Old Trieste Restaurant

Happy Holidays All,
This review is on the food only at Old Trieste. I did not eat there. My parents went there with a small group of friends for a holiday dinner yesterday, Saturday. They brought me home a take out dinner. I had looked and looked over the menu online in the afternoon. I decided to order, and wrote it down for my mom so it would be correct, pasta with marinara sauce with mushrooms, EXTRA MARINARA SAUCE. Yes, I am a sauce girl. On pasta, well, really, on everything I will order extra sauce. That is the best part of dinner, like extra hollandaise on your steak. It sounded tasty the way they described it and I love mushrooms. And I asked for thin spaghetti. Regular spaghetti is okay but I prefer the thinner noodles. And I also asked for some parm. cheese on the side.
What I got was linguini with almost NO SAUCE AT ALL. Okay, I love pasta, but I don’t want to taste just pasta, I WANT TO TASTE THE SAUCE AND LOTS OF IT. Sure, charge me extra money if you want, it is worth it. And there is a place I go where they do charge $ 3 for extra sauce, fine. Like, did they totally get it wrong in the kitchen and give me a fourth of what they normally give. This could certainly not be what they usually do. Did they skimp and ignore my order for extra sauce because it was a to go order? Because it could hardly be what they do with their good reviews. I have never eaten at this restaurant or tasted their food before even though I have lived in SD my whole life. So I read the Unilocal reviews and was excited to try their pasta. I know how to make pasta, good pasta. You take the pasta, drain and into the sauce to toss so the sauce will stick to it along with the starchiness. This pasta was tossed, oh so lightly that you could barely not even see the sauce on it and maybe tossed once or twice, literally, because not even half, not every noodle had any sauce at all. Yes, I am being picky here. But when my family, OR YOURS, is going to spend their hard earned money at a restaurant, be it a fancy restaurant like this or fast food, WE EXPECT GOOD FOOD, what we order. Like if I want a fast food hamburger with extra pickles. That is what I expect.
The linguini was certainly not a pasta I like. It is just too much of a noodle. Hard to describe, want more sauce on the thin spaghetti for flavor. I believe they have to make their own pasta there so maybe they just didn’t have thin spaghetti that night. Hard to believe but okay, I will give them a maybe but any Italian restaurant has to have spaghetti noodles. I got about 20 slices of thin sliced mushrooms. It was not many for the $ 2 extra. I mean, maybe 2 or 3 mushrooms and some of the pieces had the brown spots throughout. Yes, I am being picky again. But I had to pick out and throw out about a third of them, I am not going to eat those. It is because they are old. And Yuck. There was a bit, tiny bit, of the sauce on the mushrooms, they were shmeared over the top of the pasta so thinly. That was pretty much the only sauce on the pasta itself was the sauce that was mixed with the mushrooms. The mushrooms tasted good, the ones I ate. And the pasta was cooked perfectly.
My dad told me he got a filet with a sauce, didn’t say which one. He said his steak was cooked perfectly and was so so tender. My mom got the veal marsala and she didn’t like it at all. She said it didn’t have enough sauce and the meat wasn’t that tender and didn’t taste wonderful. I didn’t talk to anyone else that dined there together with them. I don’t know what they got.
OH, PAUSE, I FORGOT TO SAY THAT MY PASTA COST $ 15 AND IT DID NOT COME WITH SOUP NOR SALAD. AND HERE IS THE WORST PART, NO BREAD. THEY DIDN’T EVEN GIVE ME ONE _​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​PIECE OF BREAD. NOT THAT THERE WAS ANY SAUCE TO DIP IT IN. BUT AT LEAST IT WOULD HAVE FILLED ME UP. I had to eat a whole different meal, because I couldn’t eat just plain pasta with no sauce. I decided that today I was going to open a jar of Classico pasta sauce and pour it over and at least it would be edible.
This place was a total waste of money for my pasta. I will call them. But they were closed today and will be closed tomorrow too. I doubt they will even care much. It is so far from my home. That is why I have never eaten there. After you are in business so long, it seems, some restaurants tend to slack off some. I just wonder if it was because it was to go or they were trying to save money on less sauce or what? I just cant figure it out because I never had a problem getting extra sauce at any restaurant. And again, I will say, many times I have paid extra for it, fine, just let me know, don’t send me home with plain pasta, YUCK.
Oh, last point. They did give me the parm. on the side. And plenty of it, they were not chintzy. That was nice.
I wish I had actually been there and eaten there with the group because then I could have asked the waiter for more sauce and gotten it. But by the time it was home, too late.
Take care, Lindy

