I have just finished what may be the best sandwich I ever tasted. It was basically a banh mi…read moreFrench dip. The chicken in the sandwich was perfectly seasoned, the veggies crunchy, and the pho broth for dipping was rich and yummy. Everything on the menu was enticing, and I had a hard time deciding, but watching the other customers it was clear that everyone was enjoying their choices. This place is a jewel, and will be at the top of my list every time I find myself in Laguna.

I love supporting local Vietnamese restaurants so I decided to stop by Saigon Beach after hiking…read morethe area. I love that I was able to look up their menu online beforehand and it was exactly what was at the restaurant. Parking was easy in their parking lot. Once I placed my order at the counter, I grabbed a table on the patio with my dog. The patio was nice and cozy with plenty of shade. Dac Biet Special Skillet (4/5) - this dish came out sizzling with two sunny side up eggs, filet mignon cubes cooked perfectly, and some cherry tomatoes. I didn't see any pate, but I might have missed it. The baguette was lightly toasted and soaked up the sauce perfectly. Thai Tea Float with oat milk ice cream (5/5) - I got this drink/dessert on a whim because of the oat milk ice cream. I am so glad I got it. The Thai tea was delicious and then the oat milk ice cream was amazing.

Love this cute little spot! When walk in you'll want to save yourself a table before ordering at…read morethe register because they do get really busy and it's seating. They have indoor and outdoor seating which is nice. The service was great, very friendly and attentive. But the food was definitely the highlight! The best way to describe it is traditional mexican with a modern twist. It d love to come back to try their lunch menu!

Very excited to finally find an authentic Mexican restaurant with great quality and delicious…read moredishes! We have come here twice now and both times our food has been fantastic. They make their own tortillas which I always appreciate. We have tried the taquitos, the huarache and the enchiladas. Everything was excellent, the taquitos were my favorite. Oh and their lavender lemonade is on point! The service is top notch, very welcoming and attentive. The space itself is bright and creatively decorated. Highly recommend!

Great, casual place with a few fun photo opp areas and outside seating, although thats not…read moreimportant because the food is the reason for coming here. The pasta flight was amazing. Best Alfredo I've ever had. Full bottles of wine, pasta made in a cheese wheel-can't ask for more. I've found a new go-to spot!

Zesty Olive is quick service restaurant built around one very good idea, fresh fettuccine, extruded…read moreright in front of you, then tossed into a massive wheel of Italian Parmesan until it becomes a rich, glossy Alfredo style pasta. And it starts at ten bucks. That's a ridiculous bargain. In a white tablecloth Italian restaurant, the same cheese wheel theater could easily run north of thirty dollars, probably delivered by someone wearing an apron cleaner than your kitchen towels. You can add chicken and other toppings, but I went with the three flavor pasta trio, served on a wooden plank. It's visually impressive, filling, and compared with most quick-service food these days, a genuinely respectable value. There is, however, one important thing to understand before walking through the door, everything begins with Alfredo. Pesto, tomato, and the other flavors are added afterward, but the creamy cheese sauce is the foundation. If Alfredo isn't your thing, this probably isn't your place. My wife is firmly in that camp, so she ordered a salad. That's where the operation started to wobble. The lettuce was wilted, and the green goddess dressing had an odd, unpleasant flavor. We also ordered pita bread, which appeared to have been removed from a plastic bag, cut into pieces, and dropped onto a plate without heat, seasoning, or much thought. It was cold, slightly stale, and depressing. The frustrating part is that both problems are easy to fix. Toast the pita. Brush it with olive oil. Add a little salt and herbs. Treat the salad like someone might actually be excited to eat it. The pasta trio, though? Solid. Rich, satisfying, and an excellent deal. Judging by the packed dining room on a Friday night, plenty of other people have reached the same conclusion. Zesty Olive has the Alfredo pasta experience down. Add one genuinely good olive oil based pasta for people who don't want the cream and cheese, and bring the salads and sides up to the same standard as the main attraction. Do that, and they may have a real winner.

