No hard copy menus... they roll a cart of meat up to your table and you choose your craving. No, you can't NOT have a drink. Just kidding, someone has to designate drive, but hopefully it's not you. The raspberry lemondrop martini is delish. No way should you leave without ordering the Alaskan halibut with a twice-baked potato - so good! The garlic cheese bread that comes with it is pretty swell. Choice of soup or salad too. No, it's not suitable for kids. No, you shouldn't dress like a slob, but maybe business casual. Actually make it dressy because my eyes bore of casual attire. Yes, you should visit La Cave, a privately-owned steakhouse, at least once with a hot date... Unless you're scared of elevators, underground/low-lit rooms, loud music, stiff drinks, and good service. A booth for small groups is fun... rat pack era vibes! Especially on live music nights. TIPS - currently offering a free dessert with Yelp check-in - reservations can be made via OpenTable read more

We sat at the John Wayne table in the corner/booth. First timers, still original inside felt like late 70's early 80's with the ambiance/decor. The vibe and the environment were really cool. Our server and service were great. Very limited menu but food was good and basic. Shrimp cocktail hard to screw up, filet was very plain, twice cooked potato average. We went to A's the night before which has better food but different environment. read more

La Cave - Shrimp Cocktail - Steakhouses Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

like going back in time. The vibe is 60's/70's steakhouse. you get great service with great food! One of the best steaks I have ever had read more

This place is an experience! Have been many times over the past 30 years. You just have to experience it for yourself.

Love this place and how it's endured the decades and Covid and never wavers. I come for the ambience vs the food. Many reviews mention no prices are listed on the menu. The servers do not quote prices when presenting the meat options either. I was surprised by that on my last visit. But to give you an idea of what to expect, our meal for 4 which included 1 round of cocktails, 4 glasses of wine, 1 starter to share, and 4 entrees - was over $500. Pricey for the quality of the food but again that's not the draw of La Cave. read more

Enter this office-looking building and take the elevator down to the basement - it smells like your dad's Old Spice- circa 1962. And that's a groovy thing! Arrive to see the dark red glow of the serving kitchen. Did I mention that it's really, really dark in here? I was escorted to the second dining room which has a small stage for late-night band performances. My coat was taken for me by the hostess to be kept until my departure. I began the meal with an Absolute martini, $11, with their award-winning blue cheese olives. Strong and tasty. As I was savoring the martini, I noticed that it's extraordinarily loud in here in this second dining room. Maybe they need noise-absorbing ceiling tiles! Surprise! There is NO menu. Instead, they wheel a cart around with their daily steak and seafood selections. Classy. I ordered the clam chowder and was not pleased. It had very mushy potatoes and only three small pieces of clam (Yes, I counted). The twice-baked potato however, was nicely done and crispy on top. The Garlic bread, which arrives in a basket was also good. The main event was the filet mignon and it was perfection...rich, perfectly marbled and with a velvety texture. It was $38.95 for the larger version (just $3 more than the small cut, and well worth it). Sounds piped in were a veritable 60's soundtrack - "I'm a Believer" by Neil Diamond (he wrote the original version, the Monkees did it later), the Mamas & Papas, "CA Dreamin" and Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman"... Don't forget the FREE dessert with Yelp check IN! The carrot cake was truly one of the best I've ever had...nicely spiced with a moist cake and not too much frosting. Service was attentive given the fully seated restaurant and small space between tables. My server checked in on me often and graciously. I'll be back for the filet and maybe some live music. I'll be bringing ear plugs though for that back room... Yelp Challenge 2017: 37/100 read more

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I have recommended this place many times on social media, its atmosphere is spot on, we love the bar area and still feel they should update their wine glasses. We came in last week with our adult Son, always a treat, all was good l, however the Halibut my husbands halibut was not only way overcooked,he became very ill a couple hours later, all night and day, he did not ask server to take it back, did not want our son to feel embarrassed. However he got sick, he's the only one who ordered halibut. I emailed owner Laura, no reply at all,not even, sorry to hear this. I went in following day to grab our card we left behind, spoke to manager, and explained, she refunded $50 for the halibut and could careless about the initial complaint, she let me know Owner would contact me, it's been 4 days now. At this point, it doesn't matter, awful way to express gratitude for choosing La Cave, our bill was $347, customers are the ones who keep the doors open and employees employed. Shame on management and Laura. We're General Contractors and know this is no way to show appreciation and build a good relationship between customers and owners, we remain humble and grateful No more recommendations from us. read more

