There's free parking & you don't have to valet which is nice, but be prepared to circle for a bit since it can get crowded. The ambiance here is honestly so good, dark, romantic, and perfect for a date night. I especially loved the bar in the middle of the restaurant since it really added to the atmosphere. Service was lovely and everyone was very friendly. It was a bit slow at times, but the restaurant was busy, so it was understandable. I started with the Gilded Lily cocktail, which was really good, and the Caesar salad was genuinely one of the best Caesar salads I've had. I also ordered the signature skirt steak, which was absolutely delicious and full of flavor. Overall, such a great spot for drinks, dinner, and a nice night out. read more

My experience Not good because of service Your service is not the best. The food is really good. But your service is not really good so read this and think about doing something about it Thank you read more

Came back with the family to try more of their offerings. We were able to try two breakfast dishes and two lunch dishes and honestly, they paired superbly. Whether you are in the mood for a savory or sweet brunch (or both), this restaurant is phenomenal. Our server, Isabelle, was spot on with her descriptions of the dishes. Great way to spend a Saturday morning. read more

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First time in the Newport area, first time at As. The interior is very aesthetically pleasing, dark lighting to set the mood for a more fun and laid back vibe. They also have an actual DJ playing inside, I didn't realize until I went to the bathroom. & if you're on your way to the bathroom, you're sure to check out the Photo Booth! Very cute and free. Our server was very sweet and attentive for a party of 7. I had never tried a branzino before but decided to try it here for the first time, along with the charred broccolini. The food was amazing! Loved the fish, great flavor and the broccolini paired so well. I can't get over how delicious the charred broccolini was! I will be thinking about it for a while. The mocktail was delicious as well. The prices do seem a little high but I guess you're paying for the whole experience. Definitely a fun date night or big celebration spot. read more

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Stopped here for some cocktails on a Saturday after dinner at Marche Moderne. I've been to this A Crystal Cove location a few times, mainly just for drinks, and it's always a fun stop. The atmosphere is lively, especially with the DJ. It definitely leans more social and energetic which I love. The bar is almost always packed, so be prepared to hover if you're hoping to grab a seat. Cocktails are well-crafted and consistent, which is really all I'm looking for when I come here. It's a great place to continue the night, people watch, and soak in the upbeat vibe. Haven't had the chance to dine in at this location yet, but for cocktails and ambiance alone, it's my go to! read more

A Crystal Cove - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Nice restaurant ambience was beautiful beautiful location. The food was not good and tasteless, tried a few items including the duck, confetti, lemon, ricotta, pancake, and tacos. I forgot what kind of tacos bland no flavor my experience read more

We tried the 70's Sun Sets on a Tuesday. They didn't have live music but only playing 70's hits. Our server confirmed that they don't do live music anymore. And he's hoping they'll bring it back. We were here for happy hour (HH). As usual, their ambiance is nice with old rich feel. It's dark and cozy. Like a man cave. I got half a dozen raw oysters (not in happy hour menu) which I really enjoyed. Washed it down with a glass of cab (half off for HH). We also got the A burger from their HH which is good! We also tried their spicy yellowfin tuna, which didn't really impress me. And probably won't be ordering again here. Our server is really nice and attentive. Even the other staff are coming over to check on us. It was late afternoon / early evening on a Tuesday and the place is not busy. All in all, we enjoyed the happy hour. Just wish they have live music too! Even for other days. read more

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Food was amazing! Happy hour burger was delish and tasty and I opted for the Blue cheese instead of the cheddar as the cheese. Just enough tenderness and juiciness and flavor. And at $20, doesn't break the bank so much. Burger came with fries. Oysters were good! Service was excellent and attentive enough. Tables were getting cleaned once we emptied the plate. The only thing is that you are labor cost sharing with the owner once the bill comes. It would have been nice to do away with this method of cost sharing and just hike up the meal price by say 1/2 to 1% to still be competitive. But isn't that what tips are for? So tip + labor cost is on the customer, at least as a customer, you are an active participant to labor cost. Ambiance was great and cozy. More manly vibe with a darker scheme and also a bar area with some TVs. I love the vibe since I am a distinguished gent participant. Haha. Overall, always enjoy the A restos, whether My fav, the A market for our quick breakfast and lunches, to this place. Just makes you feel elevated somehow and fits that Stairway to heaven bit! read more

