetizer was so so....but the misto salad was HUGE and could have been salads for our whole table for 7 ha. The cilantro pesto sauce I sampled didn't have enough cilantro for me, and our waitress brought my friend joe a warm beer! boo! she knew it might have been warm, but she should have just offered him a cold beer.
Haley loved her lobster raviloi's while her friend Josh visiting from Boston didn't think the lobster matched the east coast quality at all (but I am willing to bet it was frozen here first anyway which is why!!)
All in all, a nice place, cheap prices, big portions. We could barely walk comfortably after this place. Minus the drunk group of girls next to us who managed to break two glasses, a pretty good dining experience.
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I took my family to this place, based on a personal recommendation (not on Yelp reviews). Upon arriving the restaurant on a Friday night, we anticipated a slight wait, which ended up only being around 20 minutes to seat a party of 4.
I ordered the lobster ravioli after the waitress offered it to me as an off-the-menu item. After cutting into the piece of ravioli, I noticed that lobster had a good meaty consistency. I should suggest to the chef that this dish should certainly be added as a regular item. My father had a garlic pasta dish that he felt was not "garlicy" enough for him, so he sent it back and they promptly replaced it with a new dish that was more suitable to his tastes.
We did order a bottle of their house chianti (around $22), which was not as good as I had anticipated. However, their wine list consists of some of the most reasonably priced bottles that I have seen at a sit-down restaurant in Santa Monica or West LA.
I noticed that they had an amarone on the menu for a little over $30, which is a rarity at that price. I am a big fan of the amarones and will try a bottle during my next visit.
In the end, I finished my dish completely and began to eat the remains of my father's garlic pasta entree. It is always a good sign to leave a restaraunt overstuffed with food!
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I can't figure out why it's so cool to like this place. The food is the Italian version of El Cholo: bland and boring. I love to support local places, but this place has always disappointed me.
The service is OK. Parking is not too bad. I think it's like Father's Office too: It's cool to say that you "Looooooooooooove" Frito Misto
Don't half step. Go to Denny's or something...
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Been a customer since they opened years ago, great local spot, thought no longer undiscovered. Here's the skinny: Appetizer go for the calamari or the fritto misto; salad, small or medium Misto salad with goat cheese added; pastas are all tasty especially if you keep it simple. Flourless chocolate cake is absolutely divine. BEAUTIFUL & WICKED-SMART BETH, the only waitress to ask for, is even more divine, even though she has a boyfriend!
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Fritto Misto is a fantastic little Italian spot, good for both couples and friends. Located away from the busy 3rd Street Promenade, it offers a nice side-street location but within walking distance to the shops and ocean. I went with a large group of friends, and I must admit that the wait time was rather ridiculous, but the wait staff was extremely apologetic, claiming that these were unusual circumstances, and offered us appetizers on the house. As far as food goes, they offer a wide variety of Italian dishes, including a create-your-own-pasta-dish menu in which you can mix and match from their wide range of pastas, sauces, and special garnish. I've only been once, but the restaurant looks like it has a lot more to offer, and I look forward to returning for another experience!
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I had an awful meal here, very disappointing. I thought it just might be me, but the other 3 diners with me didn't like there's either. I love the create your own meal concept, only way to go here. Ordering a meal off the menu here is for amateurs, goatta creat your own. In fact, I created the gnocchi w/ spicy sausage, eggplant, fra' diavolo sauce, topped w/ fresh mozarrella....that should be awesesome, right? In fact...when I created this same meal in the South Bay Fritoo Misto it was...here it was not good at all.
On the plus side, my friend and his pregnant wife were with us after a Sunday of NFL football and drinking...not sure if was the foot massage at the Loews Spa or the spicy sauce at Frito's but she went in to labor 6 hours later and had a beautiful baby girl within hours. Easy labor and delivery, true story, maybe there is something to Frittos.
Oh my. Oh my my my. yummmmmmmmmmmmmm!
Such good food for such a great price. I've been twice and both times had amazing meals. At first I was taken aback by the fact that you can design your own pasta the way one would at a pizza parlor or hamburger joint. I have to admit that because of this and a few other things I wasn't expecting to be blown away, which I was.
