Friday night, downtown SAN CLEMENTE if you have Ben then you know parking is horrendous.... Recommend you make a reservation at any one of the main street restaurants and hope that the parking fairies are in your favor This cute little restaurant reminds me of a café you would see in downtown Manhattan food is actually quite good. They're kale harvest salad is a lot. I had the salmon on top and it was delightful. They do have some very nice red wines. They offer one I think maybe two Pinos some Chardonnay's but they're all made by the Rancho Capistrano winery so you really can't go wrong. Because the space is so small it does get very loud, it is intimate, cozy and romantic. Even though we shared the space with several babies that night and toddlers. We still had a great time. (if you want a little bit more space, the Rancho Capistrano winery in San Juan Capistrano is bigger and they have a huge fireplace in their back patio, it's actually one of my favorite favorites) however, the SAN CLEMENTE property is very cozy. Highly recommend for a date night. read more

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Had this on my list for quite some time now and finally came here. Charming place along the main strip in San Clemente. Menu is full of everything from seafood, chicken and beef. My brother got the Seared Halibut and Jumbo Shrimp and he wasn't disappointed. Portion size was good. I started with the jalapeño soup and it was perfect. Not too spicy but had a kick to it. It would've been perfect if I stopped there, but for the meal I got the Lemon Tortellini with a side of chicken. The dish came out looking like a mess and it didn't taste any better. They throw some mushrooms and tomatoes with spinach which they say adds a vibrant twist. Well it didn't add anything to the dish and there was too many mushrooms and no flavor. A dish I think they should consider taking off the menu. As the old saying goes, two out of three ain't bad. read more

The hostess greeted us warmly and immediately sat us at a table and brought water. Our friends arrived within a couple minutes and we reviewed the happy hour menu which is quite good We all had wine but they offer craft beers as well Our server was attentive and very accommodating. We wanted the steak salad with salmon and it was done, no problem! Everybody enjoyed their meals and the butter cake was delicious It is pretty loud inside between conversations and televisions. However all the small kids and babies on a Friday night were very distracting. Be prepared to speak loudly read more

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Hubby & I walked in for lunch last weekend on a Sunday. Place was busy but luckily there were couple of tables open & got seated right away. Ambiance is very small but cute & inviting. Our server was friendly & attentive the entire time. The menu had a good amount of options to choose from. I couldn't decide what I wanted so the server highly recommended that I try their carna asada taco & hubby decided to go for the chicken sandwich. The wine selections were pretty extensive. We ended up ordering a glass of white & red that the server suggested that would go well with our food. The wines were good quality & both dishes were simple yet delicious! The chicken was tender & not dry at all & focaccia bread was super soft. The carne asada was juicy & tender. The condiments on the taco were fresh. I hope to return back for dinner sometime! read more

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We came here for Mother's Day dinner with a reservation. They were fully booked for the night if you did not have a reservation. They say us immediately when we arrived even though we were early. The food was pricey but honestly it was worth it. I had the rack of lamb and I asked to have it cooked to the chefs recommended temperature and when I cut into I was worried because it looked like it was over but it was so good. The meat was buttery and perfectly seasoned. Also the mashed potatoes and asparagus were especially delicious. My 4 year old had the chicken breast, rice, and veggies and he ate almost the whole plate. There was also a bucatini dish and salmon dish that other people in my party had that both looked beautiful and apparently tasted great. They do have a kids menu and crayons with a coloring page. I would say this is a kid friendly establishment but obviously not geared towards kids. I would bring additional gear to distract little ones. The wine was actually the best thing which I guess might be obvious since it's a winery?? But I have had some bad wines at "wineries" in Orange county so I was not expecting much. I had the red wine flight. It started with a great light Pinot and ended with a hearty red blend. We also had the carrot cake at the end and it was delicious. I went with some carrot cake conousiours and they were comparing it to some of the best carrot cake they had ever had, made by a grandma. I had the dessert wine as well and it definitely tasted like cherry and vanilla as described. It drank like a fortified wine. The service was great, felt like they weren't even there but we always had what we needed. Definitely will be coming back. read more

We had a wonderful breakfast this morning. The ambience was warm and inviting just as it is in the evenings. Our server, Nathan, was friendly and extremely attentive. The food was fresh, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. My husband said it was the BEST omelette he's ever had. A perfect start to the day. We'll definitely be back for the weekend brunch!!! read more

Rancho Capistrano Winery - Wine Country Waffle - Seafood Near Me - San Clemente, California

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The mussels are by far the best I've ever had, and the cioppino is just as amazing. I love the relaxed atmosphere, and the staff is always incredibly helpful and friendly. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu - a great local find! read more

