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Much like L.A., restaurants in Orange County are generally casual, and you’ll rarely see men in jackets and ties. However, at top resort hotel dining rooms, many guests choose to dress up.
Of course, there’s also a swath of casual places along the beachfronts—seafood takeout, taquerias, burger joints—that won’t mind if you wear flip-flops. Reservations are recommended for the nicest restaurants.
Many places don’t serve past 11 pm, and locals tend to eat early. Remember that according to California law, smoking is prohibited in all enclosed areas.
This beloved Crystal Cove Historic District restaurant features an umbrella-laden deck just a few steps above the white sand. You can sip a very good mai tai, mule, or margarita at the Bootlegger Bar, while waiting to enjoy ahi tacos, ahi poke bowls, or a Beachcomber Kobe burger. They offer beach chair rentals and you can reserve your own fire pit for s'mores.
Set on an expansive deck overlooking the water and a few boats, Descanso Beach Club serves a wide range of favorites: grilled burgers, street tacos, clam chowder, salads, and layered nachos. Try the island's sweet signature cocktail, Buffalo Milk---a mix of fruit liqueurs, vodka, and whipped cream. Firepits and chic beach cabanas add to the scene, as does the sound of happy and terrified screams from the zipliners in the canyon above the beach. There is a shop to purchase beach items, and a stand to rent kayaks and snorkel equipment.
For a taste of Hawaiian flavors like freshly caught seafood with a macadamia crust, this homage to surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku is a prime people-watching spot. Order a mai tai with crispy coconut shrimp or fresh ahi tuna fish tacos. Be sure to save room for a slice of the Kimo Original Hula Pie, with chocolate cookie crust, macadamia nut ice cream, hot fudge, toasted macadamia nuts, and whipped cream. Every Monday they offer a Burger and Beverage special with a choice of one of six different gourmet burgers for $19 from 4 to 9 pm. They also offer a Chef's two-course prix fixe menu for $29 on weekday afternoons.
Located in what used to be the Victor Hugo Inn, Las Brisas is a Laguna Beach landmark overlooking the ocean. The expansive patio offers spectacular coastline views as guests sip signature margaritas and Mexican cuisine with a California twist. Menu favorites include lobster Benedict for breakfast and during brunch, and whole grilled fish served with black beans, rice, salsa, and freshly made corn tortillas for dinner.
Long Beach's famous Craftsman bungalows were built en masse during an oil boom a century ago, and while many have been torn down to make way for McMansions and apartment blocks, one now plays home to the Attic, which serves some of the best Southern-style cuisine in the region. The comfort food on the all-day menu delights, from the Flaming Hot Cheetos mac and cheese (don't overthink it; just try it) to the braised oxtails with preserved huckleberry. Daily happy-hour specials serve as an "intermission" between lunch and dinner offerings. Score a coveted indoor table in the home's former rooms, or enjoy the lowkey outside patio. In the mood for adventure? Try to score a reservation for occasional Attic Supper Club events, nestled in a gorgeous private dining room. Like much of Long Beach, the Attic is dog-friendly.
Overlooking the harbor, this open-to-the-sea-air patio is the preferred spot to dine on freshly caught fish, savory chowders, and all manner of shellfish. Order a swordfish steak, the lobster roll, or the sand dabs if they are on the menu. Save room for homemade Key lime pie or java mud pie. The dining room has a nautical vibe. Fishing rods serve as room dividers, and plank floors lend a casual feel inside and out. Vintage black-and-white photos acknowledge the island's famed sportfishing legacy. Happy hour offers craft beers, potent cocktails, and tasty bites like fried calamari and oyster shooters.
This popular dining spot offers a variety of seasonal seafood, shellfish, meat, and poultry with a tranquil bay view. On sunny days, the waterfront patio is a popular spot to enjoy different types of shellfish with an emphasis on freshness. The menu changes daily, and the bar pours cocktails, wine, and craft brew.
The eclectic seafood menu served at this 1920s cannery building has many locals arrive by boat, as there's a convenient dock at the front entrance. If you are feeling some boat envy, you can reserve the restaurant's Duffy boat for a two-hour brunch or sunset cocktail cruise before dinner. The boat is available for $150 an hour with a two-hour minimum. Order items from the special boat rental menu such as a bottle of champagne, with lobster sliders, a cheese board and sushi platter. The upstairs Jellyfish Lounge offers one of the best happy hours in Newport Beach with discounted sushi and cocktail specials daily from 3:30 to 6:30 pm.
For a classic al fresco dining option, Claire's at the Museum provides patrons with stunning views of the Pacific and the Queen Mary on a blufftop patio overlooking the sand. Brunch and lunch menus include California favorites like avocado toast alongside classic comfort food like a toothsome fried chicken sandwich or mile-high, fluffy French toast with fresh berries. The extensive drinks menu includes a Bloody Mary bar, signature cocktails, sparkling wines, and craft brews. In a rarity for the area, a free parking lot is available down the block, including free EV charger use. When you're done, step into the Long Beach Art Museum to get your culture fix.
