La Rocco’s Pizzeria
113B S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA, 92672
La Rocco’s Pizzeria Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in San Clemente for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in San Clemente for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in San Clemente for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
113B S El Camino Real
San Clemente, CA, 92672 - Phone (949) 366-8890
- Website https://laroccospizzasc.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Sabrina E.
It was suggested that we try this place for good NY style pizza. As a Californian, I've never been entirely certain of what NY style pizza is, but this pizza is yummy! I have only done take-out, but the pizza is always hot and ready, the employees (boys) working there are always friendly, and the pizza is delicious. Delicious! Plenty of vegetarian options available. My NY friends love it too, so that must mean something. Unfortunately, La Rocco's does not deliver anymore, but it's clearly no deterrent as I continue to eat their pizza. Try it! (they do use loads of fresh garlic so be warned...)
(5)Georgia S.
Probably the best pizza in the area, but definitely not great. The crust is good but lucks crispness and flavor. The crust used to be better before changing owners but the place is a lot cleaner now. Overall not a bad place. It definitely does the trick when you crave some NY style pizza.
(4)Rhett H.
You could easily walk by this non-discript-for-california pizza shop (compare to Pizza Port) and disregard it's funny-looking pizza. "Thin crust? White pizza? What's up with that," you might say to yourself. Well, it is one man's vision to bring a little New York style pizza to the left coast. And not just your run of the mill New York pizza (which compared to the average pizza place in the US is above average; New Yorkers are spoiled in this regard. Kind of like BBQ in the midwest), but it is really good New York pizza, fresh and with kind service. Recently they opened a second store in Huntington Beach ( stockteam.com/laroccos_p… ), so now you don't have to travel all the way to Camp Pendleton to get a good slice. Enjoy.
(5)Al G.
The best pizza in San Clemente. If your a pizza nut, this is the place for you. The dough is made there fresh every day and has the perfect balance of crispness and flavor. The toppings aren't swimming in pool of sauce and cheese like some of the other places in town. They do it right. New owners now, but the recipes stayed and the pizza is still tops in this Italian's book.
(5)Kat k.
Wow, what happened to this place.......new owners has turned out to mean HORRIBLE customer service and the pizza now sucks!!!.. It was greasy and tasted like cardboard. I called to ask if this pizza was supposed to have pizza sauce on it? He said no, it's a white pizza. I asked why it's not listed under white pizza on the website then.......his answer was "I don't know" with attitude. This is how customers are treated? I asked to speak with the manager. WARREN answered the phone and was the most cocky, unprofessional and ignorant manager I've ever come across. He attempted to belittle me to his staff while on the phone....nice try! You actually need some form of intelligence for that to work. Basically asked if I had any more questions about the pizza- no apology, no offer to make our experience any better. Just lost two customers. DO NOT GIVE THEM UR MONEY UNLESS U WANT TO PURCHASE ATTITUDE.
(1)Heidi H.
A crusty hole in the wall to buy tasty NY style pizza by the slice. Salad left much to be desired (it was like costco greens with a cherry tomato or two that were too old to eat). If I was the type of person to eat pizza without salad, I'd give it more stars. But I need a good salad with my pizza and this they don't offer.
(2)Robert F.
Very good,not the best, and i know Pizza. The crust is off a little bit, but not much
(4)Sabine C.
Awesome pizza!! Best is takeout as the space is too small hence crowded!
(5)T A.
Good pizza. Heavy on the cheese but very tasty.
(4)Anjelica A.
BEST PIZZA IN THE WORLD! Maybe its because the owner is from New York and is funny as hell! He's a sweetheart, and has a great recipe! Occasionally he will bring some Pizza over to Ole's Tavern during a good football game, or even his fabulous garlic bread bites!!! SOO FREAKING AMAZING!!! I highly recommend, if you are in the heart of San Clemente, Try this place! It'll make you hurt yourself!
(5)Mitchell G.
This is the best pizza place I have ever eaten at! Go
(5)Matt R.
white pizza is amazing. i have had most of the pizzas and they are all good. plenty of types to choose from by the slice.
(4)Brian G.
This is the closest to real NY pizza you can get in Southern California, down to the "Your lucky to eat our pizza" attitude. Seriously a good pie, authentic, with the right amount of sauce, cheese and crust. Hard to find, small little place, spartan interior, maybe 3 tables. So what. Good pizza.
(4)Robert B.
In New York or New Jersey this would be average pizza, which is quite a compliment. In Southern California, this is great pizza. There is absolutely no pizza joint in San Clemente that comes close to this pizza. Do yourself a favor and try it.
(5)Bryan W.
God lifted up a small patch of New York City and placed it on the Pacific Coast in the town of San Clemente. The holiness of this action still lingers within the pizza crust baked by mortals hands in the pizza ovens of La Rocco's Pizzeria. Though not a native New Yorker, I spent 5 years living in Manhattan and Brooklyn - and feel justified in being a pizza snob as I try what the west coast has to offer. I was encouraged to try La Rocco's by my born, raised, and educated in NYC friend who is now a California immigrant living in Orange County. He gives a stamp of approval on the authenticity of this New York style pizza and I concur. Now the price of a slice is more than I was accustom to in NYC. It's $3+ per slice and my standard used to be $1.50/slice. However, when you factor in the price of airfare it's a steal. I ordered one slice of La Rocco's and one slice of the Chef's pizza. The La Rocoo's had pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and strong garlic on the expected red sauce and mozzarella. The Chef's was a red sauce and mozzarella with oregano and healthy slices of tomato. Beer is available by the bottle.
(5)Jayme M.
Amazing amazing amazing!!!! Worth every penny! We got a Caesar salad, knots and a pepperoni pizza. It was so good!!!! Reminded me of being I new York! Lots of seating in the back and they actually have a small parking lot next to them!!!
(5)Julie M.
I love me some La Racco's. We have been going here for years. They have the closest thing to NY Pizza around and it's some tasty stuff. Just bummed they don't deliver anymore... Love their slices too...
(4)Nicanor B.
best pizza in san clemente period. i love you rocco's
(5)Kim Y.
To say my family loves this place is an understatement. Best pizza, hands down, on the west coast. The Rhode Island is insanely good, the white stone.... Yum. The chef's special... Reminds me of childhood. The staff are super great as well. Just a great local joint to happily support!
(5)Jordan P.
Wow this pizza is that good! Tons of different options to choose by the slice. Low on the meat selection, mostly have vegetarian pizzas but that's ok with me. We tried about 4 or 5 different kinds and they were all incredible! Will definitely be back when in the area. tip: apparently there is extra seating in the back, you have to walk thru the kitchen to get there! cool!
(5)Kendyl H.
Two words: food poisoning .... twice. I ate here a year or so ago, and got food poisoning... spent the whole next 24hours throwing up and taking care of business. I warned my co-workers not to eat there, but they went there today and 2 of them and throwing up and sick. Are the employees even washing their hands? Who knows... but Ill never step foot in there again.
(1)Jennifer G.
This place used to be the "real deal" . The slices were authentic, fresh and downright GREAT! Sadly overt he last year I have seen the quality slide .. I kept going back hoping it was just a fluke, that that they would change back.. but alas .. I don't think they are going to be able to do. The Whitestone slice , which was always my favorite , tasted like cardboard crust with fake ricotta cheese droppings atop. The ricotta itself was also cold. .. even my dog didn't want it. The garlic knots have dropped in size , and taste as they no longer have olive oil or fresh garlic taste and the red sauce was no good. Hoping they pull it together but in the meantime will be eating elsewhere
(2)Minga T.
Awesome pizza! I walked by this place all the time, and I kept telling myself that I would eventually try it & now I have & I now have a new favorite pizza joint! I'm a big fan of picking out a slice of a few different types that they specialize in. I tried three today and they were all amazing; however, favorite is the Whitestone. It's amazing & you owe to yourself to try it. I am also a fan of there Taco Pizza. It's very good, but I have to admit, that I am biased because it reminds me of my childhood. There is definitely no shortage of excellent pizza in San Clemente, La Rocco's is my all time favorite anywhere.
(5)Andy L.
Excellent New York style thin-crust pizza. I had two slices and both were great. Highly recommended!!
(5)Chris S.
Fourgetaboutittttttttt Hands down best NY Style pizza in CA. Im from NJ and this tasted just like home.
(5)Joanna B.
At first I was scared when we went to park and there were no lights on. And no sign. THANKFULLY they moved to a better space right across the street! In addition to new scenery, they've added some new pizzas. I only tried on of the new additions but it was delicious (like I had a doubt). More seating indoors and it looked like there is a little outside area as well. Best pizza in town- these guys don't disappoint! Delivery would be awesome (hint hint) :)
(5)darren h.
After setting up camp at nearby San Clemente state beach, our group headed out in search of food. Came across this awesome pizzeria. Plenty of parking in the rear and surrounding streets. Once we walked in the smell was overwhelming. Everything looked so good. The front has a few tables and is on the warm side. Then I saw a note saying their back room was open. Had to go around the outside to the back entrance but what a difference. Cool with ceiling fans blowing. Plenty of seats and big tables. The guys working this place were so friendly and helpful. You can buy pizza by the slice or whole or get the assorted. For the same price as a whole you get to mix and match 8 pieces of their pre made slices. Much faster and the variety was impressive.
(4)E K.
Why is this place so so so good???? I really didn't think I would be walking into the best pizza joint on earth. I was merely visiting San Clemente for the weekend and riding my bike with my bf when he said he kind of wanted to try this place. I was full and agreed to share one slice with him. We got a slice of the Whitestone pizza because the guy working there said it was his favorite. After one bite into that slice and I had to stop and turn my head to stare at my fiancé. I always thought pizza was just pizza, but this was something else!!! The ball of ricotta cheese on the slice went perfectly with the warm stretchy mozzarella cheese. I think what sold me was the garlic buttered thin crispy crust. I got a second slice. The next day, we were leaving San Clemente but before we left, we stopped by la Rocco's to pick up a whole box of the Whitestone pizza. If you do decide to take the pizza from here home, it is a requirement that they are heated up in the oven before eating. No microwaves or eating it cold, they must be heated in the oven so that the crust retains its crispness and the cheese is gooey and stretchy again. I just wish they would make one closer to me! La Rocco's.. Can you guys open up another shop in Fullerton please?
(5)Dale C.
I am not from NY so I am not going to claim how this compares to pie from there but I was really impressed. Lots of choices (slices) to pick from, the guys working the counter are super friendly, and best of all, I think the prices are very fair.
(4)Lauren B.
So far this is the closest thing to NY pizza i've had here in SoCal. I'm from slightly "upstate" NY so I know good pizza. I ordered the white artichoke pizza. It was really good! Had marinated artichokes, cheese, garlic and a line of tomatoe sauce down the middle. Great garlic flavor, great cripsy crust, great sauce. I'm so happy I tried the pizza at La Rocco's.
(4)David W.
