Came for brunch after paddle boarding with my husband and MIL. Made a reservation through Open Table just in case they were packed. Got a table outdoor, the weather was beautiful. The only downside was it was a bit loud when cars passed by. Restaurant is beautiful, love the vibe. Our server Sean C. was very pleasant and attentive. I had the avocado tartine with tots on the side, everything was fresh and tasty. Hubbs had the smash burger which he devoured quickly. For drinks i only got a decaf, wish they had matcha - it would've been a perfect meal for me. read more

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I want to start this review off by saying THANK YOU to Blake, Kelly and all the Craft House staff that had a hand in our wedding reception!! It was truly such a beautiful night that went off without a hitch. Because of YOU GUYS. Beginning of Planning: My husband and I were on the hunt for the perfect "alternative" space to a traditional wedding venue due to time constraints of planning a wedding in 4 months and also budgetary constraints (not willing to sell our souls for a 40k wedding in South OC). I came across Craft House on Yelp (another beautiful couple held their wedding there) and knew the space would be perfect. I emailed for a week or two with Kelly before deciding to see the space in person. Late November/early December we met with Blake to show us the space. We knew it was the place for us when we were explaining to Blake our overall goal we were trying to accomplish: We wanted to throw a nice dinner and dance party for the people we love the most to celebrate the love we share. And we wanted to do it our way. Blake's response: We can do it all. No constraints. Basically no "rules", do it your way. We immediately put a hold on the space for our wedding date. December-March: Kelly was the perfect person to connect with and kindly answered all the questions that come along with planning a wedding. She was efficient with answering emails and following up with us (I'm type B, I love a follow up). We went to eat at Craft House a few times during these months and we able to figure out what we loved the best on the menu and each experience was fantastic. 10/10 drinks, food, and service. March: We started finalizing all the little details, food and drink menu, decorations, table arrangements, day of timeline. It was easy, efficient and there was a confidence from both Blake and Kelly that made us feel extremely confident and grateful to have our reception at Craft House. Wedding Week/Day of: Blake kindly allowed us to bring a load of decorations the day before the wedding to help the set up efforts on wedding day. We dropped off boxes of candles with a bartender (possibly a manager) the night before and he was extremely sweet and helpful by carrying boxes inside for us. The day of the wedding, our DJ and friend who was helping with set up were able to go in a few hours before. When we walked into the reception for the first time, we were blown away! I was in true awe at the space. It was exactly how we envisioned. The beautiful wood interior and 3/4 walls of windows with plants inside and outside made it feel like we were in a green house. I was met with a drink in my hand immediately from the bartenders and I was never without a drink (they would find me every time my drink was empty and give me a new one... THAT'S TOP TIER SERVICE). We ate, we drank and we partied with the people we love the most, exactly how we wanted. Things you should know: Particulars- We had about 90 guests, 4 vendor meals and had the private space from 12 PM (set up time) to 10:30PM. Price- THE BEST DEAL YOU CAN GET. Rental for the space, food and open bar(!!!) all bundled into a great price. Best bang for your buck. Price included gratuity and a small percentage for service fee. UNBEATABLE. Service- As someone who worked in the restaurant industry for many years (and close friends who are bartenders and servers)... we all agreed that the service was top tier. One of the biggest stand outs for me was the smiles on all of their faces during our reception. There is nothing better than seeing employees genuinely smile while they are working. It really makes the whole atmosphere a million times better. Some videos that we got at the end of the night, you can see the bartenders dancing while serving guests, it made my heart happy to know that there was some enjoyment while working their butts off for us. Thank you all so much!! We enjoyed ourselves and so did all of our guests. The next day people were stunned that we had been at a restaurant and not a wedding venue. This review is well deserved. *Pictures to come! read more

Ugh. What's not to love about this place? Killer service, great food (ZERO SH!TT* Seed oils, local pole caught fish), and patriots who works their booties off and celebrate the freedom to live here. They are always amazing at catering to my gluten free needs as well. Whats disheartening- is that angry unhinged psychos are constantly stealing photos from the bathroom (you'll get it if you've been here)- but beyond that- you've got a beautiful restaurant that is obsessed with taking care of your fur babies (and real babies if you have them too!). Go see uncle Frank or Nate for the best experience. And don't come here if you've got a bad attitude! Go somewhere else with that! read more

