Coastal Kitchen in Dana Point is an upscale yet casual New American restaurant situated in a historic 1924 building, the first commercial structure in the city. It is highly regarded for its clean, nautical design, featuring white beadboard, navy accents, and an open kitchen view. The restaurant has a sophisticated beach cottage vibe that is bright and airy. It is known for being lively and high-energy, though some guests find the indoor acoustics quite loud during peak hours. You can choose between two indoor dining rooms, a large marble wrap-around bar, or an outdoor patio equipped with fire pits and heaters. Popular items include the Hawaiian Ribeye, French Dip sandwich, and Parker House rolls served with herb butter. Famous for jumbo lump crab cakes (noted for having no filler), northern halibut, and seared ahi tuna salad. The private parking lot is small and fills quickly, though free street parking is available nearby. Because it is a popular local spot, reservations are strongly recommended, especially for dinner and weekends. read more

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Left a review 9 years ago when CK opened and updating it now. Because of its convenient location and nice decor it has been a go-to spot for our group of friends living in DP but recent changes have swayed our opinion of this restaurant. Portions have been reduced in size over the years smaller, smaller, smaller, while prices have gone up up up. A serving of salmon is half the size it used to be and now comes with 1 side, not 2 sides, all at a steep price. Very very noisy and hard to carry on a conversation at tables and booths. Menu has been the same for 9 years, no updates, refreshes, nor specials. Food quality and taste is ok and definitely not exceptional. Service is extremely rushed from the minute one sits down. A definite feeling of get them in and get them out. Now they have restrictions on larger parties of a 2 hour dining max and advise you upon arrival! Very very bad feeling from the moment you walk in! It's too bad because the location is great. Could be a challenge for them when new restaurants open in the harbor. read more

Had a lovely time dining with some friends. Service was very attentive and food is served fairly quickly despite it being quite busy. Decorated so pretty for the holidays. We were not rushed from our table but respected the 2 hour limit. Everything was very tasty! Highly recommend the spinach dip and the cosmopolitan to drink!! read more

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We came to the Coastal Kitchen for my wife's birthday a few days ago. We visit Dana Point twice a year and finally ate here. What an absolute treat it was. We had lunch and were seated outside, which added to the wonderful experience we were treated to. The atmosphere was perfect, and the food was outstanding! There's no other way to say it. We had the clam chowder, ahi salad, crab cake salad, and then dessert. We split the butter cake with vanilla ice cream. Wow!! Probably the best we've ever had. In addition, and worth commenting on, was the excellent service we received. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly. She was very personable. We were impressed by all the servers though. They are obviously well trained, but very professional in appearance and the way they carry out their duties. Our experience couldn't have been better. We will definitely return. Keep up the good work. read more

Pro Review: My names Tommy J (aka pro yelp reviewer). I currently stopped by coastal kitchen, I was told my wait would be 25-30 minutes. Welp I waited about 40-45. Was a bit frustrating but it's the things we deal with as a pro yelp reviewer. At this point I was getting ready to give a bad review. When I sat down, my waitress seemed in a bad mood. Now I talked to this young lady and she started to open up and get a bit better. The food was solid but I had to wait a while on the bread. I recommend this place, but service could improve. Tommy J out... read more

Big shoutout to RYAN for resolving an issue in an efficient and kindest way I could hope for! THANK YOU. We were enjoy a perfect Saturday family day at the Baby Beach, and got hungry for some good takeout food. A short google search got me to Coastal Kitchen and their menu convinced me they offer the finest meals in the area (4 mins drive from Baby Beach!!). Ordered a nice selection of various portions and each was a celebration of flavors - The Salmon and Halibut were the perfect beach-meals we had right infornt of the ocean. Our boy enjoyed his kids-meal chicken fingers and fries, and the cake desert was a perfect finale. Beautifully and carefuly boxed for to-go. Came the next day for my crab cake salad (which was missed from the order, but Ryan was very courteous providing one anyway, thanks again!) Which was absolutely delicious; and sorry for taking only this single picture of the crab cake - we surely will come back during our next visit in Baby Beach, for more delicious meals. What a great choice! Next time we we surely dine inside, as the place is beautifully designed; very spacious and full of light due to the glass walls and well organized tables and sitting area. The bar is perfect for 1person dinings, with a decent selection of liquors. read more