It is with a heavy heart I write this update. I loved this place. The best pizza out here hands down. I came here last night for a plain pie with peppers and onions. I was eating it when something didn't taste right, The crust had lost it's flavor and the sauce did not have that nice tangy taste like I remember. I noticed that the Marzano Tomatoe cans were gone replaced with generic cans. I asked the help. Did something change? Where's Paulie? I was told the place had been sold. I dropped to my knees looked up to the sky and asked why, why would someone mess with perfection? Oh well, another one bites the dust to save a few pennies.
(3)Bean Z.
I LOVE this place so much. The Whitestone is hands down one of the best pizzas to grace this planet. The Bronx is also really good. They couldn't make a bad pizza if they tried. Awesome lunch deals too. Dining area is small but you don't go to hang out. Go, get your slice and let the next person enjoy. They do sell whole pies and every time we walk in the door with one it lasts maybe 10 minutes. Always five stars!!!
(5)Barbara H.
I will not give up carbs if it call for never eating another pizza at LaRocco's. They have, 'hands down', the best crunchy thin pizza crust in all of the OC!!
(5)Tina C.
Pretty good thin crust pizza. They only make large pizzas. The problem with large thin crust pizzas is the center gets soggy. The crispy part was really good though.
(3)Emily J.
Pizza was ok, but, personally I didn't feel like it tasted like any pizza I had in NY. Kind of pricey for just being so-so. Still on the hunt for a great pizza here in the OC...
(3)Andrew M.
Oh my god. So delicious. I've only been to NYC twice. And the pizza I was shown there by local relatives tasted like this. La Rocco's is the best in San Clem
(5)Amanda P.
The plain cheese pizza here is nothing extraordinary, but I really enjoyed the white pizza. The ricotta was perfectly creamy and sweet. The plain cheese, however, didn't have enough sauce on it. This place definitely has the New York style crust that's so hard to find in this area, though--so many Orange County pizza places have a crust that looks and tastes pre-made, and you won't have that problem here. The special (two slices and a drink) is easily enough food for one person, but we got the garlic knots too. Unfortunately, that was a mistake; the garlic knots were really tough. Being so close to the beach, parking can be difficult. There's street parking and two lots just behind the building, but we still had to search for a spot. I'd come back for the white pizza again if I happened to be in the area.
(4)Amanda H.
Good try at New York style pizza. The crust and pizza is pretty tasty. Love the different varieties they offer and going to recommend to anyone who's willing to try. Great pizza
(4)John M.
Great pizza p;lace. Famuly run business that also hgives back to the commybuty/ They help and participate in the APRIL 17 on the poeir in San Clement. I was able to taste a few slices home and it was good. The committee for the EARTH DAY had a meeting after the Press Event. The Press Event was attend by City Officials and Volunteers. See you APRIL 17 at the SAN CLEMENTE
(3)Anthony D.
Tried their pizza April of 2013 so things may have been different before. As far as context, let's just say Orange County doesn't have a heck of a lot of good pizza. With this in mind, the pizza itself is worth 3 - 4 stars. As far as La Rocco's being the "New York style" many reviewers talk about -- I'd say they're right. It's the kind of pizza you would get in Manhattan at 4 in the morning when you ask your non-English speaking, bloodshot eyed, cab driver if he knows where you can get a good slice. And just to be clear, that would be the majority of pizza places in Manhattan. (It's sad but true. There aren't many places like John's on Bleecker Street.) Staff was rude and/or from Bensonhurst.
(3)D P.
Best pizza in so cal !!! I dont know if it "tastes like a new york pizza" but honestly i dont care !! I DO KNOW it tastes damn good and thats all that matters to me !!! the crust is great and the sauce is amazing !!
(5)Rudy L.
Pizza here is mostly served by the slice. When we first walked in, we walked out. The pizzas looked old and dry, and did not seem particularly appetizing. But, given the yelp reviews, we decided to go back and try it. We were pleasantly surprised. Not, by any stretch, the best pizza I've had, but they were pretty tasty. The sauce was particularly good, and the crust (thin and crisp) was also very good. We had a La Rocco's Special, an asparagus, a bacon, green onion and potato, and a spinach pizza slice. All were good, though not spectacular. A good balance between sauce, cheese and crust, and they did have extra sauce in the fridge that you could put on your pizza. It bugged me that they did not have unsweetened iced tea, and that they sold iced tea only in bottles, and not as a fountain drink. And, while won't be craving this pizza, nor will we likely be going out of our way to go back, if we are in the area and looking for a fairly inexpensive meal, we'll probably go back here.
(4)Brian J.
Hands down the best NY style pizza in Orange County, if not the best pizza in Orange County. Period! Excellent food. Excellent service. Extremely friendly staff.
(5)Glen I.
So Good! The only complaint I have is why do they not have other stores!!
(5)Stuart N.
We visit San Clemente each year and are always on the hunt for a great pizza. La Rocco's makes the cut. Outstanding New York style pizza. Fast and friendly service on a Thursday night after a day at the beach. No doubt, La Rocco's will become a tradition for our family.
(5)Angela M.
Their new location moved across the street. My husband and I still think it's the best pizza in OC. We always stick with the traditional cheese pizza and do carry out. Yummy....
(5)Eugene R.
The best pizza I've had in California. This place would probably survive as a neighborhood joint in Philly or new York. I mean that as a high compliment for a pizza joint. Good thin crust and tasty toppings. When I first came to Cali and had disappointing pizza experiences, I thought the problem must be in the earth's magnetic field. How else to explain uniformly poor product? Then, finally, it hit me that you can't cook something properly if you don't know how it should taste. La Rocco's original owner solved the problem, since he was from Brooklyn. At last, a good pizza in California.
(5)Jay W.
I loved this place since the day it opened. My wife is from Brooklyn and she loves it. It is best eaten fresh and on location.
(4)Tara C.
absolute best pizza in town! Love it! Their Manhattan Pizza is bomb!
(5)Evangelline T.
I can have pizza any day, and this place makes some pretty good pizza. I was contemplating on getting pizza from this place or Brick Pizzeria next door, and I'm glad I walked two more blocks to try this place. My favorite is that they add fresh garlic to their pizza (most of them), and the slices are huge. Very reasonably priced and made my day more enjoyable at work . Good food makes me happy :)
(5)Sepi B.
So, I heard this place imports their water from Brooklyn - is this a fact? I LOVE their pizza!! I've only had pizza like this in one other place... NYC. This little place called Posto PIzza. I'll never forget the thin crust with a subtle crunch. I craved that pizza for like the past 2 years. Thank goodness for La Rocco's. The crust is EXACTLY the same... I'm totally in love :) Yay.
(4)D B.
So I have never been to New York and have no idea what real New York pizza tastes like but if this is what they have - sign me up. I cannot pass by this place on my way to San Diego without getting some great pizza and garlic knots.
(5)T J.
Lunch stop. We had the knots to start that were OK. For pizza we ordered a Pauley's Special (whole pie instead of a slice or two and had some left for later). The pizza was good and not at all greasy! Would suggest to call ahead and get a carry out and take it home as the dine in was not relaxing.
(3)Carolyn G.
Best pizza I've had in California since I moved here 7 years ago! They use water flown in from Connecticut, so it tastes like it does back east! Most places try to use East Coast recipes but with California water, so it never comes out just right. Definitely worth the drive to San Clemente!
(5)Bob W.
This is absolutely the best NY style pizza I have experienced on the west coast. the crust is crispy, yet chewy with just the right amount of sauce and cheese.
(4)Jackie D.
Spectacular pizza! Alas, they don't deliver, but it's so good I'm gonna start driving two miles to pick it up. And it's locally owned.
(5)Krista H.
Once you've had real NY pizza, nothing else will ever compare. I'd rather have Dominoes or Pizza Hut than this, but since it's the only place nearby we get it on occasion when we're really craving the NY pizza experience. Garlic knots are microscopic in size, and not good. The cannoli's were disgusting. I had never had one before, so maybe I just don't like them in general, to be fair. The guys are kind of a downer, not super friendly.
(2)Samantha A.
UPDATE~ I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT AFTER WRITING THIS REVIEW, THE EMPLOYEE WHO WAS SO RUDE WAS FIRED. I UPPED MY RATING, BECAUSE THE PIZZA IS SO DELICIOUS, BUT I STILL HAVE RESERVATIONS CONCERNING THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE. I wish I could leave less than one star! I have never yelped before, but I just had to get the word out on this place. While the pizza is fabulous, it is not worth the horrible service and after tonight, I will never go back and I hope that no one else does either. Normally, the service is just bad. The young boys who work there are rarely polite and often act as though you are bothering them when you order a pizza. The store closes pretty early, and they won't take an order half an hour before they close. That means that you can't order a pizza at 8:30 at night. Not great customer service, but if you know about it, you can work around it. Unless you call forty minutes before they close and they still won't take an order, which has happened to me on two separate occasions. But tonight was the final straw for me. When I got home, there was raw garlic on my pizza, which I specificallly asked them to exclude. I called because I wanted them to know they had screwed up. The young man was beyond rude. I asked to speak to the manager. He told me the manager was not there. Then I asked his name. He got progressively more beligerent, threatening to hang up on me if I didn't calm down, (which I didn't think that continuing to ask his name seemed overly distraught,) and finally he told me I could F*&** myself. Several times. At that point I told him that I would get him fired and hung up. I cannot believe this is how the owners want their customers treated, but if it is, I'm hoping that San Clemente will not support their business.
(3)McKinley R.
If you like greasy pizza, go ahead to laroccos. Dont even think about the salad- it was warm and I asked for ranch dressing and it was so thick and warm, I couldn't even pour it out of the container, so it wouldn't spread on the salad, then it also tasted gross- I will never go back.
(1)Edward H.
Been to this place about a dozen times, and it is truly consistent. This is the best pizza in orange county! It is thin NY style with crunchy crust and the cheese is baked to perfection! Many pizza places in The OC use a screen to bake it on, funny none of the pizza places I go to in New York use a screen and guess what Larocco's doesn't use a screen either score another point for them. This place is awesome!!!!
(5)B A.
There is a lack of quality pizza options in the area. For a few quick slices this is a good place to go to. The prices are reasonable and taste is above most places around.
(4)Daniel K.
You will love this place and if you've lived in or been to New York then you'll love it that much more. Never had pizza in CA in my life that is such a perfect duplicate of New York style pizza... Awesome.
(5)Shellie G.
If you are anywhere near San Clemente you have to stop and try this awesome NY pizza. You will be soooooooo glad you did! Hands down the best pizza ever!
(5)Courtney C.
First time here review! The food is great for what you're paying for. I got the La Rocco's Pizza and a Whitestone. Both were good, although I have yet to have a cheaper white pizza that wasn't super dry. The la Rocco's pizza was just the right amount of grease and it was spicy and flavorful. I like the facility. Looks clean and the guys there are super nice. The drink selection is not good though. I wanted to have a drink with dinner but I was out of luck because all the choices are beer (which I don't drink), so I grabbed a Mountain Dew code red instead. I was halfway through the drink when I discovered that it had expired a month ago! I didn't return it because I didn't want to be that jerk who asks for a new soda over something like that. I was going to give them 4 stars, but honestly they should be looking for the expiration dates. It's not hard to have someone go through that small refrigerator once a week. It wasn't a huge deal but it was a turn off for sure.
