So, after fellow Yelpers raved about this place, I had been looking forward to an epicurean experience like none other. Unfortunately, my experience at RAYA felt a little lacking. We arrived at the restaurant, and, despite having made clear that we wanted window seats (I had also committed this to writing in my OpenTable reservation), they denied us our request and sat us instead in a table with a half-arsed view of the window (a family of four had been seated in the table next to the window we were supposed to be looking at). In about 3 minutes, the customers sitting at that table left, soon to be replaced by another family of four. No biggie, I suppose, since the weather quickly turned sour anyway. But, it seemed like that one mishap set the tone for the service for the rest of the night. The waitress serving us was a little distant and impersonal, and never really bothered explaining the menu. She didn't check up on us very much, except when the food came out. However, the wait staff did make sure that we never ran out of water, and when the food DID come out, they would ask us if we needed anything else. Anyway, the food: Complimentary bread- I was definitely quite impressed by the bread. Aside from it being absolutely fresh fresh fresh, the spreads were amazing too. Hell, even the plain butter tasted pretty good--and it's just butter! The tomato jam had a tangy sweetness to it (and I'm a total sucker for tomatoes, so that made it even better). The herb butter was light, but full of flavor from the herbs. Lobster Tacos- Easily one of the best tacos I've ever had. Ever. And they were held together by these tiny clothespins, which I thought were pretty cute. The lobster was melt-in-your-mouth amazing, and the salsa really helped to highlight the lobster. The avocado and beans complemented the lobster well, and gave the tacos a nice texture. The tortillas were also amazingly fresh; I was pretty impressed. Anyone going to RAYA for the first time should DEFINITELY try the tacos. You'll be glad you did. Well, unless you don't like lobster. Smoked Pacific Swordfish Dip- The tortilla chips didn't impress me much, since they were kinda hard and didn't seem totally fresh. The swordfish dip, however, was a different story. It was creamy, with a little bit of a kick from the jalapenos, just like how a proper dip should be. Tasted just like swordfish, with a little bit of smokiness (hence, "smoked" swordfish dip). Overall, the dip was well-executed. Would've been absolutely perfect if the chips didn't taste like something I could get at Rubios or something. Pan Seared Sea Scallops- I have a soft spot for seafood, and these scallops were absolutely divine. They were firm, yet delicate; my knife cut through them like butter. When protein cuts like butter, it makes my life feel complete. But anyway, the sweet-salty flavor of the char siu pork belly (aka "bacon") went well with the delicate flavor of the scallops. The sushi rice was "meh." It seemed like it was awkwardly thrown in with the scallops and pork belly, and in the end the rice just ended up soaking up too much of the sauce/juices and tasted like someone poured too much honey mustard on the rice, or something. The veggies (nopalito, snap peas) were decent; they paired well with the scallops, just like the pork belly. Definitely an interesting combination of ingredients, but it (mostly) worked well. Seafood Risotto- AMAZING. AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING. The prawns were BURSTING full of seafoody goodness, the calamari wasn't too chewy, the mussels tasted like they were literally just pulled out of the ocean, and the LOBSTER OH MY GOODNESS THE LOBSTER. The seafood was FULL of flavor. The chorizo helped to give a little bit of sweetness to the seafood. Not too sure about the saffron rice, though. I thought the saffron didn't really go well with the rest of the dish. It felt a little out of place, like the awkward third wheel. Better than the sushi rice from the sea scallops, though. Milk Chocolate Peanut Torte- Too sweet for my liking. BUT, the banana ice cream was omgomgomg. Delicious. It tasted like someone took a banana and magically turned into ice cream. The caramelized (carmelized? caramelized? idk) peanuts were good, but they tasted like something I could pick up from the grocery store. The torte itself was good, for the first few bites. The top of it was light and fluffy, almost like a mousse. The bottom was full of the caramelized peanuts, and gave it a nice crunch. But, like with any dessert, the sweetness was eventually too much for me to take. Good for sharing between 3 people, in my opinion. RAYA was quite a good experience, and the food is undeniably good, but I don't think the prices justify what you get. Some of the ingredient combinations weren't executed as well as I'd hoped, and the service was lackluster at best. Regardless, the quality of the ingredients is top-notch, and anyone with a soft spot for seafood will come out satisfied. read more