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Service was not great! We found a long hair in the Eggs Benedict. Normally in a fine restaurant someone such as a chef or at least the manager would come to apologize. I didn't hear the waitress apologize but she said will take it off tge bill as she did us a favor.We were much prepared to pay any amount for a nice service and a choice of fine dish, sadly it wasn't anything as we envisioned nor as advertised.A bad start for my birthday celebration but we made up for it later on with a great dinner and superb service at Il Fornaio in Irvine. Definitely we're not going back! No Star read more

I dined at A Crystal Cove on a weekend during the holidays. The restaurant is dark on the inside and has a nice bar in the center. We were seated in a cozy booth. The noise level can be a bit loud when crowded. Our server provided excellent service and made suggestions off the menu. We started off with a wedge salad that we requested be chopped. The kitchen chopped and split our salad between two plates. We ordered the meatballs which were tasty and served with toasted bread for soaking up the marinara sauce. For our entrees, we ordered the steak and broccolini and the pappardelle bolognese. Both were tasty and I enjoyed the burrata cheese placed on top of the pasta. The steak was prepared perfectly and had a nice char to it. For dessert, we opted for the chocolate silk pie. It wasn't too rich or sweet and was the perfect ending to our meal. This is a good spot for a date night, birthday, or anniversary. read more

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Adrian was absolutely amazing as both a server and bartender. He was incredibly attentive and seemed to know exactly when to check in without ever being intrusive. He was intuitive, personable, and made absolutely delicious drinks tailored perfectly to our preferences. I truly can't recommend Adrian enough -- if you're dining at Crystal Cove, you have to ask for him. He made our experience exceptional. read more

A Crystal Cove - Slightly dirty martini - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Excellent dinner at A Crystal cove! Food, cocktail list and service were all superior. Vibe is elegant with a lovely circular bar that can be quite the scene. Major news flash to any Negroni lovers out there- you MUST try their take on it. Sadly I don't remember the name, but it was a masterfully crafted cocktail with a strawberry infused Campari!!! Kudos to the mixologist. The kitchen kindly rearranged the charcuterie board to include more cheese and less meat, and the cheddar was the winner!! My friend enjoyed her branzino. Warm Madelines for dessert were a perfect ending. Excellent service from Tessa and Alberto. Definitely worth a visit for a special night out. read more

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we went here for a nice girls night out. The ambience is beautiful and it's a very nice and moody place. Emmanuel was our server and he was incredibly kind and helpful. We ordered the salmon, chicken, vodka, pasta, whipped feta, and truffle fights. Everything was delicious, we think the whip feather is the best because it was the perfect mix of sweet and savory. This was our birthday dinner and they surprised us with free ice cream, this was a very lovely meal and Emmanuel was the best server. #GOAT read more

We enjoyed our overall experience as we sat at the bar with no reservations. We tried Javier's but the crowd was very young and it was overpacked so we drove over to valet at A's. The crowd was very snobby, somewhat older (which we liked) but not sure why older people would feel the need to be so pretentious. And I'm talking about the men. Lol so don't expect gentlemen here. Staff was very friendly, drinks were good, but my order came out wrong with chicken which I don't eat. I ordered blackened salmon as an add on to my vodka sauce pasta dish I ordered. $30 was reasonable for my pasta as it was just ok but $30 for my blackened salmon add on which was overcooked and dry was not. Flavor was good though. I didn't mention it because I didn't want to have to wait yet again for another salmon and be bothersome to the bartender. I guess there is usually live music or a dj but the person couldn't make it so to a family emergency. Not sure I will be back. We'll see:) read more