(3)Bruce C.
OMG! It's like I've had pizza for the 1st time! My beautiful wife brought home a box of leftover pizza from La Rocco's last night. Inside were slices from five different pizzas and I tried em all. Best pizza I have ever had!!! And the crust!! OMG the crust is something I usually toss to my dogs but not this crust! I don't know what's in it but I'm pretty sure it's addictive. Let me go on record as saying I am a professional in the food business, I am something of a gourmet food snob and married to an Italian (also in the food business) and she really knows how to cook. We both agree that La Rocco's pizzas are head & shoulders above the crowd and put most other pizzas to shame. Warning! Try La Rocco's Pizzeria once and you will not be able to enjoy pizza from anywhere else ever again. They are on a whole different level. Prepare to be wow'd!
(5)Micah C.
So far the best pizza I've found in Orange County. A bit pricy, but I guess you gotta pay for good specialty food
(4)Kristina F.
Two stars for the pizza, it's good. The staff on the other hand is ridiculous. After 45 min of waiting to receive our pizza in house (with an 18mo old toddler to keep happy, in a dirty high chair, we had to clean it, bits of food stuck to it), and we asked about the status of our order, the staff seemed baffled as to what we were talking about after we'd already spent 30 dollars. While we continued waiting in the dining room, a staff member, a tall male with dark hair and glasses was eating pizza and building boxes at the same time, loudly I might add. After he finished with the boxes, a blond male staff member came in the dining room and slammed open the cupboards that the other staff member had just finished filling with boxes. Seems these two guys have some sort of issue with each other and it's affecting the business and its customers in a very negative way. My husband and I were not the only ones to make comments that night. An hour later, we left the place with a very cranky toddler and a few reasons to never come back. I will say the pizza is good if you're willing to put up with the staff's obvious issues. Sad to see. Hope it gets resolved. Would be 5 stars if there was good service.
(2)John K.
I was born and raised on the east coast and consider myself a pizza connoisseur as I have had it all. NY, NJ, and Chicago style to name a few. La Rocco's is the best pizza in Southern California HANDS DOWN! If you like New York Style pizza, you will love La Rocca's. Glad La Rocca's is in my town. This is a must if you are ever in San Clemente. BTW, the garlic knot's rock!
(5)Laura R.
Great NY style pizza, hand tossed crust, loaded with toppings. Had meatball, garlic and green pepper pizza, was very yummy. The sauce could have been a little more spicy, but overall it was good 'za.
(4)Shane R.
This is my go to spot for a quick slice and garlic knots. Fair prices and quick efficient service.
(4)Marmar M.
considering this is in South OC, not a great area for pizza, this place is not too bad. Consider getting a whole pie since the slices just sit in the case and you cant get that crispy/doughy texture in the same bite as a fresh slice.. got 2 slices and a cola-was just short a few cents of $10!!!! then noticed the sign 2+cola=~7.. whasup w.dat? counter guy didn't even mention the special- a 16oz coke is $3?????? c'mon.... pizza is so so.."brooklyn" is the best one of the lot..aye, its not like youze in brooklayn , k? more like 3.5 stars..
(3)M C.
We came in starving after a baseball tournament and didn't have to wait. They had a large variety of pizzas by the slice. The shrimp is a must try! Also, there is extra seating in the back.
(5)Meemo W.
holy moly, this pizza place is not a place i would've expected to see on the west coast.. the pizza here is phenomenal, felt like i was back in the tristate if you're an east coast person, just go there and take one bite.. you'll know what i mean the kind of pizza that's here would actually be considered more healthy than anything else.. the stuff you see at chains like huge oily crusts, fatty oily meats and simply not properly made pizza are all things that you won't find here.. plenty of parking on the street personally, i suggest that if you don't wanna get an entire pizza, get the 2 slice + drink special.. it's more worth it than just one slice this is a 100% legit east coast approved pizza joint, no doubt about it if you're not from the area, just know there are a lot of jarheads up and about since pendleton's just a stone's throw away.. great guys to chat with if you have time
(5)Eric B.
Thin New York pies with a thick New York attitude. Not my favorite style of pizza, but it is authentic and priced to make it a cheap lunch, snack or dinner. They're all good, and if you are lucky enough to be having a beer across the road at Ole's around closing time, Rocco may just drop off a few pies on the way home.
(3)Paul M.
Was staying at the san clemente campsite but walked into town for a beer and a bite where we ended up trying three pizza joints with no prejudice (didn't yelp them). This, unfortunately was the weakest of the bunch. I love a thin NY slice and maybe it's because we got reheated slices but the pizza was greasy, tough and dry. would not be back.
(2)Melanie A.
Pizza is excellent but most of the guys that work there have attitude and lack customer service skills.
(4)Jane H.
Fast service, good pizza, great prices, and excellent garlic knots.
(5)Natasha P.
Their Whitestone pizza is my favorite, their salads are great and the poppyseed dressing is homemade by a friend! I love the guys there. They are always pleasant.
(4)Lauren W.
Wow! This is the best pizza I've ever had fresh everything flavors are insane
(5)Bridget W.
Trust me, I know pizza. I love pizza. I have practically studied pizza. And, for Southern California, La Rocco's Pizzeria is as good as it can be. Fashioned in true New York style, a La Rocco's slice has everything a pizza aficionado craves: paper thin crust, tart San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh buffalo mozzarella and that nice, dusty burnt bottom. Typically, I stroll over to La Rocco's after a long day at the beach in San Clemente. The smell wafting down the street brings many a beachcomber. There can be a line for your pie, but it is well worth it .. and, luckily for a dog lover like me, there is an adorable pet boutique right next door to hinder the hungry wait. The restaurant is modern and fresh. You can eat in or take out. However, any great slice deserves the respect to be devoured fresh out of the oven. Enjoy, and just remember, when the top of your roof burns from the first bite, you know it is a perfect slice.
(5)Heidi M.
Since I've lived in both NYC and Chicago, and ate my fair share of this food genre, I think I can adequately chitter chatter about darn good pizza. And La Rocco is darn good pizza! It's the closest thing I've had to good pizza sinced I exited through the Lincoln Tunnel. I had a slice of pepperoni and a mushroom slice - excellent! Great prices too.
(4)Dru O.
Never been to NY, but if La Rocco's is a little slice of what I 'm missing...book me a flight to the east coast! It's good!
(4)Don B.
Really good pizza. Im from jersey and this is really a new east coast pizza cooked on a deck oven not a air conveyor oven. Go get some.
(5)Matt D.
LaRocco's has the best NY style pizza in SoCal. They also use ricotta cheese in their calzones. Get "The Godfather" pizza, you will not be disappointed.
(5)Tim S.
Fantastic pizza! Does not have delivery, but is worth the drive. Take out is best.
(5)Rachael R.
My favorite pizza! Use to miss our old pizza place in San Rafael call Amici's on 4th street in Marin County ~ but this beats that pizza hands down...great thin crust and as close to New York Pizza as you can get.....getting hungry just thinking about it!
(5)Jan M.
Born and raised a NY Italian and I love NY style pizza and in general I eat a lot of pizza. I think La Rocco's has very good NY style Pizza. So far it is the best we have had in San Clemente. At this point it is our go to place and we will continue to drive out of our way to pick up pizza for pizza night.
(4)Greg M.
This place rules, been here a million times and never a bad thing to say... If you like NY style pizza this is a must try. Good staff and friendly vibe, the best around
(5)Rose V.
The pizza here is deee-licous. I had two slices, La Rocco's Special (pepperoni, meatball, fresh mushrooms, & fresh garlic) and the Pauly's Special (La Rocco's garlic & oil sauce, fresh chopped basil, parmesan & mozzarella topped with fresh sliced tomatoes). Both were equally tasty.What a deal, 2 slices w/ a drink $6.95. The pizza is fantastic and the service is quick/friendly.
(5)Charles L.
La Rocco's is AWESOME! The pizza was great, the service was quick and personable, and the price was downright cheap. They had quite the selection of pizzas as well. I ordered a "White Stone" with mozzarella, roasted garlic, and globs of ricotta atop. As we were leaving, my wife left her purse, and the employee behind the counter chased us down to return it! I will be coming back next time I'm in the area!
(5)Dani M.
Best pizza of my life. Order the White Stone Pizza. You will thank me. I also really like the spinach with tomato, but the White Stone is it! Worth the drive any day.
(5)James S.
Best Pizza in south orange county. Imports the water to get the new york taste. 2 slices plus drink $7, only pizza! Highly recommend, back room to bring kids and control for a little relaxation while enjoying your pizza. Then hop next door to red velvet yogurt for dessert!
(5)Michael M.
Good god! Best tasting pizza in southern orange county, have tried every pizza, always friendly service and great food
(4)Jone H.
I use to work nearby and would come at least once weekly. You can't beat two slices and a drink for $5.95. I usually get the sausage and spinach and the plain cheese. Delicious! The clientele is a mix of beach-goers and Marines, with the occasional dog(s) that hangs out nearby. I now drive about half an hour to get my slice of La Rocco's and it's still worth it!
(4)john c.
Best Pizza in O.C. being from the big apple pizza is my life. It does not get any better than this place. Order the crust a little crispy,you wont be disappointed. All ingredients are fresh and tasty, fold your slice like a new yorker and you'll be sittin in the Bronx,fagheetta bout it!
(5)Daniel K.
Without a doubt the best pizza in South OC. While it's not the best pizza you'll ever have, but to find pizza this good in the OC is amazing. My favorite is the whitestone, although I doubt you can go wrong here. Also, they have a great new deal that features two slices with a drink with for $5. Ever since going back and forth between NYC and here I've longed good pizza with good prices and this has it for sure.
(5)Emily R.
Best pizza I have ever had. Crispy thin and delicious toppings. You can't go wrong here, then next door to Velvet Yogurt for dessert!
(5)J. P.
OK but not enough topping for the price. Pizzas are $19.95 or more. Fresh crust but skimpy ingredients.
(3)angela m.
ok, I am about to tell you the ugly truth about La Roccos. My husband refuses to eat any other pizza.........until tonight. He is from Jersey, born and raised on pizza and dunkin doughnuts. In our family, we are not allowed to order from any other pizza place because he LOVES La Rocco's pizza. Unfortunately this love affair has ended. This evening, he ordered a pizza for our family, he was told it would be 40 minutes. No problem he says and packs the family in the car with a few minutes to spare. When he arrives, he is told that there were 3 guys with the same name that ordered the same pizza, and they sold it. There was no apology, just we can make another one but it will be 20 minutes. A simple "I am sorry, have some garlic knots and we will make another one", would have been just fine but....nothing. So....here I am 2 hours later with a family of 4 that has not eaten. When I called to speak to a manger, he was too busy. The kid that I talked to said hey, mistakes happen. Of course they do but it's how you deal with them that makes the difference. To Tracie(sp?), the owner, you should know that you/your staff are treating people this way and that you are losing good, LOCAL customers because of it.
