This place came as a recommendation from my brother. We took our parents for their 81st birthday. Everyone loved the food, the atmosphere and the staff. Not 1 bad thing was said! read more

Girlfriend has symptoms FOOD Poisoning after our meal last night. Rib eye was her meal everybody else ok so it was most likely entree the Rib Eye. read more

We came in for happy hour. We ordered 4 items off their HH menu, a beer and a glass of wine. Each of the food items were discounted from $3-$10 dollars off their regular prices! The beverages we're fine. The food..... Without going into detail, none of the food was good! I don't usually give bad reviews at all, only good ones, but we were highly dissapointed! This is a fairly expensive restaurant to begin with (shrimp cocktail with two large shrimp $25) but I wouldn't run the risk of ordering a full meal given the quality of what we ordered! The physical building itself is on the decline as well. The exterior is showing it's age and a lack of maintenance, and the interior is dark and dated! On a brighter note, our waiter, and the service he provided was nothing short of excellent. He had been there for quite some time and was quite knowledgeable and attentive! read more

Had a wonderful experience! We went during a shift change and the service was great! Took a few moments to get seated and for our waitress to get to us, but our food was out quickly and it was excellent! Prime Rib, Chicken, and Filet Mignon Medallions were outstanding. The Christmas decorations were amazing and the truffle desert is a must have! Cannot wait to go back! read more

We first went to Gulliver"s about 20 years ago when we were in the area on business. One of our kids attended the local university, so it became a family "special occasion" spot. We haven't been there in several years, but decided to go for our anniversary. It was a 2-hour drive, but we had other things we planned to do nearby to make the trip worth the price of gasoline. We were not disappointed. We arrived for lunch earlier than our reservation and were seated immediately. We were mulling over the lunch menu and deciding what to share (the portions are more than ample). The signature creamed corn is only as an added side on the lunch menu, and the creamed spinach is only on the dinner menu. There is also a split plate charge. Our server actually guided us that the better value would be to order from the dinner menu. It worked out perfectly. Our prime rib was fork tender and lean. The sides, especially the corn, were scrumptious. We weren't too keen on the Yorkshire pudding, as it seemed dry and lacked flavor. We were given a complimentary anniversary dessert. I stopped in the ladies room on the way out. The main door was open, and I was coughing from an allergy attack (I forgot my meds). When I came out my husband was waiting in the cozy waiting area, and the hostess had a steaming cup of camomile tea for me to take. What a lovely gesture. Of course the decor is all about Gulliver's Travels, with lovely pictures, antiques, etc. in a cozy tavern-like setting, with fireplaces in some rooms. read more

We had our Thanksgiving dinner there with friends and everything was lovely. Seated right on time. Lots of great attention from our server Deborah and I'd recommend asking for her tables. Always nice to have a name when you don't have one. All the staff was attentive and the managers were checking on those dining as well. They had us set up on the patio with plenty of heaters and covered. I've enjoyed Gulliver's Prime Rib since the 70's. read more

The prime rib and cream corn are great but the inside really needs some updating. We got there around 5:30pm on a Sunday and literally sweat the next hour - I guess once they started cooking the AC was a little slow to kick in. It really made the meal uncomfortable. The food is good but not great as we all remembered it. They seemed to lost their way. read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - Prime rib - American Near Me - Irvine, California

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First time here and I am so glad I tried this place out . First let me say the place itself is so well decorated and has a homie feel. Food was amazing! Worth every penny you pay. The taste was so on point. There's honestly nothing I can complain about lol service was great. Server was so sweet and made sure we had everything we needed. Tried the aged charbroiled rib eye steak. Happy I did :) Will be back. Definitely recommend this place. read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - American Near Me - Irvine, California

Food is good, furnishings and carpet need serious redo. Not sure what's going on with staff, they are literally running all over. The tension is noticeable, not the way I want to enjoy a meal. Let me say though that the staff really is helpful. read more

Very good I loved the prime rib and the service was amazing. I had the cheesecake for dessert and overall, everything was just fantastic. Would come here again! I'm Cindy's son btw read more