Also the servers couldn't be friendlier or more helpful. This is a huge plus, because while I enjoy places like Via Veneto and Angelini Osteria, I have occasionally had such rude Italian waiters that I felt like they should be paying me to deal with their less than pleasant attitudes.
In summary, try this place... oh, and yummmmmmmmmm.
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I sometimes wonder if a restaurant is deserving of five stars after only one visit; in this case, I'm not even going to hesitate. This is one of those places you might normally just walk by but never venture into because on the outside it doesn't appear to be much. Inside though, this little restaurant is really quaint and charming. The menu offers a wide selection, including Create Your Own Pasta, which was my pick for this visit. I selected linguinni with olive oil and garlic and sun dried tomatoes. When my dish arrived, I actually gasped at it's fresh and homemade appearance and the taste, mmmwa!! Our food arrived in a reasonable amount of time and our service friendly and very appreciative. I'm really glad I checked out the reviews on Yelp and gave it a try. Although it's in an area I don't frequent, when I'm in the neighborhood, I'll definitely be by again.
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Actually, I give this place 10 stars!
I used to work down the street (10 years ago) and frequented it then. I now live in SF but make sure I eat at Fritto Misto EVERY TIME I'm in LA. I love it! The food is delicious, the servings are huge, and the prices super reasonable. It doesn't get better than that. And, I can tell you that over the years, the quality has not changed (as it does with many restaurants). And the service is always good.
I've introduced many people to it, who then become regulars. That's a great testament to this place.
It's a casual spot in a great location (just blocks from S.M. Pier, promenade & Fred Segal).
This is the place to go when you're super hungry and want a casual place to hang out with a friend. Love it!
Great food at an amazing price. We both ordered the "make your own" pastas which is great for picky eaters who like to choose exactly what goes into your meal. It also allows you to try out different sauces rather than being stuck with the default. I got the spinach linguine with basil pesto, shrimp, and red pepper flakes. It was great.
Two meals with a shared small dessert was under $40 (including tip). They don't really have any place to wait for a table other than in the way or outside. It was a cool night so we just stood in the dining area for about 15 minutes. But I'm definitely putting this place on my regular rotation list!
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+1 good lemon bar
+1 good pesto chicken pasta
+ lively atmosphere
+ friendly service
I like this place because it's moderately priced and pretty good pasta and yet it was never my first choice for Italian whenever I'm in the area. I rather drive a little bit further to Alejo's or Antica.
I do like their bread and their pumpkin ravioli is a favorite. Their pesto sauce is probably the best pesto I've ever had. I also dig their salads.
Still, it can get really busy and I think that's when my "oh, let's go somewhere else" feeling starts because the long wait isn't worth it when it's not orgasmic quality pasta.
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My BFF, aka LAFoodPatrol, took me here on one of the worst days of my life- like everything I own is in my broke ass Suzuki Esteem sitting in his garage and I am effectively homeless kind of day. I CRIED IN THIS RESTAURANT kind of day. And continued to eat. While crying. I was totally cryingwhileeating.com, the food was that good. I had the Mediterranean pasta and it was f'ing mind blowing- fresh, light, flavorful, DELICIOUS. Mr. FoodPatrol had some pancetta bechamel dish- not my thing, but that was pretty delicious too. The garden salad had zucchini and broccoli florets in it, topped with one of the best house vinaigrettes I've ever had. Overall, excellent, fresh food served in an atmosphere that lends itself to comfortably crying all over your pasta.
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The homey atmosphere wasn't what I expected at all, but it was charming and cozy on a cold February evening.
The food we had was decent, but not mind-blowingly good. (As an example, I tried my dining companion's gnocchi, but it wasn't until I tried gnocchi again at Osteria La Buca that I understood why people truly love the dish.)
Service was friendly and helpful in pointing out onion-free options. Plus, since you can pretty much make any pasta/sauce/meat/veggie combo you like, you have quite a bit of freedom to design your own perfect dish.
I'd come back again if invited, but I don't see myself trekking to the Westside because I particularly crave it.
