Timeshare Users Group Orange County Dining/Activity Guide

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Your Location: TUG Home > Review Home Page > USA - West>Orange County Dining Guide	Last updated: 19 Jul 2005

Orange County Dining and Activities Guide
TUG members share their restaurant recommendations
Addresses and phone numbers were gathered from off the net where ever we could find them. In many cases, conflicting data was found. Please verify locally before relying on this information.

OC Restaurants

North Orange County Restaurants
Downtown Disney has some good restaurants, including Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen ((714) 776-5200), which is part of the Brennans' restaurants from New Orleans. Good Creole, Cajun and Southern style foods there. Moderately Expensive, as are all of the other restaurants at Downtown Disney. Others have recommended ESPN Zone ((714) 300-3776) and House of Blues ((714) 778-2583), both in Downtown Disney. Neither one has anything other than mediocre food, but they both have substantial entertainment value. House of Blues has live music nightly (for an admission price), and though I'm not a sports fan, die-hard sports fans seem to go crazy for ESPN Zone.

The Harbor House Cafe in Sunset Beach ((562) 592-5404) is open 24 hours, has great omelets, chili, and other cafe specialties. It is essentially a diner with a slightly nicer decor, and casual. Prices are inexpensive to moderate.

Captain Jack's in Huntington Harbour ((562) 592-2514)) has giant crab legs, and people rave about their prime rib, which I find OK but not fantastic. Moderately expensive.

The Katella Deli, 4470 Katella Ave, Los Alamitos (562) 594-8611 near the Los Alamitos racetrack, is about the best deli food you'll find in Orange County. Which isn't saying too much, but people in Orange County rave about it, and the Katella Deli does have good deli foods and even better baked goods in the bakery. The Strudels are excellent. Moderate.

King's Fish House, 1521 West Katella, Orange (714) 771-6655 is part of a mini-chain of Oyster Bars and Chowder Houses with about 8 locations in Southern California. The seafood is fresh and good, but the non-seafood offerings are extremely limited. The atmosphere is casual, making this an acceptable place to come with children, as long as they like fish. I go for the clam chowder and roasted artichoke, and for the grilled, skewered fish and shellfish. If you're in the area (for example, after a game or event at Arrowhead Pond or Angels Stadium), this is a decent choice for a good, moderate meal. But don't go out of your way, because while everything is good, nothing is spectacular (except maybe the oyster selections and oyster prices).

The Queen Mary in Long Beach ((562) 499-1606) has a wonderful buffet brunch on Sunday. In addition to the spectacular brunch for adults, which includes a made-to-order crepe bar, there is a kiddie brunch on tables set at preteen height which usually features pizza, waffles, french toast sticks and chicken fingers, among other things. Expensive.

The Hobbit, 2932 E. Chapman (714) 997-1972 in Orange. This is a restaurant that offers a seven-course, prix fixe gourmet menu each night for about $65 (plus wine) a person. They post their upcoming menu for the next several months on their website. Mostly beef and lamb main courses, with two alternative main courses for non-beef eaters. The meal is as much a 3½ hour show as dinner, with the first course served downstairs in the wine cellar, and an intermission in which you can visit the kitchen and cross-examine the chef, or browse the art gallery and gardens. If you plan on going, you will probably have to make reservations a month or two in advance, as their schedule fills up early. If you want a fish or vegetarian meal, let them know at the time of reservation, as they do not have many available otherwise. Jackets preferred for men. Expensive.

Central Orange County Restaurants
Up at Irvine Spectrum, the Crazy Horse Steak House ((949) 585-9000) makes a mean steak or prime rib. Moderately expensive. As an extra, if you eat there Friday or Saturday night, your dinner check gets you into the disco next door where they have a live disco band, which can be a lot of fun. Also in the Spectrum is Sing-Sing, which is a singalong piano bar that can make for a fun evening.