(1)Robert M.
Definitely good pizza here and a great deal too (2-slice and a soda for $5.50 or a slice a salad and a soda for $6.25) and these are big slices too. Our favorites are the Putanesca (artichokes + olives), the Pomodoro (cherry tomatoes and spinach) and their white pizza with tomato slices.
(4)Mark H.
I'm From NY and moved here in Sept. 09 . This is the Best Pizza hands down. Thin Crust ,Delicious toppings, and Unbelievable Taste. Everyone is Friendly and very appreciative of your business. They have Awesome Garlic Knots. I will not eat Pizza anywhere else and Usually eat here once a week. I think tonight will be another Pizza and Garlic Knot Dinner. When you order from La Rocco's you know your always getting a quality Pie.
(5)Danny D.
This is my new favorite pizza place. I've never been a fan of thin crust, because its always dry and chewy, but La Rocco's crust is light and crispy, even by the slice! Their slices are more thoughtful (white artichoke, with a line of marinara down the middle. spinach and sausage) than other pizza joints, but its still relatively cheap for lunch. Haven't had a garlic knot yet, but I am getting there. Gotta try everything in the case first!
(5)Anita L.
Best New York-style pizza in the area. Love their crust! "Cause you've got to fold the slice in half to properly eat it! One of our best camping memories is getting La Rocco's delivered to the campground at San Clemente State Beach! While all the other campers were charring their pitiful hot-dogs that evening, we were chowing down La Rocco's pizza!
(4)joanna b.
We moved from NY to CA almost a year ago, and have been searching for Pizza as good as back home. This place did it! Nice people too, a little pricey, but totally worth it! The only reason I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 is because it doesn't deliver...but there are few pizza places that do around here. Go here! so good! :-)
(4)Andy C.
Hey New Yorker Transplants! If you want pizza as close to what you remember from the east coast being and are now on the left coast, go to La Rocco's Pizzeria. The crust is thin and the crust crispy, toppings taste totally legit...this is the real deal. They sell by the slice or buy a whole pie. The pizza only comes in one size, which is pretty large and has eight slices. We went in this past Saturday and there were a steady stream of locals coming and going. The dining area is not too large or fancy but if you are looking for ambiance, go somewhere else and have a lesser pizza. They do have two TVs tuned in to sports channels in case you can't hold up your end of a conversation. Whenever I am in this area I plan on making a pit stop for slice or two.
(5)Dave B.
2-slice and a soda for $5.50 or a slice a salad and a soda for $6.25. Great place to stop in and just grab a slice of pizza, one of the better pizza places in San Clemente. Try the cal-zones also, they are great.
(4)Sabrina I.
Best NY style pizza in California. New Yorkers will wish it were a little less thin and a little more "chewy", but otherwise, perfect.
(5)Marianne J.
This was my first trip to San Clemente. I was unfamiliar, obviously, with all the eateries in the area so choosing La Rocco's pizza for lunch was random and the BEST decision I ever made!!! It is THE best pizza I've EVER had. My son arrived the next day and I took him there and he too, being the pizza connoisseur he is, echoed my enthusiasm. Crispy, thin, super flavor. He and I chose the Manhattan with super thin pepperoni and jalapenos, nummy...Wish y'all were here in Texas. :-{
(5)Angela K.
Okay so I'll preface this by saying this place isn't as good as Grimaldi's in Vegas but it's pretty much the best pizza place I've found in CA. I know I sound like such a pizza snob but I've never even had real New York pizza before! But I've had New York bagels and the crust here has the same je ne sais quoi- chewy on the inside, crunchy shiny outside quality. I swear, its got to be the New York water that makes it soooo good! Ordered pizza over the phone and at first glance when I came to pick it up, I saw the premade slices in the glass case and I wasn't impressed. Looked old and well yucky. However, when I got my fresh pizza (pepperoni, fresh basil AFTER its been baked and cherry tomatoes) and garlic knots, it was a whole different story. The pizza was the greasy style New York pizza(not too greasy though) not the fancy looking New York style like Grimaldis. I started out a little skeptical the first few bites but as I kept eating, I liked it more and more. Had leftovers the next day and what do you know, still damn good! Now, about 4 days later, I could go for more pizza. La Rocco's I'm glad I found you and I will be back!
(5)Matt K.
I am from the east coast and this is the best New York Pizza in California. The garlic knots are delish.
(5)Lance S.
Best pizza in the OC, hands down.
(5)Pat D.
I don't usually eat pizza by the slice. I like it made for me and when it's just sitting in the glass case it looks disgusting; yet they throw it in the oven and it's delicious again. They had great super thin crispy crust, came out fast, and for $7 you get two big slices and drink. Great after surf spot.
(4)Steve G.
"New" Paul..you took over a good place and made it great. The new look only adds to the great pizza experience. The pizza is better than ever. The place looks better than ever. The dining area in the back is amazing. I'm a Brooklyn native and recent to San Clemente. Your pizza does not disappoint. Great selections, served hot and fresh. Fuggetaboutit!!! Dere ain't nuttin' betta!! Yah, I'm talkin' ta you!! Youz guys is makin me proud!!
(5)Meghan M.
Best pizza and the knots are amazing. I hit it up every time I visit my parents in san clemente. But order early, they make one batch of dough a day and shut down after that batch is done.
(5)wendy s.
you can get pizza by the slice, or a whole pie to go. What a great little place. You cant beat the price for a delicious slice of pizza.
(5)Tori H.
When went here because of Yelp reviews and I got to tell you they were right. Excellent!!
(5)paul s.
This place is great! The pizzas are huge, 18 inches i think. The flavor is just as advertised, a slice of New York. The sitting area can get a little crowded during busy hours, but the back room is great, and very comfortable. I enjoy all kinds of pizza styles, but if you like New York style pizza, this is the place to go
(4)Jackie B.
This is simply great pizza. Thin New York style, with quality ingredients and loads of slices to choose from. Their salads are delicious, and their garlic knots are so so so good. $5 or $6 gets you a combo deal. We went right by this place a bunch of times since it is so non-descript from the outside. But we are so glad we went in as it is the best pizza in San Clemente and our new go-to.
(5)Bob G.
Very inconsistent, I'm from NYC and was overjoyed to find this place back in June. My first visit for lunch and a few cheese slices was really good, a subsequent visit for dinner was nothing special as was the next try. On Friday night we went with friends and ordered a large pie with Sausage & Mushroom. The pie was pretty awful with the cheese and sauce running down the crust like molten lava and most of the slices were sloppy and lost on the tray. The toppings were sparse and sauce lacked taste and the salads were just greens with one or two small cherry tomatoes. The garlic knots were jet okay and $5 for 6 small ones. The bill was $50 for Large Pie, garlic knots, 4 salads and 3 sodas. Wouldn't have minded if it was better than mediocre. My search continues for consistently excellent Pizza in the OC.
(2)Grace K.
La Rocco's brings back fond memories. When I'm visiting family in Mission Viejo we'll usually go to Rocco's for lunch. We'll pick out slices through their case. They throw the slices in the oven and serve it piping hot on paper plates. Their prices are cheap and they offer great lunch deals. I like how small and simple it is with their cement floor and red checkered tablecloth. I especially love their flavors. Their pepperoni , white pizza, jalapeno, and spinach are among my favorites. I can't wait to go back again!
(5)jessica k.
DElicious and always great service! My go to for some amazing pizza!
(5)Eric L.
Best pizza in southern california. I'm from New Jersey and I've been up and down the coast from San Diego to Santa Barbara and I've tried many many pizza places. This is the best pizza around. It tastes just as good as any New York/New jersey pizzeria.
(5)Desert E.
Yes, this pizza rules... If you have it delivered, throw it in a hot oven for a couple minutes because it steams up in the box and for New York style it is nice to have it just slightly crispy on the bottom! Best NY pizza around!
(5)AMY R.
Mmmmm, La Rocco's... Great thin-crust, not overloaded with toppings, New York pizza. I work in San Clemente, a few blocks from La Rocco's, so this is high up there on the list for lunch spots. They have good lunch specials - either 2 slices and a drink, or a slice, a salad, and a drink - for $6-7. Love the Manhattan (pepperoni and jalapenos, and if you're lucky, a lime wedge to squeeze over it) and the Puttanesca (artichokes, olives, herbs, Parmesan, as in pasta puttanesca). The salads are nice too - they use mixed greens, olives, cherry tomatoes, shaved red onion, and a little shredded mozzarella. They seem to be sprucing up the place the last few months. You can get beer and wine there now, and there's additional seating in the back, where it's kind of dim lighting, almost... romantic? Funny sitting there with my coworkers! Walking through the kitchen to sit in the separate back room really makes you feel like a regular! Go and enjoy.
(5)Cali L.
Good pizza, and love the fact they offer such a great military discount!
(4)Sea G.
The Pizza is all NY, I've been there, but a funny incident made me think twice about going. They took the person in line after me's order first, they ordered my two slices, so I had to wait, not good
(3)Tom D.
This place will not disappoint...pizza is legit! Stop reading and just go there.
(5)Andrew S.
My Favorite thin crust pizza place and a must anytime I am in the area.
(5)cedro t.
White slice! So nice. Really friendly staff. Hidden restaurant in the back. Great pizza!
(5)Becca B.
my favorite pizza ever! New York style . yumm
(5)t c.
Best pizzia I've had in CA. The pizza only comes in one large size.
(5)John C.
Was looking for a good thin crust Pizza since my old favorite was sold. Tried their Bronx special with a side Caesar salad. It was awesome and affordable. It is my new "go to" thin crust place. (Try Selma's two blocks away of you want thick crust!)
(5)Susanne D.
Thank You La Rocco's for finally giving a New Yorker a proper NY pizza in the state of California. Now if I could only find a decent flagel, I'd call Orange County home.
(5)EVELYN G.
So yummy, best thin pizza in San Clemente never burnt always hot and crispy ! My family and I love to come here. The price is so right, the service is fast and friendly. My favorite White stone and the Manhattan. A must try and next door the best frozen yogurt hands down :0).
(5)Kate R.
Ohmigosh, La Rocco's is sooo good. It is hard to walk past this place without coming in for a slice. The pizza is New York style, thin crust with all sorts of delicious toppings. I love the mozzarella and basil, the white is also fantastic. Hands down, the best pizza in town.
(5)Tyler J.
Are you kidding me! Fuh-gedda-boud-iht. For a slice of New York's finest this place is unparalleled. Either by the slice or the pie nobody around can even come close. I love a good piece of deep dish as much as the next guy, but when I want thin crust New York Style this is it. I don't even consider a second choice. I recommend the ricotta cheese, or pesto topped slices for the second in their two slice combo. Followed by a large helping of their garlicky dough-knots. That's it I'm going right now.
(5)gia s.
This is the best pizzia i've had in the area and they sell by the slice too. They also have good salads. Yesterday, I had a white slice and I am craving it again today. I actually going to tell the BF, no fancy meal, just pizzia/salad tonight again.