Excellent breakfast place tucked in Laguna Beach. They have a cute outdoor patio seating, and…read moreshaded for your comfort. Ideal for breakfast or brunch, this place serves up a variety of items. I opted for the traditional scrambled eggs with potatoes, and it comes with jam and sourdough. Eggs were very fluffy and fresh. Highly recommend this place.

Amazing breakfast! I wish I lived closer so I can have this again. You stand in line to order and…read morepay and there are plenty of shaded seats to indulge and enjoy! I will definitely make time to go back. Check out our yummy food.

There's paid parking nearby or the lot parking that requires walking or public transport to get…read morehere. There's plenty of seating inside and outside. It can definitely hold a larger groups size. The staff are nice and friendly. You'll order first then recieve a number for your table. The drinks arrived first then the food. Both arrived at a decent time. I got the breakfast sandwich. It was really good. The bacon was great! The buns were nice and toasty. The hash browns were pretty good and light. The lavender latte was good. I could use a bit more lavender flavor but that's a personal preference. I easily drank it all. I'd return here again to try more.

One thing to note, which isn't a drawback, is that this isn't a typical sit-down restaurant. You…read moreorder at the counter, take a number, and find a seat. There's really no table service, just food runners and bussers. And you grab your own water. Definitely seems like they're trying to cut costs by having no waiters. The food is mid at best, with overpriced menu items. I ordered the lumberjack breakfast, the waffles and eggs were decent, but the hash browns sorely lacked any seasoning or flavor. Their texture was similar to soggy fries. I told myself, "okay, maybe just a miss on this one item." I came back a second time and tried the eggs Benedict, and that too lacked any flavor or seasoning. Definitely disappointed with this place. There are better spots in Laguna that match the vibe. It is convenient, though, since it's right next to the Sawdust Festival. Most likely won't be coming back.

I just love coming here yesterday. I picked up two beautiful, delicious bowls, quinoa, and lentils,…read moreand the OG sauce and avocado is the best. The staff is really lovely and I highly recommend them!

found this spot after snorkeling in laguna and wanted just a quick pick me up. they have a small…read moreparking lot behind the establishment but also there's street/neighborhood parking around the area as well. it's decently spacious inside with several seating options. not only do they have drinks but also self serve frozen yogurt and vegetarian bowls/burritos. service was sweet and welcoming but i will say it's a bit pricey here...for just two small drinks (they only have one size) it was $30 (including 20% tip). as for what we got: -blue green envy smoothie: 8/10 pretty yummy smoothie packed with lots of great ingredients but nothing too special -date shake: 7/10 had lots of other date shakes and love them but this one was very vanilla ice cream heavy, only thing that reminded you that it was a date shake were the chunks of actual dates inside but flavor wise it really was just a vanilla milkshake (gave it a high rating cause i love vanilla ice cream and it was a good vanilla ice cream lol)

Boyfriend brought me to Carmelita's on a date and I loved it! It's a cute restaurant in main beach…read moreLaguna with a nice ambiance. We started with their chips and salsa and beans. The chips were super fresh and crispy, with just the right amount of salt. Their margarita was classic and simple in the best way, with a salt rim (my fav). I ordered their burrito bowl and they were able to add fajita veggies instead of a protein as a vegetarian option. This bowl was loaded - rice , beans, cheese, guac, veggies, cucumber, lettuce, and tortilla strips. Huge bowl and everything tasted so so good! The lettuce was tossed in a fresh lime dressing and the fajita veggies were spiced to perfection. Would def come here again. They made what could be so simple into an elevated meal. And staff is also super friendly!

