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    Knolls

    3.6 (687 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

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    KNOLLS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Knolls

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    Reviews With Photos

    Bacon Cheese Burger.

    What a great place! My first time going there and I can't wait to go back!! Ambiance: Great space. Very nice inside with a great mix of high and short tops. The bar is definitely a place I could hang out for an extended amount of time. The night I went they had a great jazz band playing (live music 7 days a week!) that enhanced the evening that much more. Food: Wow!! I just had the best burger I have had in a long time! I had a bite of my dining companion's pesto pasta and would definitely order that for myself. I saw a lot of the different apps at the bar, all looking great, but I think next time I need to try the pizza as I saw/smelled several of them as they passed my table. I would literally eat this food sitting in a dumpster if that was my only option. Cocktails: Usually I group this in with food, but these are so good, it necessitated breaking it out into its own category. Good size glasses with more than generous pours. I'm not really somebody adventures on to the drink menu, but theirs is extensive and they all looked really tasty. A dining companion had a couple of them and concurred. Service: Hard to believe this beats the first three, but this is really where Knolls really excels. Matt did an excellent job waiting on our table always coming by every couple of minutes to make sure we didn't need anything and never let our drinks go empty. The most exceptional part is the proprietor, Lauren. From greeting people by their first name as they walk in, running food, being behind the bar pouring drinks, or just coming by every table to make sure the overall experience was as great as it should be, she was non-stop all night making sure everything was perfect for her customers. If you haven't been to knolls yet, do yourself a favor and go soon!

    KNOLLS, Laguna Niguel, California!  Ceviche!
    Amy M.

    I DON'T ALWAYS YELP, BUT IF I DO, IT'S BECAUSE I LOVE YOU... KNOLLS, Laguna Niguel, California! This is Definitely not your Standard Restaurant & Bar, located in a Strip Mall! It's a Special Neighborhood Hot Spot! I (We) Love KNOLLS! My Husband and I have been coming to KNOLLS, long before it was KNOLLS! And I can Honestly say, we've Seen it All, Lol! Firstly, I'd like to point out, IMHO, their Current 3.6 Star YELP Rating is Off The Mark! And it's gotta have have something to do with the previous management! But Thankfully, after only a Year, the New Owners, Lauren & Mo, have made such a difference here, and have helped Make KNOLLS Great Again! And if you've had a bad experience here back when, I Highly Recommend You Check KNOLLS Out Again! And I can't say enough about, Lauren! She Always Welcomes Every Guest with a Big Smile & Open Arms! KNOLLS is Definitely a a place Where Locals Meet To Eat! Yes, it's an older clientele at the Bar, Yes, a lot of regulars hang out here, and and Yes, there's a Lively Eclectic Crowd everywhere, but why judge, Lol! Good Food = Good Mood! And The Food at KNOLLS is Really Good! Not to mention, there are So Many Options to choose from here! They are Known for their Boom Boom Shrimp! They have Fresh AHI, Enough Said! My Personal Favorite is their Healthy Grilled Salmon Entrees! My Husband Loves their Red Neck Fries, but his Current Cheat Day Eats Crush, is their Chile Verde Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese! OMG, it's so Creamy & Dreamy! They make an Amazing 12 oz. French Double Cut Bone-in Pork Chop with a homemade butter sauce= $35.95! It's so meaty and delicious, you too, will be Gnawing on the Bone to get every last morsel off! A Must try is one of their BYO Hand-Crafted Gourmet Burgers, they are Truly Love at First Big Bite! I Always Add a Fried Egg & Avocado and it tastes like a Cheeseburger in Paradise! And don't get me started on their Crispy Fries! And I can't overlook Chef Abraham's latest creation! It use to be a Special & now has a home on their Menu~ Family Style Fajitas for Two (Carne, Shrimp, Chicken) served up with all the Fixin's! Sharing is Caring indeed & it's definitely an impressive show stopper at $49.95! They have a Nice Large Back Room area that's Perfect to Host your Next Private Party! Shout Out to Rocky & Gabbi Behind the BAR, they're Both Truly All-Star Rockstars! LIVE Music 7~days a week! They have a Great Social Hour Menu too~ Daily 3-6pm! My Favorite Local Bands seen here are... Bunch of Guys Band! Pinch Me! Band! Sticks & Stones Art of Sax The Perfect Blend Shawn Jones Vintage Vinyl Band James Kelly Band Three Blind Mice

    Kobe Burger with fried egg and grilled peppers, garlic fries
    Joshua T.

    I was here for my first time as part of a large group. Workers did a great job of attending to us. I had a burger with Kobe beeg, fried egg, grilled peppers, and parm fries. While the burger was huge, the patty was especially dry withoutmuch flavor. I also wished that the fried egg was runny, but it wasn't at all. The garlic fries were pretty good, though.

    Kea A.

