I think I found my new favorite restaurant; they nail it with cocktails, ambiance and food. I had been meaning to try them for some time and then recently saw OpenTable's list of "Most Booked restaurants in South Orange County" and Coastal Kitchen made the cut, which prompted me to go. We walked in on a Sunday evening at 7:30 pm and they were pretty packed. Thankfully there was a high top available at the bar area and we were able to be seated right away. The restaurant has floor to ceiling windows all around and is on a corner, perfect for taking in the sunset on the dreamy patio which faces PCH. I can only imagine how insanely busy they get in summer. For drinks, I had one of the most memorable dirty martinis with 3 blue cheese stuffed olives. They made it extra dirty (not by my request) but I loved it! My husband equally enjoyed his cilantro jalapeño margarita (it was stiff which was nice)! We are seafood lovers so we had the shrimp cocktail and smoked trout dip - both fabulous. The cocktail sauce that came with the shrimp had a strong horseradish bite to it which we liked but I could see it being too much for some. The smoked trout dip was pretty filling and of course smokey as the name implied. For food my husband went rogue and ordered the double cut pork chop. We prefer sweet over savory with pork chops and the fig glaze did not disappoint. I had their starter house salad and clam chowder, which was more of a petite meal but the appetizers kind of had me stuffed! I am sad I had no room in my tummy for their butter cake, but I will be back! read more

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We were staying at the Blue Lantern and decided to try this place for dinner. We weren't that hungry so we ordered all appetizers and oh my word the salad was AMAZING. I love Cesar salad but this is by far my favorite one! It tasted like a sweet honey mustard savory sauce with the perfect amount of crunch. Definitely unique and I would totally get it again! The rolls were delicious and were topped with a sweet basil butter sauce. The clam chowder was okay, it was a little on the salty side and that might have been due to the bacon. But overall our dinner experience was great! The service was warm and welcoming. We ate on a Tuesday night and it was still pretty packed, so make sure to make a reservation. We had to sit outside but thankfully the heating lamps kept us warm. The ambience felt like a bougie bar with a modern calming beach twist. Great vibes and unique menu read more

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Excellent food and service. Everything was so freaking delicious and everyone working there seemed very personable, professional and kind. Great spot!! read more

Food came out at different times, burger was over cooked. Grouper sandwich was great. Manager was very friendly. Wait staff was a little cold. I expect more for a $25 cheese burger. read more

The service given to us by Sophie was outstanding. We were there for our Son Ryan's Birthday{7ofus}. The food was excellent and the drinks were great. Sophie went above and beyond to look after us. Thanks, Lance Martin Pereira read more

Due to service and quality of food on a prior visit, we decided to take one of our customers here for a business lunch. We were seated quickly, even though the restaurant was packed. Kelly (the new Kelly) greeted us and started our amazing dining experience. She had outstanding knowledge and recommendations on the food and we even trusted her to make a few selections for us. We were floored to say the least. The food was 5 star, amazing and wonderful, yet it still didn't compare to the service we received. Food alone would have been 5 stars, but Kelly definitely pushed it over the top. Thank you for being an amazing example of customer service Kelly! read more

Ambiance was nice. Waitress was pleasant. Menu was deceiving. Menu stated seared ahi tuna salad was actually blackened ahi. This salad was small and price was high. A so-called entrée Caesar salad was small, unimpressive and twenty bucks. Just not impressed at all with the mediocre food and high prices. I know it is a resort town and food prices are high. Just disappointed. read more

Unbelievably GREAT restaurant! Every bite of everything our group ordered was the Best ever. The service was impeccable and the seating is very comfortable. The fact that it is steps from the ocean does not hurt either. We could not recommend Coastal Kitchen more highly. We will definitely be returning. read more

We stopped here for lunch before leaving Dana Point and it was decent, especially if you love piles of sauces. We were able to walk in at 1 pm on a Thursday and be seated immediately and gone easily before 1:40. We started with the Parker house rolls (they weren't as tender as I make them) and LOADED with flake salt and a fantastic fresh herb butter. I enjoyed my salmon tho it didn't seem fresh. They cooked it well and it wasn't too salty. The sauces were interesting and the apricot adjacent jam was surprisingly pleasing. The broccoli was nicely steamed and didn't need the pile of Parmesan. My honey had a chicken Cesar salad that was I thought had a lovely anchovy taste but he didn't care for it. Also found a bug but they're good at hiding in romaine. The fries were the worst part of the meal, barely warm with little flavor--the sauces it came with were tasty tho, helped make them palatable. My friend had the chicken sandwich and it was good but had a weird cured-like-a-hotdog taste I've had before that I don't care for. I don't know what they do to make it like that but it's not for me. We tried this place as an option between Glasspar and here and I'd go to Glasspar in a heartbeat before considered CK again. read more

