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    Gelson's Dana Point Wine Bar

    4.2 (12 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM

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    5 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Service is outstanding, love the wine bar and appetizers. Very good fresh food counter.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Gelson's Dana Point Wine Bar

    Review Highlights - Gelson's Dana Point Wine Bar

    My husband and I ordered the Blue Crab Roll and Gelson's Signature Ahi Poke Tower.

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    Wine Experience Dana Point

    Wine Experience Dana Point

    4.8
    (59 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    Free parking
    Casual dining

    (4.5 stars) Been here 3 times now to take my wife wine tasting before heading to dinner. The self…read moreservice wine tastings are an absolute favorite of ours. Great service and friendly staff. Everyone is very knowledgeable and shares little tidbits about the wine while you enjoy. A few Suggestions / observations: 1. The self service wine area has a massive wine display that limits access to patrons who are there. A thin long belly bar would make it much more social and accessible. Constantly feel like I am bumping into people or wine bottles just to grab a taster then standing in a corner to get out of the way. 2. The massive LED tv's would be so nice if there was nature or a beach scene or something to set the ambiance. Having a massive advertisement of an appetizer stock photo and happy hour fliers illuminating half the store is not enjoyable, they could be utilized in a much nicer format. 3. Would love to see even more of the self serve wine tasting dispensers in the future! They are a hit and are such a fun concept.

    We kicked off our evening at Wine Experience with the chorizo stuffed dates--sweet, smoky, and…read morewrapped in crisp bacon with a touch of whipped fig crema that made each bite worth while! If you can, try the warm smoked almonds and olives; they're smoked perfection with bright lemon zest and paired beautifully with whatever you're having. The food throughout was absolutely delicious, with thoughtful, elevated small plates that felt refined. The standout on the spring menu? Those beef Wellington puffs--tender filet mignon wrapped in golden, flaky pastry and served with Dijonnaise!! They were rich, elegant, and utterly irresistible; we couldn't stop reaching for more. 3rd order anyone?! What truly made the night special was the team. From the moment we walked in, the knowledgeable staff was genuinely helpful and enthusiastic, guiding us through their wine selections with thoughtful recommendations that perfectly complemented each dish. Their passion turned a lovely dinner into a memorable experience--approachable yet refined. Highly recommend for a special night out. We left smiling, a bit fuller, and already planning to come back. Five stars!

    Photos
    Inside - Wine Experience Dana Point
    Inside - Wine Experience Dana Point
    Beef Wellington puffs
    Beef Wellington puffs
    Fig and goat cheese flatbread

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    Fig and goat cheese flatbread
    Five Vines Wine Bar

    Five Vines Wine Bar

    4.8
    (652 reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $$

    This place can get very crowded, but that's honestly part of what makes it so much fun. The energy…read moreis always great, and there's always something going on. I've attended their trivia nights, and they were a blast--well organized, engaging, and a perfect activity for a group of friends. The drinks are fantastic. The Sauvignon Blanc sangria and the frozen rosé are both amazing and have become some of my favorites. The food is consistently good, and the lively atmosphere keeps me coming back. On my most recent visit, I had the opportunity to beta test one of their murder mystery events, and it was such a unique and entertaining experience. It added a whole new level of fun to the evening and made for a memorable night out. If they offer the murder mystery event again, I highly recommend checking it out. It's a great way to enjoy good food, drinks, and an interactive experience all in one place.

    I enjoyed visiting Five Vines Wine Bar in downtown San Juan Capistrano. It's conveniently located…read morenear the Amtrak railroad tracks, which adds to the charm and character of the area. There is public parking nearby, making it easy to find parking @ $2/hour. The wine bar is cozy, cute, and welcoming, with a great selection of wines and delicious food options. I especially enjoy their happy hour and the outdoor balcony seating, where you can relax with a glass of wine and watch people stroll through historic downtown. The waitress is fast and friendly....just all around well worth the drive to this area.

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    Five Vines Wine Bar
    Five Vines Wine Bar
    Bring on the bubbles! tasting to

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    Bring on the bubbles! tasting to
    Truly Pizza

    Truly Pizza

    4.2
    (1.7k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    Free parking

    there is really nothing to say other than "wow". the pizza here is just perfect. we tried a couple…read moreof the round ones and a couple of the squares. if you have to pick just one, the square pizza is a must try! service was great and the atmosphere was really cool with the lemon trees canopy all around. highly recommend the champion cheese and the sweet & spicy. and the soft serve is a must get for dessert, too.