Coastal Kitchen - Crab cake salad, boxed for to-go - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

Love this local hotspot! We went on a Thursday evening and it was busy so make sure you make a reservation in advance! I am a steak snob and usually won't order filets at non steak houses but was craving one and I was blown away. It was cooked to perfection and tasted divine. I had a baked potato with butter to accompany it and it was delicious. My husband ordered the crab cake meal and tortilla soup. He said it was fantastic and would recommend that to anyone looking for a seafood dish. We are local and this was our first time here and we are excited to come back and have this be one of our regular spots! read more

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

Best crabcakes salad in town!!!!!! Got real crab meat that is not mushy!!! Highly recommended! read more

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Very nice ambiance indoors and charming fire ice fireplace coziness outdoors. Consistently good food and service, but we would love to see daily specials or new additions to the menu or seasonal changes for more variety to draw us in more often! read more

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

AR and I came here for my birthday dinner - looking for something new and different. AR had been here once before and suggested it as an option. Coastal Kitchen had been on my radar for a while, but I hadn't found a reason to make the trip until AR gave it the thumbs-up. The restaurant is bright and airy, with large windows, clean, minimalist decor, and a cozy patio that's perfect for sipping something cold and watching the world go by. (We almost sat outside, but it was a bit too chilly that evening; even with the fire pits.) It's the kind of place where you can stroll in straight from the harbor or dress up a little for date night - it works either way. Fire pit - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=PxN0jYTNEVcdye-iha-Azg AR and I arrived just before 6:30 PM and were greeted warmly by the two young ladies at the front podium. We were quickly seated in a booth, which felt cozy and perfect for the evening. To our surprise, the restaurant was fairly busy - unexpected for Super Bowl Sunday when most people were likely glued to their TVs watching Kansas City and Philadelphia battle it out. It was nice to see we weren't the only ones out enjoying dinner that evening. Our server, Ricardo, was fantastic - friendly, helpful, and super knowledgeable about the menu. He struck the perfect balance between being attentive without hovering. It's clear that the staff here are well-trained; you'll never feel rushed, but you won't be left wondering where your server disappeared to, either. If you're unsure about what to order, just ask - they've got great recommendations. In our case, Ricardo nailed it with his starter suggestions, and we were off to a great start. Our order: Cajun Shrimp Starter - Very good; served in rich sauce. Photo - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=5d7RVWbeQriygjSlftm-Lg Parker House Rolls Starter - Good; rich. Photo - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=MIazEkIqlvJJNlvD5VFjwg Jalapeno Margarita - Okay; fair pour. Dark & Stormy w/Capt Morgan - Okay; fair pour. Photo - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=wxLX3g1FUluEKkqyOOivKw Hawaiian Ribeye - Okay; marinade was too sweet for my taste; teriyaki ribeye. Photo - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=gvD302OnLr3JxhZJwIJAag Crab Cakes - Good; tasty in a mustard sauce. Photo - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=hEL12rzC1q7KGUu9kOztMw Spiced Old Fashion Jalapeno Margarita - Good; good pour. Paloma Martini - Good; good pour. Photo - https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=O6EBodP3Fgu_n67efSKnBQ&select=TSXd8r9Inl-U6gFYXxUavQ Grand total: $240 (Including tip) Overall, for the $$$, it was "good," not great. Coastal Kitchen strikes a nice balance - perfect for a casual lunch or a celebratory dinner. The ambiance is polished yet approachable, the kind of place locals love but visitors stumble upon and rave about. While the prices lean on the higher side, the quality of food, drinks, and atmosphere makes for a pleasant experience. Treat yourself - you'll leave satisfied! - Big Aloha! Food/Drinks: 3+ Ambiance: 4 Service: 5 Value: 4 read more