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Not that I am interested in playing tit for tat, but in defense to the misstatements made in Laura's response, I must say I left a good portion of my steak, my baked potato. My husband ate his because he was hungry! That is the reason why we go to a restaurant. We did not expect a new meal nor did we ask for one. Nor we offered another another selection by our server only dessert. Laura is absolutely wrong about another selection being offered. When we left the restaurant and complained we thought we were complaining to the manager. She told us thanks for the feedback. I only found out days later when I called the restaurant that the woman who made that statement was the owner. All I can say is I am a business owner and if I treated my customers this way I would be out of business. Shame on you! read more

Blackened halibut, along with the steak and lobster was amazing. You gotta try the garlic mushroom sauté.

I have to say first, that I have eaten here three times in total, 2 were as far back as 2000, and the most recent was this week on July 3rd. The previous two times were in the music room, with dinner. This most recent visit was for my son's 20th birthday. AMBIANCE When we walked in, I was reminded of what a time capsule of 1960's dining this place was; dark, old, cramped. The men's room was far worse with one dim light, and darker than an abandoned gas station restroom. FOOD The steak portions were good, but we did have to send one of the three steaks orders back, since it was NOT medium, but closer to medium well / well done. A travesty for any filet Mignon. The bread basket appeared to be white toast with burnt garlic & butter. We didn't finish it, and we always finish a decent bread basket. PRICES Yes, the prices were NOT on the menu. When they did disclose the prices, I was shocked. These were on par with Morton's, or Ruth Chris, but the overall quality of the food was NOT on par for the price they were asking or the overall quality of the food. SERVICE Our waiter was attentive, and thorough, and was on point through out the whole meal. But honestly, it couldn't compensate for the overpriced, below average food, set in a very old & dark environment. I felt a little embarrassed in front of my family, that this is where I chose to celebrate this family birthday. There are so many places to choose from in Orange County for a quality, fine dining experience, and maybe thirty years ago this was the place, but not anymore. read more

So I've always driven by this place but never stopped. So when one of my friends chose this place for girls night out I was excited. I see how this can be somebody's vibe but it's just not mine. It's so dark and the tables are so close together. I prefer a more updated modern vibe. There were four of us and we actually split our dinners. I had split the ribeye and unfortunately, the flavor was good, but it had a lot of gristle. Yes, I know ribeye has fat, but this was gristle and it was inedible. Since we split, I only had half of a steak and I would say of that half only a quarter was edible. The cheese bread was OK but basically every time you took a bite all of the cheese crumbled off and makes a huge mess. If you like the old dark vibe where you feel like you're back in the 50s, then this place is for you. But there are much better steakhouses out there. The bartender was awesome though I will say that. At least now I can say I've been, but I will not go back. read more

Omg By far the best bartender's I have ever come across!! Yes, the food is excellent! However, if it wasn't for the most amazing drinks from Josh and Cari, the experience would have not been the same! They took care of us the whole way through! San Francisco Josh you are amazing!!!! Cari you are do amazing!!! read more

I can not express to anyone my deep dissatisfaction with the lack of ethics and customer service that La cave has been reduced too. I have been a huge fan of this establishment for over twenty years and have always had an exceptional experience. Having said that ... things clearly have changed for the worse . I went in this evening only to experience a complete three ring circus act . I made a phone reservation prior to my arrival. I checked one could seem to find it . Laura the MANAGER purposed a great option . Instead of sitting in the main dining room it would be better for me to transfer to the side room . The allure of losing the main dining room was because live music was starting. Being the trusting person I agreed to wait while the table was being prepared for the side room . The next event was played out as follows.... A new customer approaches the hostess by the name is inimica . I can hear and see the new customer handing the hostess $ 20 bill and they are whisked away to a booth with no reservation in the main dining area . Two minutes later while all too confused as to what is going on . My table is ready !! The hostess escorts me into the side room ( which looks nothing shy of an under ground shady bar that was unkept ) The air conditioner was blasting air directly at the table . The live entertainment turned out to be a fraud . The entertainment was one guy with a keyboard and speakers that did not work in our area directly in front of him!! I asked Laura about this and her reply was" we are really busy tonight and the speakers blew out. I asked the poor live music act and he was embarrassed and mortified. He also admitted that he just sit's in front of the keyboard and moves his hands over and over due to the faulty equipment After speaking with the entertainment and the cold we decided that we be better off going somewhere else...... What a treat!! 2 drinks ,One shrimp Cocktail and a side of Mushrooms $ 98.00 .later!! Thank god we live by Five Crowns and Side Door we went there and had an amazing Prime Rib dinner with with white glove service! I highly recommend going there read more

