Cesare At The Beach

Simply the best Italian we have ever visited. A simple restaurant with a simple menu, but they execute it perfectly. I first visited here 10+years ago and recently came back on vacation, it was the perfect dinner location. Over our two nights in Clearwater, we visited Cesare's both nights it was that good. The staff are all extremely friendly and kind, they take time to chat to you like you're an old friend. The food it hot, tasty and made to order, really was the nicest meat sauce I've had, it tasted fresh and homemade. The chicken parm was excellent as was the bolognaise. You get free bread which comes with a really nice oil/dip, it's worth visiting just for that! You can book on open table, I would recommend doing so as it does have very full at periods, but other times of the night it's got a few free tables.

Excellent meal. Wonderful salad and pasta fagoli! Grouper francese entree and calamari appetizer were also excellent. The marinara served with calamari was delicious. Service was a perfect 10!! Very cute inside and comfortable. Only comment is the pasta trio entree. The actual pasta was too thick on the ravioli, so would not recommend. The bolognese was very tasty.

Can't say enough good things about our visit here. Service = Fantastic. Food = So Delicious. We tried the drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts. All tasted so fresh and homemade. Some of the best food I've ever had! Our waiter was very attentive and kind. Would definitely go here again!

Food was really good! On a non busy night it did take quite a while to get our entree which is the only thing we took a point off for. Appetizers were hot and fresh and well seasoned. The angel hair pasta w spicy marinara has a nice kick and well cooked seafood. Would rate a five if service was quicker, so just make sure you have the time to come. At first glance menu might seem a bit pricey, but the portions are huge and easily splittable.

Excellent food. The fish special of the day was a Sea Bass and it was so good we were still talking about it the next day. The espresso martini and our lemoncello dessert were delicious! Service was excellent. The owner/manager? was walking around talking to customers. He told us how the martini was made which we appreciated. We will be back as soon as we can!

Good GOD. This was one of the best meals we’ve ever had. We both said we would come to Clearwater Beach again just for this restaurant. It’s a classic Italian restaurant that feels somewhere in between casual and fine dining. The owner is so passionate about the place that he constantly walks around talking to everyone, helping them decide what to get and making sure you’re comfortable. It makes such a big difference. He recommended his favorite meal the Pollo Cesare Augusto with pink sauce and let me tell you… it’s out of this world. The way they make their homemade thin breaded chicken cutlets with an egg wash is unbelievable. Danielle the bartender who took care of us was also so sweet and attentive. We will come back here every time we visit town!!!

We came in around 9.15om and was greeted warmly even though last order eas at 9.30pm. We didn’t order any appetizers and ate the warm bread that was served. Both hubby and I tried their grouper dishes. I had the Grouper with Kalamata Olives (Mediterranean) and my hubby had the one with just Capers. Both were flavorful but I liked my better. The meal came with a side of pasta option. I chose the spaghetti with garlic and Olive Oil and my hubby has the penne with pink sauce - both were good but I would recommend the pink sauce. The grouper we had didn’t seem to be as flakey or fresh tasting but the flavors from sauce helped. Our daughter ordered the kids fettuccine and boy their sauce was super rich, Service was friendly and fast. They didn’t rush us at all even though we came in so late. Not much ambience but a great option in the area especially when you are staying at the JW Marriott Clearwater Beach - they are less than 5min away.

Let me put it this way. The food is amazing. Our server James was excellent. He was great with us and our kids. The food is a delicious. It seems there is a very high quality personnel, which largely exceeds the poor management this place has. Open only for dinner, even in a holiday summer weekend. No host, a large line of people waiting while the bartender, again with high personal proficiency, act as host to avoid long waits. With a half occupied salon, the food has to be waited a long. It's evident a high quality personnel but poor management and coordination.