Awesome place for a work party.
Pros and Cons:
Pros:
1. Their filet mignon was delicious! Very impressed!
2.Their staff was well mannered and always refilled drinks and took dirty plates off your table
3. I had a four course meal and the timing of each dish was perfect
4. You can rent out the whole restaurant
5. Nice décor, very elegant
Cons:
1. Parking is bad… Not much parking spaces so plan on parking on the street
2. Their tiramisu wasn’t the best… The cake part was too soaked, so it tasted soggy.
3. The restaurant is small, so they can only hold a certain amount of people
4. It’s an upscale restaurant, but the outside décor does not reflect that
5. The staff could smile more…
Overall, my complaints was mostly about the restaurant location which is hard to solve unless they move locations.
I would come back for the filet mignon… Very good

Old Trieste is a family owned for several generations. Larry, the Owner /​Manager will personally greet you and make you feel so special! The food is absolutely amazing! Our family favorite is the «Medaglione Ramano»!! The filet melts is your mouth. The garlic and wine sauce is covered with mushrooms is so flavorful and adds so much to this wonderful meal. With the entrée, thinly sliced fried zuchini appitizer, crisp green salad (House dressing with blue cheese is my brother’s favorite!), pasta with meat sauce are all included! For an extra treat, try the Scampi! Old Trieste takes you back to a time when fine dining was an experience to savored! This is a great place for a date, special occasion, entertaining clients or an intimate night with good friends! Bön Appetite!! Jim and Debbie Roth

Northern Italian dining at its finest! My family has been enjoying this restaurant for decades. Truly one of a kind. Family owned and operated since 1963, the food and ambiance is unlike any other in town. Reservations are recommended and don’t dare arrive in flip flops and shorts…
Salmon, veal, … Tiramisu… rival none other.

Good food, good service, and good atmosphere inside. There isn’t much around it though.

A true favorite for decades. This has been a family favorite and a wonderful place to celebrate. We always love to start with the lightly breaded zucchini dipped in marinara. The medallions of beef and fish dishes are our favorites. Being Italian myself, it’s nice to go to a true Italian restaurant where you feel like you are back in Italy. Will continue to return many more times

Absolutely superb! Phenomenal service great prices for exquisite food. Service went above and beyond my highest expecations. Definitely coming back. This place delivers fine dining with old world charm. Stay classy san diego! Try the Miro special it’s a home run, Spumoni is a must, And Larry is on top of his fish game. A real treat that is a must eat.

I love Old Trieste ! Excellent food ! Larry, the owner, treats me like family. Their veal fiorentina is sooooo delicious !

We have been dining at Old Trieste for many years. Larry always treats our family like family and he seems to treat everyone like family. The place is old, the décor is tired but the food and service vs. value are unbeatable. Perfectly fried zucchini is a starter that just shows up at the table, specials every night that are always awesome. They usually have Chilean Sea Bass which covers the whole plate. Menu is Italian driven and inspired. Fresh Pasta is served on the side with every entrée. As for drinks, don’t expect a fantastic wine list although there are some palatable wines however the bar is always pouring real drinks. If you a order a double you are by God getting a knock you down double. We highly recommend trying this restaurant

Love this place!!! Such a classic and intimate vibe. Perfect for a date night. Service is impeccable. Food is classically delicious. Can’t wait to go back. Everyone should try this place!