Craft House - Potato Tacos (3) - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

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This is the best restaurant in Dana Point! Chef Blake and his amazing team are always looking to impress guests. Their menu is filled with so many options morning, lunch and dinner. One of the only places on the weekend to have a happy hour during the day primetime 2-4pm. They have a great happy hour from potato tacos, crispy tuna rice, verde fries, sliders etc. I love that their brunch menu has both breakfast and lunch, so whatever you are in the mood for they have you covered. Dinner specials change weekly with local sourced fish and veggies. My favorite thing on the menu is Santa Ana Chicken Salad (add avocado). The chicken is grilled to perfection and juicy. This hearty salad is delicious and filled with flavor. I always add a side of tots that are perfectly crispy (Napoleon would be proud). On top of an impressive menu and drink options, the team is so welcoming and friendly. Kate, Hudson, Nate and Frank will make you feel like a regular instantly. Always check-in and making the whole experience special. Highly recommend sitting on the patio for a great view and sun action. read more

Craft House - Santa Ana Chicken Caesar - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

Found this small but great restaurant on PCH in Dana Point. We sat at the bar for drinks and dinner while watching sports on the big screen TV's. I had the Braised Short Rib Pot Pie and it was amazing. The three bartenders behind the bar kept us well taken care of and were very nice. The Chardonnay was excellent and the decor was epic. They also have valet parking. Try this colorful establishment, you will be surprised. read more

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Lovely meal for Birthday/Valentines with family. The food was on point. Our server was excellent!! The place is lovely and we were seated inside but the door had to be open to the patio and it was entirely too cold. We ask to be moved but they said that they couldn't accommodate us. Menu was great. They were able to accommodate my grand daughter who is celiac. We had a delicious coffee cake which was gluten free. read more

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My wife and I stopped in for lunch and were glad we did! The restaurant has a nice feel to it, the outside seating was enjoyable. The sandwich was a hit and my am cocktail right on point. Our server was friendly and made suggestions we appreciated. We will recommend it to friends! read more

This spot is wonderful! The vibe is chill and upscale without being stuffy. The menu is always good and makes it difficult to decide what to eat, and we are never disappointed! Been here for dinner and weekend brunch. The drinks are masterful. Got the bloody nauti and it came with a light ale that could be mixed in or separate. Have had other drinks there and again never disappointed. The service is fantastic, everyone is friendly and patient, and on their game. Glad this is easy to get to and it is in such a lovely location. If you haven't been, get there! read more

Craft House - Bloody nauti - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

Came here a few days before Christmas. Even though it was a weekday the staff said it's been packed and felt like a Saturday. Our waiter and all the staff were really nice. The place was cute and bigger than it looked when you first came in. Not sure if I loved walking right into the bar, but whatever. The parking lot is real small and had no space to turn around so keep that in mind! My husband and I came here for drinks and dinner and we were starving. The drinks were good for sure. Craft- definitely! We ordered the shoshito peppers which were huge and I loved the salty sauce they came in. Some were a bit undercooked for our taste though. We also go the crust tuna which were weren't a fan of. The tuna wasn't spicy at all, it's like they just counted on the jalapeño slice to make it spicy, which it wasn't. I expected better tuna being that close to the ocean honestly. The rice too was not crispy like it just came out of the fryer or pan, it was like old, chewy. So I wouldn't get that again. For both entrees, I got the stroganoff which was decent. I liked it less and less as I went through it though. Too much creme frache and mushrooms! I wanted more meat! Same thing for my husband who ordered the steak frites! It says 8 oz of meat and it was like half of that! He almost said something to the waiter but was pretty full after the appetizers so decided not to. Overall, I'd go back and try some different items. read more

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If you are anywhere near Craft House, make a reservation. Everything was so delicious and the service was outstanding (thanks, Courteney!). The potato tacos were a standout appetizer, perfectly crispy and packed with flavor. The short rib pot pie was rich, savory, and pure comfort with tender, flavorful meat in every bite. The butter cake was the best I have had in Orange County. Warm, perfectly sweet, and absolutely unforgettable. A special thank you to our server Courtney, who was the perfect mix of attentive but not overbearing and anticipated our needs before we even had them. She made the whole experience seamless. read more

Craft House - Butter cake - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

We had a fun date night here. Delicious food and drinks in a beautiful setting. I really enjoyed my Steak Frites.