This place is remarkable on it's own merits, not withstanding that it's in a tourist location. A few local friends discovered it a couple of weeks ago and we all descended on it last week. It was so good I immediately made a reservation again for 2 days later. The basics - recipes and original owners from Italy, limited open hours, well established management/cooks/servers/etc. This place has been around for a long time and is likely to be around a lot longer. Quality is through the roof. I've tasted at least 6 of their dishes and the hits just don't quit. The lasagna and lemon dessert are particular highlights but whether you're going with a basic pasta or something more exotic just know you're getting what is EASILY in the top 5 of Italian establishments within 2 hours. My bar for Italian is high as I can make a mean set of dishes, it's not like pizza where I'm happy with even average fare, and this place effortlessly excels. The atmosphere is small, attentive, with just enough noise but not too much where it's perfect for a couple's night out or a small group. They also have a delightful patio. I genuinely can't recommend this place enough. Just crushes everything in the region, particularly at it's very affordable price point. I've paid 4x more for Italian dishes from places that aren't even half as good, and I thought those we well priced based on the quality. This place isn't just hitting out of it's league, it's practically playing a different game entirely. I have no notes for this place. It's perfection and I expect it'll be a regular part of my rotation for years to come.

Many Clearwater OGs have recommended Cesare's At The Beach. Doing a quick google research dive, you'll find the owners are directly from Italy...let's give it a try!! Upon entering, the ambiance is filled with Eros Ramazzotti playing. For those of you who don't know, he's probably the most recognized pop star voice of Italy...think like a Peter Cetera. You hear it, you know. Automatically a point for authenticity. Unfortunately, that's where the authenticity ended for me. We started the evening with a simple bruschetta. On presentation, it looks and tastes like a mini pizza from a middle school cafeteria. Then we got the ceasar salad to share. A generous serving, but tasted like it came out of one of those quick serve plastic bag salads. For entrees, my wife ordered the fettuccine bolognese. Nothing outstanding; I ordered the pollo piccata, which was quite good and saved the evening for me. Food service speed was disappointing. Our server and assistant server were appropriate. Drinks were always addressed without asking. My complaint was how long it took for our actual entrees to come out of the kitchen. It was close to 50 min. In fact, I know the table that was sat after us received their entrees before us. Que será será. Unfortunately, because we were overall so underwhelmed with the quality of the food, we did not get any desert. Cut our losses, and run. Additionally, the prices were higher than other comparable Italian establishments. This of course is because it is located "at the beach." They can do that because the tourists will pay. They will have their loyal patronage. Just not for me...

We came in around 9.15om and was greeted warmly even though last order eas at 9.30pm. We didn't order any appetizers and ate the warm bread that was served. Both hubby and I tried their grouper dishes. I had the Grouper with Kalamata Olives (Mediterranean) and my hubby had the one with just Capers. Both were flavorful but I liked my better. The meal came with a side of pasta option. I chose the spaghetti with garlic and Olive Oil and my hubby has the penne with pink sauce - both were good but I would recommend the pink sauce. The grouper we had didn't seem to be as flakey or fresh tasting but the flavors from sauce helped. Our daughter ordered the kids fettuccine and boy their sauce was super rich, Service was friendly and fast. They didn't rush us at all even though we came in so late. Not much ambience but a great option in the area especially when you are staying at the JW Marriott Clearwater Beach - they are less than 5min away.

First time here ( (10/16/25), can't believe it . It's a hidden gem. We started with the bruschetta little different than the norm . It was tasty, warm and fresh. I had the Pollo Piccata ( chicken) with a side of spaghetti with garlic/ evvo. My. Table mates had the pollo Parmigiana with a side of linguine, Agnolotti (ravioli) with a Alfredo Sauce, Pasta Trio ( 3 different types of pasta/ sauces) and Spaghetti alla Carbonara with chicken. All meals were awesome , hot tasty and delicious. Price comparable to beach, upscale restaurants but very affordable. Fun fact Cesare's has been there approximately 10 plus years, it is locally sourced... again yaaa. KUDOS to James our waiter( made us very welcome), Manager for squeezing us in at the last minute , Chef for giving us a very memorable meal and of course the OWNER. Keep up the amazing hospitality. Definitely recommend this restaurant.