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Wow, I am from New York and have been looking for a great Italian spot that just served unbelievable dishes at a decent price. This is the place, we had their 'pink' sauce which is a mix of their maranara and garlic sauces and also the sausage and peppers. If the portions weren't so massive we would have finished both. There is a parking lot in back and the help is super friendly, what else could you ask for? Oh, discount wine prices?? They've got it, with excellent bottles of vino for $20 or so. These guys have it down, go get some!
I love this place. It's right around the corner from me and it feels like destiny. Anytime, anyone, wants to eat this is the first place I suggest. I have to hold myself back from going down and ordering the greens and Gorgonzola even when I have spring mix and blue cheese in my fridge. Actually, I have done that.
I want the pumpkin ravioli for breakfast, I have not done that. Yet.
I love you Fritto Misto and I don't care who knows or what they say about our love.
With your charmed sauces, and my ability to eat pasta made with love we can heal the world, or Santa Monica. It doesn't really need healing but we can do something that's right and feels wrong.
xoxox, m.
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I have to give this place 5 stars. This past weekend is the second time they've accommodated a huge group for me. The first was for the beginning of my bachelorette party and most recently it was for my birthday. Both times the service was great (I know it isn't easy keeping up with a large group), the food was delicious and if you bring your own wine, the corkage is $2 per person. There's every kind of pasta imaginable. They even have wheatless/vegan pasta! My favorites are the Mediterranean and Mushroom Marsala Ravioli. This place gets busy early, I highly recommend reservations. And it isn't huge either so reservations are a must for a large group (see Beth!).
Heyyyy...casual place to talk with friends during the night (crowd is recent grad, grad students, and young urban professional) and with parents and older siblings during the day.
I've had their vegetarian lasagna and other gnocchi, as well as teas and salads. Some days good, other days great. Not sure what accounts for the inconsistency yet.
Tables made out of wine trade boxes. Nothing pretentious here. Very cajjjj.
Managers, servers, and other workers very friendly. Parking easy on street.
I'm down to go back any day of the week.
I'm about to divulge in some pretty personal information so if you are uncomfortable about reading that kind of stuff from complete strangers online, then you should probably stop reading this . Yeah right! The internet is awesome.
I like Fritto Misto a lot and I will continue to go here despite the agonizing pain that it relentlessly dishes out to me (pun very much intended). This is where I get candid. I have a problem. One that developed in my late teens and one that will be with me forever.
*Deep breath* My name is Mike and I am lactose intolerant. Lactose disaccharide is what will do me in one day. Conquered by an autosomal recessive trait, thanks mom and dad. I won't go too far into what it does to me, but it's not pleasant and especially not pleasant for people in my car 1 hour later. Wikipedia for the details.
Now I can get to the review:
Fritto Misto is a very personable space with cozy table seating. The staff can be misplaced at times, but very quick to your request once you catch their eye. The food fills your stomach without emptying your wallet ($13-$17). I've had the Pasta New Orleans, Atomic Pasta, and the Spicy Shrimp Ravioli. All these dishes have a very rich and creamy sauce (thus my pain). All these dishes I would order again. I wouldn't consider this the best Italian food I'd ever had. It is however a very affordable, comfortable, and satisfying place when you are in the mood to defy your genetic short comings. O and the bread is delicious.
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The thing about females these days is that they can be pretty persnickety, detail oriented, nit-picky and when they don't like something...they'll tear it a new asshole.
It made sense that when the co-workers and I (all dudes) stepped into this corner Italian eatery, it was Estrogen dominated. I was like, "Dude, did we just walk into a bachelorette party?" And we weren't dressed to be the strippers.
But hey, we were hungry and needed some good Italian grub. No, this ain't no Olive Garden. It's quaint and refined. Clean and efficient. The servers are attentive, well mannered and attractive. It provides what customers in the Westside expect.
My Chicken Marsala was tasty, flavorful. My buddies enjoyed their spaghettis with turkey sausage and I'm going to try the New Orleans pasta next time. My pasta was cooked perfect, al dente.