Came in for happy hour last night. Bar area was full. Small bar area but there was a table behind the bar and my friend and I sat there. My friend ordered wine and we ordered some food from the happy hour menu. It was all really good. The guy helping us was the bartender, Jeff, really nice guy. I told him I like tiki style drinks. He said he'll make something up for me which he did and it was perfect. Not sure what was in it but I had a couple of those. :) The hostess was so sweet. Her name was Sienna. She was all smiles. It got a little hectic in there with all our shenanigans. I think she deserves a raise! :) I had a good time and I'll be back. Great happy hour, great staff and nice crowd! read more

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Awesome! Phenomenal bar with great food, awesome bartenders and a great place for date night. The bar is always full - for a reason. They pour great stiff drinks and they can get super creative as well. Bartenders are friendly and efficient. Food is legit. I've had their meatloaf, hamburger, scallops and salmon. All were phenomenal. Their salad has an Asian dressing that's insane. Lots of windows lots of light. Great bar. Awesome!!! read more

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AMAZING! I was very hesitant to try Craft House. I looked at the menu and saw a few things that looked good. I'm not much of an Old Fashioned drinks person and that's what they are kind of known for so I thought I wouldn't really like it here. But you can say it's LOVE at first SIP. I tried the East 8 hold up and Part time lover, SO GOOD! My husband and I went for a date night and sat out in the patio area very cute and next to the bar so you get best of both worlds. We shared 3 sharable plates which were the Tacos, Poke and Crispy Rice, all 3 were perfect, lots of flavor and quite a bit to share as well. Our waitress was very nice and made great suggestions for food and drinks and reassured us that our choices were great. Also she told us they have a Happy Hour on weekends so I will definitely be coming back to check that out! If you are in Dana Point check this place out! read more

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I came here with my son a few months ago and we ordered the fried chicken sandwich and tacos. The food and service were great! But what really stood out to us and why I recommend it to friends and family is that they don't cook with seed oils!! I mostly cook at home for my family, so when we go out to eat I truly appreciate restaurants that prioritize cooking oils, tallow and butter the way I do at home. We didn't know this when we chose to eat here, but when we saw that printed on their menus we were both super happy about it. We will definitely be back. I just recommended to my friend today so it reminded me to leave a review. read more

They were able to seat our large party on the outdoor patio. They have heaters but there was still a chilly breeze. The ambiance was great and even better was that they had the World Series being projected on a huge screen. This didn't make it feel like a sports bar though. Valet parking was backed up but they allowed us to leave our cars. No free parking on site fyi. Everyone was shocked at how delicious the food was. From the street corn, smash burgers, and stroganoff there was not one complaint. The service started off to a slow start but after getting drinks on the table everything seemed to flow seamlessly. We will be back! read more

Craft House - Patio at night - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

Yum yum yum!! I love their cheese burger! It's so so delicious. I have had it on their brunch and dinner menu. With brunch it comes with tater tots and with dinner it is fries. I prefer the fries more but the tots are also great. They have some super good ranch too. Servers are great! Hostess honestly could be better if we are getting into the weeds of it. Vibes are lively and tight. Love the outdoor patio! I literally come here for the burger. So sad I forgot to take a picture. read more

We went to craft house for dinner with friends visiting from LA. And we were pleasantly surprised at the ambience and the food. Both were really good. Cocktails were on point as well. read more

