Buona Forchetta San Clemente

4.8 (461)

$30 and under

Italian

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1014 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672

Make a reservation

Buona Forchetta San Clemente

4.8

$30 and under

Italian

San Clemente

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 13, 2026

9:30 PM

Booked 31 times today

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Charming
Good for special occasions

Experience a piece of the Buona Forchetta San Diego heritage through authentic Italian recipes that have been handed down through generations. Today, there are five locations around San Diego, with our sixth in San Clemente (plus a recent seventh in Newport Beach). Buona Forchetta’s Italian wood-fired pizzas—with the perfectly soft-yet-crispy crusts—continue to garner awards including San Diego Magazine Best Pizza 2023 Critic’s Choice, Gambero Rosso Best Pizzeria, Gayot Best Italian Restaurant San Diego, OpenTable Diner’s Choice and more. Our handmade pasta dishes bursting with rich flavors, fresh seafood specialities and decadent desserts will all leave you craving more. All Buona Forchetta locations also offer gluten-free Italian options and rotating specials.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of operation
Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Lunch Mon, Thu 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(949) 503-2842
Website
http://www.buonaforchettasd.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Location
1014 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672
Neighborhood
San Clemente
Parking details
None
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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What 461 people are saying

Buona Forchetta San Clemente reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.5Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Buona Forchetta San Clemente delights with "awesome" food, attentive service, and a vibrant ambiance. Guests rave about their pizzas, pastas, and delectable lasagna. With a welcoming staff and easy parking, it's perfect for family gatherings or intimate dinners. Despite occasional busyness, the warm Italian atmosphere ensures a "memorable dining experience."

461 Reviews

J
Jim
Orange County8 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 3, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We've been to Buona Forchetta several times and it's always great. I chose it for my birthday meal yesterday and was glad I did. Service and ambiance are great. We had the eggplant appetizer along with the Regina Margherita & Puttanesca pizzas. Everything was fantastic. Do yourself a favor and skip the attitude and average pizza at the Dana Point spot with all the hype. BF's pizza blows it away.
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A
Arlen
Hawaii1 review
5.0
Dined on May 26, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful! The food was Awesome!!! We will return soon . . .
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G
Gary
Orange County6 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 24, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything about our meal was excellent.. the food, the service, the ambience.
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E
Erika Gold
San Diego49 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 23, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Food was served in a timely manner and hot. Love it when the food is served hot, it definitely was made fresh to order. We had pizza for an appetizer! We each had a different dish and we were absolutely thrilled with how delicious they all were. Meatballs were mouthwatering. Would recommend, and we will be back
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s
sandra michelle
San Diego1 review
4.0
Dined on May 17, 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
I did not eat at your restaurant on May 17th. I’m very curious how someone used my name email and/or phone number.
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R
Richard Gold
Orange County42 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 17, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great wine and our server Lauralyn is the best she had great recommendations and a very good server.
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S
Stephanie
San Francisco2 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 10, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Lasagna was amazing, artichokes and pizza as well. I'm sure you couldn't go wrong with anything you order!
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J
Jerry Gold
Orange County136 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 9, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Halfway there. Meeting daughter and grandsons halfway between our 2 homes for a Mother’s Day lunch. Buona Forchetta fit the bill. Wonderful, friendly greeting, fabulous pizzas and calamari, in a bright restaurant on a sunny day.
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J
Julia Gold
Los Angeles8 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 3, 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
We love, love the food here! We’ve dined here a few times before and have always had a great experience. This time around they seemed to have been a little short staffed, especially towards the end, so the service was a little bit less attentive than what we’ve become accustomed to at Buona Forchetta.
1 person found this helpful
J
Jon Gold
Los Angeles31 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 2, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a lovely dinner at Buena Horchata tonight and we have been dining there several times and always have great service great food and tonight was no exception. Everything was yummy and the service was great. It was a little busy but gave us time to enjoy our evening and we will be back again soon.
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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of operation
Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Lunch Mon, Thu 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(949) 503-2842
Website
http://www.buonaforchettasd.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Location
1014 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672
Neighborhood
San Clemente
Parking details
None
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card

Make a reservation

Buona Forchetta San Clemente

4.8

$30 and under

Italian

San Clemente

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 13, 2026

9:30 PM

Booked 31 times today