The location is easy to find. The corner location makes it attractive and it feels spacious with the large windows. Park at the meters along the street because the parking lot behind is always full.
I give the ladies lots of props for eating here. They know what's good.
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My classmates and I came for lunch on a Saturday afternoon and didn't have to wait, at all. What a delightful surprise! I ordered the medium chicken caesar salad and it was more than enough. Great bread and fast service. All for less than $15, including iced tea, tax & tip. Score! I can't wait to come back and try all the other yummy pastas on the menu, after the wedding, of course.
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Friendly service.
The food is very fresh and tastes like it is homemade. Big portions...yummy warm bread!
Great neighborhood place
Try it!
Went again last night and had the delicious pink sauce!!! My husband and my sister were eating off my plate!!! They liked their dishes as well but mine was the best!! Try the pink sauce!!!
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This was a pretty big disappointment. When my girlfriend and I got here, it was late, but still pretty crowded. We were stuck in the cramped nook by glass counters with desserts to go, and the door, sweeping a cold draft every time some one passed through it.
We ordered the namesake appetizer, the fritto misto, and the New Orleans pasta. The fritto was alright, a heaping dish of breaded and fried seafood and veggies, definitely more than enough for two. It was a little oily, as one would expect, with a light crunch.
The pasta was just OK, the noodles were thin, almost with the consistency of lo mien. But overall, the dish wasn't packing a lot of punch. As the most expensive pasta on the menu (around $17), I was expecting more delight, more bravado.
Even though we split only an appetizer and a pasta, we were plenty full by the time we were finished. So if you're into quantity over quality, Fritto Misto may be the place for you. As for myself, I'd rather take my hunger elsewhere.
This review gets a bump to 3 stars since our waitress was super friendly.
I love gorgonzola cheese. I can't help but recall Benny Hill crumbling the "gorgon", then the "zola" in his sauce. "Be careful to put in the gorgon before the zola or you'll have zolagorgon cheese and there's no such cheese."
Anyway, I digress. I've been to Fritto Misto on a few occasions in the years I've worked in Santa Monica. And I admit, it is quite a noisy little spot. The food, however, is pretty dang good.
On my last visit, I called ahead to pick up Chicken greens and gorgonzola. They add walnuts and tomatoes and serve it with balsamic vinegarette. This is one of my favorite salads ever! This chicken was a bit dry this time, but overall, pretty good. I really love the textures of the tomatoes, lettuce, walnuts and cheese. What a treat!
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This Italian Cafe is a great place for lunch. I work nearby and I was able to have lunch within a hour. And yes it is a pretty big spot..so you hopefully wouldn't have to wait for seat...i ordered some green linguine with seasonal vegetables and lemon sauce. it was wall seasoned. and vegetables were Al dente.. i loved it.. and my bf had the marinara..and it was yummy too.. pretty big servings..and the creme brulee was delish having a very soft texture..almost like pudding...bread was also very soft . . .instead of rubbery. expect to spend $30 for 2.
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I've been going here for over a decade and still thinks it's the best casual Italian restaurant in the L.A area.
I love their lasagna with garlic cream sauce, of course you can't go wrong with their pink sauce either.
The only disappointment is their calamari, their sauce that comes with it is like ketchup. I love their Fritto Misto (fried Mix) appetizer, simply delicious.
Oh, and they have a ridiculously low corking fee, something like $2.50.
Go, eat, you won't regret it.
YUM!
Finally, a place that understands the art of substitutions!!!
I like when making my own unique dish is encouraged. Add some mushrooms here, subtract peppers there. Easy on the cream. Voila! A masterpiece in a pasta bowl...errr.. oversized platter.
Waitstaff is super cool, and people there are interesting! I don't know if it was because the tables are close or what, but I was all up in peoples convos! Haha.
Read: don't go there to talk about what you did in Vegas.
Cajun anything seems good. Good bread! Calamari was so-so. I'll go for the pillows next time.
EXCELLENT Lemon Bar!
I go there for the cheese pillows...plain and simple...they're super delish! Their pasta is great...their sauces are great, their flourless chocolate cake is great...but darned if those cheese pillows dont haunt my dreams! LOL!