Garlic Cheese Bread- excellent Caesar Salad- very good Twice baked potato- Average 11 oz New York Steak - Good, nothing special Ordered medium rare, but was actually Medium It was dark, so by the time I realized, it was too late to return! Would I go back? Yes, I will try again! Actually it was closer to 3.5 stars. read more

Been coming here for a few years, one of my favorite places.the vibe is ultra cool old school think del rae, in whittier or tartan room.in orange very rat pack vibe.I love it. Food is fantastic as well, I havent eaten here during covid however am checking it out tomarrow night with a date,i will update my review. I love the red light they have inside very sexy..they had music in the past in other rooms..literally like a cave cozy,sexy n romantico. Good drinks,good service.hope it stays the same.I will post pics after tomorrow. Bye for now my yelpers read more

Wonderful, private hidden gem which is amazing for a date night. Everyone there was so welcoming and our server Malcolm made the night even more great by providing such amazing service! Highly recommend trying the filet minion medallions with the baked potato! Can't wait to come back again and try something new from the menu! read more

La Cave - Yummy Prosecco to start off with - Steakhouses Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My husband and I recently attended their Thursday Comedy Slow. When the elevator doors first opened, we both exclaimed, "Wow!!!" The low red lighting, booths, dark wood furniture, Frank Sinatra in the background: so cool! The bartender was very generous and the drinks were strong. Food was delicious. I shared about it with friends and they plan to go soon. We can't wait to go again in another Thursday. read more

I was taken to dinner here and being my fist time I had no expectations, other than we had reservations. It seriously looks like it's built in a cave, dark, but well lit. Old school leather booths, wood paneling. Got there before our reservation time by five minutes. We sat for nearly 25 minutes before we were seated. Had I known there was a bar I might of had a drink before dinner, shame on the hostess for not directing us there. Once seated we ordered drinks, I got the pear martini , Mmmmmm.... That's all I'll say. But the filet mignon was butter soft, along with the traditional baked potato. One lovely surprise was the beets on the salad. Good dressing. Our server was a lovely young lady, caught the name but didn't say it five time to remember.. :( She was very attentive and quick too! Thank you to her for making our night better than it started!' Get the cheesecake, oh my gosh.. you won't regret getting it. Besides the hostess all the staff were friendly and welcoming. I didn't take photos, the review should open your imagination. Four star for the crappy beginning. Hostess training needed... read more

Tonight was my first time here and I loved it. Great food, great service, great music, great ambiance...I could go on and on! We had the amazing shrimp cocktail (I overheard at least 4 other tables order this-they've gotta be known for it!) and delicious ribeye & filet mignon. The garlic bread, salad, soup and twice baked potato were great too. They had a complimentary warm chocolate cake for Valentine's Day and also gave me a beautiful long stem rose. Definitely a great place to come celebrate a holiday or special occasion. It is pricey but for the food and service...totally worth it. I only wish I could afford to come more often! I hope to be back soon :) read more

La Cave - Medium rare boneless rib-eye & twice baked potato. Perfect! - Steakhouses Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great dinner! Loved the show with Sam Tripoli. Have him back soon. Steaks and Sam Tripoli make for a great night!