Service from our waiter was outstanding. Knew the menu very well and was extremely attentive. We all ordered Mussels and Bruschetta to start plus their complimentary bread. I ordered the Pollo Cesar Augusto which was fantastic with linguine w/ pink sauce. My husband ordered the Veal Piccata- the sauce with lemon was very fresh. My only complaint is that most of the non alcoholic drinks are heavily overpriced. $5 for Lemonade, Iced Teas, coffee and espressos. Wasn't worth it in my opinion.

Amazing Italian food! We loved the calamari and then everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. We had the mushroom pasta, the chicken Parmesan, and fruti di mare. The host and waiter were so friendly and welcoming. I can promise you that this will be the best Italian meal that you can get in the area...this is coming from a girl who grew up eating on Wooster St. in New Haven to Federal Hill in RI.

I wanted to love this place. I really did. I actually was hopeful walking in and hearing Eros Ramazzotti on the overhead music. But the food simply fell short. The bread was average. The ceasar salad was below average. The bruschetta was basically mini pizza. And the fettuccine all bolognese was on par with Olive Garden (and I should never think of the words Olive Garden in an authentic Italian restaurant). I have no complaints about the service or ambience. But to pay these prices for subpar Italian - we won't be returning.

This is one of my favourite restaurants in the area, and one of my top favourite Italian restaurants ever. They make the pasta fresh in-house every day. The service is amazing and we have been impressed every time.

This is a fantastic Italian restaurant! If you love homemade pasta this is your place! If you love flavorful sauce this is your place. If you love a large diverse menu this is your place. If you love FANTASTiC service this is your place. Highly recommend this if you are craving Italian while visiting Clearwater Beach Florida!

The best food and service that i have had anywhere. Cesar's never disappoints. We go here when we want to take guest and family to the best Italian food on Clearwater Beach.

We just had an amazing dinner. Immediately felt welcome. Menu was great; was hard to decide what to order. I asked if my selection could be done, not only fra diavolo, but very very spicy. Our server, Andrea, who was fantastic, said of course. It was excellent! In addition to our entrees, the bread, dipping oil and Caesar salad were all great. We were originally going to go to an Italian restaurant on North Beach, but, at the last minute, changed our minds and went to Cesare's. We are so glad that we did.

We spent the day in Clearwater, and we were completely famished. We have heard of this place but but never tried it. I was a little worried at first. We did not realize they did not open at 5pm, and when we originally arrived it was 4:45pm. They asked us to come back at 5pm, which is completely understandable since that was our bad. The problem, though, was that they did not actually unlock or open the doors until about 5:14pm. I wouldn't have minded except they told us to come back at 5pm. It probably would have been a little bit better of an experience if they let us know they were running a little late. Upon walking in the restaurant, I was immediately put off my the most disgusting dirty ceiling vent I have ever seen in my life. This part had me questioning my dinner choice for sure. However, once we were seated, we got great service by a very professional waitstaff. We were brought menus, gave our drink order, and asked for fresh bread. We were told that the bread was not ready yet, and it would be brought out once it was done. That's fine, but again, it has to do with the timeliness. At this point, we are about 35-40 minutes past their alleged opening time. I had the Pollo Cesare Augusto, and it was absolutely delicious. It is honestly the main reason I am giving this place 4 stars. It was phenomenal. The pink sauce was great. The portion was huge. I would eat this meal again and again. The cappuccino was absolutely meh and tasted mostly of heavy whole milk. It wasn't light and frothy like I would expect. Skip the cappuccino if you visit!

We learned that Cesare's is celebrating 20 years of operation! It's a small space, but it is packed with tables and still easy enough to move around. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, and a never-ending line of patrons. Be sure to make a reservation--we did and we were seated immediately. I came in with a friend. We were looking for a more upscale place to eat a nice dinner on Clearwater Beach on our third evening here. Our server (Anthony) was delightful!! He matched our admittedly over-the-top energy and was very informative and helpful as we thought our way through our order. This was a nice experience, but the flavor wasn't quite there for me. We ordered two entrees to split and it was more than enough food! However, the best thing on plate for me was the potatoes. I was too full to order dessert but had an eye on the crème brûlée and the tiramisu. Next time, I'd come back for desserts and drinks!