Great place! Yummy food, best service! They even went the extra mile and made European style mulled wine for us, despite the fact they don't have it in the menu. The view from the terrace is stunning!!! They have heaters in case it's chilly outside. read more

I made a reservation for four for lunch to celebrate my wife's birthday. We were a bit late but seated promptly by thw window overlooking the Pacific ocean. The view from the restaurant is simply gorgeous!! I just had spent four nights at Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island in Florida overlooking the Atlantic Ocean few weeks ago. The view of the Pacific at Ritz-Carlton easily trumps the Atlatic ocean view in Florida. The servers were very attentive, providing us extra Brazillian-style cheese rolls with goat butter. They also joined in our celebration with complementary desserts. I personally liked the cheese rolls more here than some of the Brazillian BBQ churascarias. I had scallop with pork belly. Very fresh and flavorful. Miso black cod was fresh but i prefer the Roy's version which has a bit more kick to it. This is an awesome place for very elegant lunch which can be followed by a stroll along the beautiful pacific or while walking just enjoying the ocean beeeze from the balony. read more

Can't express how satisfying was my experience at Ritz's Raya. After having a walk along the beach with my wife we went to have lunch at Raya, ordered Lobster salad and Ahi Tuna Salad with glass of white wine for her an OC Martini cocktail for me. There were decent amount of lobster and tuna in our salads, both garnished with freshest greens and very flavorful seasoning and dressing, subtle yet rich taste. All that enjoying panoramic view of the ocean through the huge windows next to us. All that cost little over $100, which makes it a bit pricey, but experience worth every penny. read more

Raya - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

Just a gorgeous spot.. absolutely love everything Love the grilled cheese / the parmesan fries and the Caesar salad. Cocktails are wonderful and boy that sunset read more

Decided to eat here since we were staying in the hotel and it was an excellent decision. The service was phenomenal, but that's to be expected at the Ritz. The appetizers we had were excellent, oysters and lobster tacos. The main dishes were just as good, chicken a la brasa and arroz negro. We even got a nice anniversary dessert to finish things off. Well worth a trip here even if you're not in need of a hotel room! read more

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This is a review for the bar area adjacent to Raja. Went there recently for drinks, wine and appetizers. So disappointed in the service and the quality of the food. Our experience started great with the valet parking boys and the door man. So welcoming and professional. We walked to the Raja bar and literally sat there waiting to be asked to order a drink for 20 minutes. We changed location and finally I flagged a waiter trying to sprint by me. Turns out he wasn't our server but could still take out order. Our cocktails took another 15. I could have walked to the bar and been on round 3 by now. Just slow. We ordered some appetizers, the tuna tataki salad and the nachos. Note the had a trimmed down menu due to holiday. The order took forever but the tuna was decent. The nachos very mediocre, especially for the price the charge. Pass on the "smore" desert. Cold dry chocolate cake with some ice cream. No wonder the waitress tried to talk me out of it. It then took another 30 minutes to get me the check. I was over charged for my appetizers because "it was punched in wrong ". Waitress made me feel like a dirt bag that I would even question the 12$ over charge. Finally I had to walk up to server station and hand her my credit card. Service was so ordinary, especially considering what you pay for it. Left the hotel feeling ripped off and disappointed. read more

Excellent food, service and view, we have been back may times.

Yesterday we celebrated my mom's 70th birthday at Raya Ritz Carlton. The TLDR version is that it is OK food with very scattered service for an extremely high price. The ocean view is very nice. We chose the Ritz Carlton because it was what the birthday girl wanted. Service Hiccups: We were a party of seven for lunch. Half of us got the breakfast menu when it was lunchtime. I had to get up and go change them out at the front. They didn't get all of the drink orders right. When my mother ordered a hot tea, they didn't bring her a cup, and we had to ask two times. And the timing was just off. Too long between appetizers and entrees, and the desserts took forever. Lack of attention to detail. The service staff is very young, inexperienced, and untrained. Ritz Carlton probably hired these young people because this way they can pay them less than people with more experience. Fine. But throw that in with a lack of training (and I'll look to the management for this issue) and it really is very frustrating for diners that are shelling out top dollar for a meal. Food: The oysters on the half shell were fresh and very good. The lobster tacos were tasty and looked super cute on the plate. Sweet potato fries and truffle fries were pretty good. Churrasco was ok. My son enjoyed it but my father not so much. The salmon was good for the four of us that ordered it, but the mushrooms that were part of the dish - ummm, dry and not tasty. My scallops were not overcooked but a little tasteless. For dessert, the matcha cake with sesame ice cream wasn't really a hit. The cake was dry and the sesame ice cream was not well balanced. In general there was nothing mind blowing about the food. Our main server had a nice personality and I think he tried to take care of us, but I think he was stretched a little thin. Other service staff were kinda trying, but again, I think they were very inexperienced and did not have sufficient training. Overall it didn't feel like a Ritz Carlton experience. So for a $850+ meal (this includes tax and tip), I'm going to say that it really was not worth it. read more

