Great day of celebration at Hook and Anchor in Dana Point on March 7. They won the People Choice and the Mayor's Choice awards for their Clam Chowder. But our favorite is their 6oz Lobster Roll. Service is always fantastic and the atmosphere is fun. You have to take a spin down and get an awesome meal. read more

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If you like lobster, that is the place! We came for dinner, as my wife loves lobster rolls. She visited this restaurant for the second time and still thinks these lobster rolls are the best in the area. I went a different route and went for the Seafood Risotto and added a half lobster tail to it. It was delicious! The added lobster tail was very reasonable at $14, compared with other restaurants. The service was excellent. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. We were sitting outside, which is nice. It is relatively quiet, as it is not right on the main street. Absolutely, a place we will come back to. read more

Hook & Anchor - Seafood Risotto with added Lobster Tail - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

Everything was SOO good! The food came out quick, hot & fresh. We had the lobster roll, ceviche, clam chowder, oysters, lobster deviled eggs, everything was phenomenal. Our waitress & everyone that came by our table was extremely friendly. We'll be back sooner than later because we're already craving every item we had 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

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

First time here and did not disappoint! I had the scallops, puréed cauliflower and vegetables. The scallops were perfect! Sauce was excellent. My husband had the shrimp Alfredo. Such an enjoyable evening made even better by our most excellent server Lenny! Also great wine list! read more

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

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We had an amazing and memorable dinner at Hook and Anchor! The atmosphere was comfortable, the service was friendly and the food was outstanding. I can highly recommend! You will truly enjoy the entire experience and love your meal. read more

Hook & Anchor is a seafood restaurant located in a cute little shopping plaza near the boisterous Hennessey's, a barbershop my guy loves, and a Hobie surf shop. It is on the PCH in a lovely, busy part of Dana Point. I have been to Hook & Anchor on more than one occasion for dinner since it opened. My boyfriend and I usually sit at the bar, so we have faced the occasional slight wait, but we haven't had to deal with reservations. The restaurant itself is in the building where Docent used to have a brewery restaurant location. It has simple indoor seating and lovely patio seating. Overall, we have been incredibly impressed every time we go to this restaurant. Service is professional and polite, hostesses are capable, bus boys are quick and efficient. In terms of food, they serve some of the freshest tasting oysters we've had in the area, one of the best halibut steaks, and every salad and side we've had up to this point has been incredibly well seasoned and flavorful . The drink selection is excellent, and although we haven't had dessert, we've heard people next to us enjoying theirs. I very much enjoy this restaurant, will keep it near the top of my regular dinner out list, and will definitely be coming back. read more

Delicious food! Great service! Very accommodating towards the vegetarians in our party, offered an off menu mushroom risotto and it tasted great. The seafood tower had an impressive amount of seafood, delicious lobster, shrimp, mussels, ceviche and tuna poke. The rockfish plate was great too! For appetizers we had the cauliflower steak and deviled lobster eggs, yummy! This was our first time at Hook & Anchor, we will come back! Special shout out to our server Renny who was fantastic. read more

Exceptional food, great patio vibes, hosts welcomed us upon arrival and were very friendly. Our service was excellent and attentive. This is our second time coming to hook and anchor and we absolutely love it! Our first time we got the ceviche, I got cioppino with pasta and my husband got the hook plate with potatoes and veggies and the lemon caper sauce. SO good I didn't have any photos from that visit other than the cioppino. Last night we went with a friend and we once again ordered the ceviche, got lobster deviled eggs which were soooo good and the chefs caprese to split. My friend and I ordered the carbonara and my husband got the lobster roll, it was soooo tasty that even the table next to us looked at our table and asked what we got! My husband and I went to Maine this summer and he said this was by far the best lobster roll he had so far. I could not recommend this place more, high quality food and lobster. read more

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Had an amazing dinner at Hook and Anchor this week. we made a reservation for a Thursday night which was helpful because the restaurant isn't very big. we have been to just about every place that has occupied that space and I really hope this one stays because it is so good. Our server Taylor was great and the owner stopped by to say hello. We started with oysters and chowder and while the risotto was hugely recommended the fish of the day was Halibut so opted for that, and it did not disappoint. The fish was fresh and cooked perfectly, served with mushrooms and fingerling potatoes, I could have eaten an entire plate of the mushrooms. We also had the lobster roll which at market price was $49 for the 6oz portion, it was worth it! Overall great experience, we will definitely be back! read more