Rancho Capistrano Winery - Seafood Near Me - San Clemente, California

As a young couple in Dana Point / South County OC, it's been extremely hard to find a beautiful food and wine experience locally. We have had a lot of construction in town, and we have found that the RCW San Clemente location is a short drive away, but provides unmatched quality wine, dining and server/staff experiences. If you are anywhere South of the 133, I highly recommend you try the RCW San Clemente location! San Clemente is an up and coming town, bustling with young families, locals/natives, and wineries are at the core of late night and weekend activities. Avenida Del Mar places RCW right at the heart of that culture, making it our absolute favorite choice each and every weekend. I have found RCW San Clemente to be the perfect pit stop (maybe we stay a little longer than that because of the incredible food!) for drives to San Diego, or heading back home and when we are in need of a night cap, delicious steak and some amazing appetizers. Thank you RCW San Clemente staff and crew for keeping the heart of South OC alive with this winery and restaurant! read more

I haven't been here in so long and wanted to take home something yummy so I stopped by and ordered from Alyssa. She's very sweet! They are very gluten friendly so I ordered the cioppino without bread. She suggested the Wagyu steak salad so I ordered that for the BF. I'm looking forward to eating a lot! **Note to self Do not ever order cioppino to go from Rancho Capistrano winery. They need to put tape over it so it doesn't spill all over the car, etc!! Fish broth everywhere!!! :((( read more

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Tried out the San Clemente location for the first time in years, and it was still spectacular. Their menu is more inclusive of the area meaning fish, tacos, salads, and upscale casual. They added a caviar-waffle appetizer and it was awesome. Service was great, the ladies working were nothing short of friendly and knowledgeable of the area as well as the menu and our options. I had the egg blackstone and it was yummy! So good with bacon and loved the potatoes as well. Definitely a San Clemente staple. read more

Rancho Capistrano Winery - Egg Blackstone - Seafood Near Me - San Clemente, California

I'm not that familiar with San Clemente but chose Rancho Capistrano Winery over another option due to their high rating & vegetarian options (not for me, but one of my guests). I had made a reservation under my name through OpenTable, to celebrate my birthday & my father-in-law's birthday (unfortunately, he wasn't able to make it though). Our party arrived on time but I was amongst the last few to arrive (5-10 min after our reserved time). I had to go straight to the bathroom to change my baby, however, to my dismay, neither of their bathrooms had a changing table or any type of flat surface I could change my baby on. I ended up changing him mid-air with my mum above his stroller. Went to get seated. Literally two seconds after I sat down, the waiter had come to take everyone's order and I hadn't even had a chance to pick up the menu yet, so of course I wasn't ready to order. When I had decided on what I wanted, we had a hard time getting our waiter's attention so that he'd come back and get my order. Since it took so long to get my order in, I didn't get my food when everyone else's food arrived, which I expected. What sucked though was that when I finally did get my food, less than five minutes later, the waiter came with to-go boxes for the other guests and I hadn't even gotten a bite out of my food because the waiter hadn't brought me any silverware with my food, so my husband had to flag him down again. I was really upset because I was starving by then, and everyone kept asking me if I was going to take my food to-go. By the time I finally got my silverware, other people had already packed their leftovers to-go. I felt extremely rushed, and didn't feel like it was a celebratory dinner for me (or my birthday), since no one seemed to care whether I had even eaten or not. I had to have my husband flag down the waiter, YET AGAIN, because I was the only one at the table without a glass of water. The waiter seemed annoyed by then and asked if the water in front of me was mine. I said no, it's my husband's and that I hadn't gotten one. Then he paused extra long, to see if I needed anything else, which made me feel like I was the one who was making unreasonable requests or even annoying the waiter, when I was SUPPOSED to be the guest of honor. I think the waiter COMPLETELY missed that fact. We ordered our desserts at the end, altogether. The only "nice" part was that they brought out a "free birthday treat" for me after my husband had asked/or told them that it's my birthday. My group sang- Happy Birthday, as the waiter attempted to light the candle through the entire song. By that point, I didn't really care though. It just seemed like it was too little, too late anyways. The dessert itself was like some chocolate thing with ice cream and whipped cream, which to me, didn't taste good so I only ate the toppings & my husband ate the rest. My husband and I also split a crème brûlée and others at the table had gotten various other desserts as well, and had mixed reviews. Despite the waiter's lack of awareness, my group did enjoy themselves and had a good time regardless. To me, it was an "okay" experience, not the worst, but definitely not the 5-star restaurant I was expecting. read more

