Sonny's is a must stop when I hit the Pomona race track. Â The place is jammed with the local citizens and its easy to see why. Their pizza's are great, the pasta, ravs and lasagne are great. Nice wine list, good prices, and if you get a jar of their pasta sauce to take home, you'll never buy Prego again. Â Stop in here, wow great service and staff.
Review Source:The red sauce alone is awesome. It's spicy and flavorful. Between the gnocchi, eggplant dishes, chicken, sausage, everything is pretty awesome.
As far as those dishes go, they are some of the best. I had the white pizza and it was nothing too special. Be ready to wait or you can just take it to go!
I was first tipped off about Sonnys by my friend. I am always out in San Clemente at the beach and eating around town. I was asked if I had ever eaten here, my friend said the food was great. I decided to try them out one day when I was out in San Clemente. I ordered a Vegetarian pizza. It was delicious. Thin crust but crispy, veggies were fresh just how it should be. I also ordered a side salad with ranch... they put on a little too much ranch for my liking but I will just have to ask for it on the side next time. This place gets busy and its small, so dont go there on a friday night at 6 without knowing youre going to have to wait. But, its definitely worth it. One down fall, they dont have coke :( I know it goes back to the old pepsi vs coke debate... but I am just not a pepsi fan never have been. Back to whats important, the food here is always good. Ive been back multiple times and tried pastas and lasagnas all amazing. Head to Sonnys for some great food!
Review Source:Ive been here 3 times and my 3rd time was just not good, i don't know what it was... The pizza crust tasted strange, i got a pizza with basil as one of my toppings- and the chef put WHOLE basil leaves all over it, i would have rather had it thinly sliced. They also skimped out on the cheese..... majorly.
Review Source:First let me shed some color on my five star rating.  1.  It is a cumulative "body of work" rating that takes into account the other options in the area  2.  It obviously takes into account the tremendous value that Sonny's delivers 3.  It is just plain fun
Its New Years Eve.....we are fresh off a beautiful sunset walk on San Clemente pier....the kds are jacked up and we are looking for a place that will please everyone.  We thought we would try Pizza Port ...but they were CLOSED.  On New Years Eve at 5 pm?  Luckily...we wandered north up Camino Real and the first spot we bumped into was Sonnys.  How wonderful things can just  "happen".....
My first impression was...."uh, oh....Olive Garden". Â The place had a nice , warm vibe....and it was crowded so the energy was electric. Â Most of the patrons were "regulars" who all happily announced their devotion to Sonnys. Â Hmmm....perhaps my initial impression was wrong. Â
Indeed it was....from the wonderfully priced wine (La Crema Pinot for $35?) list ....to the superb appetizers (garlic bread)....to the brick oven , crispy artisan pizzas....and the pastas...everything was just a culinary vehicle for SAUCE delivery. Â Oh...that red sauce is stunning....so stunning, that we just kept eating WAY PAST the point of being full. Â To put a bow on the package....Sonnys sent me a bill for $110....DINNER FOR FIVE with a bottle of wine. Â That, my friends...is solid value. Â
 I will provide some credibility to my review by stating that I am from Chicago....so dare I say....I am not fooled by shoddy workmanship dressed up with false pretenses. Sonnys is a whole lot of fun....and since my Fiance's mom lives in Laguna Niguel...we looking forward to our return.  Well done, Sonnys....
My wife and I stopped here for dinner and we were pleasantly surprised! Â The pizza is fabulous and the dining room has got that cozy feel to it. Â That said, we were they when it was slow and I happened to notice that there were a lot of tables packed into the room.
I'm not too sure I would want to be there when the place is hopping?
I'd say more like a 3.5 star place... Nice outdoor patio and portions for the food are generous... I've only been here 2x but the complaint I have is that there is too much cheese and grease in the food... but this is probably the best italian place I like in the area plus its a fun atmosphere.
Review Source:Have I not written a review? Â Oh my! Â After all of my visit to this place I have lacked greatly! Â Now, I must first say, this place is NOT your true ITALiAN...straight up from Italy kind of Italian food. Â This place is like the saucy Jersey style. Â Lots of sauce, Alfredo, and cheese. Â Load of sauce.
The food is super huge as well. Â When I come here, I ignore portion control and caloric intake guidelines. Â I know I am consuming at least 2k of caloric sauciness. Â
So why 5 stars? Â Well, I love sauces, I love wine, and I love big food loaded with cheese and sodium. Â The garlic bread tastes of fresh garlic sprinkled on top. Â It bites, I love it.