I absolutely love Fritto Misto. It offers a great location, good parking (there's a lot in back with limited parking space) and great food. When I visit, I tend to always get the spicy chicken and lobster ravioli.
It's a great place to go if you're looking for a non chain, nicely priced Italian restaurant. Every friend I've brought here has have a wonderful time and has truly enjoyed the food. The dcor is bright and airy and wonderful artwork decorates the walls.
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My favorite restaurant in Santa Monica for 10 years! Feels like home.
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Been meaning to write a review ever since reading Amy C's review. I think she summed it up when she said she could make a better pasta at home.
Anyways, I've been here several times for business lunches and the food is good and the service is friendly and attentive. However last time I was here, one person in our party had leftover lasagna that was requested and acknowledged by the waitress would be boxed up. Well someone forgot to box it up and we never saw it again.
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love this place.. food is always good, service is awesome, the price is right. and you can bring your own wine. one of my top choices on the west side. I just wish the food was healthier. the cesar salad dressing is amazing.
Good food, okay ambiance. The eponymous appetizer is required eating, and the best thing on the menu:
"Fritto Misto (serves 2-4) 11.50
(may take a while, please be patient)
Shrimp, calamari, artichoke hearts, and
seasonal vegetables in a light spicy batter,
quick fried in vegetable oil and served with
cocktail sauce and roasted garlic mayonaise"
Did I mention my date and I had a long chat with our waitress about the awesome show tunes playing inside the restaurant? Recommended.
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I was pleasantly surprised. A friend of mine said she got food poisoning here so I never gave it a shot, but when we finally had our first early dinner at Fritto Misto, we both left happy and full.
The best part was that the menu offered low-carb, vegetarian, and vegan options...which is AWESOME for an Italian restaurant. We're looking forward to our return!
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The first time, I ate at Fritto Misto I had just returned from Italy and I thought Fritto Misto sucked! At that pointed, nothing would have compared to the food in Italy. But, I gave it a try again with a few of my co-workers, and I thought it was so good that I wanted to lick the plate! I ordered the lunch special, which was only 8.50 for a big portion of gorgonzola salad and chicken & Spinach lasagna with pink sauce!!! YUMMY!!!
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How Lucky am I? I live in Hermosa Beach and work in Santa Monica. Do you know what that means? I can eat at Fritto Misto anytime! I can have their wonderful salads, bread and pastas ANYTIME! Go ahead.... hate me....be jealous and envious.... It's ok. If I were you I'd hate me too!
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I'm a lucky guy. I live right next to this place. Im also a lazy guy so when I need to take someone to dinner this is where I usually go. I used to think they made pasta there but then I saw some generic trucks making a deliver stop. The food is decent and the atmosphere is comfortable. They get a lot of people because other restaurants in santa monica can be unwelcoming. The place is empty on weekdays but packed on weekends. I wouldn't say it was anything special... pretty bland. Vanilla flavored place.
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their goat cheese linguine with sundried tomatoes is to die for
after running around the third street promenade for a while, my friend and i were starting to get hungry...and he wanted italian. so i jumped into the nearest mac store and faithfully yelped away.
decently priced, nice homey atmosphere, free parking, great food, and close to the promenade
thank you yelp. this is exactly was i was looking for.
I have never had a bad meal in all of the years I have been coming here! I love love love love love the greens and gorgonzola salad and I add chicken. I usually just get that as my entree and pick off of everyone elses pasta since the portions are so huge! My favorites to "suggest" to my friends so I can mooch what I love are
gnocchi w/pink sauce
spaghettini w/pink sauce, chicken and goat cheese
spicy shrimp ravioli
and my new favorite is the mushroom jalapeno ravioli
and last but not least the artichoke and marscapone gnocchi
Love the crusty french bread. Love the ice for the drinks (those good little pebbles like at Coffee Bean). Love the $2.00 per person corkage fee for as many bottles as you want! Service is usually pretty good. The wait can be bad unless you go with a large group because then you can make reservations!
My only real negative is that they don't carry the banana cream pie anymore. Makes me so sad because that was the shizznit!
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