Came here last Saturday night for dinner and have to say that unfortunately neither the food or service match up to the norm of Ritz Carlton level I have experienced in other locations (US or anywhere else). The disappointment started when we pulled in- there was no valet personnel to be had and two vacant cars in front of us with open doors. Had to wait and look for someone so finally after 10 minutes walked to the restaurant. The atmosphere is very poor- it is so bright you feel like you are at a train station and sit across from Starbucks but do understand the restaurant needs to follow the hotel wishes. The waitress took 15 minutes just to take our drink order and even longer when we ordered our wine with dinner. She never came back to check on our muscles (very good but I think I counted 8 total with 2 empty shells) the tuna was the best part of our meal and the NY strip was mediocre at best. Wine list was very disappointing for a place of this caliber- I also did not understand why they would have Grgich Hills Chardonnay and Zin but not a Cab? Very odd. We had to waive the waitress down on several occasions but when it came time for the check she couldn't take it away fast enough. The best thing about this place is the bus girl (water was never empty and the two of us drink a lot of water) and the view (if you get here early enough). Overall I have had better food and service in a regular Marriott Hotel restaurant than here. read more

Reasonably good food, absolutely miserable service. I was here for lunch with the family, and had a club sandwich. It was a good club sandwich, but nothing amazing. Service was horrible. We were seated and then ignored. Water and Iced Tea were refilled once in the eternity that it took to get lunch. It's a good thing that the view is so nice here, as it gave us something to look at while waiting. I might seem really bitter, but normally the Ritz-Carlton places are spot-on service wise, so this was especially surprising. read more

We had a very nice dinner for my wife's birthday last night. The food and ambiance were excellent! Most importantly our server Elizabeth and her assistant Morgan provided exemplary service! In addition the hostess was warm and helpful. Thank you for making it a special occasion. Morgan and Juli. read more

The food was nice. The scenery was nice. The service would have been almost perfect if it wasn't for the rude food runner, Taylor. He would interrupt the conversations with my family very abruptly... multiple times. The other food runners would gently bring food to the table and politely describe the food on the plate with a smile. But the server Miguel was very nice. read more

Delicious dinner with an amazing view! We enjoyed the cheese rolls to start with our scallops and the Buddha bowl, mushrooms and asparagus. All great!The strawberry cheesecake was ok. We were visiting from San Diego on a staycation and wanted to enjoy a nice meal out! We made an early reservation since we had our toddler and baby with us, both kids starting crying and their super sweet hostess, Lupita came by to say hello to the girls and saved the day with a book of stickers for our toddler! She was so sweet and accommodating she helped us feel confortable w our crying children. In the end they had a very short cry and we enjoyed our dinner as well as the few surrounding guests. Thank you Lupita!! read more

Food is fresh and delicious. Service is welcoming. The view overlooking the beach is an added bonus. We stayed at the hotel so we took advantage of their lunch, dinner, and brunch menus. My favorite appetizer was the swordfish dip and my favorite menu was the breakfast. If you are in the area stay and eat or visit Raya for its food and cocktails. read more

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This was a truly unique & magical dining experience. The food and service was quite possibly the best anyone in our party had ever had. In fact, we couldn't stop talking about it all night. Our waiter, Richard, was so engaging and pleasant that I believe it actually made perfectly cooked delishous food taste better! You could tell he was passionate about this food and the menu. The menu is a unique blend of flavors from all over the world, many of them unfamiliar to me. He really took the time to go over it with us. Our table of "foodies" loved him. Onto the food, all I can say is WOW! Our waiter brought us out all these little dishes to sample before our meal came and we were in gastronomical heaven! Each thing better than the last. I dont think we could have been more full when we left, but blissfully so. I recommend you go in with an open mind & an empty stomach... I went to their Sunday brunch the next day hoping for the same experience, and although it was a good brunch, it was not the same. If you really want to experience Raya stick to the dinner. read more