I was here recently for dinner on a Saturday night and had a great time. The ambiance is chic and dim. There's a huge upscale bar in the center of the restaurant and a fireplace off to the side which added to the vibe. The restaurant can get very loud when it's crowded. Food was overall good. We ordered grilled octopus and meatballs as starters. Both dishes were flavorful and delicious. For entrees, we decided to order a 50 oz. bone-in ribeye steak to share for 4 people, with charred broccolini, garlic French fries and penne pasta as our sides. The steak was juicy and cooked perfectly. The sides were also tasty choices. The only thing I would say is the charred broccolini is too charred for my taste and crumpled instantly. For dessert, we ordered apple tart and chocolate silk pie. Apple tart was too sweet for my taste from too much caramel sauce, while the chocolate pie was scrumptious. Cocktail drinks were very good and refreshing. Just as a side note, I suggest if you have a party of 4, get the 60 oz. instead because the large bone and fats will take up a lot of the steak so there wasn't much beef as we thought. Service was also good. Our waiter was nice and attentive even though he had several other tables to wait on. Food orders also came out on time and paced well. I will come back. read more

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Beautiful restaurant with a stunning bar in the middle. Went with girlfriends and we shared several plates, including appetizers on the happy hour menu: squash blossoms, whipped feta, beet salad, Caesar salad, roast chicken, branzino, truffle fries, Meyer lemon cheesecake. It was all good. The standout dishes were the whipped feta and cheesecake. The feta came with a nice honey sauce. Menu said there was truffle in the honey but we couldn't taste that part. Anyway, it was yummy esp with the fluffy toasted bread they served it with. Cheesecake was so good with the meringue-like cream on top. Also got the spicy margarita and it was on point. Service was nice as well. Great place for girls night or date night. read more

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Best service, best decore, delicious, fresh food. Management is always accommodating and welcoming, unlike other local establishments read more

A Crystal Cove - Whipped Feta - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Came to Restaurant A for a nicer night out and overall had a good time. The food was the highlight. Portions are very shareable which helps with the higher price point. We loved the yellowtail appetizer with the tempura eggplant base and the poke on top. Super refreshing and fairly priced for a shared starter. We also split the strip steak with broccolini and potatoes which was plenty for two and tasted great. Ambience is an easy five out of five. Perfect spot for a birthday or anniversary dinner. Service was the only part that felt off. We came close to closing so that might have played a role. A few items were cleared before we were finished which felt a bit rushed. The staff was friendly and kept our water filled, but we noted a gluten allergy at the start and still received dishes with gluten. For example the brussels sprouts arrived with breadcrumbs even after we checked. A quick heads up would have gone a long way. I would still come back because the food and atmosphere were great, but the service could use a little more care! I do understand that it was at the end of the night on a Friday night! read more

A Crystal Cove - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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I forgot to take a photo of our pork chop, but it was amazing. Service was friendly. Ambiance can be romantic, professional. Overall good vibe! read more

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Such an amazing experience coming here for my birthday dinner!! The vibes were tooooo good and the food was even better. I started with a margarita mocktail and it was amazing!! My friends were a fan of their wines/cocktails as well. The spicy yellowtail appetizer is a must-order, coming from someone who is obsessed with spicy tuna crispy rice. The fried veggie bottom really made it!!! The entrees were also perfect, we ordered ribeyes, mac and cheese, brussels sprouts leaves, and vodka pasta. The only one I was ehhh about was the Brussels sprouts but that's only because there was capers in it and I don't really like capers but it was great otherwise! Also shoutout to our server for telling us about the free Photo Booth, so cute and a wonderful addition to the restaurant!! Can't wait to come back. read more