They also have a huge carafe of Chianti wine for 14 bucks. Â That can not be beat, especially when I can just walk home. Â I am a big fan. Â Yes ma'am, I am. Â My favorite dishes are the thin crust pizza and the Stuffed Chicken Manicotti with tomato cream sauce. Â mmmmhhhmmm...hungry now at 9:22 am! Â hehe
Alright, enjoy!
Okay, I know Sonny's is a San Clemente institution (I lived here for 14 years.) Was visiting San Clemente recently and thought "I better make sure I hit Sonny's while I'm here." Well, I kind of wish I'd skipped it. We had the pizza (onions, mushrooms and pineapple). The ingredients were fine, but the crust was so thin and burnt, it was like eating a cracker with pizza toppings. And, I don't mean that in a good way! The crust literally snapped when you bit into it. I guess that's fine if you're a thin crust aficionado, but it wasn't cuttin' it for me. We had the mac 'n cheese the last time we visited and it was floating in grease. Yuck!
Review Source:This place has real thin crust pizza. Â Not the soggy chewy one most places pawn off as thin crust. Â For me, it is all about the char, and this is the best one I have had outside NYC. Â The sauce has real tomato zest, the cheese and other toppings first rate. Â But I love the crust. It makes my eyes tear up like a man baby.
Review Source:Went here on the recommendation from my hotel front desk. What a great find! Super friendly staff, laid back vibe inside or out on the patio. Â Fantastic thin crust pizza and tasty meatball sandwiches. Â I travel between San Diego and LA often and would definitely come here again for lunch or dinner. Â Only drawbacks were the smallish parking lot and their salad dressing was very bland.
Review Source:I heard about this place years ago from friends who live in the area. Â We always talk about having dinner here, but it never materialized until recently. Â Now that it has, I'm sure that I'll be back for more.
We go there on a busy Friday night. Â Grabbed some seats in the waiting area in the back and ordered a carafe of Pinot Gris to cope with the warm summer evening. Â We probably waited no more than 10 or 15 minutes. Â They do a good job of turning over the tables.
The food on my first try was a mixed bag. Â The antipasto was great. And it was large, it could serve 3 or 4 people as a starter salad. Â The calamari strips were ok. Â I prefer the traditional rings and legs. Â The gnocchi was different and not to my liking. Â The dough was a little stiff and not fluffy and the cheese stuffing is a little over the top.
The saving grace was the pizza. Â We ordered a large Roman Orgy with anchovies. Â It was fantastic. Â I'm not a thin crust guy, but mainly because most places do not do it right. Â This crust, however, was perfect and it reminded me of several little places that I tried in various parts of Italy.
As a side note, my daughter ordered the Jesse special or something off the kids menu and she enjoyed every bite.
Service is very attentive, but bordering on bothersome and a little pushy. Â Like I said, they like to turn tables over.
All in all, the pizza is great and I would come if only for that. Â However, next time I intend to try some other dishes - perhaps the lasagna or the linguine and clams.
I had the Chicken Christina my wife had the Chicken alla Genovese, both had a lot of flavor. My Chicken Christina was stuffed with spinach pine nuts and cheese served over rotelli with a Marsalla sauce. Well put together and was pretty fast for being a stuffed chicken breast.
  The kids had the pizza  typical Pepperoni and cheese. I had a piece of the pizza but wasn't that excited about it. It was a thinner crispy crust and the sauce was lite on the flavor side. But like I said I had a Pepperoni so don't let this deter you from the other pizzas they offer
 Great family restaurant with a great old school cheesy Italian atmosphere. Little bit of a wait but worth it.
Shout out to old reliable Sonny's. Â After trying a new place in town we came here the next night to get our crave on. Â Thank Sonny's keeps it real and serves up some of the best italian food in So OC. Â Pizza is very good, pastas and gnocchi are also very good choices. Â I've had just about everything and it's all good. Â A tad on the greasy side and the ambiance is almost dive-y but if it's great food your after and you can get past the rest Sonny's is the right choice.
Review Source:First Impressions Last Forever! Â Which means that I'm a great big fan of Sonny's and I'm definitely going back! Â Prices are moderate, food is delicious, service superb!
I had the most basic of dishes... spaghetti and meatballs plus a side salad for dinner. Â YUMMMMY! Â The creamy italian dressing on the salad was amazing! Â They added alot of flavorable veggies to my salad that was just perfect! Yum!
Went to Sonny's the other day when visitin San Clemente. I've gone here a few times in the past with my dad since he works near the area and loves their lasagne.