With this Stay at home order in place, Gulliver's is one of the restaurants that offer take out. They have their special menu posted on their website. I got the Gulliver's lunch cut which is about 11-12oz for $22. It comes with their usual creamed corn, creamed spinach, au jus, horseradish and Yorkshire pudding. Still good. read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - Lunch cut. - American Near Me - Irvine, California

this restaurant is every literary persons dream come true! I am a high school English teacher and I was delighted by this charming themed out restaurant. My fiance and I had been to our jeweler for wedding ring fittings and on the way back we wanted dinner. We heard about Gulliver's and had never tried it. Anyone who has ever read Gulliver's Travels would immediately recognize all the homages to lilliputians and brobdingnagians. Aside from the charming atmosphere our waiter Dennis and his counterpart Juan doted over our every need. Gracious personable and friendly these guys have experience and people skills that would make any dining experience extraordinary. The food is hearty with Gulliver's sized portions and they have an excellent wine selection. We had a marvelous time. For those who are literature aficionados, don't miss the table sign that says reserved for houynmnms! Best of all it's open for patio seating and if you are early and make a special request they can seat you alone inside the dining room. Awesome. read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - Only those who are Houyhnhnms deserve to know what this sign means. - American Near Me - Irvine, California

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My very first time coming here was in 1996. Over the years I've probably dinned here 50 times with either full meals or the quick at the bar sandwiches they have. It's a perfect place to take a client, especially if you're picking them up from the airport and they are in the mood for something nostalgic. The pewter dinner ware is gone. I do miss that. Place is currently decorated for Halloween and they have Dennis The Menace to that for that! Had the pleasure of interacting with him this past weekend. He's been there since 1981. Great guy, will take care of you! Other than the spinach artichoke appetizer, everything else was on point, especially the prime rib. Thinking about doing their Christmas dinner event. That's all folks! read more

Came to Gulliver's for take out during quarantine. This sandwich was fantastic after a 20 minute drive home. I can't imagine how great it will be to eat it fresh in the restaurant next time I come! read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - Prime rib sandwich - American Near Me - Irvine, California

Been to Gulliver's several times over the years, first review here though. Gulliver's has been positioned directly across from John Wayne airport where Irvine and Santa Ana meet for about 50 years. It's 17th century theme is carried over in the dimly lit interior and decorations, but in a warm and inviting manner. On this visit our party of five were warmly greeted at the entrance and after a brief wait were seated in one of the three distinct areas in the restaurant. Our waiter arrived at our table and promptly took our beverage orders and provided us with a tray of garlic buttered breadsticks and sourdough slices which were properly warm and quite good. Everyone ordered the signature prime rib in either the Gulliver's Prime Cut which was about a 16 ounce bone-in slice, or the English Cut which was comprised of three more thinly-sliced pieces. Our food arrived in short order and we all attacked the slabs of beef with gusto. Having been a lover of prime rib for eons, Gulliver's serves a good, but not great cut. There was an unwelcome amount of gristle present in most everyone's serving which diminished the level of satisfaction. Although Gulliver's charges $58 for the standard issue Prime Cut, they are likely saving by procuring a cheaper grade of beef to begin with. Four diners ordered their beef medium-rare and the meat was correctly done to that level. The one who ordered the English Cut requested a medium to medium-well level of doneness, however their serving arrived mostly pink and clearly on the medium-rare end of the scale. The side dishes of creamed spinach and creamed corn were both delicious as was the additional order of brussels sprouts we ordered. Our waiter returned several times to keep our beverages topped off and see to any other needs. I would give Gulliver's four stars overall, had the meat been of a better grade and correctly done to the requested level, but unfortunately Gulliver's only deserves three stars due to the aforementioned deficiencies. read more

Delicious local spot for prime rib! Everything was delicious. My husband got the Gulliver's cut and I got the English cut. I couldn't finish mine it was so much food! We really enjoyed the sides.. creamed corn, spinach and Yorkshire pudding. I liked the casual atmosphere and the customer service was great! read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - American Near Me - Irvine, California

great food and service and the still have the John Wayne table available ! I've been celebrating my birthdays with a wonderful dinner aft Gullivers @The John Wayne table read more