    We hosted a private party here last night, and their newly renovated lounge area is absolutely amazing. The service was phenomenal, the food was delicious, and the energy was so much fun from start to finish. Thank you for allowing us to create our own little Galentine Wonderland Lauren, you and your team truly went above and beyond, we can't thank you enough!

    Mimosa
    Denise B.

    Knolls is a neighborhood treasure. The owner Lauren is so personable and makes you feel right at home. They have a great indoor - outdoor feeling along with these wonderful blue lights that give you just the right vibe. They have Sunday Football specials which makes it great to watch a game and grab a bite to eat. The staff is friendly and they make you feel right at home. Did I mention they have music daily which makes it perfect to come have a cocktail. The price point is perfect. Food 5/5 Service 5/5++++ Atmosphere 5+++

    John S.

    Party of 4, Friday night, no reservations and, as expected, a wait. But it wasn't too long and, after a reasonable wait, we were seated. The band was playing and the place was full of seemingly very happy people, so conversation was a challenge. Service was polite and reasonably prompt, given the full house. The food was better than I expected. Quite good , in my opinion. My Herb Lime Chicken, sauteed in a citrus lime herb sauce was tender and juicy. It was accompanied by mashed potatoes and perfectly steamed vegetables. My three companions raved about how good their meals were. Good selection of draft beers, which pleased me.

    Espresso martini
    Jus E.

    The food was delicious! The ambiance is great they also have live music at 2pm on a Sunday! We went there on Sunday for lunch and we went there on a Friday for lunch to celebrate our friend's birthday! The service was ok, I think they need to hire more people for lunch time as there was only one that was working especially there was a lot of people and it was also hard to get something you will need as we don't see them often unless they decide to come out of the kitchen... overall the food was delish and they were also very friendly!

    Delicious fig & Brie flatbread app
    Desiree P.

    Knolls in Laguna Niguel is a lively, neighborhood-focused restaurant and bar on Alicia Parkway known for its energetic, "supper club" vibe, featuring live music daily, a dance floor and an indoor-outdoor feel. It is a popular, casual spot for cocktails and American comfort food like pizza and Boom Boom Shrimp, often praised for its welcoming, attentive service under current management. Energetic and social, often described as a fun local hotspot for dancing and live music. Features a lounge area with couches, a dance floor, and an outdoor patio. Nightly live music (including blues on Mondays) and Sunday football specials.

    thank you Fred for the delicious drinks & recommendations!
    natalie r.

    Fred at the bar was great! i loved my moscow mule & espresso martini. i had the pastrami sandwich & was surprised it didn't come w thousand island but Fred suggested it with honey mustard & it was great! the pastrami was sliced thin & was good quality. i would have preferred a creamy coleslaw but i still enjoyed the vinegar-based slaw it came with. i definitely liked the bread it came on which was was toasted yet still very soft. thjs place definitely attracts an older crowd & there's nothing wrong w that. it's just that kind of place. the decor was cute & i gather they have live music some nights, it makes me wonder what the vibe is like then. i will be back for the great service from Fred & to try something else on the menu!

    Galentine's Fun!

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    14 days ago

    Thee best service, food and cocktails. Everything is always perfect. Gabrielle is the best!!!

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    Glad you had fun, 61 candles rocks the house everytime!

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    Comment is under review via yelp as this is a fake account.

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    Yelp is reviewing as this is yet another fake account-

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    Page 1 of 18

    Ask the Community - Knolls

    Is there dancing also?

    Yes, the bands are fantastic and there is a nice dance floor for moving. shaking and dancing. Cheers!

    Is there kareoke?

    There are plans for starting Karaoke on Wednesday evenings stating in 2025. Look for updates.

    View All 3 Questions

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    4.0(298 reviews)
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    If you read about it before you go you know to expect, first come first serve and seat yourself…read more It's very laid back but being in this Ritz location and with Ritz service it's top notch outdoor dining with a gorgeous view. Fernando went above and beyond to make sure our experience was 5 star. The rest of the team was always around making sure we had all we needed as well. When the sun set and the breeze got cooler we were offered warm blankets. So back to what we went for, the food right. Tuna tartare was excellent. Guacamole was good but I didn't like the cracker things that came with it and used the chips that came with the tartare instead. Oysters and caesar salad were fresh. Surf & turf tacos were delicious. Crab cake was good, sauce has a little spice to it. The desserts were scrumptious, the churro's were a favorite out of the 4 we had. So fresh and crispy but perfect on the inside, with fresh made caramel and chocolate to dip. My birthday chocolate cake was so good. Our cocktails were well made. There is a Ritz Kids menu and our kids loved all the food they had (Mac n cheese, chicken strips, burger, fries) we liked their fries too lol. We had a short two days at this hotel but I'm so glad I got to experience 180blu.. ended up sneaking in at the last minute on our second night there (Fernando welcomed us as if it was mid shift and we did not feel rushed one bit) for a night cap and to just take in the ambiance and fresh air. I can't wait to go back.

