Everything was absolutely perfect! Food was perfectly cooked, steak was AMAZING as was all the sides, salad & cocktails were SO Yummy!!' The servers/bartenders were so attentive! LOVE A's & SO romantic & has that old school speak easy feeling in the dimmed lighting & booths, can't wait for our next dinner date! Food is SUPERB!!! Great date night or girls/guys night out!!! Won't dissapoint, love the location & history of this restaurant! Looking foward to visiting their other locations at "A Crystal Cove & "A" 2nd & PCH in Long Beach! Make a Reservation online, super busy on Thursdays & weekends! read more

Food was great and the drinks were good! We had an older woman with short black hair as our server. We were a party of younger guys, she seems like she just blew us off as not a good tip opportunity for her based on our age. One of my mates ordered a drink and she replied, "kind of a fruity choice, you okay with that?".. it was just awkward and caused a weird moment for the table. I heard her brief an incoming waiter (maybe shift change idk) while I was coming back from the bathroom and she pointed to our table and said, "they ordered but they need to hurry up." We were there for like 30 mins at that point and our food order was in. Once I closed out, she waited till I filled out the check right in front of her. I normally tip incredibly generously as I worked in food service before, but I didn't with her. She wanted to treat me like lower class then she got it. read more

Such a great experience last night..ordered the filet and pomme puree both were excellent!! Love the vibe we had a great booth in the bar area and celebrated my birthday. Highly recommend and will be going back!! read more

We had such high hope for this place from the Yelp reviews, that it was quite a let down. Stuffy, loud atmosphere, with antiquated decor that resembles Musso & Frank but without the old Hollywood nostalgia. Cocktails were strong. Grilled octopus and the seasonal sorbet were the highlight of our meal. Wedge salad was average, and the steak was lack of flavor. Great, attentive service from our waiter, but not so much from the hostesses. read more

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Old school steak in Newport Beach! Dining at A Restaurant in Newport Beach is like entering a world where Coronavirus doesn't exist and things are just as they were before 2020, masks optional! Originally called The Arches, the restaurant first opened in 1925, "the same year Coast Highway opened up from Huntington Beach to Newport Beach." Even with a different name, going to A Restaurant is like going back in time, when the servers would scrape breadcrumbs off your table and the only party in town was the Grand Ol' Party! Jokes aside, I really like old, stodgy restaurants like this, and you just know when you step inside that they know how to grill a steak. We sat down and immediately ordered cocktails; my choice was the True Grit, made with Duke Bourbon, Amaro Abano, and Bitters. As we were finishing our drinks, the server brought a hot loaf of fresh-baked sourdough and butter. A special word on the sourdough... this is one of the best sourdough loaves I've ever had. Crusty on the outside, soft and pliable on the inside, each butter-soaked bite was simply HEAVEN, especially if you're a fan of carbs! I'd come back just for the bread! But as Scripture says, man cannot live on bread alone. On our server's suggestion we got the Spicy Yellowfin Tuna ($16) as an appetizer: fresh tuna tossed in a chili aioli on top of a slice of crispy eggplant with a touch of sweet soy. For sides, we got Mac N Cheese ($14), made with Hook's 4 Year White Cheddar, Raclette, and Parmesan, as well as the Sautéed Mushrooms ($12) marinated in sweet garlic, shallots, and parsley. When you come to a restaurant like this, there's really only one right answer for entrees and that's steak. I got the 16 oz Boneless Ribeye ($55), a juicy and well-marbled slab of 1855 Black Angus Beef. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare and was just the right size for dinner. As we were starting to slip into a food coma, our server came by and asked if we were interested in dessert. Typically we would have tapped out by then, but she sold us on their house special Corn Madeleines, served with fresh berries and whipped cream. If you've never had fresh-baked Madeleines before, order some of these and you'll never want to buy the packaged Starbucks stuff ever again! To me, places like A Restaurant are very straightforward and enjoyable as long as you know what to order. If you're looking for an old school steakhouse with a Newport Beach flavor, this'll tick all the boxes and then some. Whatever you do, make sure you avail yourself of their delicious sourdough bread. It's divine! read more

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Excellent service, spectacular views and amazing food! I can't wait to go back! The museum is an extra added bonus that's for sure! read more

A Restaurant - The most amazing cheese plate! - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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The food and service were excellent, and the restaurant appeared to be well-managed. The ambiance was great, creating an enjoyable dining experience. I'll definitely be returning! read more

