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John Little Catering Reviews

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4.6 out of 5 rating
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35 Reviews
93% recommend it
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    Kim R. Sent on 03/29/2020
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    amazing food!

    WOW! The food for the rehearsal dinner and reception were out of this world! Presentation was amazing. The staff were very attentive. You will not be disappointed!
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    Shannon C. Sent on 11/30/2018
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    The Best Food I've Ever Eaten

    We reached out to John and Cathi after seeing John Little Catering on the list of approved vendors from our venue. Prior to reaching out to John Little Catering, we had one other tasting at a larger, more commercialized catering company, and frankly weren’t very impressed with the food and were a little put-off by the fact that they charged us for it.

    From the beginning, Cathi Little was warm and welcoming, and worked hard to help us come up with an idea for a menu. She had a quote to us, including all of our rentals, in no time and was more than happy to schedule a tasting with us. Our tasting took place in John and Cathi’s home in Ramona, an extremely personal touch that blew us away. John cooked all of the items from our menu right in front of us in their gorgeous kitchen, and Cathi talked us through all of the details. John prepared several different salads (his homemade dressings are divine) and versions of each selection (chicken, fish, vegetables, etc.) that he thought would work well for our venue and time of year (he only uses the freshest ingredients available). By the end of our night at John and Cathi’s we knew that they were the perfect Catering team for us, so we immediately signed a contract and gave them a down payment. Easily one of the best decisions we made.

    Flash forward to two weeks before our November wedding, and there was rain in the forecast. Our venue was in Ramona, California (where it NEVER rains), and was all outdoors, so as expected I was a little stressed. One email to Cathi regarding the rain, and I was instantly relieved. She offered to put together an entire rain plan for us including tenting for our guests and all of our vendors, on top of the other weddings she was finalizing at the time. She communicated quickly, and made my life so much easier at a time when I felt like our whole event would be ruined. Thankfully, it did not end up raining on our wedding day, but the fact that Cathi worked so hard to make sure we were covered in case it did is just one example of how the John Little Catering team reliably provides service that goes above and beyond expectations.

    On the day of our wedding, John Little Catering blew every single one of our guests away with the quality of John’s food and the beauty of Cathi’s displays. Every single member of the John Little Catering team was gracious and had a smile on their face for the whole evening, a detail that did not go unnoticed, Cathi made sure that my husband and I were taken care of the whole evening. My new mother-in-law, who is not afraid to give constructive criticism, told us that John Little Catering provided the best meal she has ever had at a wedding or large event, and she’s been to a lot of them.

    As someone who plans corporate Holiday Parties every year, I can easily say that John Little Catering is the best catering company I have ever worked with, and I have worked with some of the top hotels in the area. From the quality of the food, the attention to detail, the excellent customer service, and the warm and friendly duo that is John and Cathi Little, John Little Catering is a true gem in a sea of mediocrity. If you are looking for something more personal than your typical big box corporate caterer, look no further than John Little Catering. They are the kind of company that will add the perfect personal touch to your big day, and will have your guests talking about how good the food was at your wedding for years to come.
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    Jan J. Sent on 10/27/2018
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    Artistic professionalism at its finest!

    Cathi and John are an absolute joy to work with! From our initial tasting appointment, through the planning process and final touches, their creative force and flair were sheer perfection. Can you find someone less expensive? Yes. Do you get what you pay for? YES - and more!! Chef John's 5 star creations, and Cathi's detailed attention to presentation are artistic professionalism at its finest. My daughter's wedding would not have been the success it was without them!
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    Rose T. Sent on 10/25/2018
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    Best Caterer EVER!!!

