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    The Drake

    4.4 (603 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndBars, Music Venues, New American
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    The Drake Photos

    THE DRAKE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - The Drake

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    Reviews With Photos

    Tiger shrimp and Waygu beef stroganoff
    Johny L.

    Romantic, intimate and delicious dishes. Great place for a night out with lovely live Jazz music. Portions are large enough to share. Workers are very friendly and pay close attention to details We order 1.Beet Salad 2.Large Shrimp 3.Wagyu beef stroganoff 4.filet 5.big piece of seabass Parking suck, so just valet for $11

    Unique cocktails, really different
    Rachel S.

    I feel like it's rare a restaurant stands out to me, the way The Drake does. The ambiance & food is 10/10. Don't Miss it!

    Old Fashioned
    Roger C.

    This place is awesome! Not too big but a fair amount of seating. It has a stage for live music and you can watch the chef cook your food! SERVICE: Great! We had a private event (Jan 20) and they took great care of us. Kept our drinks flowing, and were very attentive and friendly. FOOD: Steaks were very tender and flavorful. Their potatoes 3-ways were good (the chip could have been crispier). The sauce was Fab!! And if you have not tried their fries?? Get the fries!! That with their dipping aoli - super yummy!! We enjoyed our evening and recommended this place - great job!

    Daisy W.

    Food and vibes are always phenomenal at The Drake, and last night was no exception. Nick was our server and was incredibly friendly, attentive, and made us feel genuinely taken care of throughout the evening. Ezikiel, the server assistant, was outstanding as always with his attention to detail and elevated service never go unnoticed. We ended the night at the bar with Janaka, who made some delicious cocktails.

    Sorbet
    Kati V.

    What an experience! 12 months ago Incredible live band, Great service, food, and company? What else could you possibly want!? Beautiful restaurant incredible decor and service. We were seated right next to the band, which was a memorable experience. Tiger prawns 8/10 Filet mignon 10/10 Guacamole and chips 7/10 Fig salad 10/10 Sorbet 10/10 Salted caramel budino. 10/10

    One half of the place, beautiful
    Emmett F.

    Damn, I can't believe I have lived in this area for all these years and never been to this place. It is super cool to say the least. There are two sides to it, almost like individual restaurants. Absolutely beautiful inside and the night we went had live jazz. The staff is most professional, well attired and the food is excellent.

    This was the 1/2 order of the Beets, an "Opening Act" aka salads
    Rie M.

    Love love love the Vibe From start to finish we had a Marvelous time As we entered, we were greeted with a warm welcome and smile. The energy of the place hits you immediately -- upbeat but not overwhelming, classy without being pretentious. Everyone here knows how to have a great. From food to entertainment, it was a dining experience I would recommend you experience at least once a year -- if not more often! I loved that it was fancy, yet you can dress casually. The vibe is that perfect sweet spot between special occasion and just-because-you-deserve-it. This event bécame the yearly (never-miss) birthday celebration for my highschool friend and I. Low lighting, tasteful decor, and just the right volume of music provided by Sharon Marie Cline was just perfect to set the mood without drowning out our conversations. You can tell every detail of the space was thought through, from the cozy, intimate seating arrangements to the elegant table settings. Our server Emilio had an alternate ego named George, who never woke up throughout the entire dining experience (inside joke). Emilio was friendly and attentive to our dining needs. Our water glasses were always full. Our meals delivered at the perfect temperature and pace. And can we talk about the powder room please? When there is wainscotting in the bathroom, you know they mean serious business! Even the restroom felt like an extension of the experience: clean, chic, and clearly cared for. We left full, happy, and already planning our next visit.

    Mainly came here for the jazz music & vibe of this place! Food is amazing, service was pretty good but could be better- bit judgmental but overall very nice experience ! The live music was the best

    Rib eye and fries
    Mira S.

