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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.
This popular indoor and outdoor dining spot grills up the freshest local fish (swordfish, sea bass, halibut, and tuna) and offers a wide range of creative seafood dishes, sushi, fish tacos, and Hawaiian-style poke salad. Order at the counter, which doubles as a seafood market, and sit inside or outside on the patio. This is one of the few restaurants in Southern California with its own fishing boat, so there's a good chance some line-caught local fish will be on the menu.
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.
Grab a stool at this little snack bar on the Green Pleasure Pier for people-watching while drinking a draft beer and munching on a burrito, fish-and-chips, or signature buffalo burger.
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.
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.
Cordelia Knott's fried chicken and boysenberry pies drew crowds so big in the 1930s, that Knott's Berry Farm built a park to keep the hungry customers occupied while they waited. The Western-theme restaurant serves crispy home-style fried chicken, along with biscuits, mashed potatoes, gravy, and Mrs. Knott's signature chilled cherry-rhubarb compote. The adjacent Marketplace has a grab-and-go counter to order and take home Knott's fried-chicken dinners. Both eateries are open to the public without a park ticket.
This beloved Southern California institution has been serving up its signature comfort food to everyone from Stevie Wonder to President Obama since 1975. The no-frills eatery, still in its original location, offers a unique combination of crispy, well-seasoned fried chicken alongside fluffy, golden waffles—a pairing that has become legendary in the region (just ask Snoop Dogg, one of their most ardent and frequent customers). The menu features various chicken cuts and waffle combinations, as well as classic soul food sides like collard greens, mac and cheese, and cornbread. While the wait times can be long, especially during peak hours, many patrons find the experience worth it for the generous portions and satisfying flavors. The restaurant's low-key, diner-like atmosphere adds to its charm; while there are other locations now, the original location is the best ambassador for this unique dish.
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.