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My fiancée and I came to Laguna/Dana Point for a staycation for New Year's and we knew not much would be open but we called and they said it was a 45 minute wait. If you got a seat at the bar there wasn't a wait but we maybe waited 20 minutes. It was at a high top table in the bar area, opposed to a booth but we after looking for places and most being closed we didn't care. Unfortunately, I don't remember our servers name...she was sweet but seemed very busy. We ordered the smoked fish dip, cioppino, and ribs. The dip came out first and was like a creamy tuna salad with smokiness, so it had great flavor. Then the ribs came out which were good but not great. Sadly our server didn't get our cioppino order so we had to ask for it but it was worth the wait. It didn't have enough bread (but I was full by then) but the cioppino was flavorful, not salty, and maybe didn't have the most seafood in it but what it did have was fresh and quality tasting seafood. I prefer getting better food than a lot. That being said, it wasn't a small portion but recently we had another cioppino elsewhere and it had a ton of seafood but wasn't as tasty. So, all in all I recommend this spot they have a small parking lot, good service, heavy alcohol pours, and great food. read more

Coastal Kitchen - Trout Dip - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

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To be honest, this place shocked me. It's hard to find healthy restaurants that create spectacular food, but this place was just that. Highly recommend the oysters, New England clam chowder, cheeseburger and buttered rolls. The lady at the front wasn't the nicest, unfortunately, but Vanessa (our waitress) absolutely made up for it. She was beyond sweet and made the stay 100% enjoyable. The woman deserves a raise! read more

Coastal Kitchen - Best oysters - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

Came here for our anniversary dinner when we were staying in Dana Point. We got a couple of Grey Goose martinis with blue cheese stuffed olives - a great way to start our meal (especially if you like blue cheese)! Saw a lot of rave reviews for their smoked trout dip and I can see why! This was my favorite part of the meal! My husband got the blacked ahi tuna, which was nicely presented and came with coleslaw. I ordered the double cut pork chop, which was huge, though a tad overcooked. It came with a perfect fully loaded baked potato. I somehow managed to eat it all but was completely too stuffed to even consider dessert! Service was friendly. A solid dining experience! read more

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great restaurant . food is great service grate . pleasant inside . Price $$. located in a very pretty area right by the beach i would highly recomand this place read more

Love the atmosphere of this place but dislike the food. My protein was overcooked I also don't like overheating servers complain about their jobs. Keep that in the back and to yourself. read more

First time stopping by here to grab a quick bite. From our first step through the door, the staff was so welcoming and friendly. They recommended foods to try and were spot on with their recommendations. We tried the crispy cauliflower and the Ahi salad which we ate too fast to get a picture of it was so good. Dress code was all over the place. We were in sweats and T-shirts, but there were people who were dressed very dressed up. There were families and couples and it was busy however, our food came out very quickly. read more

Coastal Kitchen - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

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After many times of thinking of going here, but changing my mind because I felt the menu wasn't extensive enough to choose from, I finally ended up here at a lunch with a group and and then was pleasantly surprised when everything I tasted from our groups order was amazing! Special mention goes to the French dip, spinach and kale dip, lunch cut filet, and Caesar salad. I will be back again for sure! read more

Coastal Kitchen nails it every time. The drinks are spot-on--creative, balanced, and just what you want to sip on while you settle in. The oysters are super fresh, briny, and honestly some of the best around. Do not skip the smoked trout dip--it's rich, flavorful, and addicting. And the halibut with rock shrimp? Perfectly cooked, light but still indulgent, and packed with flavor. On top of all that, the service we received was absolutely amazing--friendly, attentive, and really made the whole experience even better. Easily one of the best spots in Dana Point for a great meal and a good time. read more

Best crab cakes that I have ever had! And the service was excellent as well. I highly recommend.