A Crystal Cove - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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We came for our friend's birthday, this place seems like a good place to celebrate occasions. The Spicy Yellowfin Tuna appetizer was super good and creative, I love that they used eggplant instead of crispy rice. The skirt steak was delicious and cooked to perfection. I was expecting the chicken to be boneless, so that threw me off. The cocktails were all good, I wish they had more than 3 mocktail options. The restaurant has a very dark ambiance from the dim lighting. The table we sat at was kind of uncomfortable, we felt like the seat was too low for the table. I like that they have a complimentary photo booth with digitals sent to your email. They have valet parking, but you can park a little further in the plaza for free parking. ig: @cravingswithcat read more

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Did a Yelp search for restaurants near the coast and found this place. The experience was elevated not only by the dishes themselves but also by the beauty of the restaurant. The space felt thoughtfully designed, with a polished elegance that paired seamlessly with the menu. THE FOOD. - Whipped Feta. Luxuriously creamy, lifted by the bright acidity of heirloom tomatoes. A touch of sumac introduced a gentle tartness, while saffron honey added a refined floral sweetness for balance. Comes with house made pita, which was freshly baked; soft and airy inside with a golden blistered exterior--ideal for scooping the whipped feta. Highly recommend. - Dirty Pasta. Perfectly al dente rigatoni with a tomato-based sauce carrying a subtle, lingering spice. The duck added a delicate richness, both tender and juicy. Shavings of pleasantly salty ricotta salata topped this dish. - Ribeye. Ordered medium but arrived closer to medium-well, losing some of the desired juiciness, though the flavor held up well. Loved the whole roasted side of garlic which I used to smash onto the top of my ribeye. I'd order this again, but would make sure it was cooked to medium. - Charred Broccolini. Nicely executed with a crisp crown and tender stem, showcasing balance in texture. Definitely try this. - Corn Madeleines. Warm, corn-forward sweet bread with dollops of whipped cream and mixed berries on the side. Great dessert to finish off our meal. THE DRINKS. - Pecan Pie Old Fashioned. A creative twist on a classic--slightly sweet, nutty, and well-rounded. The pecan flavor really comes through and easily one of the best cocktails I've had. - Black Manhattan. A bold bourbon cocktail, marked by fruity richness with bittersweet undertones. THE VIBE. Swanky space dressed in dark moody colors, exuding quiet glamour and sophistication. Their high-back wrap around booths are cozy little enclaves of privacy, inviting guests to sink into the moment and linger. The bar is an attention grabber with a striking geometric centerpiece rising from its core and extending dramatically outward onto the ceiling. THE PARKING. Valet is offered, though the convenience of nearby self-parking spots are just as viable if you don't mind walking a few extra minutes. THE VERDICT. Despite a minor misstep with the ribeye, the experience was exceptional. I will 100% return as this restaurant is now among my favorites. read more

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All the experiences I've had at A Crystal Cove have been great, especially because of the service! All of the servers are super kind, attentive, and really take time to add to your dining experience. The ambience is amazing, and nostalgic for me personally. I love the variety in seating options, and the aesthetic of the bar, tables, and honestly even the bathrooms. Everything is clean, well-maintained and super comfortable. The food is really good! I haven't had one dish I haven't enjoyed from A. The appetizers and entrees haven't particularly blown me away, but their seasonal Meyer Lemon Cheesecake absolutely stood out to me! It was so so good and really speaks to the quality of the ingredients they use as well as their kitchen's dedication to producing flavorful dishes. Another one of my favorite parts of A Crystal Cove is the free Photo Booth near the bathrooms where you can get digital and physical prints of your photos. It makes the experience so much more fun and special whether it's a special occasion or not. For the parking there is valet which is not super expensive and very quick. Based on how busy the plaza is I have gotten away with not using valet, but sometimes it is inevitable. read more