This restaurant really did an amazing job to ruin my NYE. They took several bookings, when they knew they were not going to be open and made zero effort to cancel them. I showed up along with several other people who had reservations to a closed building with no sign stating they were closed or when they'd be open. But they really shouldn't have taken our reservations. We took a toll road to get here, so La Cave, not only did you waste our time, ruin my NYE, but also made me waste money on a toll road and gas to get here. Also, they had no voice message set up to alert the public they'd be closed. And since this was NYE, there was no availability anywhere else. Every other placed was booked for the night. Lets see if the manager reaches out to fix this. read more

Excellent food & service. We went on a Wednesday night. Not too crowded. I highly recommend giving this restaurant a try.

I guess, if you never get to go outside of OC and are desperate for a decent atmosphere that is not a chain restaurant, you should go for drinks and ambiance. I grew up and OC and moved to LA so we know good food and unique settings. This was probably one of my single worst dining experiences. I ordered the blackened halibut (at the server's recommendation) and it was dry and disgusting, I tried to moisten it up with my twice baked potato (which was also EXTREMELY dry) and I just could not make it happen. I will say the martinis are great, and the blue cheese stuffed olives divine but not $500 worth of divinity. Thank you but I would never venture back to this restaurant nor would I recommend. Utterly disappointing and a waste of my evening. In-n-out would have been a better choice! read more

My wife and I eat here once a month. Laura the owner is awesome. She walks around and greats every person in her restaurant . We went in last night for my wife's birthday and were treated like royalty. Nyeli and her brother Edgar are great servers! We start with the shrimp cocktail extra spicy and you will never find one that is better. The martinis are spot on. My wife had the ribeye and I had the King Crab, which is what I have been getting every time for years. Both were great. You will not find better King Crab anywhere in OC. It's pre split and soooo good. Bottle of Prisoner with our meals, that is a great Red wine if you have never tried it. Laura, keep up the good work and look forward to seeing you again. For people that don't like your restaurant , tell them to go to the chain steakhouses. Your business is #1 in our book. read more

Great food along with excellent service. Definitely not on the cheap side but worth a visit.

Great little restaurant with live music, tasty steaks, great cocktails and fun atmosphere, definitely would go back.

Some things to consider. They claim they are THE steakhouse in the OC! BUT they do not serve prime steaks. They are all choice but charge like they are prime steaks like $63.95 for a 16 ounce Ribeye. The steak was good but no better than buying at Vons or Ralphs. The cheese bread was okay at best. The mushrooms are 17.95 for a side order. WOW and all this with NO printed pricing which in this day and age is terrible and abusive to customers and they do NOT offer to tell you the price when you order. Also interesting the waitress did not offer the baked potato to us. I asked why and she said that you can make those at home and I asked her so can you make mashed potatoes and rice? What really happened is she forgot to mention and just made up a lame excuse. if I had not asked, my girlfriend who loves baked potatoes would have gotten the twice baked and would have never known that she could have had a baked Potatoe, the service was good and they were attentive but the other factors, quality of food and price mean GO somewhere else for better steaks and value. OH they advertise "only the best cuts of steaks" That is a bit deceptive yes filet and rib eye is a best cut of steak but not being prime makes it a very average best cut of steak. The waitress when asked told me they are NOT prime cuts of meat they only sell choice. read more

This place is a hidden gem. Loved the live music, the steak was great and the servers were friendly. Ohh and let me not forget the bread. The bread is dangerous... and goooood! I would definitely visit again! read more

La Cave - Filet mignon + 1/2 lobster tail with twice baked potato. - Steakhouses Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I'm a bit of a steak snob and this place had the BEST steak I've ever had... EVER! I order steak often and the flavor and tenderness of their filet mignon was unlike anything I've ever had. The place looks a bit unassuming and frankly not a good reflection of the quality of food. But... when you get downstairs (feels like a cozy basement) there's a fantastic bar, live dueling pianists, and an atmosphere perfect for 2 or small group! Dreaming of their steak and anxious to get back! read more

I made reservations for 5/6/22 for a birthday dinner. Everything went great from getting seated to the drinks and food. This was my first time here, so it was very pleasant atmosphere, and the food was good. I had no complaints with the food at all. Why the TWO stars you may be thinking. Well, the next couple of days that I randomly checked my bank account and noticed a different amount was charged to my credit/debit card. Luckily, I had a copy of the receipt as proof that someone decided to add an additional $22 dollars to the bill. I immediately called and told them about the situation. They apologized and said it was an honest mistake which I obviously had my doubts. Anyhow, it took a week to get a refund. Here is the info on my transaction. I deleted the server name/number as a courtesy. Date: 5-6-22 Time: 19:58:33 AID: A000000031010 SEQ: 9 Batch: 161 Invoice: 9 Server: Approval code: 043270 read more

The best steak house in OC as far as we're concerned. Food, service, and ambience all top shelf.