Walk through an artist village to get to the Cliff Restaurant for 180-degree views of Main Beach and the Pacific coastline. There are multilevel dining patios to sit and enjoy hearty breakfasts Friday through Sunday, and coastal seafood favorites for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Firepits, outdoor heaters, and blankets keep diners warm when the marine air grows chilly in the evening. This is also a popular happy hour spot where people stay to enjoy the sunset and then remain for dinner.
Accomplished chef Byron Gemmell's moderately priced bistro offers a taste of France in the midst of a SoCal harbor. In a laid-back but romantic setting, you can begin with escargots or French onion soup before moving on to sand dabs in white wine or roasted duck in a seductive rum-banana liquor reduction. Finish with a soufflé—either classic chocolate or Grand Marnier. The wine list includes some reasonably priced Bordeaux. Sunday brunch is a four-course meal with free flowing champagne for $45.
Cozy tables by the window overlook the San Juan Capistrano Mission at this French and Belgian restaurant. The classic menu presents escargot, frog legs, pate, and a bratwurst plate. An extensive wine list is matched by an impressive selection of Belgian beers. It's open for Sunday brunch; save room for a traditional Belgian chocolate torte.
It may be worth hopping the Amtrak to San Juan Capistrano just for the chance to have breakfast or lunch at one of Orange County's most beloved restaurants, located in a historic board-and-batten home dating back to 1881. This café sits practically on the railroad tracks across from the depot—nab a table on the patio for cinnamon apple beignets, hush puppies with avocado aioli, and spicy crab salad on the à la carte breakfast and lunch menu. On weekends, there is a set two-course menu for $45 per person.
This popular sunset view venue in South Laguna is at the top of Casa del Camino Hotel. Find a seat for sunset cocktails such as flavorful mojitos or a pomegranate martini. Menu items include a Mediterranean chop salad, crab cakes and ahi poke wonton tacos. Weekday Happy Hour has food and drinks for $10 or less, from 2 to 5 pm.
If Long Beach's 2nd Street is a treasure chest of casual communal experiences, Saint & Second is one of its gems. This on-trend modern American restaurant is the latest in a long line of successful concepts run on the same site by the same family for well over half a century, drawing diners in with its sky-high burgers, steak frites, and crisp flatbreads. The industrial-style space also serves inventive cocktails and a whiskey menu longer than Long Beach. "Social hour" deals don't disappoint. You might even find artwork by a local that you can't resist taking home. Like much of 2nd Street, Saint & Second is dog-friendly, so be prepared to make friends with lots of very good boys (and girls).
This great coffee shop, located in a historic Craftsman-style building, is part gourmet pantry and part global dining adventure. It's a must-stop for your every picnic need.
Unaffiliated with the fast food chain of the same name, this Southern California landmark sitting on a bluff off of PCH is the perfect spot to get a quick breakfast burrito, tasty Cove burger, fish-and-chips, or a seared ahi sandwich. The menu also includes a vegan Impossible burger, banana date shakes, and root beer floats.
Dine alfresco on the patio to enjoy locally sourced dishes with a glass of wine or artisanal cocktail at this all day eatery at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach. The seafood platter with mussels, oysters, poached shrimp, crab meat salad, and cocktail sauce is a favorite. Other dishes include a chopped Cobb salad, seared scallops, and Korean fried chicken tenders.
Craving a modern fusion of Californian and Asian cuisines? Tantalizing Tantalum has been one of Long Beach's favorite bayside gathering places for a generation, including a legendary weekend brunch. Appropriately named for a type of metal that is resistant to corrosion, this restaurant is set on the water in the Marina Pacifica, where the views are exceptional. The verdant interiors evoke Bali with their warm woods and commanding views, or you can sit outside when the weather is fine (and it nearly always is). Enjoy a cocktail at the endless bar or explore the large menu, including local favorites like the yakiniku calamari. Live music is on offer nearly every night, along with daily happy hour specials. If you're feeling nautically inclined, you can even dock your boat rental in front of the restaurant.
A local favorite in the morning and throughout the day for organic heirloom coffee and hand-blended fine organic teas, Urth also serves health-conscious food as well as pastries outside on the charming garden patio looking out at the Laguna Art Museum across the street. For lunch and dinner, they offer a variety of salads, soups, bowls, pizzas, and signature sandwiches. Heartier fare includes a Mediterranean platter, Urth tamales, lasagna, and an Asian-style nori plum rice wrap. There is a children's menu, too.
It's always brunch time at his small Laguna Beach institution where you'll find reasonably priced breakfast-to-lunch (okay, brunch) items that include everything from signature quiches, poached eggs, and homemade granolas, to healthy salads, homemade soups, quesadillas, and pizza. All the sweets are homemade, including the megasize brownies. There are some gluten-free and vegetarian items, too, including a Zinc Rubenesque on rye bread made with beets. A large beverage menu includes lattes, lemonade, beer, mimosas, and red and white wines by the glass.