Nice location and comfortable outside seating. The food was good and atmosphere is the key here. Nice spot to drop by and relax. Parker buns are to die for! read more

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We started with the Parker House Rolls. Excellent! Entrees were the Salmon with Apricot glaze, and the Crab Cake Salad. So, so, so delicious! The staff were very friendly. Fun to be able to watch them work in the nice, clean kitchen. read more

Coastal Kitchen - Salmon with apricot glaze - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

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I wanted to give this place 5 stars but I got food poisoning shortly after my visit which pretty much ruined my vacation to California. I'm not sure if it was the crab cake or the shrimp cocktail but something absolutely did not sit well with me. :( Now, to be completely honest, I would be willing to visit again because the food was great and the ambiance was to die for. Location = PRICELESS! I really enjoyed myself! read more

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I'm sorry but I stopped by with a client it was Memorial Day. We grabbed a menu while we were waiting to be seated, after reviewing the menu for like 20 seconds, we both looked at each other and we're like no way. The prices are way too high. I'm sorry a $25 hamburger just a hamburger if she got a hamburger and I got a hamburger right there we're at $50. I'm sorry that's crazy. We ended up going to Thai food and it was fantastic. I mean if you wanna pay inflated prices then that's your spot. I'm really all about food quality. I'm willing to pay that high price is the food quality is great but $25 for a hamburger is a bit much. We turned around and left read more

Cool vibes and great setup/decor. The food is a bit pricey and the service is hit or miss. Acacia was amazing ... although not our server, she provided the best service possible when we flagged her down to get help. She was training someone at the time and I thought, what a great person to learn from for sure! Fried cauliflower was great. Caesar salad was delicious. Clam chowder was good as well. Baked potato is a little dry after you make your way through the toppings. Drinks are good as well. Great location and consistently good food. read more

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09.02.2022 We came here to celebrate my daughter's 21st birthday. We scored the last parking space in the lot behind the restaurant. We had 6:15 pm reservations through Open Table but were seated early when we arrived at 6:00 pm. There was the bar, indoor seating, and outdoor seating. The place was beginning to fill up for dinner. A server came by to take our drink orders but our food/table server was Nick. He was amazing! He was very attentive and made great recommendations. We ordered the shrimp cocktail, which were "shrimp on steroids" (as Nick said) that were plump, fresh and tasty. The cocktail sauce had just the right amount of kick to it. The Parker Rolls were amazing! Don't worry, that's herb butter on top, not avocado. The sprinkle of salt on top was different but enhanced the flavor of the rolls. Hubby loved them! Our table was filled with plates of delicious food! *Crab cake - the coleslaw was made well, not too heavy on the mayonnaise and seasoned nicely *Salmon - was moist and cooked well *Chicken BLT - was ginormous and yummy with French fries *Crab cake salad - was just the right amount of one well made and well cooked crab cake with fresh grapefruit slices, avocado, greens and a yummy vinaigrette dressing. The crab came through beautifully - seared well on the outside, moist on the inside with balanced flavors. It was a deliciously light and filling dish. *Halibut - cooked well! The fish was light and flaky, the lemon butter sauce went well with it. The small rock shrimp was a great contrast crunch but added additional seafood flavor. Definitely a place we'd come back to visit for more delicious food...and more Parker Rolls. The side of broccoli with fresh Parmesan cheese and baked potato were shareable and delicious. The butter cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert was delicious! The exterior flavor reminded me of a churro - crunchy and cinnamon sugar sweet - not too overwhelmingly sweet. Restrooms were clean and well-maintained. By the time we left at 8:00 pm the place was packed with people inside and out. read more

Coastal Kitchen - Butter cake - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

If you don't have a reservation, be prepared for a long wait. Once seated, we found the atmosphere overwhelmingly loud, especially near the bar. If you're seated in that area, you'll likely have people standing uncomfortably close to your table while they wait for bar seating. We ordered the hot buns, shrimp cocktail, jumbo crab cakes, fish burger, house salad, and Caesar salad. Unfortunately, the salads were drenched in dressing, and overall, the food was just okay--definitely not worth the price point. For what they charge, I expected far more flavor and quality. The one bright spot was the generous wine pours, which might explain why the place stays so busy. That said, based on our experience, I would not recommend Coastal Kitchen and we won't be returning. read more

Have been there a few times. Every dish my husband or I have had has been excellent. Salmon, trout fish dip, steak. Service has bend very good most of the time. Restaurant has a great vibe and drinks have been pretty good, nice wine selection as well. read more

It was so yummy. The waiters are so nice. The service is quick and the food is on point. I highly recommend going here!