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First off, don't let the four dollar signs deter you from coming here. It's on the pricier side but not that pricey. The parking area in front of the restaurant is mainly reserved for valet so either spring for valet or if you keep driving to the adjacent lots, you'll likely find a spot. You'll just have to walk a little ways. I came here for dinner with friends last Sunday. We had a reservation for ten people at 5:30pm. We were seated in a semi-private room with booth-style seating in the back of the restaurant with two tables on each side of the room. There's an extensive drink menu and the food menu has something for everyone with fish, meat, and pasta. I ordered Peach Please which reminds me of a Moscow Mule and even came in the copper mug. My boyfriend got a mojito and both drinks were refreshing and not overwhelmingly sweet. For dinner, he ordered the gemelli (sp?) pasta and I ordered stone fruit salad and spicy tuna. The stone fruit salad is mainly fruit with some cucumber but no lettuce. It's a good starter salad. The spicy tuna isn't an entree but I wasn't overly hungry and I wanted to have dessert. The tuna sits atop a tempura eggplant with a drizzle of sweet sriracha aioli. I didn't detect any spiciness and would describe it more as sweet. Wagyu gemelli was tasty and you get a decent amount of food. You will be full after this dish. We ended the meal with what our server was said to be one of their most popular desserts, the Meyer lemon cheesecake. I love cheesecake and this had all the richness of a traditional cheesecake but with a light lemon meringue topping. It wasn't heavy at all and was a fantastic end to the meal. Service was great although it got a bit slower as the night went on, but it also got more crowded. Our server was very nice and knowledgeable and we were able to get individual checks. Our waters were constantly being refilled and all of the staff were very attentive. read more

A Crystal Cove - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I fell in love with the original "A's" in Newport Beach. This one is a lot closer and we thought we would try it. First off- the vibe is 100% different than the original. This is very bougie. Very Newport Coast. Lots of fancy cars, fancy people. New. Fresh. More of a fashion show. Second- the food is the same for the most part. Third- the bar is much bigger and more elegant. We got two salads- the Cesar and the chopped. Both were very good. The Cesar dressing was nice and tangy. The real OG style. We got the chopped salad chopped in the kitchen. No one had the time to be chopping their salad at the table. Am I right? The spicy yellowfin tuna on the eggplant pieces is super good. Chopped yellowfin. It's a classic. The old fashioned with the monogrammed cube? Love it. Very good. We got the bolognese pasta. It was perfectly cooked. It originally came out cold, and we sent it back, and the second order was perfect. The service hit the mark. Some things went wrong, and our server fixed it, and quickly. All in all- I love the restaurant. I like the original more. read more

Came here last night for Happy Hour and had such a great experience! The ambiance is amazing -- the lighting and overall vibe make it a perfect spot to unwind after a long day. We decided to sit at the bar (my first time doing Happy Hour at the bar here), and I'm so glad we did. The bartender was incredibly friendly and attentive from start to finish. He was sharp, on top of everything, and made us feel genuinely welcomed. Our drinks were top-notch -- perfectly made and beautifully presented. One thing I especially appreciated was that he kept refilling our water without us even having to ask. It's those small details that really elevate the experience. Overall, fantastic service, great drinks, and an unbeatable atmosphere. I'll definitely be back and would absolutely recommend coming here for Happy Hour! read more

A Crystal Cove - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

This is our second time here and every thing is absolutely FABULOUS! The service is amazing and of course the ambience is wonderful right on the beach! There's nothing we had that wasn't delicious read more

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We enjoyed the atmosphere here, and we got a table in their private dining room which was nice. The appetizers and cocktails were delicious. The food itself was alright, I enjoyed my branzino and the sides because the portions were decent. The portions for the lamb and sea bass were much smaller than we had expected. The plates are cold so some of the sauces that were meant to be warm on the plate came out cold as well. read more