    Got to try Truly Pizza on July 4 and parking was so hard to find. It is all street parking, after…read morecircling around for 30 minutes, we saw a gas station nearby that had parking for $35... ouch It was a short 5 min walk to the restaurant. The ambiance here was very nice and aesthetically pleasing. Our server was friendly and had great recommendations. We got the garlic bread and suprema pizza and olive oil sea salt ice cream to share. The garlic bread was just ok, we did order a side of marinara sauce which helped. But, the bread was on the harder side & flavor was lacking. The pizza was delicious! It was jam packed with so many toppings, we definitely had leftovers. The star of the show was definitely the ice cream. When I heard olive oil was drizzled on top, I was hesitant. But, combined with the salt and lemon zest, it was a perfect balance and an amazing sweet treat to end our meal!

    Photos
    Restroom
    Restroom
    Smoky Vodka (subbed out pepperoni with meatball!)
    Smoky Vodka (subbed out pepperoni with meatball!)
    Sweet and Spicy

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    Sweet and Spicy
    Craft House

    Craft House

    3.9
    (920 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$$

    I made reservations here last night for 20, having never been there before but needing a semi…read moreprivate area for a group to gather. The venue was perfect for our size. They could have had more servers there for sure. That said, the guy serving us worked his butt off, gracefully, friendly, and attentively. Any gaps were filled by the bartender delivering drinks and (I think) the manager here and there. We were well taken care of. Food was great, bacon old fashioned my buddy had looked (and reportedly) was incredible, beers were great, staff were awesome (despite being low in numbers). Highly recommend.!

    I came here for dinner on a Sunday night, and it was a very good experience…read more This restaurant has loud, trendy bar vibes for a family dinner, a date night, or even a girls night out. The parking is definitely limited, as I saw from other reviews on Yelp. On a Sunday evening it was very easy, however. The menu is fairly limited, and I wish they had a few more fish options, though the salmon I saw looked absolutely incredible. I had the chicken caesar salad. The chicken was a large portion, and so tasty. The dressing was SO good. They did forget dressing on both of our salads which was kind of annoying for a simple caesar (so we had to get a side of it). That being said, once we did get dressing, I seriously could've drank the stuff it was so yummy. They also scorch their tomatoes in the salad to perfection. I also tried the crispy tuna appetizer, which was surprisingly different from similar versions I have had at sushi restaurants (not in a bad way). The fish was very fresh and I would order this appetizer again. I think it came with five fairly small pieces (just so you know how many to order for a crowd). If you are feeling dessert, they have an incredible (and massive) butter cake!

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    Inside
    Inside
    Craft House
    Patio seating

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    Patio seating
    Whitestone Restaurant & Bar

    Whitestone Restaurant & Bar

    4.2
    (370 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$$

    The restaurant is definitely beautiful and very upscale. The lobby and overall atmosphere are…read morestunning and make a great first impression. Unfortunately, for me, the food didn't quite live up to the presentation and expectations that came with such a fancy setting. Everything looked great, but the overall dining experience felt a bit underwhelming compared to the price point. Service was fine and the restaurant is clearly well maintained, but I left feeling more impressed by how pretty the place looked than by the meal itself. Not a bad experience by any means, just not somewhere I'd rush back to. Worth visiting if you're looking for a nice ambiance and a beautiful setting

    I wanted to like this place more, I really did, it was good but not great. We made a…read morereservation-which we obviously didn't need at the time-and were greeted and immediately taken to our table of choice, especially since almost every table was available at our early time around 5 pm. Quite a few regulars hanging around the bar, this looks like a Dana Point watering spot for many elderly locals. But the ambience was pretty quiet for a Friday night, not exactly reassuring. We started with the blackened baba ganoush, which I no longer see on the web menu, and it was the best dish of all. Truly delicious, with some nice breads and harissa, the combination was a delight to soak up with the bread provided. I had a blue crab and avocado salad, well done and tasty. Scallops were also well prepared, short rib was good but not spectacular, and the jumbo shrimp cocktail-well, it was a shrimp cocktail-hard to screw that up, but nothing remarkable either. The let-down here was definitely the dessert, which is really hard to mess up. The flourless chocolate cake tasted like a vegan cake made with aquafaba or some other not good flour substitute. Dense to the point of almost being chewy-why not go with a molten chocolate cake instead? Chef needs a new recipe for this one. Glad we did not order anything else because if it was on this level, it would have been double my disappointment. A few of the cocktails were good with a strong pour. For these kind of prices and food, there are better options out there. This is not a bad place, but not one I'd put on my bucket list.

    Photos
    Wall decor
    Wall decor
    Whitestone Restaurant & Bar
    WHISKEY, PASSION FRUIT, AJI AMARILLO,
 HONEY, MINT

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    WHISKEY, PASSION FRUIT, AJI AMARILLO, HONEY, MINT

    Gelson's Dana Point Wine Bar - wine_bars - Updated July 2026

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