The Cheesecake Factory ((949) 788-9998)(moderate priced), also in the Irvine Spectrum Center, is a chain. But in my experience it has the best food of all the cheesecake factories around here. For some reason, perhaps because the chefs are just better. The Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp is a huge portion, enough for two. The Shrimp Scampi is garlic lover's nirvana. The Fried Chicken Salad is unusual and good. I like the Chicken Madeira, and I have friends who swear by the Chicken Piccatta and Chicken Marsala. Their appetizers, including the Thai Lettuce Wraps, Tex-Mex Egg Rolls and Popcorn Shrimp, make for a good munchie dinner or lunch. The frozen specialty drinks are great, and their cheesecakes are legendary. There's also one in Fashion Island, ((949) 720-8333) but it's not as good.

Rockin' Baja Lobster (949) 723-0606) on the Newport Pier (very casual, inexpensive to moderate) serves "buckets" of seafood, steak and/or chicken, including buckets with whole lobsters, etc., along with an all-you-can-eat salsa bar with a great honey-chile-lime butter for the tortillas.

As long as we're talking tortillas, El Torito Grill makes fresh, hot flour tortillas which they keep coming to your table like bread in other restaurants, served with two kinds of salsas and honey butter (Not El Torito -- they are different restaurants. Although affiliated, El Torito doesn't have the fresh tortillas, but El Torito Grill does, along with fresher, healthier food. Make sure you are going into an El Torito Grill). The main courses are different than you would expect in your traditional Mexican or Tex-Mex place, along with some very good, creative Nouvelle Mexican food. But if you get the Fajitas (the fajitas are great because you get to use more of those fresh tortillas) or try something unusual, like the Santa Fe Torte, you won't be disappointed. They also make a killer Guacamole at your tableside. There's one in Fashion Island ((949) 640-2875), and one in Irvine near the Orange County Airport ((949) 975-1220), as well as others around Southern California. Inexpensive-Moderate

Taco Mesa in Costa Mesa ((949) 642-0629) is a taco stand that is ranked one of the two best in the U.S. (The other is La Super Rica in Santa Barbara) Julia Child used to eat there every time she was in town. They invented Jalapeno Poppers, and their Blackened Chicken Burrito is great, as well as their many other specials and foods. Inexpensive, and it is in an old converted Taco Bell store. There are now other locations in Orange County, but Costa Mesa is still the original and the best.

Avila’s El Ranchito down on Pacific Coast Highway ((949) 644-8226), as well as one on the Balboa Penninsula ((949) 675-6855), makes good, traditional-style Mexican food, as well as decent Margaritas. Casual, inexpensive.

If you've never tried one, consider Fatburger ((949) 474-5060). Fast food, inexpensive. Their hamburger or cheeseburger, with everything on it, can also be topped with a fried egg. Cholesterol heaven, but worth the splurge. Make sure to get the chili-cheese fries (with onions, of course) in addition to whatever else. If you're limiting fat content, they will serve you a turkeyburger instead of the regular beef. There's one at Jamboree and the 405 Freeway, in the Jamboree/Michelson shopping center, and a few more in various places around Southern California. Great R&B, early rock, soul and motown music on the jukebox, as well. Then, if you feel guilty, you can walk to the other side of the center and shop in Mother's Market ((949) 752-6667), which is one of the three best health food stores in Orange County, and contains not only a juice bar and health food restaurant, but ready-made natural, additive-free foods for your resort microwave.

Ruby's on Balboa Pier in Newport Beach ((949) 675-RUBY), Huntington Pier ((714) 969-7829) or in Crystal Court at South Coast Plaza ((714) 662-7829) serves burgers, fries, shakes. It's a 50's-style diner where they filmed the first Cherry 7-Up commercial, and the shakes and malts are quite good. All fresh, all good, nothing particularly creative, except that you do get to dine over the ocean on a formerly wooden pier (at the Newport and Huntington Beach locations). Casual, inexpensive-moderate.

For those that like Roy's on Maui, there is a branch in Fashion Island ((949) 261-2424), and the food is equally good. Moderately expensive.

The Clubhouse in South Coast Plaza ((714) 708-2582) is good, extremely well managed, and the decor is very good. The toasted Ravioli is particularly good, they do steaks well, and often they have wonderful specials. Bordering on fine dining, but just a step down. Moderately expensive.