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I finally had the opportunity to have dinner here with my husband! This was his first time eating at this restaurant. We were seated on the patio quickly which was so nice because the weather of course was fantastic and we were seated next to the fire pit, which makes for a nice romantic evening. Our servers assistant come take our drink order immediately. Then Tanya, who I have been lucky enough to have before came to take our cocktail and appetizer order. Tonight I branched out and had the chicken dinner, which was really difficult for me to do... I ALWAYS order the pork chop! It has been my only meal here since they first opened! We started out, of course, with the trout dip, which was as good as always! I love this restaurant and can't wait to return! read more

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Just finished my visit to CC! Once again the service was excellent (our waiter was very cute). The meal (crab cake salad was delicious as usual. The crab cake was pure delicious crab, the dressing was very citrusy, and the avocado, corn and grapefruit slices were delicious as usual. My friend had the French dip sandwich and I had a taste. Excellent prime rib and Cole slaw. The restaurant has a fun and sunny vibe. The people watching is wonderful. Coastal Kitchen never disappoints! Once you go you know. read more

Wonderful place with a delightful coastal ambiance and delicious food. Our server, Nicole, provided excellent service, making the experience even more enjoyable. The crab cake was absolutely delicious--perfectly crispy on the outside and flavorful inside. Highly recommend! read more

Coastal Kitchen - Burger and Crab Cake Salad - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

Met a friend for an impromptu late lunch here today, and it was DELICIOUS. We had cherry Cokes, the pan bread appetizer, the seared ahi tuna salad, and some butter cake for dessert. It's pricey -- the salad alone was $30 -- but it was amazing. The butter cake was tasty but kind of hard on the exterior... it was somewhat difficult to cut into at first. Our server was incredible, though... she made great recommendations, refilled our drinks, took our late dessert order, and didn't seem to mind that we spent hours just hanging out and chatting. The restaurant is beautiful on the inside as well -- so fun to get to watch the chefs do their thing as we chatted and ate. We'll be back! read more

Coastal Kitchen - Ahi Tuna Salad. - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

Good food and date night spot. Love their steak , oysters and mashed potatoes. Never had a bad experience here read more

Great vibe at this local spot in Dana Point. On a Sunday afternoon, it wasn't too crowded and my daughter and I got a table quickly. The menu was varied and there were a lot of good choices. I had the grouper sandwich. Man, It's hard to find Grouper on the west coast. I love it though, best thing about Florida is the Grouper. It was delicious. My daughter had the quinoa salad and friend cauliflower. She liked them both. I'd like to go back here sometime for cocktails and appetizers. :) Service was fine and friendly. Overall, nice place. read more

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

We came here for an early dinner on a weeknight. We had reservations and were seated and greeted by our server right away. My crab cake was absolutely the best I've ever tasted, and I've eaten many on the east coast, both in Boston and Baltimore. It was full of large chunks of tasty crab with hardly any filler. Yum! My husband's French Dip sandwich had perfectly seasoned, tender beef and was accompanied by homemade coleslaw. read more

The food was delicious, and the service was excellent. We ordered the Parker house rolls, and I loved them. If you don't like herbs, ask for regular butter. My hubby ate around it because he didn't like the herbed butter on top. I ordered the double-cut pork chops. They're a monster. I ate a quarter of them. The fig compote is good but very sweet, so go easy on it. My hubby got the cheesesteak "sandwich" served on a brioche bun. He liked it very much. I did get a little grossed out looking up at the chandelier. The bulbs were caked with dust, and there was a spider web running across them. I didn't like that it was right above our table. I caution about parking if you're not used to this area. It's a pain, and parking is very limited. We parked pretty far off one of the streets. read more

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

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Coastal Kitchen gives me vibes of Cape Cod. Staff always immaculately dressed and attentive. Seafood menu is top notch and fresh, yet reasonably priced. The New England clam chowder is legitimately from Down East. Crab Cake salad is wonderful, as is the halibut. New menu item is the blackened grouper sandwich. Tender and flaky, superb in a sandwich. Come here to hangout with some gin & tonics. Classic east coast beach vibes. read more