(5)Dana R.
After reading all the reviews, we had really high expectations...I would return, however, I didn't feel like it was the best pizza in the area. Def, NY style and the crust was good, I wasn't disappointed and will come back for a slice or call for delivery...but I must admit..I am a Pizza Port fan....
(3)laura k.
This is great NY style pizza! As in New York, the plain cheese is the best...especially when ordered in, instead of "to go". We usually get the lunch special, 2 slices & a drink for about $7. The only reason I don't give it a perfect rating...I hate that there is always competing music coming from the dining area & the kitchen. 2 kinds of music playing at the same time makes me come unglued. Fix that, and it"s 5 stars every time!
(4)Christy O.
best New York style pizza around. Try their whitestone... very good!
(5)Dennis M.
I love pizza and I really wanted to like this place, but the pizza was just not that good. My friend and I ordered a Manhattan pizza which we thought was just a pepperoni pizza with jalapenos. We ordered it with jalapenos on half only. It turns out that the pizza had no tomato sauce and massive amounts of garlic. I ate one slice and lost interest. My friend ate two, but only because he was very hungry. For the first time in my life, I left over half a pizza unfinished on the table. Neither of us had the slightest interest in bringing it home. Perhaps if we had ordered the straight pepperoni pizza, things would have been different, but I don't think it would have been any more than average.
(1)Willy J.
Quick service, friendly staff and excellent pizza. We moved here over a year and a half ago and this is now our go to pizza place. Their thin crust NY style of pizza is our personal favorite and they have perfected it! If you are in town visiting and are in the mood for pizza, you would be making a mistake if you went anywhere else.
(5)Frankie B.
Fantastic New York style pizza and excellent customer service! We tried several types of pizza and all were very tasty. Great crispy crust, flavor packed cheese and excellent sauce. Prices were the best in the area. We have made this our first choice for pizza in this town!
(5)NJ C.
Ok I'm pissed!! I've been coming here for years! It's the only place this Jersey girl can grab a good slice of pizza!! What the heck happened? There's about 8 people working, and we've been waiting for an hour for 2 pies and 2 slices. It's not rush hour!! We had to ask about 4 times for our food. Then two pies that were in boxes were un-boxed and placed on a tray. Not hot. Oh, those 2 other slices came one at a time. About 25 minutes apart. When we were finished eating. La Rocco's please get your shit together!! Workers should have specific jobs. Make. Bake. SERVE. Orders. It's pizza for goodness sake. Word on the street is that there's new ownership or management. Please get it together. There were a lot of unhappy people at the restaurant tonight.
(1)Chris B.
True NY thin crust by the slice pizza. Not fancy but fun and good eats! Huge slices, cost is good too
(5)C M.
I've been a loyal and frequent customer of La Rocco's Pizzeria for over 5 years now. Their pizza used to be wonderful; I could eat it every day and never tire of it! Something has changed in the last 6 months. The customer service people have all changed and the new folks are rude. I ordered a whole pizza comprised of 8 various slices from the case. I asked for half (4 slices) of a Pauley's for my whole pizza and they guy behind the counter said, "We only have three slices." I asked if a fresh Pauley's would be coming out soon and he just said, "Nope!" So I ordered from what they had in the case to complete a whole take out. He put the slices onto a baking pan and inserted it into the oven. Within just a few minutes, he brought out another half pan of Pauley's and put it in the display case! On a broader note, the pizza does not taste the same as it used to. I don't know if they've changed the recipe or ingredients but it no longer carries the fresh and distinctive flavor that made it a stand out. My last La Rocco's pizza was purchased Sunday, February 15, 2015. Within 15 minutes of picking up my pizza, I was at my destination and having my favorite, Pauley's. I ended up terribly SICK a few hours later. It was the only thing I had eaten all day and had eaten all home cooked meals the day before. I called to speak with the manager the next day regarding my concerns. She was not very helpful. She told me all old pizza from the night before is thrown out and that all staff are trained. I asked for her name multiple times, she did not respond and then the line went dead! I called back a second time and reached the same female who told me her name is "Monica." When I expressed concern that something should be done so others don't get sick, she said she would call the Orange County Health Department to request a site visit to check things out. I spoke to Orange County Health Department on 2/17/15 to file a formal complaint. To my surprise and disbelief, a friend who shared the 2/15/15 pizza called me AS I WAS LOOKING UP THE ORANGE COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PHONE NUMBER...to ask me if I've noticed a change in La Rocco's pizza. He said his cheese only slices were greasy, tasteless, cool and like cardboard...like you might expect to get from a street vendor. He also said that he'd noticed this the last few times he had been in...and that he was not going there as much. He also said that the "Surfer Dudes" at the front counter had all left, leaving new staff who were rude. I listened without speaking, wanting to hear his thoughts without influencing in any way. I then told him that I got sick, my thoughts, and that I would file with Department of Health and write a Yelp review. Sadly, I will not be eating at La Rocco's Pizzeria again.
(1)Kimberly K.
I ordered 2 pizzas on Sunday evening and picked them up right at closing at 10pm got home and one of them was wrong so at 11 am on Monday when they opened I called them and explained what had happened and that u was disappointed after not getting my correct order. They were very rude to me and told me I should have complained the same day, a bit challenging when they were closed. Terrible customer service, I completely wasted money due to their error.
(1)Paul B.
I have to start out by saying that I worked for Yelp for 3 years and really understand the effect that a review can have on a business. That being said, I normally am VERY fair and private message owners prior to leaving reviews. In this case, I can't bring it in me to review this business well. Pizza - Decent. We live 5 minutes away and it was cold by the time we got home. I think if we ordered a slice of cheese or simple pepperoni, probably would have been a great late night eat. I'd give the pizza 3.5/5 Normally if the food is good, I would rate based on that, but the service was TERRIBLE. My wife walked in while I stayed in the car originally and after 45 minutes, the pizza still wasn't ready. There was some punk kid behind the counter wearing a beanie (Sunday night, 2/8 right before 7pm) that was either high out of his mind, hated life and all the people in it, or just didn't care about common decency. I came in after a while to see what was going on. We had never been here before so when we ordered a "House Salad", I didn't know that meant go grab one out of the refrigerator. There was only one size in the fridge so I asked him what size that was. You would have had to be there to hear how he said it but basically said "I can't see what you're pointing at... The small is the smaller one". I could ramble on and on about the rest of the conversation. If the owner would like to speak to me and discuss, I'd be happy to amend my review. PM me.
(1)Rob O.
If you look at any reviews that I have done, you will note that I generally only write positive reviews. However, after just having a meal, I felt compelled to write. When yelping for a pizza because we wanted to try something new, La Rocco's showed up as #1 and seemed to have the highest reviews. How could I go wrong? Yelp has NEVER let me down before! I am in no way a pizza snob, but I know what I like, and I can tell you why I did NOT like this pizza: First, we ordered two pizzas, and one was cold... Not warm, cold! When you read other reviews that speculate the pizza had already been baked before the call was made, you can believe it. I ordered 2 pizzas and an order of garlic knots. I was told it would be ready in 40 minutes... Showed up in 35 and it wasn't ready just yet, but came two mins later... But without the knots... Two mins later the knots were up. Now, how could pizza be cold if it wasn't yet ready when I showed up is beyond me. The knots were obviously pre-made and tossed in the oven when they realized they had forgotten them in my original order, and they were rubbery. Also, no marinara dipping sauce was included. Silly me for assuming it would be and not asking. I'd skip them unless you're not getting enough carbs on a cold pizza.. To be fair, the other pizza WAS warm... But both my boys and I thought it was greasy. The pizzas are very sizable, but in NO way warranted the price tag. Unfortunately, I feel like the Yelp has somehow missed the mark on this establishment. (My son said he would prefer Costco pizza next time!)
(1)Sarah M.
This pizza place is so yummy! I was craving pizza this weekend. Lucky I found this place a couple miles from home. We ordered a whole pizza because we figured we would love the left overs. Pizza is huge!! You can order by the slice or a whole pizza for $22. This place is busy. Line was non stop. Most people just ordering a slice to go. They sell bottled beer and draft. This seating is limited. Mostly a take out place. Staff is to the point. Not the most friendly but nice enough. The manager was amazing. Our pizza was taking a long time so we went to check on it. They lost the ticket. She was super apologetic and gave us 2 drinks which was super nice. We weren't in a hurry so it was all good. The pizza is amazing. Best I have had in a very long time.
(5)Amy G.
Waited 40 minutes for an average pizza. Cost 23 dollars. I can't tell you why it's that expensive or why the wait is so long. Pizza by the slice all over NY will cost you a 1.50 and they'll give it to you in 2 minutes. This places needs a manager on the floor to deliver in a more timely manner if your going to charge that much for a pizza. Ehhh
(2)Elias T.
Coming from New York it's been difficult to find good pizza on the west coast. A buddy brought me here last week and it was phenomenal! Their pizza actually competes with New York pizza. It's thin crust which I love, the cheese isn't too salty, and the pizza has no grease on it!
(5)Gail B.
I loved your pizza but tonight you lost our order. I specifically replayed the conversation that I had with the exact woman I spoke with. She could only say 'there's no ticket' over and over again. I showed you where and when I dialed from my phone and all I got was 'no ticket'. What I didn't get was an apology... So no more customer!
(1)Lyubov K.
If you really appreciate some great thin crust New York pizza, you do not have to go far. It's right here, in OC. Pizza is amazing, staff is friendly, and you will not go over your budget.
(5)Vivian K.
Best New York style pizza in South OC! The pies are enormous and could feed an entire tribe. My favorite slice is the Rhode Island
(5)Emily C.
Pizza is good but slice is too small and thin for the price. Not a standard pizza by the slice size. The don't deserve a 4 star rating. Usually a slice that thin is bigger. Wish I had gone elsewhere...I will next time. Smh.
(2)J T.
This place has seriously great thin crust pizza in many varieties. Cannot go to San Clemente without having a slice, in fact, I'm on my way to San Clemente and my first stop will be La Rocco's for a slice. Can hardly wait!
(5)Aaron J.
I lived in NYC for many years. Here is the gist. La Roccos NY style pizza is pretty good given its in San Clemente... In NYC it would be pretty average. But that aside its pretty good, large slices, adequate crust, okay sauce... I go out of my way to get one once every 4 months. The real problem with this place is two fold, the staff don't get they are putting a bad face on (and that it matters)... And the pizzas are often ice cold unless they are right out of the oven and consumed in 10 minutes. Something that plays into that is they often reheat whole pies. Slices can be reheated but whole pies should be made to order, that's what is to be expected (at least at any NYC pizza joint). One time I ordered a pepperoni and onion from La Roccos, they said it would be 30-35 minutes, I showed up in 15. To my surprise the pizza was ready sitting in a box. Sure enough, ice cold. Conclusion, they threw some onions on top of a pepperoni that had been sitting for awhile (waiting for slice orders) and heated it up for a minute. If they could get their act together I would go more often. But for now every 4 months is all I can bare.
(2)Victoria H.