Morton's Steakhouse in South Coast Village is like every other Morton's around the country. Good steaks, good food, expensive, and slightly overpriced. But for the occasional splurge, OK.

Ruth's Chris, 2961 Michelson Drive, Irvine (949) 252-8848 is a famous steak house, again part of an upscale chain, reputed to have better food than Morton's, but I have not tried it yet. Expensive.

Blue Water Grill, 1621 W. Sunflower Ave. (714) 668-3720 in South Coast Village. Good fresh fish. Relatively casual, and moderately priced.

Consider McCormick & Schmick's (2000 Main St., Irvine (949) 756-0505) at Main and Jamboree in Irvine. Also moderately priced. Another good seafood restaurant, right in line with the other two, is Walt's Wharf, 201 Main St., Seal Beach (562) 598-4433. Moderately priced.

A step up, both in decor and price, is Scott's Seafood, 3300 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa (714) 979-2400 which has very good, fresh seafood dishes, and on some weekend evenings, live jazz. In the South Coast Plaza area.

A step down in price is Jimmy's Fish & Grill, 6563 East Pacific Coast Highway in the Long Beach Marketplace in Long Beach (562) 594-9479. This is a recommendation by several people on the TUG BBS. I ate there twice and found that the fish was not as fresh as at the other recommended places. However, it is cheaper. You can get out of there for about $15 a person for lunch, or $20 a person for dinner, excluding wine, so if price is your main consideration, this is your place.

Tutto Mare, 545 Newport Center Drive (949) 640-6333 in Fashion Island has good Italian food, with a focus on Italian seafood, and a lively bar scene. The bar scene can be a "meat market" on Friday/Saturday evenings. Moderately Expensive.

Amelia's Seafood & Italian Restaurant, 311 Marine Ave. (949) 673-6580 on Balboa Island has very good Italian food. A venerable, cozy, family-style Italian restaurant, it has been around for about 40 years. Its specialties are pastas and seafood (it usually has quite a few fresh fish dishes each night). Moderate

Recently Chat Noir, 655 Anton, Costa Mesa (714) 557-6647 opened up in the South Coast Plaza area. It has French bistro food, mostly just average to good, and is overpriced, but its Chocolate Souffle ($12) is actually something worth going for, especially after seeing a show at the nearby Performing Arts Center. Live jazz music on weekends. Expensive.

The Claim Jumper, in multiple locations, including Irvine and Huntington Beach, has about the best salad bar in the county, and their food comes in very large portions. Prices are reasonable if you split an entree and order an extra salad bar, which will be more than adequate for any normal eater. Their Prime Rib (get it blackened) is served only on Fridays and Saturdays. One dessert is usually enough to feed a small African village. Moderately inexpensive when you split an entree, moderate otherwise.

Maggiano's in South Coast Plaza ((714) 546-9550) is busy and crowded, but the food is good, and if you get four agreeable people together, you can order an all-you-can-eat Italian food orgy consisting of two appetizers, two entrees, two pasta side dishes and two desserts, served family style until your clothes are stretching at the seams for about $20 a person.

Antonello's, 1611 Sunflower Ave. Ste. E-55 (714) 751-7153 in South Coast Village, serves very good Italian food, but it is dressy and expensive. Nello Cucina, (3333 Bear Street (714) 540-3365), in the Crystal Court of South Coast Plaza, is affiliated with Antonello's, but it is cheaper and the dining is more casual. The fresh Gnocci and fresh pastas are great, as are the risottos and the various specials. They also do a good Carbonara, if you're not afraid of Cholesterol. Moderate.

The Crab Cooker, 2200 Newport Blvd. (949) 673-0100 on the Balboa Penninsula, is a well-known restaurant for those in search of fresh seafood, relatively inexpensive, in a casual environment. The food is served on paper plates. The environment is noisy and usually quite crowded, with a substantial wait to sit down on weekends. But, if you can stand the wait, the noise and the crowds, the food is good (some people will debate over whether the food here is actually good), and this place is very popular both for its food and for the price. You know this place by the sign at the top of the building that says, "Don't look up here." Very rarely, the 70-something owner will walk over to the piano and bang out an original song about fish, adding to the din. Nobody said the place has no character! Inexpensive to Moderate.