Hook & Anchor - oysters and dirty martini - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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

Traveling for work and found this gem!! Food excellent, service excellent. For being a new spot definitely recommend and would go back when in area again read more

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I was so surprised at how good this place was. From the moment the cute hostesses greet you and seat you, you are made to feel special. Our waiter was so attentive and personable and our order took no time. The food (and drinks) were so yummy! The clam chowder was insane, the fish and chips and seafood risotto fresh and just delicious. Both my husband and I were stunned! We will definitely be back. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Great to see a seafood restaurant open in the area with a wide variety of menu options. Plus if you are wanting something other than fresh seafood, they do offer other things. read more

Food is outstanding service is great! Atmosphere is romantic, a bit high end with a beautiful location. read more

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This was our first time here. We were seated quickly and Renny, our server was great. We had the clam chowder, salads, snapper over the cauliflower/potato puree and my husband had the halibut over seasonal vegetables. The food was excellent. They have only been open 9 months, but have a great future if tonight was any indication. We highly recommend! read more

Never went to the Newport Beach location but always wanted to. My fiancée mentioned there was one in Dana Point so we decided to give it a go. Menu was fairly extensive but we both decided on the 6oz lobster rolls. They were outstanding . Both sandwiches had an ample amount of lobster meat. French fries were really good too. Also tried the ceviche and crab cakes. Ceviche was very good, crab cakes were average. Rolls were definitely pricey but they were very good. If you are looking for a good lobster roll in California i would definitely recommend this place, but one caveat be ready to pay a premium price for it. read more

Hook & Anchor - Lobster roll Chefs style with the siracha aioli - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

I went to the recently opened Dana Pt location with my sister and my BF on a Monday night. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday there are specials that are only served on the patio and at the bar. They are not advertised on the menu or at the tables so you need to ask about them. We all ordered the Fish and Chips special. We chose to sit on the patio, which is dog friendly, because we brought our dog. Seating in the patio is limited so you may want to make reservation. There was plenty of parking because the restaurant is located in a shopping center. The fish and chips are Mahi Mahi, deep fried with a tempura batter. The fish was moist and tasty but my BF found his to be greasy. The two piece fish and chips special is $17 and you can get a bowl of clam chowder for an additional $2. My BF got the clam chowder and we all tasted it and liked it, however it was really lacking the amount of clams in it....he said that it was more like a potato chowder. We ordered our fries extra crispy and they were cooked perfectly. My sister ordered a side salad and it was ok but it was $7, which is high considering it was small and consisted of lettuce, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. My sister and I each ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc which was just ok and was $16 a glass. Our total bill was just under $100. We enjoyed the ambiance with all of the Christmas decorations in the shopping center. The food was decent but the prices are a bit high considering what we ordered. read more

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Good place, was new since we had been there before, the bar is more separate from the dining area now and was comfortable but nothing special. Menus were dirty, didn't like that! read more

Truly one of our favorites in town The staff is amazing and very friendly Great job!! read more

Hook & Anchor - Last night's Special - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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First time and not the last time! I love this place the food is amazing and the people are so amazing. A huge shout out to Katrina our server and to Philp who made sure we had a great time, must visit read more

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

I updated my review! This was our second time here. Less noise! Deviled eggs were delicious as well as Oyster Rockefeller. I opted for halibut special. It was good and delicious veggies. House salad just ok mainly lettuce with just a few tomatoes and cucumbers. My husband had lobster tails which he preferred over the rolls we had last time. Our other friend had lobster roll but he also thought roll was a bit much. Their one dessert is fabulous Had a slight problem at the start and had to ask for a waitress after waiting a while. They apologized and the service was great after that. read more

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We ordered the Halibut, Scallops, Crab Cake, and Bread Pudding, and everything was superb. the service and vibe was excellent (thanks, Renny!) read more

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Food is good, but for the price I'd like to have been able to enjoy it more. We had an early dinner (5:30 pm). We ordered drinks and multiple courses (chowder, salad, entree). The servers brought everything out at once. The salads were clearly pre-packed in bowls and they just brought a container of our chosen dressing. Our table was tiny and wobbly and we were in the middle of the restaurant with soup salad entrees and drinks all at once. It was like they threw it at us so we'd leave quickly. Our entrees were good, but for the price the experience should have been better. read more