My husband and I have tried to dine/ grab a drink here multiple times mid day. Each time they're either closed for a private party or their rude 16 year old hostess says there is a 45 minute wait.. at 3pm? When there are 15 empty tables? Go anywhere else in Dana point. So many better options! What a great passive aggressive response I received! We still will continue to never dine here! We didn't receive any type of accommodating response from your hostess that you're so quick to defend instead of a customer! We would have happily had one drink at a table within 30 mins and left! Learn how to reply nicer to customers and then you won't lose so many read more

The ambiance is a warm but industrial style. There are limited parking spots available on site but there is street parking close by. The staff were friendly and extremely attentive. Our server Alex communicated beautifully to adjust my mother's selection to adjust to her dietary restrictions. Diego as well was just as attentive in checking in and busing our table post haste. We never had to look for someone if anything was needed because they'd already offered it ahead of time. Every meal on our table was amazing, we did not regret any of it. From the chowder, the potato taco, steak taco, spicy tuna on crispy rice, to salad.. every plate was packed with flavor, showing the exceptional technique & quality of ingredients. We'll definitely be back. read more

Craft House - Chief - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Very good, niche menu consisting of items you can't find at other restaurants. It is pricey, but they focus on fresh, organic style ingredients. And ordering an Old Fashioned is a whole show here if you are near the bar, as the bartender uses wood chips to smoke the glass which is fun. It does get very busy during peak times, but I still like it here nonetheless read more

Craft House is a fantastic upscale American restaurant with a great menu. To start, we got the potato tacos which were scrumptious. Soft potatoes folded between a crispy corn tortilla shell. For the main, I opted for the farmers market burrata salad and added grilled chicken. It was fantastic! The greens and fruits were fresh, it came with a whole burrata, and the chicken was tender and seasoned well. I had a few bites of the mushroom pasta and it was creamy, umami, and everything you'd imagine it to be. Service was attentive and on point. I'd highly recommend. read more

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Craft house is probably the best restaurant in Dana Point. Their food is awesomely delicious, and we recommend smash burger, coffee cake, and even their butter cake is good. Alex provided great service, greeted us with a smile, and gave us our food lad quick as possible. Alex is amazing and we would like to give him a huge shout out. Ambiance is warm and welcome. When my daughters were cold, Alex turned on the heaters and gave them blankets. Craft House is definitely our #1 in Dana Point! read more

Craft House - My daughters after their amazing meal! - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

We went to dinner with friends, and detoured to the craft house because the restaurant we were going to has closed (permanently). This is the fourth or fifth time we have eaten at the craft house. Each time the food has been outstanding. The fried chicken/mashed potatoes/broccoli was perfect as was the wedge salad, which is big enough for two. Martinis are full pours. Steak was tasty, and the butter cake was enough for all four of us. Highly recommend this place. Food and drinks are great, the ambiance is very upbeat, and it's well priced IMO. read more

First and foremost I want to start off this review by saying the service we received was flat out excellent. Bella was extremely friendly, kind, and flat out on top of it. The inside of this place is extremely clean and they do a good job from an ambiance stand point. The 3 stars is strictly food driven. The burger was solid. The friend chicken dinner had great potato's. The friend chicken itself was decent. The braised beef pasta was a miss for us though. Felt like a meal they just threw a lot of ingredients at and hope it stuck. The beef was tasteless. Hope this helps with anyone looking at these dishes! Cheers! read more

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I am so sad I've lived in OC 3 years and am just now discovering this gem. My husband and I came in for a drink on a Saturday night before our dinner reservation. We sat at the bar and had THE best time chatting with our newfound best friend, Bernadette, and one of the bartenders, Frank. The best way to describe both of them would be authentic, hilarious, and full of a deep love for life. I had the Man on the Moon tequila drink and it definitely put me on the moon LOL in a good way, of course. My husband had a couple of the specialty old fashioneds (including Frank's!) which were also delicious. We almost canceled our dinner reservation to stay but decided it will definitely be our next date night spot! This place is definitely a vibe and a must try for a strong, delicious drink and good company. We will be back! read more

If you are looking for some nostalgic American dishes, this place has something to offer. With ample portion sizes, and some unique offerings like venison and spanish octopus, its a great place to try. The only thing that was mediocre we tried was the halibut- served with rice and bok choy which was underwhelming. Overall it is a solid restaurant. read more