    Great food, vibes and drinks! The only reason it is not a 5-star is that the waitress took forever to service us. We had already picked everything before she first even introduced herself. We ordered drinks and she didnt take our food or appetizer order until the drinks came out. Otherwise awesome place to be on a weekend night.

    Ashif D.

    This is a stylish restaurant located in South Laguna Beach, often featuring great live music. The place is not very large but is exquisitely designed, making last-minute reservations difficult, especially on weekends. The hostess was very attentive and suggested we take seats at the counter table, where we could enjoy the same menu and music as the main dining area. My friend, who loves cooking, was delighted with the opportunity to observe the chefs at work up close. We thoroughly enjoyed all the dishes we ordered, and surprisingly, the hamachi of the day was even fresher and tastier than the highly praised tuna tartare. We've decided to visit once a month to explore more of their menu!

    My dinner choice find it on starters but so lovely as an entree

    All things dining and experience were at The Drake! Loved our gem of a server, Monica, and her team of kitchen expert folks making all things perfectly perfect WOW! Spent what was needed to experience food, drinks, service and MUSIC and left a pretty tip for best server in some time that I would ask for by name on next visit. Even chatted with Mngr as we departed and honestly he sets the mood, pace and overall 'I wanna come back' attitude to its visitors LOVE this place forever!

    Sorbet
    Sally P.

    This place has really nice service and the food is excellent. There's not much parking around so it's best to valet for $11. We unfortunately didn't get to see the band, but we could hear them from the other side of the bar.

    peppercorn steak

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    2 months ago

    Good service, food, and entertainment. Valet is available too. The host was very helpful.

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    Amazing Birthday Dinner! Food was excellent as well as service. Loved the live music!

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    The Drake Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Drake

    Is there a live music schedule?

    https://www.thedrakelaguna.com/events

    How loud is the Drake? Are some areas of the restaurant louder than others?

    Patio is quiet. Sat inside close to the band last visit and it was loud but not intolerable. Could still talk.

    What time does music start daily? Do they have live music every night or only weekend?

    Music is every night usually beginning at 6:30 p.m.

    How do they do with food, allergies, such as gluten or dairy?

    Is this 21+?

    Nope. Kids can dine as well

    Music calendar for January?

    I feel like you should definitely call the Drake. Because of Covid so many things are changing minute by minute

    Will they be open New Year's Day? Looking for something new and exciting when we are out there this weekend :)

    Yes they are but currently have no available reservations until Sunday. I would call though and see if they have had any cancellations. The Drake is amazing! Good luck!

    Is there a specific dress code?

    No, but many there are nicely dressed (business casual +)...

    Are children permitted?

    Yes

    Are you able to see/hear the live music when seated outside?

    yes

    Are they able to accommodate to vegans?

    yes

    Do you have to have reservations?

    yes, usually, but the bar is first come, first serve

    No Happy Hour?

    no happy hour

    Do you need reservations to sit on the bar side?

    sometimes

    View All 22 Questions

    Review Highlights - The Drake

    The seasonal pasta is always on my order, and so is the venison, which I never thought I would love so much.

    Mentioned in 40 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    4.0(2.3k reviews)
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    The deck is a great place to have a meal and look out over the vast Pacific Ocean. The views from…read morethe outdoor seating area are absolutely stunning. The service is great and the food is really good. This is the second or third time we've been to the deck while visiting Laguna Beach and it does not disappoint. We shared several different items between the four of us and enjoyed delicious cocktails. Definitely recommend this restaurant if you are in Laguna Beach during the day & really take in those view!

