If you're in the area... you NEED to try Hook & Anchor Everything was so good, but that bread pudding?! Next level. I'm still thinking about it. read more

I had heard through social media and reviews that this place has the best lobster roll in Orange County and once again I find all the hype to be inaccurate. The menu looks great, offering what looks to be delicious seafood. And I imagine that they offer great seafood. , just not in the form of a lobster roll. I was born and raised in New England and I know what a Maine style lobster roll is. What they offer here is nothing like a Maine style lobster roll and honestly, it tasted gross.. The iconic Maine lobster roll is made from simple ingredients, It is the perfect combination of mounds of lobster , mayonnaise, and lemon juice maybe a little salt.. served chilled in a toasted bun. Sometimes you get minced celery . What was served to me at Hook and Anchor was a lobster roll served in a brioche bun, and when I looked at it, it looked like it had hot cheese on top of it. But that wasn't cheese.. That was hot garlic mayonnaise, or aoili. I had to eat it with a knife of fork, and the overwhelming flavor is garlic. That's too bad because lobster has a delicate flavor and overpowering it with hot garlic, mayonnaise , it just was not very good It was bad. Again a lobster roll is served cold and that it was hot made it worse. If this is what you serve please don't say it's a Maine style lobster because it absolutely is not. However, we did split a clam chowder and that was delicious so my guess is that they have items on the menu that are good and I probably will go back to try their other entrees But please don't tell people that this is a Maine style lobster roll. And lastly, there is another classic style of lobster., I think that's considered New York, and that is warm a lobster with melted butter, drizzled all through it that I think does have minced celery . This style of lobster roll is decadent and delicious. And I don't understand how people who review lobster rolls on TikTok and Instagram somehow in Orange County don't know what a classic Maine lobster roll is read more

After having this place bookmarked forever, we finally got to try it on our way up from SD and it did not disappoint! We were able to catch happy hour which goes from 3-5pm in the patio and bar area. Patio was perfect to enjoy the great sunny weather and the live music playing next door. The food: -clam chowder 10/10. You need to order this. So good, even our daughter had it for the first time and loved it! -crab cakes 7/10. Light batter and you can really taste the crab meat. I think the side corn/salad could have a little more zing to really bring out some flavor. -calamari fries 7/10. Light batter, minimally seasoned. Which would be perfect if the tartar sauce was better. I prefer a little more relish but the one here leans a bit more creamy/mayo-y. So everything tasted a bit bland/monotone. -surf and turf 8/10. Steak was so soft and you can taste the smokiness/char on it. Lobster was good. Sides were good. Solid dish! The service was also wonderful! They came by at all the right times to check on us. Not so often to be bothersome and not absent where we'd have to wave someone down for something. We were able to find free street parking in front of the restaurant since we came at an odd hour. Would definitely recommend! read more

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The cioppino is to die for! I was sick with the flu and ordered this to be picked up (by my boyfriend as I kept my sick self at home) and I'm pretty dang sure this cioppino single handedly cured me. Such flavorful broth, a good amount of seafood chunks in there, and the perfect portion size. Happy to have found Hook & Anchor! This review was made in connection with a Toast promotion for Toast community appreciation week [Hook & Anchor did not ask me to write this review] read more

這家以龍蝦堡聞名的餐廳，上個禮拜我又有機會跟朋友一起過來了，上次我點的是四盎司的，回去我查過資料是$33 ，這一次點的是六盎司的，一份是$49，說實話這算是高價的龍蝦堡，但是因為他們在海邊，也對得起這價格啦，我還點了可可湯，東西其實非常的好吃，我們去的時候也都是客滿的，如果你很喜歡吃龍蝦堡，這一家就是你不能錯過的地方 read more

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My wife and I decided to visit here during happy hour. Their happy hour beers are very reasonable at $5 and I decided to order a Mission Lager. For food, we ordered the ceviche, crab cakes, lobster devilled eggs, and shrimp cocktail. All four dishes were excellent, with very fresh ingredients, and okay-sized happy hour portion sizes with prices to match. Of the four dishes, the ceviche was the best. The fish mixed with diced tomatoes and arugula and served with chips really worked as a dish. Our second favorite dish was the lobster devilled eggs. Those three eggs went down very easily. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful. The restaurant had a very nice, pleasant buzz to it and the patio, where we sat, was full when we visited. While happy hour prices were reasonable, dinner did look pricey based on my glance at the menu. I would definitely return for happy hour. read more