We went just this past week which was the first time that I've been in about five years or so. I ordered the baked rigatoni. The food took about 10 to 15 minutes or so to come out. It looks really good but my only problem with it was that it was a little bland. The dish was covered with a very nice cheese layer on the top but when I dug inside it lacked the beef that I was looking for. The appearance is second to none looking very nice. My only problem is that it needed a little more flavor to it.
Overall, the restaurant is a pretty good deal and is one of the better Italian restaurants in the area. I'd recommend if you're in the area and looking for a good Italian meal at a decent price.
I don't really know how to rate this place. I have been here twice, once I had a disgusting awful meal, the second time I had a wonderful delicious meal. Â
 The disgusting meal was the spicy calamari served over pasta.  I love calamari but this was just gross and inedible.  I can't even describe the taste but it was bad.  I was really surprised they served something like this and in retrospect I wish I had sent it back.
  The great meal was some lemon chicken scallopini off the sonnys menu favorites off the insert in the middle of the menu.  The portion is big and I am not a fan of that at all.  I don't think serving a lot of food makes a good experience it just makes you over eat.  Also at $16 for this dish I am not sure the portion is big for the price.  It tasted really good but I don't know if I would get such a gut buster again maybe once a year.
  The staff and decor are nothing to be impressed with either but it is a nice place and on a nice day it is great to sit outside.  I can totally see how people would feel led astray by the high reviews for this place.  It is good but not  that good and beware the calamari yuck.  Also kind of weird they serve baskin robbins desserts?
This is an instance where the yelp reviews have led me astray. I did quite a bit of research for a good pizza place and this was one of the places I decided on. When we got to the restaurant, it was just packed so I was really expecting a more than stellar experience. Alas, that was not the case.
We ordered a large pizza -- half eggplant and half chicken pesto. We also ordered the lasagna. Since the place was really busy I didn't expect service to be fast, but when it took 40 mins for the food to arrive, that really irked me some.
But, I was waiting for the food to blow me away, and I guess it did -- but not in a good way. The pizza was vile. The crust was crispy on the edges, like it had been fried, while the rest of it tasted like cardboard -- like the dough hadn't risen at all. To make matters worse, the eggplant was so greasy and tasted like it had been precooked yesterday and had soaked in so much oil and then left sitting there.
The lasagna was also not what I had expected of home-made lasagna. I got several grisly meat chunks in my mouth and the flavor was one dimensional. I've had frozen lasagna which tasted better than this.
Service was pretty much non-existent. No one came to ask if we needed anything else from the time the order was taken to the time the food was brought out. I'm just amazed by how crowded it is. Is there a lack of good Italian restaurants in San Clemente? Is that why everyone flocks here for subpar food? It is mind-boggling.
Sonny's is probably one of the best Italian food restaurants in Orange County. Although parking is a joke and the restaurant is tiny, the service is great and the food is even better.
I was recommended by a friend to try the gnocchi alfredo, despite it not being on the menu, and it definitely did not disappoint. I've also had the chicken parm and lasagna, which were just as great. Next time I get a chance to eat at Sonny's I will try the pizza everyone seems to love.
If you're in south Orange County craving quality Italian food, definitely check out Sonny's.
Whereas I know virtually niente about Peruvian food, I know a hellova lot about quality Italian food. Therefore I am tougher on Italian restaurants than the rest. I grew up eating and cooking the real deal and spent some time in the motherland. That said, this place is not bad for southern Italian style cooking.
The pros- The marinara basil gravy is similar to what I grew up with. Not to sweet, right amount of garlic and just the right consistency and color to make me say molto bene. Better than your average restaurant that tries to pass off catchup for gravy (yes gravy not sauce). They must really be proud of it to because there are bottles of it spread all over the joint. I thought about buying some but 9 bones is a little steep, even for the good stuff. Â Tried my wife's Caprese sandwich- It was pretty good. Good flavor combination, decent cheese and overall satisfying for lunch but not on par with the best from NY or Chi-town.
The cons- Below average bread. No Italian meal is complete without great bread. The bread they used is average. I expect better from an authentic Italian eatery. Give me some pane that makes me feel like I just left a local bakery, not the Jewel (a.k.a Albertsons). And the pasta- not homemade and a bit overcooked. Al dente is the only way to represent, fella's. Overcooked is for Madigans.
Need to still try the pizza so cannot comment on that.
This place is not setting the Italian culinary world on fire, but for a basic home style pasta meal that is reasonably priced its worth the trip. Â Been there once and will return next time I get a jonzin' for close-by Italian food. Wonder if they have Bracciol?
Just... Good Lord. When I was headed down the coast of California and stopped in San Clemente to watch the sun set over their gorgeous beach, I had no idea I was about to stumble upon one of the best pizza places I'd ever visited. Yes, I mean anywhere in America, not just in California.