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After a long day of cruising the Balboa Island Parade, we cruised up PCH in our 69 Corvette to get a drink and nice meal. We sat at the bar and we're basically ignored. We finally got a couple of flutes of overpriced, but refreshing, champagne. After that, ignoring us became the norm. After about 20 minutes, we had to ask for menus, which were given to us without a word. Then, we waited for the bartender to come back, but he instead spent his time visiting with a group of men at the end of the bar. At this point, we were starving and left to spend our time and money elsewhere. On top of that , we had to pay the valet extra, even though my friend had to park and retrieve the car herself, since they didn't know how to handle manual steering. It was all a very disappointing experience. We will avoid this restaurant in the future, as there are others on the area that have much better service. read more

Adrian was an awesome bartender. Coming from somebody in the industry, his skills were impeccable -- super attentive, personable, and on top of everything all night. His food recommendations were spot on too. We'll definitely be coming back because of him. 10/10 would recommend." read more

A Crystal Cove - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Such a cute spot in newport by crystal cove! Service was so friendly and welcoming. We came in to celebrate a friend's birthday and they were so sweet! They brought her a free dessert, and even got her a card! Food and drinks were absolutely delicious as well, and the free photobooth was such a fun touch. Will definitely be coming back! read more

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They charge you a hidden fee which is EMPLOYEE BENEFITS around $7 why do i need to pay for your employee thats your job whats next your gonna add electricity charge and dish washing charge get a life you just lost a local costumer going to make sure everyone knows about it read more

A Crystal Cove - Entrance - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

this is one of the spots if you want a cute little dinner with your friends or a great date night! the food was delicious and super filling! celebrated an anniversary and got celebratory champagne and dessert. our server was sooo sweet and patient, giving amazing recs read more

I've been to this restaurant a couple of times now, and both experiences have been pretty mid. The restaurant itself is beautiful and the ambiance is definitely nice, but the food is nothing crazy. I feel like there are plenty of other spots that offer similar dishes for a better value. It honestly feels like you're mostly paying for the ambiance and location rather than the food itself. That being said, the service has always been good. read more

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Service was good food was decent. Don't recommend the whipped feta. The oysters were great and the steak was cooked very well. The pear apple spritz was also a fun drink. read more

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The staff where so welcoming and caring, amazing service!! They even surprised us with free dessert for a birthday celebration! And the restaurant itself is so beautiful as well, they have a free photo booth!! highly recommend read more

A Crystal Cove - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I had the most wonderful experience here. I decided to have a small birthday dinner for 2 and made a reservation on short notice that same day. I mentioned that I wanted to sit by the window if possible when we arrived to have a view of the water, and they gladly accommodated us, which I really appreciated. I wish I had gotten our server's name because she was absolutely amazing. She wished me a happy birthday and surprised me with a complimentary dessert and a card signed by the staff. It was such a thoughtful and heartwarming gesture that truly made the night feel special. The fact that they also have a photobooth in the back was such a cute touch. We took photos at the end of the night and it was the perfect way to capture the memory of the evening. The food was also a 10/10--no complaints at all. Everything was delicious. I can't wait to come back for dinner again! read more

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We had the best time here. Only went for appetizers and drinks. The staff was friendly and welcoming. The service was excellent. We went around 11 am and it started to get pretty busy by 12:30-1pm. Highly recommend this spot. It's a very pretty/esthetic place. read more

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The food was good, I enjoyed my pasta. I also liked the charred broccolini that we shared as an appetizer but some pieces were too charred to enjoy. The ambiance is high-end, intimate, and romantic. For a fancier restaurant we thought the service would be better but our server was not friendly or warm. He started pouring our waters before greeting us or introducing himself, which we were off put by. Unfortunately, the photobooth was not working when we went. I give this place a 4/5 mainly for the food. read more

A Crystal Cove - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Our server, Lily was attentive, professional & personable. We had oysters as a starter. They were delicious. Cocktails were mixed perfectly. Background music added atmosphere. I had pasta & my partner had sea bass. I highly recommend both entrees. read more