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Amazing cute little place! I loved coming here. It was delicious. We ate the calamari, poke and lobster deviled eggs so quickly that I could only take a picture of the empty plates. Kaysha and Kim were great. Do come and enjoy the ambiance! read more

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What brought me here was a YT video touting their lobster rolls as being one of the best ever eaten, so of course I had to come and try it out. So, we came by all the way to try out their Happy Hour (3-5pm) as the rest of the group wanted their beer and wine to go with their bites. Located in a small'ish shopping center, parking is limited, but it was raining this day, so there was still a few good parking spots available. The restaurant itself is a nice modern casual, nicely decorated, with a bar, outdoor patio seating with a big screen TV and heat lamps. We chose to sit indoors. We were immediately greeted by a nice and friendly bartender/server who informed us that happy hour diners sit in the bar area....which was fine with us as we found a nice corner bar table. The happy hour menu looked really good as it had everything we all enjoyed.....so, we went ahead and ordered yhr Calamari Fries, Shrimp Cocktail, Crab Cakes, Lobster Deviled Eggs, 3pc Fish & Chips, and a couple of the 6oz (available in 4oz) Lobster Rolls.....along with some wine and beers for everybody else. First off, I must agree with the YT reviewer about the lobster rolls being one of the best ever.....they certainly were! I'd even go with these over the really yummy ones I had in Boston last year! The lobster meat was fresh, plump, and tasted great with a dip of the butter sauce provided. To hold all that precious and yummy lobster meat, the roll was perfectly buttered up, grilled, giving that really nice light crunch on the outside, with a nice and warm fluffy inside......everything worked so well together, which made for this so perfectly delicious lobster roll!....no, this was not on the happy hour menu, but we ordered it anyway. The calamari fries were also excellent.....perfectly fresh, tender, with a nice light crunch on the outside breading....and went great with the kethcup, tartar sauce, and lemon wedge provided. Everything else was very good too, but we did have an issue with the fish and chips being a bit dry for our taste....which was redone and came out excellent the second time round, and the crab cakes were a bit cold upon serving, but everything was absolutely taken care of to our complete satisfaction. We had the opportunity to interact with the chef/owner, manager, and we so happy to see them so absolutely determined on making their guests happy and completely satisfied..... they went way over and beyond our expectations with their great customer service, friendliness, and professionalism. Myself and my group loved our expererience here and are so happy to have found this place......and it wasn't the alcohol talking :).....so much so that we absolutely plan to come back again......very pleasant ambiance, great service, and excellent food.....what else can anyone ask for. read more

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Loved the happy hour at the patio. The atmosphere was full of happy people. The Shrimp Cocktail, Ceviche, Crab Cakes, and Lobster Deviled Eggs were delightful! Portions were just right too. Service was quick. read more

Hook & Anchor - Shrimp Cocktail on ice - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Amazing quality, really fresh and good food. I love the heirloom tomato salad. The salmon was devoured by our kids! The scallops were perfectly seared. Every dish we have ordered has been terrific. The only negative is the chairs at the tables aren't that comfortable - very hard. They have only a few booths that look padded but we have never gotten seated there and we have gone now 3 x... read more

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Our waitress Tanya is absolutely delightful and I wish I could say the same for my ciopinno but it was lacking so much flavor. The lobster add on for $14 was ridiculously overpriced. Bf loved his chowder and seafood pasta so I'm the odd one out as always haha. Note to all food servers on the planet, please do NOT wear perfume as it affects the senses and changes the taste of food. I would definitely come back for happy hour which is every day from 4-6 pm. read more

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Service was above expectations. They asked us if we wanted to do happy hour at our 12:45 reservation time. We politely opted for lunch indoors and had a good time. Definitely more fun in the evening as this is a bar ambience but nevertheless there are diners there for lobster and more lobster! We will be back for dinner at the bar in the future! read more

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Wife and I were staying at the Laguna cliffs hotel and wanted to try some seafood and this seamed like the best place to try and it was great. Great service and great food. I got the Connecticut lobster roll with cauliflower and both were amazing. Wife got a daily fish special and she also really enjoyed it . We also got oysters for appetizers read more