What a great addition to the Dana Point food scene! Great casual elegance vibe, friendly and attentive staff, creative cocktails and amazing food. Started with the lobster Mac and cheese which had a little Cajun seasoning kick with lobster claw meat. Fantastic. Also had the fried green tomatoes that were outstanding. Had to get the lobster roll after reading the reviews and seeing photos. They have a 4oz or 6 oz version. Went with the 6 oz and glad I did. Savored every bite. Cant believe we had room but we had to try the one dessert they have which was bread pudding with ice cream and berries. Nice wine selection and top shelf cocktails. Will certainly be back. Katie was our server who didn't rush us, gave us suggestions and was attentive without hovering. Place was full and every table taken when we got there at 6:30 but we only had to wait 15 min for a party of 2. Will make reservations next time since I think the word will spread quickly about how great this place is. They have happy hour every night from 9-10 and an outdoor patio with a fire pit and lots of seating. read more

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

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First time visiting this establishment, very casual decided to go during happy hour. I got two fish tacos that came with a Modelo. Also, we got the burger with fries. Everything was great service was impeccable. Kendall was our waitress, and Hayden made sure that our heating lamp never went out great experience great food definitely will return friendly helpful staff read more

Hook & Anchor - Fish tacos, and the classic burger with fries - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

My boyfriend and I had dinner here over the weekend and are already counting down the days until we can go back. From start to finish, everything was exceptional. We started with half a dozen "mixed" oysters, which were incredibly fresh. My boyfriend ordered a cup of clam chowder and said it was one of the best he's ever had (he's from New England, so that's saying a lot) But the real standout for him was the cioppino. He's still dreaming about it. Rich, flavorful, and packed with lots of fresh seafood--it was perfection. I opted for the lobster roll, and now I understand why they told us it was voted the #1 lobster roll in California. It was everything you want in a lobster roll: buttery, tender, and perfectly seasoned. Plus it comes with seasoned fries! The ambiance is relaxed yet refined--coastal, clean, and comfortable. The staff made us feel so welcome from the moment we checked in to the moment we left. We will definitely be back! read more

Fantastic food! The most delicious lobster I have ever eaten. We were seated right away and the staff was very attentive. If you're down in Dana Point come check out the H&A! My hat is off to the chefs in the kitchen scrumptious meal! read more

Hook and Anchor opened a new location in our neck of the woods and we couldn't be happier about it. Wife and I went to the original location in Costa Mesa a couple of times and loved the food and ambience. I have had most everything on the menu and have never been disappointed. Love the lobster roll and seafood risotto! Try to always start off with their delicious clam chowder. Our most recent server, Tanya, was outstanding. So friendly and made us feel like we were old friends. Will be back often and will request to be seated in Tanya's section! Cheers read more

Hook & Anchor - Lobster roll - Chef's way (Saucy) - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Food, service and ambiance were all great ! Waiter Ernie was great as well! We look forward to returning. read more

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2/7/2026 16:30. From the moment we arrived, the experience was a 10/10. They were so welcoming and let my puppy hang out with us on their dog-friendly patio, which instantly won us over. The service was amazing. attentive, friendly, and genuinely cared about making sure we had a great time. The food came out fresh and hot, exactly how it should be, and everything tasted so good. Plus, the martini we ordered was ice cold and discounted thanks to happy hour, which made it even better. Will definitely be back. read more

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

Best clam chowder I've ever had! Love the ambience, and the Tuesday lobster special!!