    John Little Catering exceeded our expectations with their delicious food presented very elegantly. The tables were gorgeously decorated and the staff were friendly yet in the background. We had a very tight timetable and they were right on time serving and cleaning up. I would highly recommend them!
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    Stephanie Sent on 10/09/2018
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    JLC was an absolute perfect experience for us. Cathi and John definitely made our wedding planning and wedding day that much better. JLC is VERY friendly, professional and quickly responds to everything. We had an outdoor, camp themed wedding. Our guests could not stop complimenting how great the food (BBQ choice), dessert (pie a la mode) and service was! John was even able to grill on site to help our theme more. We also hired bartenders through them and they were an absolute delight! Their catering services go above and beyond and definitely cater to every bride and groom's dream.
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    Brittany Sent on 10/20/2018
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    Amazing food and the best staff

    There’s nothing worse than wedding food. It’s always cold, over cooked, dry and just terrible. Guests always leave hungry and hit a burger joint on their way home. We made it our main goal to not let this be the case at our wedding. John and Cathi were literally the sweetest, professional, easy-going, patient and wonderful people. They invited my in-laws and myself into their beautiful home to try their food as it was cooked right in front of us. They also were to kind to send a little extra home with us so my fiancé at the time (who couldn’t attend due to work) could try their food as well. We went with food stations (HIGHLY recommended). We had carne asada and chicken tacos (my FAV), a mac n cheese bbq brisket station, and a pasta station. It offered a huge variety of food and allowed everyone to choose what they felt like having! John and Cathi took care of us on our wedding day and I was STUFFED. We got so many compliments on our wedding food and still, to this day, people continue to talk about it. Not only was the food amazing, the service was incredible. We were treated like royalty and EVERYTHING was taken care of! The bartenders were amazing, the linens were beautiful and the sangria... I dream about John’s sangria! I promise you won’t be let down if you hire John Little Catering for your event. You will have a happy stomach and happy guests! Thank you thank you THANK YOU John, Cathi and your entire staff for being so AMAZING!
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    Morgan Sent on 12/08/2016
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    John and Cathi were fantastic to work with. They invited us to their home with our best man where we sampled a ridiculous amount of delicious food. They worked closely with us to construct a menu, made tons of custom alterations and helped us to balance aesthetics and budget. They worked well with our other vendors and everything on our wedding day went so smoothly (or if it didn't we never knew!!!) I am so unbelievably happy that we chose them as our caterer.
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    Anita Sent on 10/06/2017
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    Cathi and John at John Littles Catering where the best! They helped me every step of the way in planning my daughters wedding. The food was great! The staff was great! I thought it was all done for a fair price. Cathi also helped me pull the whole look together with beautiful decorating and staging items that she had. I had so much piece of mind working with them. I would totally recomended them for any type of event!
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    Alicia Sent on 06/05/2017
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    John and Cathi Little created an amazing meal for my wedding. Every step of the process was so easy. I really must compliment them on their flexibility and willingness to help me stay within my budget. Cathi really takes the time to listen to what flavors and ideas you want incorporated into your big meal. I had so many compliments on the charcuterie spread during cocktail hour and the mushroom raviolis with champagne cream sauce!! They were professional in every way and a dream to work with.
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    Amy Sent on 05/10/2017
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    John and Cathi were the perfect fit for our wedding. They really felt like family as we went over food options. I'm still drooling over some of the items 6 months later. John's salad dressings will transform your dislike of leafy greens. They were always willing to help out with extra things like beer taps and even made us our cake! The strawberry layer was divine and my husband loved the red velvet cake layer, both with cream cheese icing of a professional baker status. Cathi was always willing to answer questions and guide us through choosing and money questions.
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    Kelly Sent on 10/24/2016
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    Cathi and John are truly amazing! Working with them was a true blessing - John's passion for food, creativity, and willingness to try anything new is such a wonderful trait that can be rare to find. Cathi's attention to detail is superb and special touches make you feel special, all the way down to hand painting dots on your menus to match your theme!