To start, they have a fabulous patio that looks out at PCH. A relaxing vibe with attentive and friendly service. We came for brunch. They have a small brunch menu and we were hoping for the banana bites we saw on other reviews. Unfortunately, we were told that they were removed from the menu a week ago. Oh darn. In place of that they were offering a pistachio cake with pistachio mousse. It came warmed and moist. Perfect to share. We also shared the breakfast scramble. This was very tasty. To top it off - a pineapple and guava mimosa. They also have a bar inside to get your drink on. Small parking lot. A great place to come enjoy with friends or by yourself. read more

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I can't compliment this place enough. My son had a wedding venue cancel 2 months prior to the wedding and Blake came to our rescue. He was so helpful, attentive, communicative and fair from beginnning to end. It was a beautiful, casual, fun reception for 150 people. There was not a snag. The food was amazing - we chose smashburgers, fried chicken and mushroom pasta options for our guests and they raved about all of them. Food was delicious and hot! All the staff were amazing, especially Sophia. Blake was there the entire time and everything ran smoothly. Would highly recommend! Thank you Blake and staff! read more

This place has the best strong drinks! Frank the bartender is super friendly and amazing! Food is tasty and the staff is great! Love coming here if I want a lively bar experience! Blake the owner is very attentive and put together a tasty menu. read more

Went for happy hour and would 100% recommend. It is 3-5 Monday-Friday if I remember correctly and hours change on weekends. Food and drinks are much cheaper, and the food overall is pretty good (especially the burger). However, it is a little pricey and there are better options for the same price at other restaurants. The location is on PCH in Dana, and is very nice. read more

Been coming here for a few years, Love Craft House! Great food, amazing staff, ambiance is and they love dogs. Shout out to Uncle Frank, Inca loves his bacon. read more

Love coming here! My wife had the halibut and couldn't stop talking about it, and I went with the steak frites (again) -- somehow it just keeps getting better. The waitstaff is always wonderful and makes the experience even better. Perfect for a special occasion or a random weeknight. Great flavors, great service, and seriously good drinks. Always the BEST! So VERY, thankful to have such a wonderful place to go so close to home. read more

Best smash burger in OC. We love taking friends and family here when they're visiting - highly recommend any of the cocktails, spicy tuna crispy rice, and the cauliflower. Hard pass on the meat loaf but some people love it. Service is always great and the atmosphere is refined casual - whatever that means. read more

Came here for dinner with family and I ordered the chicken sandwich. The chicken was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. The fries were equally impressive - crispy and seasoned just right. I especially appreciated that they were fried in beef tallow, which gave them a great taste! Bonus points for using olive oil in the cooking - it's rare to find a place that's both flavorful and mindful of quality ingredients. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! read more

Craft House is an amazing choice! The smash burger and potato tacos are very delicious and a choice we always go for. The Santa Ana caesar salad is great and very crave able! Frank provided the best service and greeted us with a big smile. The best way to top off your meal is a butter cake or the coffee cake. In my opinion, the coffee cake is better, but from my dad's point of view he prefers the butter cake. Craft House is an amazing choice! 100 stars! read more

Great patio seating and an even better happy hour! Service was prompt and with a smile! The food and drinks were absolutely delicious. Looking forward to coming back soon! read more

Craft House - New American Near Me - Dana Point, California

Wonderful server, reasonable pricing, my pozole was delicious. They made accommodations for a well behaved 8-month-old that made the evening even more enjoyable. Limited but good local beers available. Give them a try. read more

This is by far one of the best restaurants in Dana Point & South OC! The chef is AMAZING, the menu constantly changes, the cocktails are amazing. I would rate it higher if I could but I guess 5 stars it is. I highly recommend, this is a must try!! read more

Food was delicious, amazing ambiance and service! We ordered sashimi, calamari and the $55 set that comes with a soup or salad, prime ribs, salmon or pasta and a lava chocolate cake. The foood was so good! For sure I will come back! read more

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