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We stopped in for dinner with friends. It was a beautiful night so we were lucky to be seated on the patio which is on the other side of the restaurant sidewalk. This is a dog friendly patio so there were some fury friends on the patio as well. This is a cute touristy area and parking is tough so we did park a couple of blocks away. The hostess was very nice and our server Livia was excellent. Very attentive and helpful. We started with the deconstructed burrata caprese ($20) which was tasty. I had the Beef Stroganoff - Tender strips of beef sautéed with earthy mushrooms and onions, simmered in a rich and creamy sour cream sauce. Served over a bed of buttery noodles. The noodles and beef were cooked perfectly. The only issue was with the sour cream sauce. It was really overpowered by Worcester sauce. It was so strong I couldn't tell it was a sour cream sauce at all. It was okay but chef added way too much of the Worcester sauce that it didn't taste like a beef stroganoff dish. Cream of Jalapeño soup - It was tasty but not spicy at all like you would expect from jalapeños. Grilled Salmon Tacos - Tender grilled salmon wrapped in warm corn tortillas, topped with zesty slaw, fresh pico de gallo, and a drizzle of creamy cilantro-lime sauce. My husband loved the salmon tacos. Very tasty. We also enjoyed a couple of bottles of the Hombre Cab. Pretty good! Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the food but did snap pictures of the wine as well as the restaurant, both in and out. I found it to be super cozy and a charming setting. I would recommend stopping in if you are in the area. read more

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Here for a friends birthday party and it was a great time. Lots of wines to try and the wait staff were so nice and attentive. The appetizers were delicious and varied. Decor was tasteful and the patio area provided a nice area to people watch as the area is great to wander around on a Saturday night. read more

Rancho Capistrano has become our frequent date night spot these past few months. It is located minutes from the beach and always has such a cool vibe. The staff are all helpful and provide great recommendations. Our first time here, our server allowed us to sample a few wines to see which one we would order a bottle of. As club members, we get a free glass of wine EVERYDAY!!! We aren't locals so we don't avail of this perk as often as we'd like, but when we come to South OC, this is a must for us. The wines are pretty good. We like their heavy bold reds best. The food is so fantastic! Every dish we've ordered has been so tasty. From apps to main course dishes, even the desserts are phenomenal! We love RCW and will continue setting up our date nights there. read more

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It's good. Good service, good food, nice atmosphere. Wanted fish for lunch but none was available.

Girls night out! Easy walk in on a Wednesday evening. Greeted by host and server and immediately seated. Intimate indoor setting. Enjoyed two glasses of wine - Pinot noir and Pinot Grigio. Girlfriends had a bottle of the cab sav. Can't recall the other glasses my friend had but all of us enjoyed the wine! I had the halibut and shrimp and a side salad with creamy cilantro dressing. Friends shared the mushroom truffle flatbread. A must have every time we visit. read more

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We have raved about this place before and they have a new menu with some new amazing options including two salads that look spectacular and a startling take on comfort food with this rosemary chicken plate. It is brilliant. read more

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Delicious food and great service . So happy to be a wine club member. Best value in town.

Excellent service, so attentive and sweet, easy to find parking early in the morning, and a sunny location where sitting outdoors to enjoy a beautiful day is perfect for Sunday brunch. Came for their Easter three course menu and the appetizers and mains were awesome but had to take off one star for the dry cakes for dessert, these needed ice cream or something to balance it out. read more

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Service delightfully impressive, ambiance cool and inviting. The food was not edible. We left full plates of food at our table after paying. The filet was not tender and horribly chewy. The burger asked for medium was beyond well done and dry. Granted we did not tell them the food was so bad. So sorry to say it is a hard pass my friends. The employees were kind and attentive. read more

Nice location on the strip in San Clemente. parking is a bear since it's street parking only but the food, wine, dessert and service is worth it. We had a girls night and we had a great time. I will definitely come again. You should for sure reserve a table. read more

Rancho Capistrano Winery - dessert gluten free chocolate cake - Seafood Near Me - San Clemente, California

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We came in for Valentine's Day because we have been dying to try this place. It did not disappoint. The food was flat out incredible. Our server was extremely helpful and on top of it. They make all their wines in house. The butter cake was very good. The steak was excellent. The Brussels sprouts were to die for. We'll for sure continue to come here as regulars. It's definitely not a cheap dinner if that's what you're looking for but the price is well worth it! read more

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Had a great time this past weekend with girlfriends here. Got here about 1 o'clock and spent a good three hours with friends, just visiting over some really great wine and food. Our server Livia was a living doll, just the right amount of attention towards us and really we never really had to call for her over. We will definitely be back if ever in the area again. read more

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This place is a perfect spot to have some good wine and really great food in San Clemente. The menu has some gems like the flatbreads and their salads but all items looked absolutely fantastic. We went on a busy morning and they were a bit understaffed but that did not hinder the above and beyond service they provided. The have a small outside section for those sunny days ahead of us. read more

A glass of Raised by Wolves Merlot and Heidi Riesling. Both were good choices. I recommend trying it for yourself. read more