There are few restaurants that I've been to that have unobstructed, mind-blowing ocean views; Raya has it. I've had the eggs Benedict for breakfast, as well as the sweet corn soup, jidori chicken salad, and lobster salad for lunch. Breakfast was ok but the best dishes were the soup and lobster salad. The food is good but the view is what you need to come for. read more

This restaurant is very traditional and modern. I am concerned of the fact that there are a lot more items on the children's menu than on the normal menu. There choice of veggie and dairy products are quite nice. The staff are friendly and approachable. Their ketchup is really good. I would personally recommend they're Brussel Sprouts, they are exquisite. They offer a nice chocolate cake, it's full of flavor and mousse. This place is great for a celebration. read more

Raya has an incredible ocean view, no one can take that away from The Ritz! Food - I was expecting a better meal. I ordered the Jidori chicken, which was accompanied by roasted/seasonal vegetables. It was good, but if I compared it to the nearby St. Regis' Stonehill Tavern, I'd recommend Stonehill (hands down). The short ribs were blackened to a point they were burnt. Unimpressed. Wine List - Nice variety, but I think needs much improvement (especially the Chardonnays). If you like your aged whiskey, they won't disappoint! Service - Very good. Hours - Raya closes extremely early! This past Saturday they closed at 9:00pm. Strange. However, there weren't enough patrons that could justify staying open any later. The ambiance is outstanding. The outside deck overlooks the ocean, as does Raya. You can see the Long Beach Penninsula from here and most window / outside locations. This property is located on one of Southern California's most beautiful stretches of coastline. Christmastime is especially a great time to visit any of their restaurants. It's decorated elegantly and has interesting sculptures from local artist. Great photo opp for Christmas cards! read more

Went there for dinner! They have the most amazing ocean view of Dana Point. It's like you have dinner on the ocean. Huge Windows! But the food . Had a big party and mostly none liked their choice. I ordered the seafood risotto, it's been ages I returned a dish. It was unseasoned, shapeless, and just not risotto. The second choice was the quesadilla which was better but still not make up for the bad rissoto. My brother had the New York which indeed was pretty good. So if you go to Raya, pick either steak or quesadillas. read more

I would the BEST restaurant with 180 degrees view of the Pacific Ocean! Very lovely place, another unforgettable restaurant for my post-birthday celebration. read more

cook perfectly precise every single times magnificent ocean view top knots service see the pictures ..... read more

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Have breakfast here! It's sooo sooo yummy and the view is absolute heaven. The coffee is excellent, the blueberry pancakes are perfect and the service is exceptional. Basically everything you'd expect from the Ritz at the price you'd expect. read more

The food and service were great!! And the view? You can't beat that! I'm vegetarian, and I can always find options, but sometimes at nicer restaurants, the options are limited, but at Raya's, I had no issues, and the food was great!! Great food, great service and great view!! read more

The interior of the restaurant looked amazing and the atmosphere was relaxing, but the food was not on the spectacular side. The service was superb though. Overall, it was still a lovely dining experience. read more

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My husband and I came here for our anniversary dinner. Great food and impeccable service! They set our table with a love poem surrounded by rose petals. Cheesy, sure, but it was a nice touch. Our server was very attentive and we received a complimentary dessert. We decided to try a selection of appetizers rather than order large plates. My two favorites were the butternut soup and the wild mushroom huarache (like a flatbread pizza). Both were fantastic. The bread basket was fabulous too! Unfortunately, it was too dark for us to enjoy the view, but I would love to come back for brunch since I'm sure it is breathtaking with all the windows overlooking the ocean. read more

Came here for a birthday, and everything was amazing! The view... Bread.. Appetizer... Cocktails .. And the main course n dessert. Yum yum yum. We ordered the sea bass n tuna ceviche , to share, then I ordered myself the lobster salad which was amazing...i think I scraped everything off my plate. My friends prawn shrimp was delicious! I will order that and the lobster salad next time I visit. I'm a happy camper read more

Raya - This picture does not do and justice. Underneath the salad is what matters:) - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Had dinner there, it was absolutely amazing. They have a Chipotle miss glazed cod that is to die for. I also ordered their Dungeness crab mashed potatoes. Great dinner over all, service was great, the only thing I didn't like is that it was in the lobby and didn't have any walls to actually make it feel like a restaurant and not just a cafe/bar in the hotel. read more