We keep coming back for more! Tony is AWESOME! He hooked us up with bones for our dogs!!!! Thank you, Tony!!! Definitely will be back for more GOOD food & GREAT service!!! read more

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We have a group of friends who get together through out the year but always have a holiday get together just before Xmas. One couple picked this restaurant and because of the mixed reviews, we did not have high expectations even though I've dined at the Marina del Rey Gulliver's since I was young, where our family had some exceptional meals growing up. We now with the tough challenges all restaurants have with Covid, we try to have patience and a lot of latitude with slow or poor service and kitchen staff that's inexperienced or stretched thin. My wife got the prime rib which she really enjoyed, it seems the plates they use are just too small for the entree and sides, the cream corn came on top of the Yorkshire pudding since there was not enough room to have an adequate presentation. My entree was a disaster-I got the rib eye, ordered it medium rare and it came out very well done. I flagged our server and told her my steak was over cooked and she immediately took my plate back to the kitchen. I didn't time it but it seemed about 20 minutes, a new rib eye came back to me, I cut into it and it was extremely rare, had to go back to the kitchen again. By the time my steak came out, everyone in our group had finished their dinner and I was just starting on mine. It seems the kitchen put my plate under the warmer to keep the sides warm and basically ruined them, the cream spinach had the consistency of Play Dough and was tasteless, the twice baked potato was like 10 times baked. My steak came back medium, not what I wanted but decided to keep it and not have to wait another half hour. I ate several bites of steak but was no longer hungry from the ordeal, the horrible sides, the extra long wait. How a chef can't cook a steak is just perplexing. It's really sad to see a great restaurant from years past be so horrible, we will NEVER dine at this place ever again. read more

What an interesting and unique theme! Set up is a little kitschy like a ship. Located close to the airport. Apparently they used to have many and are now down to just 1 location. Good friendly service. I started with the pimms cocktail which I found to be a little too sweet. Got the prime rib with cream corn and creamed spinach. Big portion and just OK. read more

Hosted a business event (30 people) at Gulliver's last month. The Banquet Manager, Deborah Clark, was amazingly helpful, flexible, and communicative throughout the process. The food was delicious, staff courteous (and funny), and the Chef and kitchen staff came out of the kitchen to visit our group and asked if all was OK. I highly recommend this restaurant and its staff! read more

Great service, employees are awesome! Always checking it and refilling drinks, no matter how many people were dining. The Christmas decorations were so beautiful as well. However, their salad was extremely disappointing. I quite literally received a stalk of romaine with dressing haphazardly drizzled on it, around 5 pieces of bacon BITS (so tiny little pieces of bacon centimeter size), and a few random pieces of cheese sprinkled on top. It was extremely disappointing. It was the sorriest state I've ever seen a salad in, I wasn't sure if they were playing some kind of sick prank on me or serious l. Additionally, the menu does not offer an information about vegetarian or gluten-free diets. read more

Forgot to post this from a couple of weeks ago. We had a business lunch at Gulliver's and it was absolutely delicious and the service was impacable. We will return for our next business lunch soon. read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - American Near Me - Irvine, California

The food may be good, but the older "gentleman" at the front desk is very rude to anyone under the age of 30 not "dressed" for dinner. My 23yo daughter went in the week before Christmas to purchase a gift certificate and was completely ignored by the host despite being the only person waiting at the front desk. A couple with reservations came in and they were greeted and taken back to their table immediately, while my daughter continued to be ignored. After 10 minutes she left, saying that her money doesn't need to be wasted at a place like that. read more