It’s like taking a trip back in time! Reminds me of my east coast roots. Low lighting, comfy booths and heavy pours. The food was old school but excellent. The service staff allows you to relax while still being attentive. Great spot! Will certainly be back soon

Excellent food, intimate and low noise setting with a very «old school» feel to the place.
Eating here is not a bargain hunter’s delight. You do however, get what you pay for and that means excellently prepared food that is quite tasty and satisfying.
The place is rather nondescript on the outside and small on the inside — I think there was table space for no more than forty at most. Off street parking is available and seemed sufficient for the size of the restaurant. On the Friday night I was there they had but the host, a waiter and one serving /​clearing man. Yet, the service flowed and was neither too slow nor harried from serving all the patrons.
I had the sirloin parmigiana, my date the halibut (special that night) and we had a Malbec with the meal. My steak all but melted in my mouth and her meal was wonderfully savory as well. We finished with some tasty coffee and Tiramisu for her with a chocolate truffle cake for me. And all for about $ 100.
Neither of us felt cheated on our portions or left wanting of a tasty meal and a fine dining experience.

I am thoroughly impressed with the service and the quality level of their food. I had chicken livers at lunch and I highly recommend this fine dining experience. Slobodan provided a top level of service and impressed me with his meticulous service, friendliness and overall dining experience. Bring your family, there is something for everyone at this Historical San Diego venue.

My mom and I went here during a busy time of the day, but surprisingly the staff was fast and efficient despite the number of people. I ordered their signature dishes since it was our first time here. Our orders took a while to be served. I had their red sauce pasta which I found very tasteful and delicious. My mom had soup and salad and she loved it too! I’ll recommend this place to anyone looking for great Italian food.

Love the old school Italian vibe. Love the intimate setting. Enjoy the dress code (sometimes we’re *too casual in SD).
I would really like to give more stars but I was pretty unimpressed with the food. Not bad, just bland. Maybe my palette has evolved to being more appreciative of flavors that really pop … But all of the dishes at our table of four were just, meh.
Our server was very nice and we had a lovely time, like a flashback in history. I definitely recommend it — just don’t expect to be wow’d by the food.
I wish there were a way to rate each portion of the review, Because it really wasn’t a negative experience. But 3 is mediocre and that’s what it was. Good, not great.
Bring the grandparents, they’ll love the old style :)

We have wanted to try this restaurant for awhile now and finally got around to going last night. I had read all the reviews and they seemed mixed, either glowing or a total bust. I admit to having some trepidation about going.
The website recommends reservations so I made one and was told that there was a dress code and we were expected to dress appropriately. I have no issue with this. I remember back in the 70s when we would dress to the nines on weekends and go out for dinner and dancing so I thought this would be a nice change from the usual casual dress. It was actually great fun to haul out the finery for a change.
We had a 5:30 reservation as we are early eaters. We were the first to arrive and were promptly seated. Entering from the bright sunlight it seemed very dark but once you got acclimated to the light it became apparent that the décor could use a bit of freshening. I found the leather booths to be very comfortable but the wood paneling, worn carpets, shabby curtains and very dated lighting need to be updated.
Shortly after we were seated an elderly couple arrived and were clearly regulars as they were greeted by name and given their choice of seating. I noticed that the gentleman was wearing what I would consider a bowling shirt that he had tossed a very wrinkled jacket over. Then another couple, also obviously regulars, arrived and this guy was wearing a polo shirt with no jacket. This couple was also given their choice of seating. So much for the dress code.
We were given menus and the wine list. We had to ask about catch of the day and any specials as nothing was mentioned by the waiter. We ordered a bottle of wine which turned out to be very pleasant and fairly reasonably priced.
We were given a plate of fried zucchini and our orders were taken. These were light breaded and server piping hot which I found to be a nice change from the usual bread or chips. The entrees come with choice of soup or salad, bread and a side of pasta which I thought was a very nice touch. I opted for the salad which turned out to be a pile of iceberg lettuce with two carrot slices. I admit to an affinity for cold crunchy iceberg lettuce but this was really rather plain. My partner ordered the lentil soup which I could smell as soon as it was placed in front of him. He said it was delicious and it sure smelled good. I had the Miro special which was breaded veal with cheese and a wine cream sauce. The veal was excellent with just a light breading and very fresh. The portion was huge with 4 large pieces of veal but I admit the sauce was flavorless. It reminded me of the cream sauce that comes with biscuits and gravy from Dennys only with less flavor. My partner had the surf and turf. I sampled each and both were delicious. The steak could have benefited from a bit of sauce but was excellent just the same. The entrée came with a generous side of pasta although I admit I didn’t really care for the sauce. It was a bit sweet for my taste. The portions for both our entrees were very large and certainly not overpriced for the amount of food we were given.
Throughout the meal several other groups arrived and all seemed to be regulars as they were greeted by name. The waiters seemed to know what cocktails they preferred and what wine and entrees they liked. I find this a great boom to a restaurant but at the same time we were made to feel like outsiders. The owner walked around the restaurant speaking to the customers and asking how they were but never stopped by our table. The waiters were efficient but no one ever asked us how our meal was or if we required anything further. All in all a bit of a let down from the throw back to the rat pack era that I was expecting. While the meal and service were fine I don’t think I would rush back anytime soon.