We stopped by here with my parents on the Fourth of July for a quick drink & a small bite. It…read moreseemed like they were a little overwhelmed & possibly had some newer staff, which I completely understand since it was a busy holiday. The only issue was the seating process. The sign said to wait to be seated, but my dad waited around for about 10 minutes without seeing anyone at the host stand. The bartender told him it was okay to go outside & find an available table, so we weren't trying to skip any rules...we were just following what we were told. When we finally spoke with the hostess, she explained she was trying to manage multiple tables, which was understandable, but the communication could have been a little clearer. Once we sat down, everything was great. The drinks were delicious, we enjoyed a quick snack with chips and guacamole, & the service was friendly & efficient. We didn't try the food, but it seems like a nice spot for a casual drink or quick bite. Overall, we had a good experience and would come back.

This is by far my favorite vegan restaurant! My go-to dish is the Satay Lemongrass Tofu Vermicelli,…read morebut I substitute the noodles for rice. It's absolutely delicious every time. Every dish I've tried here has been flavorful and fresh, and I've never been disappointed. I only wish this restaurant were closer to my home--it's over an hour away, but it's worth the drive whenever I get the chance to visit. I also appreciate the peaceful atmosphere. The music is kept at a low volume, making it a relaxing place to enjoy a meal and have a conversation. If you're looking for outstanding vegan food in a calm, welcoming environment, I highly recommend giving this place a try!

Hands down, the best vegan place around with a mouthwatering selection of menu items. All of which…read moreI'm sure are worth the order. The flavors of everything is on point without any detectable MSG and the food comes out relatively fast once it's ordered. The restaurant is small and served by one man so you'll have plenty of time to decide and enjoy anything peaking your interest. Get the buffalo wings! The texture mid bite is pretty incredible. All the not real chicken and none of the fake fatty poultry.

The food and service here is really good provided you are dining in. However, if you are ordering…read moretakeout or online, you can expect yoir order to take an hour or more to be processed and to be ignored when you come to pick your order uo . This is my second time with this experince in 1 week. Ii is becomong routine.

Absolutely loved the fresh-pressed apple juice--it tasted incredibly fresh and naturally sweet. We…read moretried both the avocado pizza and the avocado toast, and while both were good, I actually preferred the avocado toast. The bread was perfectly toasted, and all the toppings worked really well together. Our toddler couldn't get enough of the mac & cheese, and he happily finished a big portion. The fresh fruit was a nice addition too. We enjoyed the relaxed outdoor seating and had a wonderful brunch. Looking forward to coming back!

This is a beautiful Mediterranean restaurant serving breakfast lunch and dinner, all delicious,…read morewith good coffee and fresh squeezed juices, located in the bustling Aliso Viejo Town Center. For all the restaurants in this center, in my opinion, Fennel is the best dining option if you want a sit down restaurant. Everything I've ordered thus far has been excellent, fresh, tasty, never dry. The service has always been extremely accommodating and the one time I've been disappointed in my original order selling out and having to wait too long for the final dish, they went out of their way to make sure I was given extra fries (which are excellent) and extra things to dip my heaping scoop of hummus into. Don't skip the cocktails, or really any of their handmade drinks. I cannot not get a cardamom latte at brunch, and it's so fun picking which cocktail to get to unwind with whatever dinner entree I go with (usually the salmon bowl). They have large tables so larger groups are welcome. I always see corporate type people having working lunches here, or families out for a nice dinner. This place is almost always quite full, but I still feel like they are slept on and under appreciated.

The servers are pretty on top of things here. We didn't have to wait and went on a mid sunday late…read morelunch. The ambiance is nice but we did get seated in the cramp window seat next to the door, even though there were plenty of open seats & it was bench seating on one side. The food was insanely amazing very rich in flavor. I got the lamb risotto & my kid got the salmon bowl. The salmon was perfectly cooked flakey with a nice tasty sear. The lamb & barley rissoto was flavorful but had a lot of grease (likely from the cheese of the risotto). The server recommended a cauliflower&date appetizer and it was a great way to start. Savory with pops of sweet from the dates. Arrive with an appetite, because serving sizes are abundant and this food sits heavy.