Niki's Indian Food on Bristol ((714) 850-0595), across from South Coast Plaza, serves great Indian Food in a cafeteria/fast food type atmosphere. But it's some of the best Indian food in Orange County. Casual and inexpensive.

Across in South Coast Village, Darya ((714) 557-6600) has good Persian food, but it is more dressy and moderately expensive.

In Metro Point, Sam Woo's Barbecue ((714) 668-0800) serves very good Americanized Chinese food. Inexpensive-Moderate. Also in that center is Finbar's ((714) 641-3000) which, on Friday and Saturday nights, serves a great Chocolate Souffle. But let them know you want one in advance, because they run out. Their Italian food is good, not great, and their chopped salad is very good. Moderate. Also, when the weather is nice, you can dine out on the patio at either restaurant and listen to the live music on Friday and Saturday evenings. Both moderately priced.

The Golden Truffle, on Newport Blvd. ((714) 645-9858), is for those in the know. The chef and owner, Alan Greely, trained most of the classical chefs in Orange County. A little idiosyncracy is that he likes to use caviar a lot, but your menu choices are quite broad and tasty here. Great wine list, and as one menu option the chef will create a prix-fixe meal around any wine you order. In addition, if you bring your own bottle of wine, the chef will create the meal around your bottle. Fine dining, great food and medium-high prices.

The Orange Hill Restaurant, in Orange ((714) 297-9910), has a great Sunday brunch in three rooms in a restaurant at the top of a hill which also gives you a panoramic view of all Orange County. There is a discount if you get there before 10 am. Moderately priced.

"I was in California in late January and had brunch at the Orange Hill Restaurant. It was very good. It was on a hilltop, overlooking the bay. It definitely should be included in any listing of Orange County restaurants."

Riviera at the Fireside, 13950 Springdale St., Westminster (714) 897-0477 OK, I'm going out on a limb here. But this is the place my 75-year-old uncle would have loved as a fine dining destination. In fact, it has been around since he was in his 30's. Baby boomers can enjoy it, too, and experience (possibly for the first time) fine foods their parents told them about. Dark decor, with lots of burgundy leather booths and traditional fine-dining atmosphere. For years, this place was famous (infamous?) when it was located in South Coast Plaza, as a place where wealthy businessmen took their mistresses for a nice, private meal. It recently moved to Westminster, in a little piece of land next to a gas station, but it has maintained its elegant ambiance inside. Lots of tableside preparation of dishes like Caesar Salad, Steak Diane, Flaming Duck L'Orange, Steak Tartare, Cherries Jubilee, Crepes Suzette. Dressy. This could be the only restaurant in California where I would not be comfortable going in jeans. Make no mistake: fine dining and service are the thing here, but the food's pretty good, too. It's right off the 405 (San Diego) freeway at the Westminster/Springdale offramp. Moderately Expensive.

“Don Jose's [9093 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach (714) 962-7911] has GREAT Mexican food.”

South Orange County Restaurants
San Juan Capistrano
If you are planning to go to the Mission San Juan Capistrano [Note: The swallows usually return around March 20], there are some good eateries around there. There is a shopping center on the corner of Camino Capistrano and Del Obispo St. The center has a Starbucks and a supermarket in it. In that center is a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place connected to a bakery that makes the best tortas I've ever had. I'm not positive of the name, but I think it's El Molino De Oro ((949) 489-9230), and it's the only Mexican place connected to a bakery in that center. Fast food, eat it at an outside table on the patio. But you'll never forget it. I still detour off the freeway on my way up from San Diego to have lunch there. Inexpensive.