A throwback to the Rat Pack era… for those that give this fine establishment 1 Star because of the dress code, may I point you to the more information portion of the Unilocal site… which states attire: dressy… have fun with that… if you want to remain attired in shorts, t shirts and flip flops… there are 200 places in Pacific Beach… for those that posted their 1 Star posts… you are complete amateurs… Jack in the Box awaits you… The food is old school fancy Italian and most dishes are large enough for two to share… the drinks are well made and the service is spectacular… top notch.

Our family went to San Diego and enjoy a day at Belmont Park and the beach there. When the sun came down, my wife crave for Italian so I went on Unilocal and found Old Trieste which has quite a few good reviews and close enough. We called in for a reservation just half an hour before they close so we hurried and tried to find our way there. We made it there in about 12 minutes and we were excited for some good Italian dishes since all of us were starving after an active day.
But the minute we walked in there I noticed that the waiters had some kind of sour look. I though that they closing so they just didn’t want any more customers for the day so I asked what’s wrong. One of them looked at me once again from top to toes, shook his head and said that we were underdressed since this is a formal restaurant which they would require more than what we had on, shorts and T-​shirt. Oh, come on. We were tourists, it was late and we just want something to eat and get on our way. Too bad! They insisted that we had to redress before they can let us in again. We felt insulted!
I wished I could have known this in advance so we didn’t have to waste our time there. We never looked at the menu nor taste the food so this review is not about the food at all. Just make sure that you DRESS UP if you’re thinking of eating here.
We left with our empty stomaches and tried to find another restaurant around. It didn’t have to be good, as long as it opened. However that is how we found the BEST restaurant that we’d ever eaten, just a few blocks south of Old Trieste. That is BACI RISTORANTE. We’ve been to places and taste food from all over the places in the U.S. as well as abroad, but both my wife and I agreed that that was our best meal ever at a restaurant. The good thing was they didn’t care if we were in our shorts and T-​shirts and they made us feel welcome!

Went for our 15^th wedding anniversary. What a great place. Some places are dated and need to be updated. This is not one of those. This place is dated and needs to stay that way. It is like stepping back in time to a more sophisticated, professional and elegant time. I kept expecting Jimmy Stuart to sit down at the next table. I am all about casual but it is places like this that make dressing up special. To have dinner in the same room that Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball dined in was great. The service was perfect and the food was amazing. This is a special occasion place that is not to be missed. I was told by our server that Jackets for men are no longer required but no shorts or flip flops. This is not a snobby restaurant but it is a classy restaurant and if you need to be told that you are not dressed appropriately then maybe you shouldn’t be dinning here.

Apparently California casual is not except able for this snobby restaurant. Never be so insulted in my life and on my birthday weekend. My fiancé happened to be wearing flip flops. Heaven forbid. (Eye roll)