    I'm confused as to why this place has such high ratings. The only redeeming quality is the view…read more Came here for lunch during the week and it took 15 minutes before our server took our order. Once the food came, it wasn't until it was almost time to pay the bill did he check in on us. Food wise I was not impressed. The scallop was bland and flavorless. While our food was room temperature. Considering the slow service our meal probably sat for some time in the kitchen vs being served right to us once made. The value paid for what was offered on food and service was sub par. I expected more from the Ritz Carlton

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    Never mind the shrimp, revel at the view! So gorgeous!

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    The Lost Inferno - Ash Landing cocktail

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    4.5(369 reviews)
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    Lots of cocktails to choose from, good service, and a really cool atmosphere. The cocktails here…read moreare really good

    The Lost Inferno is a tiki bar in San Clemente that is themed around the classic 1980s movie "The…read moreGoonies". It is a drinks-only bar for now, so eat before coming. Their website teases that food is coming soon. It is a fairly small place and I would definitely recommend making a reservation on Yelp. If there are no reservations available when you want to visit, they also have a Yelp live waitlist. The building has its own parking lot with about ten spaces and is shared with the sushi speakeasy upstairs. We arrived around 6:30pm on a Sunday night, and luckily there were still quite a few spaces available. A half hour later, the place was packed. The outside of the building is not marked. Enter through the red double doors in front, walk to the right, and the entrance will be easy to spot. Seating options include eight seats at the bar, four high-top tables in the main area that seat four people each, and a slightly raised grotto area with one four-seat table and two two-seat tables. We often like to sit at the bar, but I reserved a table in the grotto so we could get the full experience and I'm glad I did. The interior has great décor with a mix of tiki and pirate ship elements. The walls are wooden plank, with cargo netting, ropes, and tiki lights above. The walls have portraits of Goonies movie characters. Take two steps up to the grotto area, and you are inside of a cave with skulls, shells, and treasures embedded in the cave walls. There is also a small waterfall in the corner. Scan the QR code on the table for the cocktail menu. It is colorful and many of the drinks have names tied to The Goonies. Each drink also has zero, one, or two skulls next to it to indicate the booziness factor. They have quite a few original cocktails as well as classic tiki drinks, a few mocktails, spirits, beer, and wine. I started out with the Ash Landing (Hamilton Pot Still Blonde Rum, Hamilton 86 Demerara Rum, Hamilton Pimento Dram, Angostura Bitters, Pineapple, Lime, Ginger, One Skull booziness, $14). This was definitely a little on the boozy side, with good ginger flavor and the pineapple and lime in the background. She started out with the One-Eyed Willy (Pou Vodka, Lychee, Guava, Coconut, Sweet & Sour, $15, keep the mug for $65). It is rare that a vodka drink is my favorite of the night, but this was both of our favorites. It was very balanced and juicy, and not boozy at all. The guava, coconut, and citrus from the sweet and sour were all there. We bought the mug, and they bring you a new one in original packaging. The purchased mug is colored a little differently (blue instead of black) than the mug the drink is served it, but it still looks great. While walking around taking pictures, I ran into our server and mentioned that it was my girlfriend's birthday. He kindly brought us some shots on the house. He said it was a recipe they had for shots during Halloween, and it tasted like a spin on a kamikaze. It was very good and much appreciated. I have a hard time resisting a cool mug, so for my second drink I ordered the Slick Shoes (Planteray Pineapple Rum, Worthy Park Rum, Bounty Dark Rum, Strawberry, Papaya, Lime Juice, $17). It is served in a cool sneaker mug with a flaming lime half on top. It was nicely balanced and just a tiny bit boozy. It had a nice light fruit flavor, not overly sweet at all. I think it is sometimes served in a regular glass, so if you order it, be sure to ask for the sneaker mug. Her second cocktail was the Never Say Die (Producer Mezcal, Kiwi, Lemon, Mango, Grilled Pineapple, $14). The smokiness of the mezcal was on the hairy edge of being too smoky for me, but she loved it. She could taste the kiwi and mango. We shared one last drink, the Garden of Eden (Papa's Pilar Blonde Rum, Lavender, Lemon, Elderflower, Cucumber Bitters, One Skull booziness, $17). It had an interesting (good) floral flavor profile, and didn't strike me as boozy at all. I could definitely taste the cucumber notes from the bitters. There was good 80s music playing in the background. It's a Goonies themed bar, I get it, but we would have enjoyed a few tiki songs in the mix too. There is one unisex restroom out in the lobby area. It is nice that they also themed it with wooden plank on the walls and ceiling, and some nautical décor. Daniel was our server and was very friendly and provided great service. Thanks again Daniel for the birthday shots! Bartender Felipe also delivered one round of our drinks and was also very friendly. All of the drinks were good and there are definitely more on the menu that we would like to return and try. We had a real fun time, thanks Lost Inferno!

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    The Lost Inferno - Ash Landing

    Ash Landing

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    Knolls - lounges - Updated May 2026

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