I was there with a large party. I can honestly say that every dish was a 10/10. Fritto misto? So fresh. Scallops were fire. The chicken cesare augusto was so delicious. The vodka sauce was having me lick my plate. This place is a gem. Great service in a beautiful location. Come hungry. OMG so good

I wasn't expecting much, mainly because of the location. So many of the restaurants in the area are only so-so. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the food and service. The size of the restaurant is definitely small, and table settings could have come from a burger joint; paper napkins, plastic woven placemats. The night we were there, there was 3 groups of 5 or more people and they were all elbow to elbow, and the tables all along the windows were blocked in by the larger parties. Even trying to leave, we had to wait an extra 10 minutes just so that one of the tables finished and left, before that nobody would let us through. However, the food .. oh the food !! The quality was stellar, the taste was impeccable and the portions were huge. We had a fantastic young girl as our sever and she was a ray of sunshine. She was very aware of the timing of the meal and made sure our glasses were always full. I would definitely recommend to friends & family. However, I would tell them to request the outdoor patio, instead of being stuck inside.

Service was great. We will occasionally choose a restaurant to try several dishes. So glad we chose Cesare's. We tried the Alfredo with chicken, Veal Sinatra, Pollo Cesare Augusto and Lasagna. The Veal Sinatra and Pollo Cesare comes with a side of pasta & sauce(you get to choose). We chose a side of penne & side of spaghetti. Both with bolognese sauce. They were Huge. 4 people can share one side. EVERYTHING was Delicious! We will definitely be back when we are in town again.

Small hidden gem at bottom of Clearwater hotel zone. It's small and in a strip mall but don't let that fool you. The food and the service are excellent!! Will be going back when I am in Clearwater again!

Great service by James! Delicious food, and lots of it! Nice spot on the patio. Exactly what we were looking for!

Looking for a great happy hour on clearwater beach then this is your spot. 1/2 cocktails and excellent food choices. Bruschetta. meatballs, shrimp and calamari all excellent. Comfortable patio!! We wish we would have discover this gem on day 1 of our trip to clearwater beach.

I don't know what happened here but the service was with an arrogance! We had two toddlers with us and asked for bread. He said we couldn't get any bread without ordering our entrees. So, I ordered mine and it took forever to come out. I said it's okay if it comes out fast because the kids wanted the bread. We ordered bruschetta, caprese, Caesar salad for appetizers. They were good but nothing super special. I was shocked at all of the amazing reviews, but this just missed the mark for me. We got several vegetarian entrees and shared it. When the bill arrived, there were many sharing plate fees which we were not told about. It was on the menu as I go back and read, but just mention it to us. We got ice cream, cannoli, and tiramisu. They were good. Would I ever come back, probably not but it always felt like we were bothering our server. You shouldn't feel that way with 8 people.

This place has me absolutely speechless. It totally went above my expectations. The service was impeccable! They were constantly checking on us and VERY helpful explaining the menu to us. The wine flavoring was so perfect for the taste of the food. 100% recommend!!! If you're near the Clearwater area you most definitely have to come here. James (our server) was spectacular!! So incredibly nice and went above and beyond! I'm surprised this restaurant isn't rated 5 stars!!

We were in town for a trip and ran across Cesare's. I didn't go on day one but wish I had. We went on day two and the food was fabulous. Easily the best food we had while in town. The service was excellent. We had the bolognese, the chicken parm, and the Veal Sinatra. All excellent choices. Thanks for a great experience.

Always 100% satisfied Best Osso Bucco in the world. Great food great service casual family atmosphere.