Also, the Cedar Creek Inn in San Juan Capistrano ((949) 240-2229) has a nice restaurant with good food and great desserts, all on a very cozy outdoor patio. Moderate to Expensive

People love the Ramos House ((949) 443-1342) for a sit-down brunch. I don't think it's that great, but some do. It does have some creative brunch dishes, like the $16 Crab Hash w/ Bacon Scrambled Eggs & Sour Cream Remoulade. And supposedly, it has been in San Juan Capistrano since 1881. Moderate.

San Clemente
“For a great home cooked breakfast in a fun little spot, try The SugarShack on El Camino Real [2319 South El Camino (949) 498-0684], also, a cup of clam chowder at Fisherman's on the pier is nice, enjoy the ambiance. I also like the RibTrader in town, great BBQ if you like that kind of food.”

“Be sure to walk up and take in the local Farmers' Market. I don't remember which day it is, but the resort staff can tell you. Lots of great produce as well as craft items for sale.”

“There are a couple of good restaurants on the pier across from your resort and a good German place, "Alpine" something up toward the freeway. [Note: This poster was probably talking about one of the restaurants in the Old World Village, 7561 Center Avenue, Huntington Beach, which is designed to look like an Alpine Village - Probably the Old World German Restaurant]”

Orange County Bars and Lounges
“I recommend happy hour at ‘The View’ atop the JW Marriott Hotel and Tennis Club [The View Lounge, 900 Newport Center Drive Newport Beach (949) 640-4000]. If you like sushi they've got it for nice happy hour prices, and the view is wonderful with big windows all around.”

Las Brisas in Laguna Beach ((949) 497-5434) has a spectacular view from its patio. The food is mediocre, and the service sucks, however. But it's a good place to go for a single drink (don't expect to get a second one) and to watch the view.

The Studio Cafe, 100 Main St., Balboa Penninsula (949) 675-7760, and one in Huntington Beach, 300 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach (714) 536-8775 have live music most nights, usually good. Drinks are good, especially the house special "Adios Mother," which tastes like a Sweet Tart but will affect you substantially after a single one. [Note: Studio Cafe has just been sold to Cabo Cantina. The resulting change in the character of that Orange County Institution at this time is unknown, though there is at least one report that it has just become a standard bar. So, until further notice, going to Cabo Cantina, formerly Studio Cafe, is at your own risk]

The Atrium Club at the Atrium Hotel, 18700 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine (949) 833-2770 across from the Orange County Airport, usually has a live band on Friday and Saturday nights playing disco music. The crowd is mostly over 40-somethings, trying to recapture their glory days in the discos of the late '70s. I found it kind of tragic, but interesting people watching. And being from that era myself, I knew all the music.

The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano (949) 496-8930 The food is pretty mediocre at best, but the live music is about the best in the County. Often you get the chance to see a headline act in a cozy, club atmosphere. If you're in the area, have dinner somewhere else, and then come here to see a great show.

Things to do in and around Orange County
Shopping and Malls
Check out the fountains in the Fashion Island Center -- there are some that drive the children wild. Shopping is big in Orange County, and the two best places to shop are South Coast Plaza, where many designers have their flagship stores, and Fashion Island. Laguna Beach is an art colony, the (small) town makes for good walking, and there are a lot of nice art galleries to browse.

Theater
In Costa Mesa, across from South Coast Plaza, is the theater area where you can go to a show (Broadway, Ballet, Sympony, Opera) at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, or a play at the South Coast Repertory.

Nature and Walks
There are some nature walks and boat/kayak rentals and tours through the back bay, most leaving from the Newport Dunes area. They can be fun for nature lovers, and the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach also offers some nice nature walks. Guided tours on some Saturdays -- check with the Amigos de Bolsa Chica.

The beaches (Newport, Laguna, Huntington) are a draw, and if you walk the boardwalk on the Balboa Peninsula, you can also take the ferry (I think it's still 25 cents) to Balboa Island, where there are very nice homes and a waterfront walk.

Crystal beach is about a 1/2 mile hike from Newport Coast Villas - six miles of undeveloped coast line to explore.