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

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I usually really love this place, even though it's on the pricier side and often the service team always seems inconvenienced by your existence. Numerous times the food has been hit or miss, and the miss is usually at night for their dinner menu. Of an appetizer and two entrees at the table, not one thing was cooked properly. The shrimp were curled up and rubbery, the broccoli is offensively wet, undercooked and drenched in lemon juice. The halibut was the saltiest thing I've ever tasted in my life and the salmon was overcooked as well. Not sure what happened here but I left feeling like I was robbed read more

Chef has this place Rocking! Great food, service, and craft drinks. On PCH good vibes Thumbs up read more

I Like coast kitchen for special occasions but it is loud and kind of crowded. When I have made reservations for 5-6 people we are always seated by the kitchen, which can be kind of noisy and if you have a 6th person, they have to put a chair at the end of a booth. Their standard booths are a bit tight if you have larger people, but it is a standard size booth. It is most comfortable to 2. I took my friends there for my birthday and converted 1 of them into a regular, weekly customer. She goes for their ribs and she is one of the pickiest eaters you can imagine. I have mixed feelings about this place read more

Everything we ordered was so good specially the crab cake salad. The Steak and Ribs were cooked to perfection. The fries were cooked and seasoned just right. And the chicken Cesar salad was crispy and delightful. Their mimosas were fantastic! Our servers name was Zac. He was great and attentive to all our needs. read more

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

I have been here several times and it's one of my favorite places to go when I'm in the area. To start, we order the Parker house rolls and they are absolutely delicious. Freshly baked and dolloped with pesto butter and flaky salt, they are perfect. I always order the crispy chicken Caesar and it's the right combination of fresh and indulgent. The chicken is crispy and seasoned well and the dressed salad is bright. The kids menu is really great. My son loves their chicken tenders and fries. Kids meals come with an ice cream sandwich. We always make a reservation when we visit so we never have to wait for a table. The restaurant is clean and bright. I have no negative comments to share! read more

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

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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

Haven't been here in a while, but realized that one of the things that I love is the Caesar salad with grilled salmon, It's actually not on the menu, but they always make an exception and tweak it a little bit for me . The service was great. We had a guy named Nick was on fire great stories very attentive.. great with the recommendations even though we have all been there quite a few times. Somehow, we got talked into two desserts. They're famous butter, cake, and the hot fudge sundae. Both , to die for... So damn good .... There's limited parking in the back of the restaurant, but there's also parking across the street . They have these great heaters outside, but I recommend sitting on the inside . It's Cozy. read more

Coastal Kitchen - The butter cake and the hot fudge sundae - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Incredibly disappointed. Prices way up quality and portions way down! Struggling to believe this other reviews!

Had a great meal with my girlfriend our server's name was Ricky and he was very courteous as well as gave great recommendations. Next time we go back, we will request Ricky and I suggest you do the same. He is one of their best servers. read more

I enjoyed my veggie burger very much. I opted for coleslaw slaw, dh chose fries, he liked them very much. The drinks very tasty. Server was friendly. Highly recommend. read more

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

We went for Happy Hour...service and vibe were great! I love the decor and the energy here The cocktails were refreshing and delicious with a generous pour. The food was delicious too! I'll be a regular read more

Second time here, drove down from Laguna Woods specifically to eat here. My wife Nancy had scottish salmon first visit, loved it but opted for filet mignon. Friend had french dip sandwich, said it was very good. I had what I came for, the danish ribs. Nancy noted the filet may well have been the best ever and she has one a week on average. My ribs were again terrific, crispy but yet moist and tender, did not need a knife. Very flavorful. oh, for us an added plus was they have a n/a beer. Nancy's ice cream sundae was really good, vanilla with choc. sauce. My buttercake was very good, friend's key lime pie he noted as so-so. Service was friendly, competent and caring. Plates were cleared in a timely manner, etc. The staff is obviously a major asset to this business. Atmosphere.. as we knew before making our reservation, it was noisy to the point that conversation was difficult, and our servers had trouble hearing us. If weather allows next time will eat outside. Value.....fairly pricey, but we feel worth it. read more