    Was really looking forward to a great mid afternoon 'Linner- lunch / dinner' after a day of…read moreapartment hunting down in Laguna and my significant other came across this place on social media. Wait time was probably about 30 minutes which wasn't too bad because we ended up getting a great corner table right on the beach. Our waiter was super nice and friendly. Recommended the mahi mahi as I asked help in choosing between three things and my boyfriend chose the beach burger. The food was well cooked with no complaints but really disappointing that they only come with chips. Really could have used French fries which would have landed this a better review. When you pay $21/$24 for sandwiches would just be a better side than chips to satisfy your hunger. Wouldn't you agree? My boyfriend liked the drinks too. Great view though, can't beat it. Too bad they couldn't have a private beach setting so you didn't have beach goers in photos and view. But that's not a big deal. Recommend for view and beach ambience. The mahi mahi and burger were good but would have wanted more with fries.

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    Splashes Restaurant

    Splashes Restaurant

    4.1(1.7k reviews)
    1.0 mi
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    10/10 stars. Such a special birthday brunch I had here, we ran 15 minutes late to our reservation…read moreand they accommodated us so kindly. Everyone that works here is so lovely and they even hand wrote me a card?! Breathtaking views even from someone who lives here. Will definitely be coming back for future lunches

    I booked this restaurant for an early Mother's Day celebration, and my mother was very pleased…read more First, the views this restaurant sits right by the coast beachfront and has amazing views. Secondly, the service and wait staff is impeccable. We received great recommendations, attentiveness, professionalism, and hospitality. We never had to ask for anything because our needs were anticipated. Lastly, the food, we ordered several different things. The lobster bisque, Parkhouse rolls, octopus, the special of the day, which was tuna Hamachi. We also ordered the scallops, mushrooms, green beans, mashed potatoes and sea bass. The items that stood out the most were the lobster bisque. the Parkhouse rolls, the Seabass, the scallops and the Hamachi tuna. I was taken back that the octopus was fried and it was tough and had an interesting flavor. I'm used to octopus legs being grilled and tender, so I was quite disappointed with that. We also ordered a couple of cocktails that we weren't thrilled about. The flavors didn't work well together in the drink, but I did like how the glasses were ice cold I just wish the cocktails were more impressive. I feel like that's the gift and the curse. When you have a restaurant that is oceanfront. Typically oceanfront restaurants their food isn't that great because it doesn't have to be because of the ambience. The only place I've ever been where they had the oceanfront location and the food was amazing was Nobu Malibu specifically. I wouldn't mind coming back here for some light bites like I mentioned the lobster bisque and the rolls were tasty. Everything else was good, but not great for the price point.

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    Splashes Restaurant
    Splashes Restaurant
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    237 Ocean Avenue - Brunch Sundays 11am to 4pm

    237 Ocean Avenue

    4.5(75 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    We came on NYE. There was music happening at 9pm, but we…read morecame early and missed it. That was our fault. We were the only ones there. The experience was all over the map. The owner served us initially, and he was really friendly and funny. We ordered a bottle of wine, and some cocktails. We put in some salads and an appetizer, they were really really good. But after that, our server (the owner we were told) left, and another server introduced himself. The new server was inattentive. He sat chatting with the other servers at the bar, leaving empty glasses and empty plates on the table. We had to flag him to come back to fill water. Having been myself in the service industry for years, my biggest pet peeve is when servers sit and chat where you can see them, and when they do come, they don't do a sweep and take care of things on the table. We had to put our empty glasses and trash on a side table. It was weird. The bolognese had hardly any meat in it. It was mostly tomato and onion. I've been to Argentina. Meat is a staple. Also weird. We ordered dessert and after waiting for 5-10 minutes, the server came back and told us they were missing crucial ingredients to make it. The owner came back at the end and was really gracious, but all in all, I think the execution was lacking. The service was not great. The food was 3.5/5 I love to support small business, perhaps we will try again another night.

    Karaoke Tuesday was a disaster! It's all about money…read more We spent $120 on drinks for 3 people. Plus Tips. We were on the Q. Until we're NOT. Because (they actually announced) someone paid more. Go ponder.

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    237 Ocean Avenue - Our beautiful indoor dining space!

    Our beautiful indoor dining space!

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    Best Argentinian wines ever !!!

    The Drake - bars - Updated May 2026

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