Bruschetta- 8 Lobster Ravioli- 7 Pasta - 7 Sat outside had one fan slightly blowing in our direction, then host came and moved it to blowing toward the majority of guests who already had fans in that area so Waiter was helpful with the menu

To sum up our experience at Cesare's, Fantastic! The food and service was amazing, great wait staff! Cesare's was a shining star of food after we had all but given up on finding a good dinner in Clearwater. They knocked it out of the park! Definitely returning when we get back.

Trust Yelp! I did and ended up here. The service by Anthony was outstanding and the food was delicious. Truly. The bread and dip sauce was so good. I enjoyed a mozzarella caprese appetizer. Next was Pollo Cesare Augusta entree with an in-house made cannoli to end. Sensational They have indoor and patio seating. I will most definitely come back.

Have been coming Clearwater Beach and Sand Key regularly for 30 years but this was our first time at Cesare's. It will definitely not be our last. It's not fancy, located in a strip mall. We ate outside on the patio. Fantastic Italian food, some of the best we've ever had anywhere! Service was also top notch. Prices were reasonable. I had the Pollo Cesare's Augusto and it was just incredible. The pink sauce is indescribably good. The calamari melted in your mouth. Others had lobster raviolis and spaghetti and all raved about them. Five stars all around!

Really solid joint. Anddy was a great waiter. Super nice host that is related to the owners. Would totally recommend.

Everyone at our table loved their food. The service was amazing and the owner/manager even was kind enough to give my son a stack of nba and nfl playing cards. My son loved them! Such a nice and thoughtful touch! We will definitely be back

This place is awful. They say their food is authentic. There is noway it is. Bruschetta-1 very generic / they do not put fresh mozzarella and basal . It looked sloppy. Chicken Alfredo- 1 the sauce watery and had no flavor . Chicken was tough, noway an authentic Italian restaurant would have no flavor . Lasagna- 0 tasted like Chef Boyardee right out of the can. Meatballs- 0 tasted like a on-Cour frozen Salisbury steak. I will not go back to this place. They should not tell their customers, it's authentic and house made .

Delicious Italian food! Service was good. We sat on the patio and glad we did because there were several parties inside that were very loud.

We were a party of 23 and every worker was very respectful. About most of the table finished there food not one scrap of food left on the table it was Devine and gorgeously prepared. It was very nice looking the sunset was over the roof and you could feel the wind under your hair. 5 stars will de finally back if we have a big party like we did tonight!

Husband and I ate here and the food was delicious. Our waitress was attentive, and the portion sizes were plentiful. We ate inside and the restaurant has that upscale feel but no so much that we felt out of place in our casual attire. We had calamari as an appetizer and it was delicious. We ordered the chicken parm, and pollo Cesar Augusto which was amazing. We were able to make a reservation in advance which limited our wait time.

The food was pretty good. The service was average. Waiter didn't make too many appearances after the order was taken and food was delivered., but to top it off, it was my birthday. They put a candle in a dessert and charged me for it. Come on really. Hard for me to give restaurants less than a three because I know they're trying, but was not a spectacular birthday.

Absolutely everything is Delicious fresh pasta , sauces are rich in flavor , Excellent Service & very friendly

It's not fancy but it's solid with large portions and yummy pasta. The pesto and mushrooms was delightful, the eggplant chicken parm combo is delicious and not to be missed even hubby who doesn't like eggplant enjoyed this dish. The penne ala vodka with chicken was great too. Honestly everyone enjoyed their meal even the kids who were sad about no vanilla ice cream devoured the ice cream chocolate bomb they got. Avoid the bottled lemonade and enjoy your time. Also major kudos for not charging auto gratuity for large parties.

Updating my review a year later. The food tastes exactly the same and that's impressive! This time we bought the kids and they loved their food too. I think this will be an annual thing because I can't get enough!!

This is typical New Jersey style dinner with great Italian food. Staff is friendly and helpful.

So glad we got to try this place. Food was excellent. I made a reservation through Open Table for inside table. Outdoor seatings can be good too if it's not too hot. I usually prefer inside and I liked my inside seating front of kitchen. Food was excellent. Mozzarella caprese was simple and tasty. My angel hair pasta with shrimp and scallop was very tasty. It has a bit of spicy kick to it so it was perfect for me. For dessert, everything sound so good. We tried creme brule and it did not disappoint me. Enjoyed last bite of it.