I think this restaurant has a lot of potential -- The interior is moody, retro, and sexy, and gives an air of elegance. However, I feel like I visited on an off night or maybe there is a mismatch between the ambiance and what I was anticipating based on the vibe of their website/Yelp. The bar can get a little rowdy/crowded and it is very loud in there which kind of takes away from the dimly-lit romantic steakhouse vibe, but it might be different on the weekdays. The wait for a table was extensive even with a reservation. Our main server wasn't particularly friendly and we were passed off to various different waitstaff -- again, not an issue but was there to celebrate a birthday so having to flag down a new person when wanting to order something else was slightly confusing. The food was fine, the steak was the star of the show and I found it to be adequate. The table bread was delicious. Cocktails were good. I think the food was the saving grace of the night, albeit slightly overpriced. Although I do not think I will be returning, I think this is a good spot for someone looking for a more fun casual date night vibe with a bar and good food. read more

This is a good place to take a date or celebrate a mile stone in your career or life . Food was pretty good too . Service was excellent had no complaints . Esp the squid/ octopus . Steaks were pretty good too. read more

Super nice and elegant place, the food was very tasty and our server was very professional and nice. We went on a Friday night to celebrate a birthday, the music is amazing, they have the best DJ. I Will Be back for sure read more

Not going to say much because there's to much to say.Food 10/10. Server 10/10. Staff 10/10.Everything was amazing our server made us feel welcomed and knew everything on the menu. Definitely will be coming back.My favourite steakhouse i've ever been too. read more

A Restaurant - A5 Japanese A5 Miyazaki Beef (Only Served Rare) - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

We went here for a birthday celebration anticipating a wonderful food experience and unfortunately 4 of the 5 meals we had were just a huge disappointment. We ordered the duck liver pate and squash blossoms for appetizers ...duck liver was not seasoned properly in my opinion it tasted very gamey..the berry confidential helped brighten the flavor...the squash blossoms were delicious...the only star of this pricey yet extremely underwhelming meal...the dirty pasta should have had a hint of sage instead the sage overpowered the whole dish...the 69.00 Ribeye had a thick vein of grizzle running through the middle of it and the truffle fries were not crispy...cold...think and unpleasant...the server was very nice and attentive...I will not be going back to A Restaurant.. read more

I don't know why I've never heard of A Restaurant or been here before, but I was missing out! First of all, I love the name of the place...second, their food is just absolutely amazing. Before I even get to the food, let me start off on drinks. They have a pretty impressive selection of whiskey (shh...I ordered a Pappy 12 year) and their bartender, Andrew, was able to make some other awesome recommendations. Okay now onto the food, we ordered a few ounces of the A5 Wagyu and oh my goodness gracious it just melted onto my tongue. It was served with some grilled mushrooms and FRESH wasabi. If you have not tried A5 Wagyu, I highly recommend it. To be honest, we ordered a whole lot of food but after some whole lot of whiskey, my memory tends to fade. Once the drinks slowed down, I ordered dessert (literally 1 of each, no joke). Their dessert was stellar and their homemade madeleines were to die for. From their drink selection, food, service - it was a perfect night. Be sure to make a reservation in advance and bring some cash as it is valet parking only. read more

This is the original location of the old Arches. Great bar and drinks. Steakhouse food is top notch. Service is impeccable! Old-timey steakhouse decor. An enjoyable time was had by all. read more

Atmosphere: This place is a pick-up joint. Very loud. Food: The boneless ribeye (MR) was only a 1/2" thick and definitely not prime. The food is expensive and not worth it. Drinks are expensive also. Value: zip. Service: excellent read more

The food and service was Amazing!!! Our server Cesar was the best. Everything he recommended hit the spot. We were a group of six.. every plate that came out was completely finished.. we had 3 different appetizers, 3 different salads.. the seasonal salad dressing was sooo delicious. from the starters to the dessert.... I can't say enough. We will definitely be back. read more

Their 2nd location in Crystal Cove, Newport Coast is not good. I've tried it twice to form my opinion. The service was good but the food was not. I understand it has some entertainment on the weekends in the evening so maybe that's the draw. The same A restaurant in Newport Beach at PCH and Old Newport Blvd has been good for decades so don't think it will be the same food or the same menu. read more

Our very first visit and all we have to say is wow! We were extremely happy withers our first experience and we are definitely going to come back. The service was incredibly amazing. From the first impression greeters at the front who greeted us with smiles to our amazing server Cesar. Wow, Cesar was great! Kind, friendly and very great at his job. He catered to our every need. I wish I could have taken more pictures but this will do for now. Thank you to the entire team at A Restaurant for an unforgettable evening? read more

A Restaurant - Delicious steak - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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The food is decent. It does get overly crowded at times. But if you want to people watch catch a drink, meet new people it's not a bad spot. read more