Festivals and Seasonal Events
If you're there in the summer, consider the Laguna Beach Art Festivals, which usually occur in July and August. These include the Pageant of the Masters, where people pose to mimic great works of art, and three festivals that display artwork for sale by local artists. The festivals are The Festival of the Arts, The Sawdust Festival and the Art-A-Fair.

Another possibility for summer is to go to a summer concert at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine. The Pacific Symphony Orchestra often gives outdoor concerts there on summer evenings, and you can bring a picnic dinner (or buy an overpriced one there or order an overpriced one through Bristol Farms in advance to pickup there), picnic on the grounds, and then listen to the music as the sun sets.

Taste of Newport Beach, usually held in late September, is fun, with lots of live music, and many of the top restaurants offering tastes of their signature dishes.

If you don't want to drive all the way down to Del Mar, you can catch the horse races during racing season at the Los Alamitos racetrack.

On the first Thursday of every month, about 40 of the Laguna Beach Art Galleries and antique stores open their doors in the evening and serve wine to those who choose to go on the organized "Artwalk" The evening includes complimentary admission to the Laguna Art Museum and free shuttle service between galleries. To participate, you meet at the Laguna Art Museum or The Laguna Surf & Sand Resort at 6:00 pm.

Theme Parks
San Diego Wild Animal Park is in San Diego County, about an hour and a half to two hour drive from Orange County, but once you get there, it's lots of fun. Also, if you like Amusement Parks, Knott's Berry Farm is good. Disneyland is, of course, a major draw and Universal City is about an hour to an hour and a half drive.

A summer attraction for the kids is the Wild Rivers Water Park, next to Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, with approximately 40 water rides. It is open May through September.

Day Trips
One TUGger offers the following ideas for day trips (most are a 1 to 2-hour drive or boat ride from Orange County):
1.Go to the new modern art museum Getty- Go when it opens on Sunday as no traffic or parking problem [Note: You need to make parking reservations in advance at (310) 458-2003, or chances are you will not be able to park, even on Sunday].
2. Wed- go to San Diego Balboa Park and to The old Town for dinner.On Wed there are always free admissions to some of the museums. In between visit Coronado Island and walk the beaches.
3.Downtown La Jolla and the Scripps Institute could make a great outing for a day.
4. IMHO- A BIG NOT is to go to Tijuana for a day. [A contrary view from another TUGger: "The bus day trip [from the Carlsbad Inn] to Mexico with a side trip to La Buffadora was well worth the $83." And another: "We never skip a trip across the border to MX, which we have found is a great experience as well as fun for souvenir shopping"]
5. Catalina is also fun for a day.

Other
There is also the Discovery Science Museum in Santa Ana. It has many hands-on exhibits for the kids.

If you're a classic car or street rod fan, you might enjoy visiting The Garage (1547 W. Katella (714) 532-2290) at the Stadium Promenade Center in Orange, an auto dealer who specializes in selling Classic Cars and Street Rods, and usually has about 20 or so onsite at any time. Near Arrowhead Pond and Angels Stadium, which usually have concerts, games and other events going on year round.

If it's baseball season, it's always fun to go see an Angels Game on a sunny afternoon.

Take the Catalina Flyer over to Catalina Island. It leaves from Balboa Island. Balboa is another place to spend some time. We went up to Beverly Hills for the day, saw Rodeo Drive and the environs, drove to Hollywood and went to Grauman's Chinese Theater. Then drove part of Mulholland Drive toward Malibu, ended up at Malibu. This was a full day. May not be fun if you have small children.

Orange County is close enough to San Diego (a 1 to 2 hour drive) and Los Angeles (a 1-hour drive) that day trips to San Diego and Los Angeles are possible. Check out the TUG San Diego Guide or the TUG Los Angeles Guide for further ideas for dining and activities.

The information contained in the TUG California Dining Guides is provided by timeshare owners and is solely the opinion of those owners. The Timeshare Users Group is not responsible for its content. This information is for the personal use of our members only. Any commercial use of this material without the written permission of the Timeshare Users Group is strictly forbidden.
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