    The food is a different level of excellence - you can really taste the passion and love in everything you try.
    You cannot go wrong with John Little Catering, they will truly make your day as special as you want it to be.
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    Cassidy Sent on 09/17/2016
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    Our wedding was in the hills of Ramona and catered by John Little Catering. If you only have money for one vendor use them they will bring THE BEST food AND their artistic vision is enough for all the decoration you will need. My wedding was last month and I am STILL getting compliments about the food. They worked with exactly what we wanted with food and the overall theme/vision of our wedding. They are DEFINITELY worth it. We had a cheese and snack display that was the most beautiful display and so delicious. It was straight out of Pinterest. Ive never seen a more amazing catering staff. For example of the above and beyond service, my cake hadn't been delivered before my florist had to leave to decorate the cake so the VISIONARY John Little stepped in and decorated it EXACTLY how I dreamed of it looking. We had 200 people and they all left full and happy with the menu. I would DEFINITELY recommend them to anyone who is having a wedding.
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    Valerie Sent on 12/24/2015
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    John Little Catering catered our wedding at the El Cortez in San Diego on September 12th. From the beginning of working with John and Cathi, they were a pleasure to work with. I corresponded with Cathi the most and she took time to really understand the kind of wedding and theme I was trying to capture for our wedding. With food being the biggest line item on our budget, I wanted to make sure the menu was delicious and our guests walked away thinking the food was fabulous. Cathi helped explain everything to me in detail and helped Mike and I craft the perfect menu for our guests. We received tons of compliments about the delicious food, the display that complimented our theme, and the attentive staff that served our wedding. Their staff even made sure to find Mike and I as soon as we got to the reception to feed Mike and I some appetizers right before our grand entrance. John runs a no-nonsense kitchen and that is exactly what is needed to make an event successful.

    I would definitely refer any of my contacts that are looking for an outstanding caterer to John Little Catering.

    Our wedding was perfect and we are really happy that we chose them as our caterers.
  • User2498911 Sent on 01/08/2016
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    John and Cathi were so wonderful. We had an amazing tasting in their home. Everything we ate and drank was beyond words, delicious and outstanding.

    They were completely helpful in coming up with a great menu to meet our wants and dietary needs. They did our wedding buffet and dessert bar, both were extraordinary. Cathi made menu signs, she helped decorate our desert bar, everything was just perfect.

    I was very concerned about food for our wedding. It was really important to me that our guests left their tables full, happy, and satisfied. Our guests are still talking about the food four months later. It was just beyond words.
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    Sandra Sent on 09/11/2015
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    John Little Catering recently catered my wedding. John and Cathi are absolutely the best and a pleasure to work with!! They were responsive and flexible with the many changes I made throughout the planning process. The food was amazing and all of our guests said it was the best food they ever had at a wedding!!! I highly recommend John Little Catering for a wedding or any other event that you need catered.
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    Sandra Sent on 07/21/2015
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    After selecting the venue for our daughter's wedding, selecting the caterer was the next most important decision. We met with several caterers, but after our initial meeting with John and Cathi Little, we knew they were the best choice for the wedding. John and Cathi listened carefully to our daughter and her fiance and immediately captured their vision of the celebration and were able to translate it into perfect menu choices. We were provided with a highly detailed proposal that gave options but left no surprises. Our communication with them was excellent. They even took time to meet us at the venue to review and determine additional needs and formalize the final menu. On the day of the wedding, everything for our "upscale picnic" was perfect, from the welcome refreshments, to the cocktail hour hors d'oeuvres, to the dinner stations, and finally the cake and dessert station. We received nothing but rave reviews from our guests. The John Little team was professional, thorough, and dedicated to making our celebration wonderful and memorable.
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    Michael Sent on 06/17/2014
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    John Little Catering did a wonderful job with our wedding. We had an outdoor wedding in Ramona, CA and they took the laboring oar from A-Z on food, rentals, and presentation. There were many unknowns in the planning process, but we were able to count on JLC for expertise, prompt communications, friendly service, and fair pricing. JLC exceeded our expectations. Thanks John and Cathi!
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    Monica Sent on 06/17/2014
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    John and Cathi were the best!! They handled everything we wanted them to and more. Their attention to detail is unmatched, food is delicious and their staff is professional. We would use them over and over again!!
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    Danielle Sent on 10/08/2013
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    Cathi and John are an amazing catering team! John brings the food expertise and Cathi brings the organizational and creative expertise. We were on a budget and they worked with us to create a menu that not only was beyond delicious, but brought a lot of variety for our guests. They also handled all of our rentals, desserts and bartending! Everything was beautifully presented and exactly how we envisioned our wedding to be. And Cathi's attention to detail on the presentation of all the decor was absolutely perfect! If you are looking for a caterer with a personal touch and amazing food, these are your guys!
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    Denise Sent on 10/25/2011
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    JLC made my daughter's wedding absolutely magical! From the time we talked to plan the event, to days ahead, to the day of the event, Cathi and John were responsive, creative, suggestive, and warm. They stepped up at the last minute to cater the food and provided the perfect buffet. The food was all very tastely and the guest just kept complimenting the quality and taste of the food - particularly the gorgonzola infused garlic mashed potatoes, and the bride raved over her perfect salad she asked for! The presentation was beautiful and matched the decor/theme that was painstakenly developed over months by the bride herself. Thanks John and Cathi for making Teale and Justin's wedding perfect!
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    Erin Sent on 12/02/2010
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    We had a very small and intimate wedding of about 30 guests. Other caterers we talked to were reluctant to work with us, and acted as though they would be doing a favor to cater our wedding. John Little Catering on the other hand were wonderful. We had a basic idea of the kinds of foods we wanted, and they added in some great ideas of there own that complimented what we were trying to accomplish. Our dinner was done buffet style, and John Little Catering went above and beyond for us, creating a special gluten free meal prepared for one of our guests with allergies. Our wedding day was amazing. The table set up was gorgeous, and the food was amazing. The serving staff were fantastic. We barely noticed they were there. We received many compliments from our guests on how tasty the food was (some are even still talking about it)! We want to thank John Little Catering for helping make our special day that much more amazing!
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    Sarah Sent on 08/19/2010
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    My husband and I got married in La Jolla on October 3, 2009 and all I have to say is WOW! John and Cathi Little are amazing.