Rancho Capistrano Winery - A glass of Heidi Riesling and Raised by Wolves Merlot. Both good choices. - Seafood Near Me - San Clemente, California

My family and friends we went here for Easter Sunday brunch. The wait was not bad and the food was overall good however, the Service was nothing short of disappointing. Our waitress, from the instant we set down, behaved as if she was doing us a favor. It honestly felt as if she kept on pushing us out. She continuously pressured us to make an order, when we asked for drinks and appetizers she literally said "why can't you guys just order your entries at once", which our wives felt very disrespectful. This is a winery, so when we ordered a bottle of wine the least we expected was that she would pour a taste first but instead, she never offered and just poured almost full glasses of wine, again not right. This was supposed to be a special occasion, first because it was Easter, but also because we were celebrating our daughter's confirmation. Overall a disappointing experience. read more

Amazing service and Food!! So Happy to have a restaurant near us with such good Italian food and cocktails. read more

Everything is amazing about this place, food, service & ambiance. Will definitely be back

Actually I would give it 2.5 stars but won't let me. The good - server was wonderful and charming. And the place is nicely decorated. The bad - A $50 halibut entrée should be positively unctuous. I should have swooned with pleasure at its tenderness. Instead it was assembly line bland and, while not exactly dry, it wasn't moist. The risotto should have been out of this world. Instead - I was underwhelmed. The bland risotto wasn't creamy deliciousness (like Rocco's down the street was years ago). I guess one shouldn't order $50 halibut from a restaurant that boasts great flatbread and coconut shrimp. read more

Food was amazing! Salmon and veggies were cooked perfectly! Staff is fast and very friendly and kind. We sat outside on the patio and it has a nice cozy ambiance with fire lamps. Highly recommended! read more

Rancho Capistrano Winery - Seafood Near Me - San Clemente, California

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One of the best brunch in San Clemente. We got there mimosa flight which included orange, grapefruit, pineapple, and cranberry. I liked them all but I think cranberry was my favorite. I also got their Gorgonzola apple flatbread which was really good. It was crispy and a little sweet and savory. We also got the ranch brisket burger with fries also tater pretty good. Food and service were both good would definitely come back! The atmosphere was chill and not too busy as we went on a Friday morning. read more

Rancho Capistrano Winery - Menu - Seafood Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Food was good, We sat ion the patio with the dogs and had a nice lunch with some excellent wine. Service was great. I love a good dog friendly place to enjoy the beautiful California weather. read more

This is the total deal when it comes to fine food, great service and perfect location! I have been a member for several years and enjoy the benefits at least 3 times a week. Highest rating possible from me! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in South OC! The food is delicious, and the drinks are even better! Everyone who works here is very friendly and knowledgeable about the wine and entrees. Janae is the best! Super friendly and very nice! I like to change up what I order every time I visit, and I have not been disappointed. Cute spot in town for date night, meeting friends and family! The happy hour is one of the best I have found in town. Mondays- Friday 4pm-6pm. The fig bruschetta and Spinach Artichoke Dip are my go-to Happy Hour order! I am a big fan of the sparkling rose! We frequent here for lunch too! Great spot to visit if you are local or visiting! Highly recommend, you won't be disappointed! read more

Rancho Capistrano Winery - Seafood Near Me - San Clemente, California

Excellent location and staff that understand a fine dining experience. The wine selections were extensive and included varietals that you will be delighted to meet. read more

The hostess was courteous and seated us right away, and the restaurant had such a cool, welcoming vibe. My hubby and I were in the mood for some steamed mussels, and let me tell ya -- they were absolutely delicious! Perfectly buttery, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. We also tried the lemon tortellini with grilled shrimp and the crusted ahi tuna, and both dishes were amazing. Compliments to the chef for a truly memorable meal! I would recommend Rancho Capistrano Winery again n again. read more

My husband and I love this place, especially for happy hour! The wines are REALLY good and their appetizers are amazing. The outdoor patio is a fun place to hang out and people watch too. Service is very attentive and accommodating as well so no complaints at all about this place! read more

Never been disappointed here. Great menu with suggested wine pairings .. beautifully cooked food, and made All the better by the wine.

The food was delicious and service amazing. We had the avocado chip salad, mushroom truffle flatbread and Brie appetizer and shared everything. We also tried red and white flights of wines. My favorites were the reds & of course I liked the cab. There was a couple playing music from the early 90's was awesome! read more

A perfect Sunday afternoon day of strolling the shops enjoying good wine (Positano (Pinot) and El Capitan (Cab)) with an amazing Deconstructed Burrata and great service - thank you Janae read more

Rancho Capistrano Winery - Deconstructed Burrata (a Must) - Seafood Near Me - San Clemente, California