The food is good but know that they charge you for still and sparking water. The parking is terrible. We had to park on the street and walk. There was a concert going on in the parking lot so the music was very loud and not enjoyable. Would recommend the Trio Pasta.

Our go-to when we visit Clearwater. The Italian dishes are superb, my husband ordered the oso buscó and I had the linguini and clams in red sauce. Both dishes were delicious. The service is impeccable, our server was attentive and professional. The ambiance is quaint and clean.

Last year we went to Italy for our 40th Anniversary. This year we wanted to go to our favorite Italian Restaurant in this area. And Cesare At The Beach was awesome! With delicious food and great service. We have tried so many places and this one is the closest to the meals we had in Italy. We started off with Lobster Bisque and a Caesar Salad. Then my wife had the Pollo Cesare Augusto and I had the Capellini Con Gamberi Fra Diavolo. Finally we finished it off with Tartufo Al Limoncello for dessert. We brought more home than we ate. Great food and great service!

Best lasagna, I really like the texture. I also ordered a tiramisu. Homemade one, smooth, sweet but very acceptable.

Great Italian food. Limited bar, but great selection of wines. Service was great. They were out of some desserts which was disappointing, but understandable when everything. Is made same day. Cool vibe inside,

Our visit to Cesare's was a mixed bag. It took about a half-hour to get seated due to reservations holding tables, most of which never showed. This is not the restaurant's fault but just an annoyance due to inconsiderate no-shows. We had beer and wine in the bar while we waited. Once seated in the dining area, we got down to business with dinner. The menu has quite a few choices and the kitchen was accommodating with our requested changes to items. We started with the pasta fagiole soup, a nondescript bean and pasta drool that tasted freshly uncanned. For the main entree, I had the scallops primadonna with a substitution for a spicy marinara (they had another dish with the diavolo sauce on the menu). The scallops were okay, not overcooked but not really seared much either. The marinara was bland and not spicy at all. Portions were large with spring vegetables and pan-fried potatoes that were good but nothing special. My dining companion ordered the penne terra e mare but substituted vegetables for the pasta. It came sautéed with clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp, mushrooms, peas and diced tomatoes and was very generous with the amount of seafood. Considering the neighborhood on Clearwater Beach, the prices were very reasonable. Service however was very sloooow...slow to order, slow to get our food from the kitchen, slow to get the table cleared and get the check. Although we were not the last people seated in the restaurant, I think we were the last orders to come out of the kitchen and I know we were the last diners in the room to finish our meal and leave. Overall, I think the food is decent here but nothing exceptional. I can't recommend it unfortunately due to the service lapses.

We called in, we're seated promptly without a res even though they're super busy! Food is amazing - salmon, branzino and spaghetti was all killer! Service is amazing! Very personable and make you feel at home! Loved it!!!

Service was very very slow and impersonal. Grouper dish was bland, mushy and my companion did not eat it. Very surprised as we usually rely on yelp reviews.

Seriously some of the best Italian food we've ever had. Ryan, Andy, and staff took care of us from the moment we arrived by getting us a cozy booth since my wife has a bad back. From there, a conversation with Ryan brought us knowledge of the fresh per-order food plus homemade pasta. We both wanted things that weren't on the menu and they certainly delivered with quite possibly the tastiest chicken parm and francaise we've ever had. The sauce is amazing, as is the homemade pasta. We are from the Northeast, known for great Italian food, and this beats them all. If we ever make it to Clearwater Beach again we will be back!

First, the manager explained the history of the restaurant, then the food. My wife and I had the pollo parmesan. The cutlets were perfect, the food is made to order, was not dry, it was a big piece of chicken. The atmosphere was perfect, very quant, not a very big place, which make it even a better place to have a quiet sit down dinner inside or outside. Highly recommend this place if you are in the Clearwater area.