    As a bride, I know how many different decisions and details there are in planning a wedding, and it can get pretty overwhelming. In my planning, I must have talked to over 20 caterers, but the one that stood out the most was John Little Catering. From the initial phone call, to the tasting, to the last detail of the day Cathi was there helping me along the way. I would say that they went BEYOND catering and helped with so many other aspects of the wedding that I never expected. My husband and I couldn't of been more thrilled with how our wedding turned out.

    And the food...how could I forget the food! That was just amazing and the highlight of the night! So delicious. People are still raving about our the food from our wedding almost a year later. John is so talented and created a menu that everyone loved, especially my husband and I. My husband and I really wanted the food to be spectacular at our wedding that was what we got in John Little, an amazing Chef.

    John and Cathi also coordinated so many other things for us as well. They handled the table rentals, the linens, lighting and decorations and any other thing I threw out at Cathi desperately asking for help! And of course, she responded quickly and always had some sort of solution. We were also about 2 hours away from our venue and when I couldn't make it back up to San Diego to go over the lighting arrangements Cathi went for me in my place and took pictures so I could see the layout! As I have said they just went above and beyond what I was expecting.

    From the moment I spoke to Cathi on the phone, I could tell that she truly cared and wanted my wedding day to be as special as if it were her own. The little details that John and Cathi put into our wedding day made all the difference to a frazzled bride! When we ran out of wine (my mistake for not ordering enough) Cathi went out and bought some more for our guests and us without any hesitation! It is service like this that makes me want to reccommend John Little Catering to everyone I know and I do! I only wish I had another event to plan so I could taste John's amazing recipes again.

    And yes, while planning my wedding I did encounter some people that I hired that I was not happy with, people that I wouldn't use again, but John Little Catering was not one of them. I am a very organized and detail oriented person. I really wanted everything to be beautiful and fun for our guests. When we look back it was the perfect day we dreamed of and I wouldn't of changed anything about it and I contribute most of that to John and Cathi Little of John Little Catering.

    These people are amazing and made our wedding day a day we will always remember!



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    Samantha Sent on 11/17/2009
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    John Little Catering is a family favorite. The food was amazing and everyone was really impressed with the taste as well as the service. John and his wife personally care for each client and make sure that no detail is forgotten. The display was beautiful and they were very flexible with our menu choices and budget. We would highly recommend John Little to anyone who wants delicious food for a great price!
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    Mandy Sent on 05/06/2011
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    JohnLittleCatering catered my outdoor backyard wedding. It was so hot that day (100+) and they were so accommodating and professional with the difficulty serving food in such high heat. I was so pleased and would highly recommended them to anyone!
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    Ramona R. Sent on 10/25/2016
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    John and Cathi offer a personalized, professional service and are top notch professionals. They handled all of the details for us, from flowers to food, and created an unforgettable experience for us and our guests. We can not recommend them highly enough! Sincerely, Teri & Micole