My FAVORITE pizza in the entire world. Especially the Whitestone.
(5)Aaron G.
Try a slice of north jersey. Amazing! I went there with some friends from work. It's the best New York style pizza I've found in OC.
(5)Eric S.
Just joined Yelp because of my good experiences at La Rocco's. The pizza is delicious. It's definitely got the New York style so it's thin crust but the various styles and flavors are unique from standard pizza joints in So. Cal. Whether I am hanging out down in San Clemente at the beach or on my way to San Diego, I have enjoyed their pizza multiple times. In my most recent visit, the service was decent; not fantastic but I got piping hot pizza and the servers were cordial as I waited. There was a line of people that came in while I was waiting a few minutes for my large order (more than 10 pizzas) and everyone was in and out in a few minutes. My favorite is the Manhattan...makes my mouth water just thinking about eating another slice...
(5)F L.
The Hacienda Wolves GU15 Soccer Team gives this place 5 stars ! We took a break between games here during the Joy Fawcett Tournament. The food was great, the prices are great, the service was great, the location is great. What more can we say ? Try it...you won't be disappointed. What mare can we say...
(5)L I.
I try to grab a pie here every couple weeks for the family. I love the thin crust pizza that I can fold like a taco and eat. My favorites are the Bronx and the La Rocco's special. Keep in mind the La Rocco's special comes with tons of fresh garlic so make sure everyone in the house has a slice or you will be sleeping outside. Their garlic knots are awesome and they provide fresh pizza sauce to dip them....speaking of the sauce I love the complex sweet note it has and is definitely unique. Location is a little small and can get crowded but it is worth it!!!!!
(5)Ali S.
Upon first notice, this place was pretty awesome. It has a really cool atmosphere and a lot of choices. The walls had mock graffiti and even the music was good. There is also a surprising amount of seating hidden in the back, which is good because the front only has a couple of tables. Service was extremely fast, and the guy actually remember who ordered what pizza, which I don't even see in most high end restaurants anymore. Now on to the food, because that's the real reason you read the reviews, right? Now all their pizza is thin New York style, which in general I don't like. But theirs was surprisingly good. Both me and my girlfriend got the Whitestone pizza, which was delicious. The cheese blend was creamy and full of flavor. My other slice was the pepperoni. Despite being extremely greasy, it had a great flavor. A little bit of spice and a good amount of pepperoni. Now for the not so good. They serve beer, but for those of us who don't drink beer you are SOL. They have one champagne and that's it. Even their soda selection is rather small. It made it hard to find something to drink. My big suggestion to them is increase your drink selection. You don't need hard booze, but maybe get one of two more wine choices. One red and one white would be nice. All in all I give them a 3.5 (but since that's not an option I rated as a 4). Their pizza is good, but I have had better. I will definitely be back though, it is a good value, especially since it's so close to home. If they got more wine and soda it would be an easy 4 to 4.5 for me.
(4)Jennifer P.
Yelp strikes again! I took my boys to San Clemente for the weekend and needed a good, cheap pizza place to grub. Naturally, Yelp and my fellow Yelpers delivered! This place is located in Downtown San Clemente, which is really small. It's right on the corner so it's easy to find. It's small but quaint. The pizza itself is NY style - thin crust and the slices are huge. We had the Bronx pizza with fresh garlic added, large Cesar salad, and an order of garlic knots. Everything came out to less than $30 - that's less than $10/pp - SCORE!! The salad was pre-made but by the folks in house. All salads are packaged and housed in the refrigerator, along with their bottled drinks and salad dressing. Apparently, the croutons are made in-house, but I couldn't tell. I make my own croutons in house, so I was looking for some indication that these were homemade but I got nothin. Oh well - the salad was still good and fresh. The garlic knots were meh. I was expecting more given the reviews but was disappointed. They were lukewarm, a bit hard, and bland. It's unfortunate because they looked really yummy. The pizza was the highlight of the meal. Thin, fresh crust, super quality ingredients - just GOOOOOD stuff. The pizza was delivered fresh from the oven, so it was nice and hot. The slices were huge so 2 was enough for me and my boys. Of course, we took some back to the hotel and gobbled it up later. It was the best pizza I've had east of NY! Definitely recommend - the guys behind the counter are awesome and move quick. Next time we're in SC, we're there!
(4)Marty S.
Best pizza in town by far! Though the all meat one goes right through you like you ate a laxative.
(5)Jenny G.
Just absolutely horrible service. They won't do 1/4 toppings....even if you pay for half. They are not helpful and I won't be coming back. The food is not worth the horrible service. Additionally, the woman's toilet was backed up and ready to overflow. Disgusting. Really, this is a zero star rating.
(1)Gina A.
I liked it more before a few months ago that the guys helping me were super friendly and the pizza was awesome! But, went tonight and the young slinky guy made me feel like I was going him a favor! Thank God there was an older woman there to help that seemed like she was helping out with customer service. I love the food and it would be awesome if the customer service was consistent!
(3)Brett W.
For pizza and environment, they are a four star. Good, but not fantastic. But, for service and total caring attention to their customers, this place is 5 star all the way. The manager (maybe owner) works the front and is so positive and pleasant, you cant help but enjoy yourself there. His other staff is also just great.
(5)Nic J.
Nice place to grab a couple slices of pizza after hanging out at the beach all day. Pizza is thin slice and pretty good, reasonably priced and their little garlic knots are pretty good too.
(3)Matthew C.
Very good New York style deck (not brick oven) pizza. Crust is even thinner than New York. It's all about the cheesy, tomato balance. Yum.
(5)Jay P.
Unlike most other reviewers, I'm just not impressed. Slices are drenched in grease and really don't do it for me. I know it's thin crust but I've had better.
(3)Joy M.
Hands down the best pizza in San Clemente. I have never been disappointed. A great local spot that never claims to be anything it's not. Great food, great service & it's quick. I don't recommend buying it by the slice since often those have been sitting. However, a fresh pie is always great.
(5)Shervin T.
Really good pizza, but terrible customer experience. The kid with the beanie serving the pizzas acted like he hated being there. Rude and disinterested. Where are the adults? Does the owner know what's going on in her shop?
(2)Tom M.
I'm from NY and I say this is great pizza. While the pizza is still good with all the different owners of this place it's out of control now when you go there at night. I would have given them a 5 but they are so disorganized. Does anyone own this place and provide management ? Is the owner dead? These are some of the possible explanations for the way the place runs now. If all the owner wants to do is count the money that comes in how about hiring a real manager who knows how to run the place and paying them so they'll stay? Get you act in gear before you go out of business.
(4)Lynda And Mike N.
First off, I am a New Yorker ("Yawka") where it is hard to find bad pizza, and everyone has multiple favorite pizzerias depending on where they are any given day. Basically, the pizza in NY is phenomenal. Relocated to California in '98 and found the pizza out here basically sucks, and I can't tell you how many times I heard "you gotta try this pizza, it's the best, it's like NY pizza." Wrong, they all sucked too. Until, I met a neighbor from Jersey and he recommended La Rocco's. Hands down, La Rocco's is the best pizza I have had in California, period. About as close to authentic NY pizza I think you can get without flying back home to NY. The "Bronx" is my favorite and a must have! Yeah, you can buy it by the slice; but, if you buy a pie, you get to eat the extra slices cold for breakfast the next morning. Enjoy...
(5)Jim T.
Pizza by the Slice .... The variety of pizzas rivalrys our favorite pizzeria back in New York. I can take the family and we can all select our favorite slices on a variety pie ... I've never had a slice I've never liked of course I'd go for the Rockerfeller or Brooklyn
(5)Gene A.
Read the reviews of this pizzeria on yelp and just had to check it out ourselves. I absolutely love this place, their pizza quality and taste is among the top pizzas I've ever eaten. Their NY style thin crust brings out the flavor in the toppings and the crunch in the dough. Their service is very good and they give 50% to all military. Get there early if you can, we got there around 6pm and the line was already out the door. My wife and son love their pizza too, we will be back every time we pass by San Clemente on our way back home to San Diego!
(5)No W.
YUMMY.. Love NY style pizza.. I wish they had SD location is all.. All the pizzas r outstanding you won't be disappointed..friendly kind staff too.
(3)Joey J.
It comes close to grabbing a New York slice, but the pie we had was slightly overcooked, giving it the dreaded crispiness on the edges. The search for good pizza in Orange County continues.
(2)Crystal M.
Overall okay pizza. Service was lacking, and there is only one size pizza for $22 unless you buy it by the slice for $4. Nothing spectacular or horrible. Just blah.
(3)Chris V.
The guy was rude and acted like I was bothering him, and he didn't even warm up the pizza for more than 30 secs. Pizza wasn't even good, it's too bad I was looking forward to it
(1)Loyann R.
I just noticed that Laroccos has several low reviews on Yelp, but I also noticed that they have 46 four and five star reviews that Yelp is "not recommending". I think Yelp is manipulating the system...how can Yelp be trusted???
(5)David E.
They are about a 4.5 star affair. One of the best NYC style thin crust pie makers in the OC and maybe the best in the South OC. Only Rocco's of Mission Viejo is comparable on that. We had the SOUTH JERSEY SLICES and NORTH JERSEY SLICES. One slice had romano cheese, spinach, shrooms as I recall. The other had garlic, sausage, mozzarella cheese etc. Both were similar but of course the "meat" pizza won the game. Their crust has a light crunchiness to it but not so much that you can't fold it. We did the by-the-slice option ago due to time constraints. I know there will be another level to their pie when you order it fresh. The crust is on the thinner side but NOT paper thin like some super authentic neapolitan pizza restaurants. Their pizza oven is super hot as they re-heat these slices in a "city minute" and they come out piping hot. You have to get one of the PELLEGRINO orange, blood orange or lemon soda's to go with your pizza. They are a perfect companion. The staff consist of cool young dudes who are as humorous as they are helpful. Keep up the good work boys! The CANOLO pastry is a more Americanized rendition of this dessert. It tastes like the ones you get at the Americanized Italian restaurant chain. It is generously stuffed with miniature chocolate chips, has smooth ricotta inside and has powdered sugar sprinkled on a crunch shell. The cream lacks the cream cheese sourness I enjoy. Additionally chocolate sauce is drizzled on top. The shell is crunch so it was freshly filled to order or recently assembled. The taste is VERY sweet which will likely be appreciated by many. However, for true lovers of this pastry in a more traditional form (where sweet isn't what it is about) this will surely drop "shy of the first down". To those, I say stick with your local Italian deli or Italian bakery.
(4)Tamara T.
Tried the white stone and the Rhode Island pizza and even though the Rhode Island was missing a few ingredients it was our favorite pizza of the two. After reading reviews on yelp and visiting their website ( laroccospizzasc.com/inde… ) we decided to get a large with half whitestone and half Rhode Island. The whitestone did not dissapoint and neither did the Rhode Island but it definitely did not have a chipotle base or avocado as advertised on the website. It did have shrimp and that was fine with me. Definitely a place to try in San Clemente and I'd recommend ordering it before you get there to avoid a long wait.