If there was a dive bar for wealthy people, I imagine it would look something like this. Nice horseshoe bar area, dim lighting, dark wood, red leather. We were here years ago when it was Arches. Anyway. We came on a Wednesday night around 6:00ish. No reservations, so we rolled the dice. Ended up sitting at the bar and only waited about 35 minutes before we were seated. Drinks were ok. Nothing special, but the bartenders were solid. Food was very good. Wifey got the diver scallops and I went with the halibut. Both were excellent. I also had the hearts of palm salad and Wifey, the sweet potato and carrot soup. For dessert, we got the madeleines. It was all very good. Service was what you would expect. I would recommend reservations. Unless, like us, you would be OK with hanging at the bar for a bit. Dress is business casual. We Uber'd, but parking is a tad cramped with valet only. Nice place. read more

Great food! Ribeye steak was cooked to perfection! This place has been around for decades and I always pass by it. It was quite hard to get a reservation. Servers, Brian and Stacy we're so nice and even the busboys were so friendly and accommodation. Place is very loud but everyone were nice and happy. What's important is the food read more

Big celebration night and we wanted to try someplace different then our usual Fleming's and Ruth Chris steak house. What attracted me to A-Restaurant were the photos on Yelp of their A5 wagyu. From the minute that we were seated to the end of our dining experience, our server Stacy was attentive, friendly and professional. Stacy made excellent suggestions of starters, sides and entrees. Service so attentive that I don't think our water or iced tea glasses ever became empty. We decided on a charcuterie appetizer and a 2 ounce order of the Miyazaki A5 Wagyu, which was like butter. Grass fed ribeye, 16oz boneless ribeye and chicken were the entrees we selected along with Brussels sprout leaves, mushrooms and caulini for our sides. Serving sizes were perfectly portioned. A-Restaurant is probably not your weekly restaurant, but definitely the place to go to for special occasions. A highly recommended place for great quality steaks. read more

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First timer here - valet parking only and as I was trying to turn into the valet parking lot, there was a van blocking the entry way, so that was annoying. My date and I got seated outside in the tent and they had string lights which created quite a nice ambiance, good for a date night. We shared a Spicy Yellowfin Tuna and Hamachi Crudo. Both were delicious and flavorful. Love the ponzu and citrusy flavor of the hamachi and the Spicy Yellowfin Tuna had the fried eggplant with spicy tuna on the top mixed with bit of chili aioli. Then for mains I had the beet salad and Alaskan Halibut (was told that the Halibut was the house special of the night) and my date got the Filet Mignon. I loved red beet salad! The presentation was on point and it had so many different flavors. It had the yellow and red beets, with mixed pistachios, sherry vinaigrette and pesto. The pesto with the beets paired together unexpected well. The halibut was a little overcooked but liked the crispy skin on the outside. It had fingerling potatoes, asparagus spears, fava beans, and fried fennel. I tried my date's steak it it seemed like it was more of the medium side rather than medium rare. But still good overall. We ordered the tres leches cake, it was wayyy too sweet, I didn't expect the leches sauce to be almost exactly like condensed milk though. read more

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I love A Restaurant and make it a point to go every time I visit Newport Beach. It's a really cool vibe, the food is delicious, and the service is always top notch. I went again a couple nights ago and got the chicken piccata. It was outstanding! The appetizers were also solid. We had the shishito peppers, fried calamari, and tuna tartar. Excellent all around! read more

A Restaurant - Tuesday - Mary's Organic Chicken Picatta - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Although I've driven past this restaurant for years and wanted to check it out. The image in my head was far greater than what it was. The ribeye was not warm, although I love a rare steak at least if you heat the plate it keeps it on the warmer side. Our waiter was kind, smiling and attentive however the food was lacking. The asparagus was as thick as a nickel or greater, if you like asparagus you know the tasty, delicate enjoyable don't look like tree trunks. I would offer a different vegetable if you can't put out quality. The desert was fantastic and was the best part of the meal, thanks to our waiter for the recommendation. read more

"Could it beeee any louder?" - Chandler Bing. After I had to literally raise my voice/almost yell at the server, who I could barely hear, just to tell him we wanted water, I made the executive decision to leave. It was my bday dinner with my wife and my mom and I didn't feel like essentially screaming so that my mom could hear me from just a few feet away. So if you're into not being able to hear the people sitting right next to you, definitely come here! If you're looking for a nice, quiet place for dinner, I would say look elsewhere. It was a total bummer because I hadn't been there in years, since it was the Arches...much has changed...so needless to say, it was a total letdown and I won't be back anytime soon. The classy ambiance has given way to loud, obnoxious drunks that basically command the room. read more

What a great restaurant. Service is always on point, dishes are excellent and consistent, and the ambiance is there as well. You have all the elements to have a great night out with your partner or with group of friends. We went a couple of times already since we move to OC and we love this place. Octopus and spicy yellowfin tuna are a must on this establishment. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do! read more