The thing that fist tips me off on whether a pizza place is about to be truly great is if they offer fresh basil as a topping. I can't imagine why most places don't offer this as a topping, because it makes or breaks a good pie. New Yorkers can tell you this. Yup, I got pretty excited when I saw it on the menu. It even got better from there.
I prefer thin crust pizza, and this is exactly what Sonny's pizza is. Not just thin crust... hand-rolled, crispy, cracker-thin crust that pops with brick oven flavor in every bite. Sonny's doesn't stop there. The sauce is sweet and perfectly balances with the saltiness of the cheese to create a robust punch to the taste buds. Because the pizza is so thin, one person can easily take out half a medium if you're good and hungry. Also, this pizza is so precious, you just can't bare to see one sad slice remain on the pan, can you?
My first time at Sonny's, one of the workers came to our table to take away our empty pizza pan and I practically jumped on him with praise. I think I may have scared him a little at first. I'm sure my eyes were a little glossed-over from my pizza high as I cried, "This may be the best pizza I've ever had ANYWHERE. And I travel a lot." He even look a little misty-eyed. Pizza touches people in the funniest ways. Pizza can bring people together. Like, if I wasn't already married, I'd want to marry whoever made this pizza. It's that good.
Plus, they have peach iced tea and CANNOLI. Come on, now. It's like they read my wishlist of what to throw into one place to create the ultimate perfect restaurant. I haven't even tried anything else on the menu (all of which looks spectacular) because I'm so in love with their pizza. I ate here three times the last time I was in California, even driving out of my way to make sure I ended back in San Clemente for this pie.
Don't ever change your pizza, Sonny. Please. For the love of all that's holy. Which is what I consider your pizza to be: holy pie.
IMHO - the BEST pizza in South Orange County, and definitely in my Top 5 best pizza joints in So Cal. Â If you're a fan of thin crust pizza with the most amazing red sauce and premium toppings, then do yourself a favor and come here. Â They also have great pasta dishes (the baked pasta dishes are great).
Yes, it is almost always ridiculously crowded on the weekends, but worth the wait. Â Or you can always pick your order up to-go.
Parking can be a bit of a challenge, but I've found that if you park along Avenida de la Estrella (which is the street behind the restaurant) you have a better chance of finding a spot and it's easier to park.
Best Italian food in Orange County..
I used to eat here when I was on Pendleton. The lasagne is bubbling, steamy and just delicious. I need to take a road trip back down just for this place.
Thanks for being a memorable restaurant..
Pro's: Everything is good!
Con's: None! Worth any wait if there's a line.
This is the epitome of a classic Italian eatery. It's small and crowded together with all the other establishments on San Clemente's cramped streets, but its size offers a cozy setting definitive of the trusted mom-and-pop restaurants you may often turn to. This place is known prevalently for its pizza, but if you're in the mood for pasta, go for it! The pasta, with its special Sonny's sauce, is just as fabulous. Basically it's hard to go wrong here. I had a meatball sandwich at Sonny's once, and lemme tell ya, it was no ordinary lunch plate.
Parking may be a challenge, but don't settle for Olive Garden if you're lucky enough to find yourself in Sonny's downtown SC neighborhood! Treat yourself to real Italian food!
I can't believe the negative reviews on here. I have been to Sonny's countless times in the past 3 years (me and my man can't stay away from it; it's our place). Â Every time we go we get the same service and the same AMAZING food. EVERY TIME!!!! I love consistency especially when you love what you get. Nice to know you'll get it the next time. Speaking of things I love : Mushroom Ravioli with tomato cream sauce. One of the best Italian dishes I've ever had! And I'm Italian with an Italian grandma!!!! Garlic bread is so good and I always get a dinner salad too. We always get a Roman Orgy Pizza to go as well. I always tell everyone about this place. Try it!!! Don't listen to the haters!!!
Also: If you like Calamari you HAVE TO try Sonny's Calamari! You will be blown away!!!!!
At first glance, this place appears to be another Italian chain restaurant but don't be fooled by the font on the sign, this place is legit.
Inside, the decor is spacious yet the dimly lit setting creates a cozy and intimate ambiance. The wait staff was prompt and courteous but that's not why you should go. I may sound like a broken record here but...
Go for the gnocchi.
What I like most about this place is that they serve it with a delectable house made marinara sauce. While they don't come around to provide extra cheese when they deliver the plates, this comes with a light dusting of fresh grated Parmesan that rounds out the flavor perfectly.
The garlic bread was decent but it would had been better with a side of marinara dipping sauce. Or just slathered in the stuff. It's really good.