(4)Thomas B.
Had a great time eating the delicious pizzas they provide, customer service was perfect couldn't have asked for a better time for me and my wife to enjoy Friday night with our kids. my kids love this place and the atmosphere. thanks again. see you next week with the whole fam-bam !!!!!
(5)Janelle W.
It's delicious! THE pizza from the cooler to the oven is amazingly fresh and tasty. The best part is La Rocco's has got the crust down perfect. Thin crunchy and just right. My favorite is their specialty pizzas like Brooklyn or Rhode Island. THE toppings on these will make your mouth water. Potato's and sour cream will shock you, its delicious. THe ambience is nothing special, bright lights and basic table and chairs no booths. On this recent occasion here I decided to give a Canoli a try for desert as they have a desirable display of them right by the register. BUt make sure you ask for the right size. APpranently they have LArge and very small. THe large was out so I was given small and boy was I a little surprised.
(4)Deb B.
Great NY style pizza! They have pizza by the slice and all different kinds, however I think it would even taste better if you ordered a whole one fresh. Have to try that next time. Great pizza though for sure!
(5)Kim H.
I love this place! They make ordering easy because they only have one size of pizza--18". It's probably enough for 4 not-hungry people, 3 normal people, or 2 really hungry people (like my fiance and me). If you have some leftover, consider yourself lucky the next day. They have a great selection of vegetarian pizzas. We got the spinach one. It was DELICIOUS. It was layered in spinach and dotted with fresh cherry tomatoes. The oil and garlic was really tasty, and there was just the right amount of cheesy goodness. The crust is really thin, so if that's not your thing, go elsewhere. I promise it will become "your thing" if you just try this place though. I think most people just pick up pizza to-go here. They have a few tables inside, but it's super casual. Not a "date night" pizzeria, that's for sure.
(5)Dru C.
*Thumbs up* Pizza places like this place are a dime a dozen in OC. It's the usual spot where they reheat the sad and pathetic-looking pizzas sitting out behind the glass counters. Truthfully, the crust tasted like cardboard. Of course it doesn't compare to actual thin crust pizza in New York (gotta be the water, right?). I had the whitestone pizza and it was kind of bland, though I liked the little puffs of ricotta cheese. I needed to sprinkle a healthy dose of basil, red pepper flakes, and parm just to get it some needed flavor. *Thumbs down* Drive further south down I-5 and head over to Bronx Pizza in SD for better NY-style thin crust pizza. In OC, you're better off going to Pieology for the best value, freshness, and unlimited toppings. The crust is seasoned and tastes better too.
(2)B R.
Our kids love this pizza place. It's New York style pizza. My husband loves thin crust so this is perfect. I love the pizza with shrimp with added avocado. Their cheese pizza are also delicious. It's not cheap but it's worth it.
(4)Robin M.
Negative customer service issues with a young man taking orders behind the counter who didn't listen to what I wanted and then ignored my complaint when I called him on it. i therefore told him to cancel my order which he didn't do. Major turn off. However the woman at the register was sweet and accommodating!
(1)Jake D.
Great pizza! This place is very authentic, and an excellent choice for New York-style pizza. I still prefer a thicker, fluffier crust when I eat pizza, but that deep-dish style is Chicago, not the New-York way. The food here is very flavorful. I recommend it, have been back already myself, and will go back again.
(5)Jason R.
One of the best in town, must go!
(5)Yolanda M.
We ALWAYS make it a point to stop here when we're on our way to or from San Diego. We love the thin crust pizza and the reasonable prices. But this time, we were spending spring break in SC and decided to celebrate my hubby's birthday w/some extended family. Michael went above and beyond to help us, even though they don't take reservations. We picked a Sunday evening at 5pm to avoid crowds as much as we could and managed to snag the long table in the back. Michael opened a tab for us and even among the usual craziness of the dinner rush, took great care of us and never complained even when we kept coming back to order more slices. He even helped us light a special birthday candle on our pizza! These guys are awesome!!
(5)Samantha G.
Love their pizza!!!! Last time I was there military had a 50% discount and the pizza was HUMONGOUS! I love all their toppings and the workers are always super friendly and welcoming! Their garlic knots and pepperoni knots are a must!! Would definitely recommend this place for anyone wanting to carry out pizza! Looking forward to eating there again!
(5)nick w.
I went here today on a recommendation. We ordered four individual slices. They all advertised fresh garlic and other ingredients. I am not sure if my taste buds took a day off, but I could not taste the garlic. Three of the slices had a very crisp crust! The third was a bit soggy, maybe because it had spinach on it. I will come back and try it again. For now the crust is the best thing it has going for it.
(3)Stacy S.
We got their pepperoni pizza to go (see attached photo) during Superbowl 2012 weekend. It may look like a regular pizza, but it was ranked one of the Top 25 OC restaurants in 2011 and it's truly authentic New York style pizza! When I think of NY pizza, however, I envision John's Pizzeria in NYC. Nothing stacks up to that, thus the 4 star rating instead of 5. But I guarantee you that you'd have a hard time finding anything close to NY style pizza in OC than La Rocco's. It's a little hole in the wall and you'll need to find street parking. Definitely a go-to for your NY pizza cravings!
(4)Manda B.
Good thin crust pizza, quick service, & inexpensive. We ordered the sausage & mushroom combo, it was tasty, not the best, but decent enough.
(3)Noel-Anthony A.
Pizza was good, a lot of cool variety in toppings. Went when it was busy, service was a little slow
(4)Alice C.
THE PERFECT CRUST and they don't lie when they preach it tastes like NY. NOM NOM! o yea, changed location to across the street.
(5)Kate V.
Great service and tasty pizza! They isis ally have a slice of pizza and a drink deal going on. My favorite is either the Whitestone or Bronx pizza. Bronx is cheese, sausage and pepperoni!
(5)Buck R.
Excellent New York style thin-crust pizza
(4)Toree V.
Best ever! I heard they have amazing military discount so we had to try it. We got the variety pizza, 8 slices of anything, and I was full on one slice they are so large! We got garlic knots and cannoli and I am not disappointed. The only thing that I didn't like is the lack of parking and how small the inside is. It was very crowded and I had to park up the block behind aha sushi. But for only $13 after military discount for a huge pizza and the others it was worth it! They also have beer and wine and a lot of other sides so there was something for everyone.
(5)Brad B.
Im basing my 5 stars strictly on the pizza. I didn't know you could get pizza this good. So good that I refuse to eat pizza from anywhere else. The ingredients and veggies are always so fresh. I always order out so I don't know about the service or dining experience but every pie I try is delicious. Too bad they don't deliver.
(5)Tiffany C.
Their Whitestone Pizza is freakin amazing!!! If you love cheese even half as much as me, you'll want to order this. Literally gobs of cheese adorn this pizza. This pizza has the perfect balance of cheese, garlic and fat. So so good. Every time I come through the area or know somebody passing through, we stop and grab a pizza from here. Even though its almost 2 hours from us. Yeah its that good.
(5)Brandon M.
Came here based on the Yelp! reviews and it didn't disappoint. I had the Manhattan Pizza and it was amazing! I'm pretty picky with my pizza, but this place seriously amazes.
(5)Brynna R.
So delicious, San Clemente has quite a few pizza hot spots but this place is a favorite! They have a generous military discount and huge slices! The people are friendly, you can't beat it!
(5)Albert L.
By far the best pizza I have ever had, they have a variety of different pies, big thin slices full of flavor and very cheap. Whenever I have friends in the area I always make it a point to take them here, to me it's that good. If this place ever disappears I will be greatly disappointed.
(5)Rob B.
Delicious, quick New York style pizza by the slice or whole pies. The white stone, (mozzarella and ricotta cheeses) is my favorite pie but all of them are great. There's not much seating inside but there are a few tables outside.
(5)Kyle D.
Hands down one of our favorite pizza shops. We stopped on while passing through town and will definitely make the drive back up from San Diego just for this pizza. Nothing fancy, just good ol New York style pizza at an affordable price. Garlic knots are bomb! Our favorite thing about LaRocco's is the marinara sauce is in the fridge by the soda machine so you can take as much as you like! Cool people and great food!
(5)Gabe D.
Their customer service is on point here. The kid taking orders is always in the best mood!
(1)Mariah V.
Very yummy pizza and of course awesome customer service. The prices are absolutely great for what you get!
(5)Joseph M.
As close to New York pizza as you can get (the cheese is the difference). Pricey but the military discount is awesome.....Thank You LaRoccos....please don't take it away:-(
(5)C L.
This place has awesome pizza. The only real pizza in town. At times the kitchen staff seem high as a kit but I guess that comes with the territory. Its worth dealing with them to order your pizza. They sell the dough as well which is great for homemade calzones.
(4)Adrian V.
Gotta love New York style pizza! Price isn't too bad and if you're military you get 50% off! That's a deal and has me as returning customer.
(5)Luanne S.
My family has been to La Rocco's several times & have had excellent food and service every time. We've had the pleasure of meeting the owners & enjoyed getting to know them. They were willing to make a pizza for us that wasn't on the menu & it turned out delicious. This is our new favorite pizza hang out!!
(5)Ashley A.
I'm picky with my pizzas but this is one of my favorite places. The garlic knots are so good. And the pizza is thin crust with the perfect amount of sauce and cheese.
(5)Bryanne S.
I have no clue what people are raving about. The specialty pizza we ordered (half a version of meat lovers and half a margarita style) was soggy, bland and the meat had a weird, gamy taste. We also made the huge mistake of ordering one of their cannolis. GROSS. It was the heaviest, thickest and too-sweetest cannoli I've ever had. The filling is supposed to be light and airy, this tasted like heavy, cold vanilla frosting ala Betty Crocker. It was expensive, the staff seemed uninterested, and the food was a waste.
(1)Kara H.
BEWARE:of this place. I got FOOD POISONING on Sunday from either the salad or the pizza here. I've been sick for 4 days now. Antibiotics and the works and haven't been able to work for 3 days. I called then up and I got the typical "oh...wow man...sorry about that"...I'm calling the owner as I'm sure I only talked to one of the workers. I eliminated everywhere else I could have gotten this. I'm calling the board of health and I hope they read this!! Just to be clear...I loved the pizza here but I won't eat here for a very long time.
(1)Vince C.
Stopped by here on the way to San Diego to avoid traffic and girl, was it a blessing! They had a big selection of pizza by the slice, NY style. But, the highlight for me was the garlic knots stuffed with pepperoni and jalapenos!
(5)Cherish H.
3.5 stars rounded up. Pretty decent NY style Pizza by the slice. Would be even better if I was buzzed first! Garlic knots are decent- not As amazing as C&Os in Santa Monica but tasty still. You really can't go wrong with bread, butter and garlicky goodness. Pizza was tasty, good sauce to cheese ratio. Place is just a beach town grab and go, decor is meh but service is fast and friendly. Great location for a quick bite to eat. I had the pizza puttanesca- artichoke hearts, olives and parm. Really tasty and they give HUGE slices! Yummilicious Factor = B+
(4)Rachel R.