This poor location has had so many restaurant. I'm glad to see Hook an Anchor here and hope that they can make it. The service here is excellent and I love the ambience as well. Very casual, coastal yet still elegant. Our server was excellent, I'm sorry I don't remember his name, but he did a great job. Unfortunately, the food was good, but not particularly memorable. We tried the crabcakes, the lobster roll, and the cioppino with added pasta. None of the items were as flavorful or like I said memorable. It's worth a one time try but that's it. read more

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Finally!!! A super fun beachy new restaurant in Dana point ! We absolutely loved our experience. The decor is a deep nautical theme, which we love. The food is really good . We had the seafood pasta and one of their burgers . I think the best thing of all was their oysters. My favorite are from Virginia so damn good. The tuna tower was yummy . And as an extra bonus because it's right next to Hennessey, you get to hear some of the live music . We sat outside so it was extra special. The service is five star. Dog, friendly, and plenty of parking. read more

Hook & Anchor - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Took a minute to be greeted when we walked in on a slow rainy Sunday night. We seated with a smile once they finally saw us. Saw three staff members all kind. Terrific service from Taylor. Even gave us local info for our visit, and she was passionate about her business and love for food! I didn't like the oysters rockerfeller here but loved the lobster roll and I don't usually like them! The clam chowder was also tasty. Nice clean casual ambiance and easy parking. I'd come back. I hope this business makes it, it's new. Show some support! :) read more

Hook & Anchor - Inside of restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

Hook & Anchor has been on my list of restaurants that I wanted to try for months. We came to dinner on a Thursday and this place was busy. We opted to go sit at the bar. Our bartender was friendly and since it was our first time he suggested the clam chowder. I and clam chowder ordered the crab cake, off the appetizer menu. I was really disappointed with both items. My soup was cold and the crab cake was lacking flavor. My husband ordered the seafood pasta, which he enjoyed. Service 5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Food 2/5 read more

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Food: 3/5 - got the lobster roll, seafood risotto and clam chowder. Clam chowder was good - large bowl and good quantity. Flavors were good, not too creamy or salty. 4oz lobster roll was on the expensive side, but was well made. Buttery roll, good pieces of lobster. Seafood risotto was only okay - large portion, decent variety of seafood, but the scallop and muscles had sand in them...huge turn off for a seafood restaurant Service: 4/5 - no frills, not much service...refilled water 1-2x, took our orders Ambiance: 4/5 - we had a large party and they were able to accommodate on a Thursday evening. Never once did we feel rushed. read more

Hook & Anchor - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

Visited for Happy Hour Service- Reni was awesome! Easy to talk to, personable, knowledgeable, timely. We were mostly drinking but he checked in regularly. The busters were on it and friendly too! Food- ordered the calamari and Fried Green Tomato appetizers. They were fine. Good, not great. Nothing exciting. I did enjoy the pickled onions on the tomatoes, and the sauce was good. It needed more sauce though. The STAR of the show was the Bread Pudding dessert. There's only one dessert option, but it's phenomenal. Order it. Drinks were tasty- Blueberry martini thing, and tried the mezcal Both were great. Very fun atmosphere. I would definitely come back again to try other things. It was an overall good experience. read more

Hook & Anchor - Bread Pudding. - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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We had a Lobster Roll and Oysters Rockefeller. They were both delicious!!! Great service at the bar with excellent drinks. The bar was comfortable and enjoying. Highly recommended coming here 5 + stars read more

Was missing Santa Monica seafood and was in the area so decided to try it out! Came here on a Sunday and there was no wait for a table for 2. Ordered 6 Kumamoto oysters $19- fair price and one of my favorite oysters out there!! Loved the mignonette and cocktail sauce, would have loved a little raw horseradish as well though 5/5 Got the hook plate - red snapper in the lemon beurre blanc sauce with mushrooms and seasonal veggies (carrots and zucchini). Would have loved a whole fish (grilled, Italian/ Mediterranean style) but it was good. Not overcooked and good flavor and texture 4/5 Wine- tried a couple and ended up with the muscadet. It was a nice dry white. Was a bit disappointed in the Sancerre, it's usually my favorite for oysters and seafood but it didn't taste like a classic Sancerre. Overall, loved it and would definitely return. Great food for a reasonable price read more

Hook & Anchor - Kumamoto oysters - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Service was friendly and helpful, with an especially welcoming server. The décor is very cool--nautical-themed with great artwork on the walls. The food was just as amazing. The lobster deviled eggs were spot-on, and the crab cake was packed with crab. The clam chowder was tasty, though it could have used more clams. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience, and I would definitely return if I'm in the area. read more