I've lived in DP for 32 years and finally came in here. On a Saturday. At 1pm. Busy. Packed. And yeah I know it's a recent addition. But... The place is run really well. Great service! We got oysters, chef tacos, beef and salmon. I'd recommend the beef over the salmon. The salmon was a bit salty. We also ordered a small Caesar's salad and a tomato cheese side thing. I guess we were rolling tapas style. It was all very good all! Again the service was amazing and somehow, not sure how but it all came to the table quickly. Now, I didn't order a Bloody Mary. BUT, I saw a few. It's a meal. On my radar for next time. Peace read more

Stopped in for Father's Day lunch with my family and we are all happy that we chose this spot. It's a casual seafood centered American restaurant fairly close to the water in Dana Point. It's above the harbor so not as close to the boats as you can get, but parking in this area is much easier. They have a medium-sized parking lot attached so there is plenty of free parking. Inside of the restaurant is designed really well, it's a new construction with California colors and textures, tall ceilings, white walls, and spread out seating. We were seated at a booth near the kitchen and it was actually very quiet. It would be easy to bring small or large groups here because they have booth and small to large table options. Our server was very polite and all of our food items came out quickly. They have a medium-sized menu, but it is full of a lot of classic American dishes that have a seafood lean to them. I started off my meal with the Clam Chowder and thought it was fantastic. It was less creamy than I am used to, but the bacon addition really added to the overall flavors. For my entrée, I chose the Chicken BLT and added avocado and was really happy with my choice. The chicken is fairly skinny, which makes it easier to eat and the breading on it had a great and well balanced flavor. I recommend adding avocado because it added a level of creaminess to each bite. Overall a great lunch or dinner option in Dana Point. I live in West Los Angeles and my family lives in San Diego so this area is a meeting point for us so we all plan to be back in the future to try more items. read more

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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

Yesterday my mom and I went here for lunch. The food was delicious but what made this a five star experience was our waitress, Kelly!! They made a mistake with my halibut and she was so kind, apologetic, and attentive. She was very sharp and handled everything perfectly. She was kind and would bring you things before you even had to ask!! If I could, I would try to request sitting in Kelly's area. She went beyond to make our experience wonderful. We really appreciate her! Thank you Kelly! read more

Cute restaurant in the heart of the lantern village in Dana Point. Recommend making reservations as we had to sit outside (even with the heaters still a bit chilly). Service was outstanding. Food was good but admittedly expectations were higher given how crowded it was. read more

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Service and ambiance was good/ I've dined here several times. This time I ordered the Ahi Salad and was very disappointed about the portion size in light of its price point. $32 for a salad that barely had enough greens to eat with each bite of tuna. Its costs close to nothing to add lettuce to an entree salad! I won't be ordering that again or maybe not dining there anytime soon! read more

Atmosphere was great. Michelle did a great job as our server. I have mixed feelings on the food, at least the two chicken dishes in our group. My wife had a burger. One of the she has ever had. Juicy, thick and cooked to order. She loved it. My friend had the Prime rib sandwich, she thought it was great. She also like the coleslaw that came with it. Unfortunately I had a chicken sandwich with great toppings and bun, but the chicken was a little dry. My friend had a Caesar Salad with chicken. He thought the chicken was also dry. Plentiful, but dry. I'd definitely go back. I'd go for a beef dish. read more

There are a lot of these type of restaurants in S OC. They are all very good but Coastal Kitchen stands higher. The restaurant itself is beautiful. Light bright. Unfortunately ALWAYS slammed but if you go early or even just after 7:30 you can eat at the bar. They have a unique couple of things on the menu that I love. Trout dip and red pepper hummus apps. Fried chicken Caesar with fried capers Pan seared salmon Great food. Cool vibe. Lots of pretty people. Definitely worth the wait. read more

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