Loved this pizza!!! I was with my boyfriend's family who are from NY/NJ. His parents found this place and they say it's the best NY pizza they have had in CA. We got one with pepperoni, sausage, and mushrooms and one with half white pizza with ricotta, the other half the white pizza with artichoke and sauce on top. The white pizza with ricotta was my favorite.... SO GOOD! We are going back on Friday, I can't wait! The only downside is that to get to the bathroom or the back dining room you have to go outside around the building and come in the back door. It's because the kitchen is right in the middle of the restaurant. Weird, but if that's what it takes to make this pizza I can deal.
(5)Mike C.
I'm a new fan here at this pizzeria. The slices here are pretty big and there was a wide selection out on display. Their special....2 slices and a drink for $6.95. And there is no minimum purchase if you use a credit card. It's a relatively small restaurant of about 6 or 7 tables. But it wasn't an issue when I came in for lunch since I was the only one there. The staff were pretty friendly too and kept themselves busy in the back. I like all the New York pictures and paraphernelia they had on the walls. They have a couple of tv's and stuff. This is my new lunch spot. Hmmm...I beginning to like San Clemente...something to think about if I'm gonna move up here.
(4)Mark H.
Called to order a pizza at 9:25 and the guy told me the ovens were shut down for the night. They post hours till 10:00 pm. I was told I could have slices which frankly does not cut it in my opinion. Customer service is a joke at night when the staff is more concerned about getting home than doing their job. This is really disappointing as the pizza is excellent. I hope management/owners read this and do something about it. So disappointed.
(2)Sean P.
Great "ny" style pizza, 7.50 lunch special two slices and soda. 50% military discount with AD I'd card.
(4)Arthur N.
"A taste of New York" , they don't mention what part of New York the pizza tastes like. My daughter an I went into this restaurant objectively. We're from NJ and recently relocated from San Diego (see also East Coast Pizza in Cardiff or Bronx Pizza in Hillcrest). First, NY/NJ pizza does not use cheddar cheese on their pizza. La Roccos does. That's a no-no. Second, the crust was so thin and overcooked that the slices snapped when we folded hem in half. That's also a no-no. The "sauce" tasted like it was out of a jar. There was little hint of oregano, parsley, basil or garlic in the pie. Finally, the pizza we picked up (on-time) was cold. So, aside from using the wrong cheese, overcooking the crust and providing us cold pizza, they were great.
(1)Caryn G.
Coming from the East Coast where pizza is a rite of passage, This place is the best in the area... Yum!
(4)Scott B.
Excellent pizza. Nice thin and crispy crust with just the right amount of delicious toppings. One suggestion would be to add a craft brew to the tap offerings. A local brewery would be a nice touch. Either way, I'll be back.
(5)Anita L.
If you like thin crust/NY style pizzas, then look no further than La Rocco's. At any given time they will have around 6-8 pizzas ready including a couple of specialty pizzas in the case which, upon ordering, will be put into the oven to be warmed up for a few minutes before serving. We tried the La Rocco, White and Puttanesca -- all were really good. I loved the crust and how nice and chewy it was. The toppings are not intrusive and overbearing so you get a good topping to base/crust ratio. The boys behind the counter don't smile much, but it's okay, the pizza makes up for it.
(4)gene d.
Tell ya, their dough is simply amazing. Thin crust baby! Whitestone: amazing three cheese pizza, right up there in best of best cheese pizzas. Pauly's: hints of garlic with fresh chopped basil! Pepperoni Knots and ok, but just average. The regular knots taste a bit better (not tainted by the pepperoni). ALWAYS enjoy the food here with the pizza being the star. The best deal hands down is the '2 slice & a soda' deal for $6.95. Oh, they do have more sitting in the back, but you have to go around the building to the back. I made the mistake of awkwardly walking thru the kitchen to the back since the door was accidentally locked. Great service, great pizza, and a relax atmosphere ... can't ask for anything more. (Now, If I can only convince them to deliver to Irvine)
(5)Tony T.
Great Pizzas, good service, fair prices. The NY Style Pizza is the best in South County!
(4)Midlife J.
Found this place soon after moving to San Clemente in 2003 and continue to make the drive for takeout now that we're in Mission Viejo. I'm from New York and have my own take on what's a good pizza. This one is the best I've found in South OC. I only do takeout but see lots of people ordering slices here. Because this is thin crust pizza I have to think that having it sit out for longish periods of time, then heating it up in the pizza oven, is not going to preserve the texture as if it were fresh from the oven. The fact that most of the negative reviews are about slices is not all that surprising. OTOH, I don't know of another pizza spot around here that offers the large variety of different slices they do, so............ :o)))))
(5)Marcia S.
Won't be back! After changing locations, parking is terrible. This summer went to pick up my pizza when told it would be ready, had to wait another 30 min. Tonight went to pick up my pizza and they had no record of it being ordered.
(1)Stacey S.
La Rocco's is incredible! The pizza is absolutely delicious and they're so friendly! I wish I could give them more than 5 stars because I would!
(5)Arleen R.
Phenomenal service of laidback people. We ordered the one pizza with different slices and we've never been to NY so it's hard to say how authentic it is but we thought it was really good pizza for the size and price. We did have to remind the guy about the small canolies we ordered but he quickly apologized and ran/jogged to get them for us- even added a few extra! Service is always key for us and they were on point, so five stars from us.
(5)Tio L.
Delicious pizza, great service, and competitive prices. Michael offered fantastic service and our pizza was delicious.
(5)Sue D.
Had the ricotta cheese pizza and they added basil for me and it was to die for! It was light and very tasty. I will eat at La Rocco's pizzeria many more times. It's my new favorite!
(5)Louise B.
Love it
(5)Sarah F.
Great pizza, definitely NY style. Pros? -Interesting topping options -Delicious big slices -Friendly atmosphere -Tasty sauces Cons? -So busy it is hard to sit down -A bit pricey for toppings, but I guess most places are Tips? -Take off your jacket, and maybe your pants, it is hot! -Order ahead -There is a lot of cheese (lactose intolerant people run away) and not a lot of sauce... Ask for sides!
(4)Matias A.
Nothing to write home about. that said I've had NY Pizza, not a big Fan of that style. Chicago still makes the best! pizza.
(2)Dale C.
We say this is the best pizza we ever had.....by far the absolute best in San Clemente. We ordered a regular pizza for take out...it was ready when promised, good and hot, and really great flavor. The guy that served me seemed to be happy to work there, and seemed to enjoy helping people. A little tight on parking, but if you go to a great restaurant, parking can be tight. Don't waste your money on the other SC pizza joints, go to La Rocco's!!!
(5)Edward C.
Good pizza, shit service. Don't get me wrong, the pizza is on point, but when it comes to their customer service there's no way around the crap attitude. I was planning on ordering 5 whole pizzas and the girl on the phone straight up sighed and started getting really snippy with me. As if I was giving her to much work. I don't get it, this place is constantly busy and should be use to the hustle. ... 5 pizzas! Over $100 going to some other spot that gives a damn.
(1)GT W.
Type. . . . . . . . . . ..Pizza Dine-In, Take-Away Location. . . . . . . ..Main San Clemente Strip Prices. . . . . . . . . ..$ Beer Selection. . ...None I believe Food Level. . . . .....Very Good Staff. . . . . . . . . . ...Friendly Noise Level. . . . ....Quiet Ambiance. . . . . . ...White washed, fluorescent Kid-Friendly. . ........Yes Dog-Friendly. . . . ..Yes on Patio Parking. . . . . . . ....Street Enforced, Tiny Private Lot Cash Only. . . . . ....No Recommended. ....Yes Comments: Pretty clutch place in downtown San Clemente where most of the food is either fancier sit-down or it's Pizza Port. While I love Pizza Port next door, they can be overrun with children, its very loud and crowded, and the pizza is just okay. La Rocco's is a great alternative with a quiet interior, hidden dining room in the back, and small patio. Pizza is already made or prepped in a chiller case like you would see at a New York place. Great variety and everything can be ordered by the slice. Pizza flavor was outstanding for Southern California- we don't really get this quality of pizza in most places. Prices are normal. Perhaps it took a little long for our pizza to come out, but the taste was worth it. Definitely will be back.
(4)Matt H.
Delicious NY style pizza pies at the beach! This is some seriously good New York style pizza that is comparable to what you would find in the big apple! We have been coming to La Rocco's for many years and it's always been consistently good and very flavorful pizza! They keep it pretty simple here by this I mean they don't really make all these new styles of pizza they keep it pretty generic with a few specials of these I've always found that the White Stone has been outstanding and one of my favorites to indulge in! This previous visit we just ordered a pepperoni wile their pizzas aren't exactly on the cheaper side about $20 for their one size pizza they are good size and have huge slices that will definitely fill you up and put a smile on your face with the flavorful ingredients its made out of! This has been my first visit to their new location which is just across El Camino Real from the old one it was nice to see that they made their seating area a bit more accessible and a great deal larger than the old location. We will be back here again at one point because the pizza and slices are just delicious and it's always a good time to be chillin in Downtown SC!
(4)Pretty M.
Stopped in for lunch on our way to oir vacation house for the week. . Good pizza and service. Definitely going to go back for a slice before heading home tomorrow.
(4)Nic F.
Pizza here is AMAZING! Thin crust cooked to perfection, Very flavorful! Dining in is nothing worth writing about but eating the pizza right out of the oven makes it worth it. We've been eating this pizza every summer vacation for the last 5 years and have never had a bad experience. In fact, We ate there twice this last week and will be back again next.
(5)DollyPants J.
Fabulous pizza! Local, neighborhood feel. I keep going back!
(5)Jonathan A.
Good pizza. Lots of variety in slices. The pizza had a nice crisp. The salad was on nothing special. over all it's a pretty good place.
(4)Carrie B.
Had the chance to take our "out of town" relatives down to the restaurant tonight. We love La Rocco's, and now they are fans too. Thank you for another fun experience! :)
(5)Elvira D.
I had a great experience trying La Roccos yesterday. I ordered four slices to go, and they were all good. My favorite was the New Jersey one with shrimp and avocado. It was slightly spicy , and the shrimp was cooked perfectly, nice thin and crispy crust. Not the best pizza I have ever had (I've been to Italy many times), but best I've had in the OC and that deserves four stars. Good customer service as well.
(4)William B.
Had to check the place out...postage stamp size but full of great pies all sold by the slice. Reasonable prices, friendly staff and a delicious snack while I was away from home. If you was a good, thin and crisp slice, you've got to give this place a try!
(5)Meagan L.
Bomb. Fast. Fairly priced. The new location just doesn't give me the warm fuzzy feelings I had in the old place with the shared tables in the back and banging screen door but the pies are always tasty!
(5)Richard J.
Came here on the 4th of July and was able to walk right in and order. I got a couple of slices and garlic knots. I waited a little to eat the garlic knots so they were a little cold so they weren't that good but that was my fault. The pizza I got was pretty decent but nothing special. If you are in the mood for a quick slice of pizza that have a lot of different options to choose from!
(4)