I made a dinner reservation the day before for my daughter's 18th birthday and I specifically indicated to have a table by the window since that is always the way we dined there. The reservation was confirmed. When we got there, we did not get the window seating, the manager totally was careless and inattentive, and the hostess was extremely rude and didn't care. The waitress though was cordial but she was already dealing with a disaster that was created by an incompetent person who confirmed the reservation and an ineffective manager. I could see out night went downhill and was a disaster in making for my daughter! what a surprise! The manager never approached our table to apologize, instead he arranged to get us a free appetizer! I guess in his mind that was the way to substitue for their incompetency...totally inappropriate for a place like the Ritz. What happened to a class service of Ritz Carlton?? To make it even worse, this was supposed to be a classy place, at least it used to be...instead you had people with shorts and t-shirts at the dinner venue....the place LOOKED LIKE A FACNY BREAKFAST PLACE IN A BIG HOTEL... I guess at the end that is what it is good for... From a family man who cares about his family dining well and looking for good service like the old Ritz. read more

Five star service and fourish star food. The view can not be beat. The service was spectacular as always. You're paying for the setting and the service and the food is a little bit wanting but you take that into account. By no means is the food bad but the portions are small and there is no wow factor on the food. read more

Excellent service, excellent food, excellent ambience/view. I recommend coming here for dinner. Very romantic, they brought my gf a rose in the beginning of our dinner. At the end of the meal a nice little birthday dessert :) read more

Great view, luxury atomosohere! Perfect for birthdays, valentine's day, or any other special occasions.

Cameron was server day two. Very friendly, courteous and helpful. My photos are from two different days. All of the staff is gracious. The view is theraputic ocean beauty. Ask for a window seat. Food is so soooo good. See photoa. Definitely a great asset to the Ritz Hotel. I'll be back! read more

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Beautiful dining room with even more stunning views. Had some delicious lunches and dinners in Raya during my stay here. Nothing amazing, but everything very very good. I think the view itself made the food taste even better. read more

WOW - what a spectacular view! That is what one of the stars is for. For $65.00 per person for Sunday brunch, I expect impeccable service. We did not get it. Our waitress seemed very bored and tired. The food was just OK. Sushi (for me) and shrimp/crab (for my companion) appetizers were quite good. For the main course, we both had salmon that tasted good, but was too dry. Desserts were so so. I expected a lot more. If we come back, it will be to enjoy the amazing view and ambiance, not for the service or food. read more

This is a really great place. The views are spectacular and the service is "Ritz" quality. Elizabeth was our server and she is knowledgeable, friendly and professional. Gustavo also was helping out and was on his game! The food is amazing. The hamachi app is delicious. The shrimp encrusted in brown sugar and jalapeño....mmmm! I had a New York Steak, perfectly cooked. The managers were attentive and remembered my name! What a way to make you feel welcome. Last point: great wine list. Duckhorn and Decoy, great wines. Nice work everyone! read more

Great views overlooking the beach in Dana point. Came right when they opened for breakfast. Blueberry pancakes were delicious. My only complaint is the portion size was small. Kids meals and overall cost is very expensive but we are talking about the Ritz Carlton here so this is to be expected. read more

Raya - Crab chalupa. - Seafood Near Me - Dana Point, California

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As guests of the hotel you would expect to be able to come to this restaurant at 8:30pm and have dessert when there are several empty tables. Unfortunately, we were turned away by the hostess. My expectations for Ritz-Carlton were higher they were not met. read more

The view was good but we didn't get the table by the window because we have 6 people. The lunch menu was so small, only a few items in the large plate section. I ended up to order the burger, just a piece of ground beef with a thin slice of tomato and whole bunch of lettuce, no bacon, no cheese, the beef was tasteless. The sweet potato fry is better than the burger but I had better one somewhere else. And it costed $32. read more

One of my favorite places to have a drink (albeit a pricey one) and enjoy the ambiance of a 5 star resort right on a breathtakingly beautiful beach without the price tag of staying there. If the weather is nice sit on the outside patio and take in the stunning views or if it is too cold sit inside by the cozy fireplace. Try to swing by during the winter holiday season as they always deck the place out for Christmas and it is a wonderful time to go.... read more