I'd been wanting to try a drink at this bar. First time I attempted it was packed by 5:30 and nowhere to sit so had to give up and leave. Second time was yesterday about 5 and it was empty. It's a cool kinda place however beware. I noticed that there are no prices on the menu which was bizarre ... so I guess you go in there for a money dump? It's weird to make a legal decision to pay for food never knowing the cost .. I guess because their prices are so enormous. I had a shrimp appetizer and two drinks - one was wine the other a martini and bill came to $70! I didn't even get a full dinner!! Lmao. Not the price range I was going for but felt stuck and embarrassed and a bit conned. My reco would be add prices to the menu and let people decide ahead of time. I wanted a nibble not a wallet wallop. read more

It's supposed to be an old school speakeasy-ish place. However that vibe is totally ruined by the stupid TVs everywhere and the overly loud musician and the spotty service. Do not come here if you are the least bit claustrophobic. It's actually in an old basement with very low ceilings and darkness everywhere. Food: solid steaks but nothing special here Price: really freakin expensive and can't figure out why. Iceberg lettuce, wonderbread toast, plain steaks...I don't get it. Cleanliness: the bathrooms are a tragedy read more

Hadn't been in 15 years and was pleasantly surprised how good the food and service was! Steaks flavorful and cooked to perfection. Sides good. Wine list good. Very close to 5 stars read more

A great old-school steakhouse. Three stars for the food. An extra star for ambiance. Place could not look any better! Dimly lit and awesome! Right out of Mad Men. On to the food. I found the cocktails pretty small. Like 2 1/2 ounces with a lot of ice melt to fill up the glass. My drink didn't last too long. Dinners are basic. For instance my chicken teriyaki came out on a very small plate. Just a small portion of chicken and a very dry twice baked potato. The dinner salad on a chilled plate was the best part. All in all, a super fun place but the food is not going to win any awards. Go and support it, though because places like this need to survive! read more

La Cave - Bar. Like a bar in an old castle! - Steakhouses Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This is a unique Retro dining experience for Costa Mesa, as it's literally underground- hence the name. The ambience is a dark & romantic time warp with an old-school, Rat Pack, classic chophouse vibe. They even have Sinatra-themed nights. This place has a cult like following and has been here longer than most people. PROS: Live entertainment in their back room Great bar service with WICKED martinis Their twice-baked garlic mashed potatoes.... Fresh fish (we don't consume mammals, but we hear the steaks are great). CONS: There are only two choices: seafood or steak, so don't go if you're a vegetarian. -They literally cart over your options for viewing bc there are so few Servers seem somewhat jaded *The only reason for the -1 is due to such limited options, but maybe that's what's so appealing to many people. read more

La Cave is my husband and I's go to for date night. We had the best dinner last night and Patty was an incredible server. We tried the shrimp scampi appetizer for the first time and it did not disappoint. Can't wait to go back next time! read more

The time that I went they played very cool music, the food was excellent, my steak was perfect and the atmosphere is really Nice...

My birthday celebration. We arrived and no rsvp was on their computer. Showed my Yelp confirmation #... seated at a booth which was nice ( after I requested a booth and there were plenty available) Waiter was delightful - very attentive and practiced safe guidelines. Mask at all times. The steaks were very juicy ( ribeye abd ny) the halibut size and tenderness was amazingly good. Our classic martinis fit the ambiance of the rat pack era. Waiter delivered bday surprise cheesecake. The best I have eaten. Better than Cheesecake Factory. First time at the location. No music on Wednesday. Bday was 5/5. Hope to return to enjoy real supper club feel dinner and live entertainment read more

Great halibut and love the endless cheese bread. Serving sizes are big and service is top notch Great halibut and love the endless cheese bread. Serving sizes are big and service is top notch read more