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Description: A recent and welcome addition to Dana Point's dining scene, serving delicious seafood as well as some great HH options! Location: Nestled in the La Plaza, right next to Hennessey's Tavern Standout Dishes: Lobster Roll, Calamari Fries, Crab Cakes Vibe: Casual-elegant. Although it can't quite match the ambiance of Glasspar down the street, the food quality here is superior. Food Quality: Delicious and beautifully presented seafood dishes with robust flavors. Only thing I would avoid is the ceviche, but other than that, you can't really go wrong with any pick. Value: Standard value for a beach town. The value is in some of their HH items. I believe an order of crab cakes is the same portion as the dinner portion but at a fraction of the normal price! Tips: Happy Hour (3pm - 5pm everyday at the bar or patio) offers great deals on oysters, select starters (get the calamari fries!), and cocktails (their version of the margarita is quite good) Parking Plenty of plaza and street parking available. read more

Hook & Anchor - Calamari Fries - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Stopped in for a quick drink. Well made martini and a friendly bartender named Hunter served us. You could tell that he is passionate about his craft! We will be back again! read more

Hook & Anchor - Blueberry Lemon Drop Martini - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

Stopped by after work to check this place out. No happy hour on a Thursday evening at 5pm. Sat at the bar. Had a margarita. It was good. Ordered a couple appetizers. The cauliflower steak was delicious and the calamari was good too! Nice staff. They have a nice dining area out front. read more

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"Came for happy hour, stayed for the seafood and cocktails. Everything was fresh, the drinks were great, and the service was awesome. Let's just say happy hour did its job." read more

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We've been enjoying hook & anchor for the full year They've been in Dana Point. We Attended their one year anniversary last night and were reminded of how good the staff and the food is and we regard it as one of our go to places in Dana Point. Especially love, the lobster rolls, the lobster, deviled eggs, and the wine selection, which includes our favorite, Hartford Chardonnay. read more

First time here. What a gem!! First of all Happy Hour 7 days a week! Great lobster rolls. You can tell someone in that kitchen takes pride in what they are serving! Chef driven for sure!! Loved everything we ordered. Must visit! You won't be sorry! read more

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Had a really nice quick bite here last weekend. Came in for a drink & a snack before our dinner reservations elsewhere and sat at the bar. We were greeted quickly and had drinks in no time. The owner of the bar was ecstatic that they had won "best clam chowder in Dana Point" that day and offered us a cup, on the house. I was already planning on ordering some so we took him up on the offer and it was outstanding. The lobster deviled eggs were great and my wife said the dirty martini & bleu cheese olives were some of the best she's ever had. My only gripe is we were seated directly in front of the spinning wine glass cleaner / polisher and one of the busers was using it almost the whole time we were there. Cool machine, great idea, but maybe don't have it directly in front of where people are eating & drinking? Cheers! read more

Had a yummy dinner at Hook and Anchor the other day! The food was delicious - we ordered the lobster roll with fries and the Halibut with veg and fries. The veg could have been cooked a bit longer. The drinks we ordered were good however it was disappointing that the first two drinks we wanted to order they couldn't make (i believe out of ingredients for the beverage)- seems like normal growing pains of a new restaurant. Our server was super kind but we went very extended periods of time where we didn't see her and we had to ask someone else or try to get her attention several times for something (water refill; the bill)- thankfully my friend and i had a lot to chat about so we weren't in a rush but i can imagine some more attentiveness for others would be much desired. Overall a positive experience for a new restaurant and the menu is worth it! read more

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Food, drinks and service were amazing. Came here during Mother's Day for dinner celebrating my girlfriend's birthday. We got sat right away at the bar. The staff greeted us and thanks us for being there. The server explained the menu and different choices. I highly recommend the clam chowder and the lobster roll. The owner came over and talked to us and made sure we had an amazing experience. read more

One of those places you tried once and never again at least for me. Service was great but expensive pricing did not reflect food.