This place is amazing! Every plate was spectacular and service was top notch! Highly recommend- worth the money to have fresh proteins and chef made plates. I forgot my phone in the car, but I had to leave a review. First off, mamas: there is a changing table in the large restroom stall :) #points Cajun Shrimp Appetizer- umm we wanted to dip everything in the broth! So good! Ahi Tuna Salad- delish! Kids meal: Grilled Cheese, fries, drink & ice cream sandwich (this came out, the perfect temp so it was warm and fresh, but not scolding your kid as they are trying to eat it because they are hungry but have to wait 10 mins for it to cool down) Teamwork and customer service was great, all employees looked polished, professional and smiling. Con: parking is a challenge. It's a tiny lot but we got lucky with a spot, but this could be a challenge at busy times. read more

The food at this place is fantastic. We ordered a steak that was so tender it melted in our mouths. Our only issue is it's a bit pricey.

Great lunch experience! The food and drinks were tasty. My husband and I ordered dishes to share and liked them all. We both had a couple cocktails and received attentive service the entire meal. Parking was easy. read more

Amazing and attentive staff! Our table had four adults and two children and we each found ourselves enjoying the dinner selections offered that evening (ribs, hamburgers and fish) and the very attentive service staff. A great once in a while treat for my family and two grandchildren. Just be aware that parking is limited even at 4:30 on a weekend. Carpooling is suggested for groups. read more

The food was very good, but expensive (we had the salmon). The wait staff was excellent. About four different people came by our table to make sure we were satisfied. Read great reviews about the rolls, but they didn't work for me. You get four rolls with sugar on top and pesto sauce, for a crazy price them. I should've skipped them. Other than that, it's a great place with a great open ambience. I will return. read more

This was our first time dining at Coastal Kitchen...not sure why it took so long, First thing you notice is how bright and clean the restaurant is. We were greeted by a lovely young lady, who immediately sat us at a booth. Our server Kelly walks up and greets us with a huge smile! Kelly was so helpful explaining the menu and her favorites. We started with the beets,outstanding presentation and flavor. I had the tacos (added one) two ahi, two filet...amazing! My husband had the grouper sandwich. He thought it was also great. The biggest mistake we made was not taking pics!, we were so hungry! The service at Coastal Kitchen is top notch! They work as a team and everyone is happy and loves their job! Kevin the manager should be so proud!! We will return for the crab cakes! Thank You! read more

Well designed modern restaurant. Outdoor seating. Heaters. Outdoor seating faces north so nice shade, it is on the street but,hey, it's outdoor seating. Servers were nice and the service was fast. Food was a B+. Caesar Salad was not phoned in. It was was on the smaller side. Parker house rolls good but not worth the hype read more

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1) Easy to locate. Easy but odd parking on premises (small lot). Plenty of street parking or park across the street at a shopping center's lot. 2) Appreciate the plentiful outdoor seating. Two choices -- under a big tent or traditional outdoor seating. Recommend heater units to Management. The fires are truly only decorative and does not provide warmth. 3) Food was great overall. Check out my pics with comments for more details. 4) Service was good. Very friendly, helpful and attentive. My first time here and won't be my last! read more

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Probably 4.5 stars. Food is consistently great. One of the best burgers in OC along with a grilled grouper sandwich and a french dip worth driving for. Atmosphere/vibe is very comfortable and welcoming. Bartenders always friendly. The half star negatives - its almost always too cold. Its a windy corner next to the ocean and the door to patio is always propped open creating a major draft. In fact even when a diner closes it, a waiter will inevitably prop it back open. Oh - and no wifi! I'd come more and hang at the nice bar (tv's) if i could get some laptop time in. Wouldnt be an issue but both att and verizon signal weak right there. Been a regular now for a couple years. read more

Eat at Coastal Kitchen many times over the years....always good food and good service.

Incredible food-very tasty, full of flavor, fresh and unique. Great customer service and nice ambiance. Can't wait to go back. read more

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The food is excellent!!! The service is excellent! The ambiance is excellent ! This is a five star restaurant! The crabcakes are the BEST in Orange County!!!! Be sure to always make a reservation bc they are always packed!!! Very knowledgeable about celiac disease!!! read more

I've been here over 20 times and I can say this place is very good and very consistent. The food is amazing. Would for sure recommend the cheeseburger, French dip, or chicken BLT. Service is top notch as well. Will definitely keep on coming back to this place! read more