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Met some girlfriends for a night of catching up over drinks and apps. The bartender was fantastic so the only star goes to him! Sitting at the bar it quickly became crowded, loud, and full of people staring us down for our seats. We all mentioned it turned into an uncomfortable vibe as soon as the local vultures ascended into their spots behind us loudly discussing who was going to take what seat of ours, why are we not leaving yet, etc. In fact, when we got our bill a man leaned in to us to comment that it was about time, that they had been waiting for over an hour and all we were doing was talking. Excuse me? Before we were half off our bar stools him and his party were quickly seated in our spot by staff so I assume they go there often and act like entitled jerks. All four of us talked about how we will never go back based off the vibe alone. If you want to go someplace to eat quickly, not have conversation and get pushed out the door--this is the place for you. If you want to leisurely enjoy your evening with your company, find another place to go--Plenty of other great restaurants near by. So disappointing. read more

nt on a busy holiday weeknight and the place runs like greased lightning. Professionals everywhere - hostess, managers, servers - everyone knows what they're doing. Red booths - if you see a restaurant with all red booths...eat there. Drinks on point. Steak on point. Great atmosphere. This is why people go to restaurants. Can't wait to come back. read more

Steak is amazing!!!! We love the ambiance and the service is always so great. There is nothing like A!

We went for our 35th Anniversary and were underwhelmed by the food and waiter. Our waiter was lacking in friendliness and service especially for a special occasion. Our food was nothing special and we would not return. read more

First time at A restaurant. Very lively place. Service was great and food was a little bit salty all around but had a great wedding anniversary dinner. read more

So once again 5 stars! This place is spot on every visit. The service, food, cocktails, wine excellent. Such a well oiled machine. It's pricey but worth every dollar. Thanks for the great steak, mashed potatoes, and salad. The steak is perfect every time along with there creamy potatoes, so good. Want a great experience stop here and enjoy. read more

A Restaurant - Ribeye with mash and some vino. - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Great restaurant that I've been coming to when it was stilled called Arches. The food was tasty delicious and the service was professional and courteous. Bring a flashlight and earplugs. If you walk into the restaurant before it's dark your going to wish you'd brought that flashlight. If your looking to have a quiet conversation with friends or your significant other then look somewhere else. Having said that, I will be back for another meal. Just not on Friday night. Lol . read more

Came here tonight with my best friend and it was alot better than I expected for a restaurant thats fully packed. 1) GREAT service. Attentive and not annoying. 2) everyone who poured our water and placed our plates had smiles on their face when the whole place is busy... A++ 3) reasonable pricing. $30-60 a plate. Some are pricier cz its on their special list.. $97-??? 4) perfect lighting where you dont need pounds of make up on to impress a date or a night out. 5) great energy all around the rooms. 6) awesome specials on certain days. Only thing i wasn't wowed about was the deserts... i would skip that next time. Ridiculous Sundae and Apple Cheesecake didnt wow us. Jerry was our waiter and he was perfect for this place. I actually remember his name. My best friend loves this spot tonight so much that we booked for June 9th for her birthday. Definitely recommend and also try to make a reservation read more

5 stars all around! The food, the presentation, the service. Excellence! Highly recommended! read more

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This is an update to my prior reviews. I have been going to old A's since they opened. I had some complaints about Kimo and want to update my experience. I have been there since my last review at least a half a dozen times and Kimo has been warm, friendly and cool each and every time. I even helped him out the last time I was there when he asked for help with a situation. I am coming back to the old A's more often a result of this. Now the experience there is A+++++ across the board. Thank you. read more

A Restaurant - Maurice engaging with us at the table - New American Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Service was fantastic. Drinks were always full. Intimate dining room perfect for a special date night. Food was delicious and servicing sizes were generous. Well worth the elevated prices. Would recommend! read more

Popular Newport Beach place for locals. The food was ok but nothing fantastic. Dessert was better than appetizers & entrees. A little on the pricey side for what you get. Many better alternatives nearby. We shared fried calamari, spicy tuna & fish tacos for appetizers. Entrees were a Block Cut NY, Filet Mignon, Scallops, Halibut, Hamburger & Fries, complimented with Mushrooms, and Mac & Cheese. Finished it off by sharing a NY Blueberry Cheesecake, Corn Madeleines, a Three Chocolate Silk Pie & coffee. You can bring your own wine & pay a $25 corkage fee. Service was great. Outdoor seating in the back converted from part of the parking lot was nice. Overcrowded & too dark inside. Perhaps intentionally to make all look better. read more

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Super fun restaurant. The inside is very loud and the outside is quieter and cozy with heat lamps. Our waitress was fabulous, and the many had lots of great options. We opted for the Scottish salmon and the scallops. They also have a charcuterie menu you can start with. The tuna appetizer was delicious! read more