The service was very bad . The hostess was trying to help with refreshing water. There was not enough staff , we felt as if our wait staff forgot about us . The crab cakes were amazing , more crab than filling which was a great surprise. The seafood salad was good, i felt the lettuce needed to be chopped more, and homemade dressing would have elevated the dish. They didn't skimp on the alcohol for their drinks, my blackberry drink was pretty but too strong to enjoy it. I didn't like the calamari didn't seem fresh, and they were calamari sticks. I prefer to the Newport Beach location is better run with better menu options . We were looking for the spicy calamari, but didn't realize they had a different menu . read more

This was my first time trying this place. I was impressed, the ambience and cozy feeling was great. I had been to the previous restaurants it was and never felt is was comfortable. Now let's talk about the food, again surprisingly good. The ceviche was outstanding, the oysters were great and the price point for everything did not feel like Orange County prices. We will definately come back, however, I would probably not order the Kama Wings again, Yellow Tail Collar...too many bones and too much breading. The Hook plate, fresh catch was great, the Red Snapper was delicious. We will be back. Now let's talk about the Service, we sat at the Bar and they have the full menu there. The entire staff was welcoming and provided great service read more

In my opinion, best lobster roll outside of New England. I've tried many on the west coast but this place has them beat. Not cheap but worth every penny. Service was solid. Our waiter admitted that he'd only been there for a week but he and the staff took good care of us. The ambiance is modern nautical. I'll bet you didn't know there was such a thing. The restaurant is well worth a visit and I know that we will be back soon. Cheers . read more

This is our new favorite place to go for excellent sea food and for great service. I had the poke bowl, fresh cooked vegetables and bread pudding. Next time I plan to try the clam chowder. read more

Completely impressed by my meal at Hook & Anchor, especially since it's only been open for a couple of weeks! I was a little worried that there would be some opening issues, but everything was great! I have been wanting to go to Hook & Anchor in Costa Mesa for their lobster roll, so I had to order it here. It was stuffed with claw meat and came with fries. I would have been perfectly satisfied with my choice until I tried the crab cakes and the scallops. Both of those dishes were even better! The crab cakes were mostly crab meat, with very little filler, and were among the best I've ever had! The scallops were cooked perfectly and came with two sides. Someone ordered a side of the cauliflower puree. It was good, but the serving was extremely tiny for $8. They have a great selection of beer, including several from local breweries. Service was very attentive. I was impressed to see the restaurant as new as it was, bustling on a Saturday night. Hook & Anchor is definitely in my top three restaurants in Dana Point! read more

Hook & Anchor - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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I'm SO glad that we discovered Hook & Anchor in Dana Point!! The outside patio was picturesque under a full moon on the warm evening, and the service was exceptionally prompt, friendly and continuous!! Their Clam Chowder is superb - as were the grilled fish options. The food was perfectly cooked and not overly salted - we will definitely be returning SOON!! read more

Note: I only give 5* ratings to truly exceptional, best-in-class establishments. A good friend and I came here for an evening dinner, and we were very impressed! The host was friendly and seemingly excited to seat my friend and me. Our server was attentive, friendly, and helpful. The restaurant is comfortably casual, with ample space between tables and clean restrooms. I normally don't eat much seafood other than crab or lobster, but I ordered the daily special of fish and chips because, frankly, it sounded good. For just under $20, the special included two large pieces of fried & battered mahi mahi, fries, and a bowl of clam chowder. The execution of my meal was truly flawless! The mahi mahi was perfectly salty, crisp, hot, meaty, and not overly greasy. The lemon and tartar sauce were lovely accompaniments and not overpowering in taste. I thought the side of pickled onions was a random choice, but they went very well with the fish. The fries were crisp, appropriately salty, and a true side, not an afterthought. The clam chowder was hot, creamy, simple, and surprisingly full of large chunks of clam. My buddy ordered oysters and the lobster carbonara. He said the oysters were delicious and fresh. The lobster carbonara was delicious and perfectly portioned. My buddy was visiting from the San Francisco Bay area, so we had a leisurely dinner and conversation (the restaurant was mostly empty, so we weren't holding up a wait list). We both decided to order the bread pudding and ice cream dessert. It was simple and nothing particularly noteworthy, but it was amply portioned as a small dessert for one person and a reasonably refreshing way to end a good meal. I truly can't wait to come back with my wife and kids! read more

Amazing food! The fresh oysters are great, but honestly, the oyster Rockefeller was truly divine! Best I've ever had, no joke. Deviled eggs with lobster were interesting, but not my fav. The clam chowder, so much yum! Can't forget the lobster rolls....absolutely loaded with fresh tasty lobster. Great seating indoors and outside on the patio, even looked like they had a couch/lounge area outside to enjoy the weather with a group while being comfy as can be. Would def recommend trying this place :) read more

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