Cute outdoor patio area, fantastic food - the lobster roll and deviled eggs were amazing. Our server was wonderful as well. Highly recommend! read more

Hook & Anchor - Lobster deviled eggs - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Keeps getting better. As much as we LOVED Kendall as our server and we did, Arianna matched her awesomeness. Get over here now. Lobstah role with buttttah!! YUM x 100! read more

Hook & Anchor - Lobster role and potato wedges. - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

We ended up having an amazing time at Hook & Anchor! We came at 4 PM on Sunday and was told ~10-15 min wait. We were seated about ~15 min later. It took a bit after our server initially greeted us until she came back to take our orders - she was super apologetic, friendly, and helpful though - the host had also checked in us while we were waiting to make sure our server had greeted us, which was appreciated. We had intended to do happy hour but missed seeing that it was only at bar or patio until after we were seated at a regular table and opened the menu - we asked our server about it and she kindly explained to us that it is 3-5PM daily only at bar or patio - it ended up being irrelevant anyhow cause she said they were out of oysters. We got the ahi poke for appetizer. Tasty poke - loved the crispy wonton chips. I ordered the 6oz lobster roll - market price was $50 (you could also get 4oz - not sure on the price difference). The lobster roll featured a ton of delicious, fresh lobster meat. We also got halibut with fingerling potatoes and salad - halibut was fresh, deliciously seasoned. They had athletic brewing light and IPA as NA options. read more

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First, the positive: the entrée tasted great. The scallops were cooked beautifully and had excellent flavor. Whoever is running the kitchen knows what they're doing. Unfortunately, the overall dining experience didn't quite live up to what I expected for the price point. All of the food arrived at the table at exactly the same time -- soup, salad, and entrée -- which made the meal feel rushed and a bit chaotic rather than paced like a proper dinner service. Instead of enjoying courses, everything was suddenly crowded onto the table. There were also some small details that detracted from the experience. The table rocked quite a bit, which is something I wouldn't normally mention, but when you're paying $40 for an order of scallops, you start to notice those little things. Speaking of the scallops -- they were delicious -- but the portion was five very small scallops, and I honestly left hungry. I expected either larger scallops or a more substantial dish. The salad was okay, but nothing particularly memorable, and the fingerling Parmesan potatoes didn't quite deliver the "gourmet" experience the menu suggested. Bottom line, the kitchen is doing some things really well, but the service, pacing, and overall experience need to catch up with the quality of the food. This feels like a place that could be excellent with a few adjustments. read more

Excellent & elevated menu, food quality, prep, and service, with a casual coastal friendly atmosphere. Extremely satisfied and excited to have a new local spot! Definitely a new fav! Hope we'll see them open for lunch one day soon too :-) read more

Hook & Anchor - Perfectly Grilles halibut, potatoes, veg with 2 sauces on the side. Snapper cauliflower mash, veg and beurre blanc caper sauce. - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

After seeing pictures of their lobster rolls on Instagram, and with an old friend's recommendation, we made our FIRST (of what we'll now expect to become MANY) visits to Hook & Anchor. We started with a few of their signature cocktails, went with their lobster deviled eggs appetizer, my wife got the lobster roll she'd seen on Instagram while I had their New York steak with mushrooms. In one word: Outstanding! Outstanding service by their entire staff. Our waitress Kate was awesome, the general manager checked on us frequently & the co-owner spent some time with us. The food was excellent & we're already looking forward to our next visit. 10 out of 10. read more

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Tonight we celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary with the good folks at Hook and Anchor in Dana Point. We heard about the place from our daughter and the video she sent looked fantastic. The video did not lie. The restaurant has been opened for about one month and the team is already working extremely well together. We were warmly greeted by our host and handed over to the care of Renny J. and his team who made us feel welcome and genuinely glad we came. Pride of place and a heart to serve was obvious and very much appreciated. The atmosphere is elegantly casual with a contemporary feel and airy style. The menu is straight forward and indicative of a chef who wants to serve routinely delicious dishes without feeling the need to be all things to all people. We ordered calamari fries ( panko encrusted calamari steaks) which were served with house made tartar sauce (delicious!) followed by cioppino and the seafood risotto as our entrees. Of course, we had to fit in the lobster roll which we'd been told they are famous for. We immediately understood why. Amazing. Manager Phil stopped by the table to wish us a happy anniversary and made sure all was to our liking. Later, Renny brought us a delicious bread pudding dessert with ice cream and a fresh berry compote. I also tried the Salt-N-Sea margarita and could not have been happier with such a delicious cocktail. The atmosphere, food and team were outstanding and we are looking forward to our next visit. If you're looking for a wonderful seafood experience, you need to stop reading this and get to Hook and Anchor right now. What are you waiting for? Go. Go now. read more

Hook & Anchor - Bread pudding!! - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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