The Fettuccini Alfredo was a bit more tart than I anticipated - and that's a good thing - usually it's too bland for my taste. I'd recommend that if you're not a fan of those "oh so scrumptious potato pillows" (mmmmm....)
Next time I'm definitely going to have to save room for dessert...
We've stopped in here twice and have not been disappointed either time!
The Pizza is fresh ingredients, thin crispy crust and the sauce is very very good!
We went here for a late dinner on a thursday night and there was a wait, 20 minutes and we were seated, placed our order and food came out quickly, listening to the banter between wait staff, hostess, and customers there are a number of regulars that dine here, and no one is treated any differently. We were offered the same courteous and friendly conversation as the regulars.
This is a regular stop when in San Clemente!
Sláinte!
Another example of a diamond in the rough... ALWAYS try the hole-in-the-wall venues for the best kept secrets in touristy spots.
My cousin's wife has the MO down for this place - where to park nearby, when to arrive before the dinner rush, and the fact their cork charge is only $10 if you bring your own wine. :)
We were seated on the patio where we could take in the outdoors and sunshine while enjoying our meals. We all ordered something different and from what I could tell it was all delicious! I enjoyed their new Tortellini Rustica (mushrooms and ham baked into tortellini in a tomato sauce), and before I knew it I had downed my entire serving... rather unexpected since I had overindulged somewhat earlier via In-N-Out and ice cream.
Our server could have been a trifle friendlier, but he was adequate and prompt in responding to our food orders and libation needs. When you're surrounded by family & friends, any shortcomings by waitstaff gets a pass. :)
I really enjoyed this spot, again thanks to Yelp, I  was able to look for some italian around my beau's area. Im new to the San clemente dining  scene and so is my friend since he's never had  a dining partner in crime. I was yelping and we were past breakfast hours and I read about Tina and Vince but read about Sonny's the night before but I was sold  on Tina and Vince's  but unfortunately they're closed on Sunday's WHYYYYYYYY!!!!  So we kept driving and decided on Sonny's for lunch. Perfect timing because the night before I saw a big crowd waiting to be seated outside , so Sunday for lunch is a perfect time to go , no waiting and patio you should sit in because I got a tad bit out just out there so I could only imagine sitting inside, I'd be sweating lol.
Now I read in some reviews the service was  little off, now if I had one of the highschool girls be our waitress I might agree but my waitress was slightly older bubbly brunette and she was accomodating and totally cute, so my service was on point.
Too many choices to choose from on the menu,  my date had the chicken manicotti OMG im not one for chicken italian dishes BUT this was sooooooo good , i wanted to be greedy and have more of his. He also ordered a side of meatballs which wch was very tasty and the red sauce very very good. I ordered the meatball pizza and that was good, I just wish it was thick crust pizza, I hate flat pizzas, cest la vie , it was still tasty but I need thick crust man :p  Overall I love this spot and I can't wait to try more of their menu Mangia!!!
And no not everything on here taste the same in garlic like one reviewer stated LOL
We walked into this place and found the inside pretty empty but the outside almost full. Â They have an outside covered patio with plastic walls and sun shades. Â You get a view of the...parking lot and el camino. Â But the temperature is nice. Â We were asked to wait 5 minutes but were seated right away in the front middle of the patio. Â Right where all the waitresses walk by. Â The table beside us, on the wall, right beside us, opened up. Â Our hostess clearly saw the table open up but didn't offer to seat us there. Â Instead we got to sit at the wobbly table in the direct line of traffic. Â We asked our waitress if we could take the side table which turned out to be stable.
The garlic bread tastes like it was soaked in butter and then brushed with garlic powder. Â It's tasty, but not "good" by any means.
I had the fettuccine alfredo. Â It was bland. Â The most bland I have ever had. Â I had to drown it with red peppers before I could choke it down. Â Bad menu items should be taken off the menu. Â There's an easy one.
After staring at the pictures of desserts on placards found on each table, we couldn't resist ordering at least one slice of pie. Â They have a minty one, a cheesecake, a coffee one, one with cherries, etc. Â We went with the minty one which did not taste as good as the picture made it look. Â Or even as good as the printed description, though it was accurate.
Short Version: Good family restaurant.
Long Version: I come here once a year after the Mud Run, and the food is always tasty. It's a small restaurant, but big enough for your family to visit. The staff is friendly and the place is always bustling with customers, which speaks well of its food. It has your standard Italian restaurant dishes, and I personally recommend their pizzas. Parking can be tricky since they have a small lot, but there is usually parking on the street. If you're in the neighborhood, give'em a shot.
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