Technically, I want to give this restaurant a 3.5 stars but decided to round up to 4. I've seen Gulliver's on Livingsocial for years and decided to buy the deal and try this place out. The deal gives you $40 off your total dinner. After reading so many reviews, I learned that the only good thing about this restaurant are their meat dishes, specifically the prime rib, and that's exactly what I'm here for. I eat at Lawry's every year and was looking forward to how this compares. I made a reservation and was seated immediately. It took at least 15 min after we were seated that anybody came by. We asked for the wine menu and then it took at least another 10 min to get our bread. Then it took an additional 10-15 min for a server to take our order so we took that opportunity to order everything at once, both drinks and entrees. I noticed a few tables around me also seemingly impatient and waiting for service. Anyways, the complimentary bread and butter is delicious and they're happy to bring us more once we ask for it. We ordered the Gulliver's cut prime rib cooked medium rare. The server made sure to double check with us that medium rare is going to be pretty bloody, thats how we like it! The food came out pretty quickly with the creamed spinach and yorkshire pudding on the plate. The creamed corn, horseradish sauce, and au jus came separate on the table so that we can serve ourselves. I'm loving the amount of corn and au jus that they provide. The meat is juicy and tender, it didn't make me miss Lawry's at all. Lawry's is definitely better quality prime rib but this place hits the spot. The only complaint is that some parts of the meat were too fatty. The yorkshire pudding was a little dry and the horseradish sauce wasn't potent at all. The creamed spinach and corn both were amazing. I definitely could've had leftovers but I stuffed my face with no regrets. With the livingsocial deal in mind, I would definitely come back. If I am to pay full price, I'd rather pay a little bit more for Lawry's for the better quality, service, and ambience. read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - Gulliver's prime cut medium rare, YUMMY - American Near Me - Irvine, California

Started coming to Gulliver's in the 1970's when it was originally opened by Hans Praeger. It has always been a great place for special occasions - both family and business ones. We have never been let down by either the food or their service. Today I am having their Tuesday lunch special - roasted tri-tip. Very good with mashed potatoes and green beans. Very good! I need to come here for their happy hour. They boast free appetizers and discounted drinks. read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - American Near Me - Irvine, California

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The audacity to charge these prices. I got a cesar salad and crab cakes; the salad looked as if lettuce was just thrown onto the bowl and a squirt of flavorless dressing was added. The piece of bread that came with the salad was stale. My crab cakes we ok, nothing memorable other than how very small they were. My friend got the wedge salad and left half of it. My other friend got sick from the food and had to go home instead of being able to continue on to our next plan. Just awful. Lovely decor inside, but the charm ends there. Just because prime rib is your specialty doesnt mean that you can serve dumpster food for everything else. A restaurant that charges these prices should deliver quality from the bread served to the desert and everything in between. read more

Had an early dinner here last night. We were a party of 9 adults and one toddler. Had a great time. Our server Shane was fantastic as well as the other wait staff. The food was delicious. Had the prime rib sides were exceptional. read more

Good ole rustic décor but could probably use some updating. We went for dinner during the week and found a fairly full dining room. The food was good, the service a little slow but not a big problem for us. I would recommend this place and probably will visit again in the future. read more

We came for our anniversary with some friends. The food was divine, the service was top notch (I had my water glass re-filled 6 times) But what I wanted to write about was the decorations. The Halloween decor was the best I have ever seen in any restaurant or home. I love that Gulliver's makes the restaurant shine with beauty and a sense of humor. It made the ambiance lively and fun. It must have been done by a professional! read more

Came here Christmas Eve to dine with group of 17. First time dining here and my expectations were off the roof. I definitely should have walked in with expectations closer to the ground. They had a preset holiday menu so I was bummed. The restaurant didn't seem too packed -I saw a lot of empty tables. Our server, she was really nowhere to be found. Ordered several of the Brob, Prime Rib, Salmon, and Crab cakes. I was able to sample everything in addition to having my own Brob plate. I was not impressed with the Prime Rib served at Gulliver's. Meat was tender but that was the only appeal. I've had better Prime Rib from Safeway -which is really disappointing. But the sides were good, the creamed corn and spinach were scrumptious. Overall, unimpressed with my $65+ meat. Lava cake was pretty yummy, as was the creme brulee. An average dining experience from a highly rated establishment. Boo. read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - American Near Me - Irvine, California

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Honestly I remember this place having better food which would have made up for the worst service I've ever had. Food was basically the quality of airplane food. Finished eating at 7:15 and had to wait til 8 for anyone to check on us. Thought by making a 6pm reservation we would be hone by 9 but I guess not. My kid is an hour past bed time and screaming in the restaurant right now as I type this no big deal... read more

The main entrees were great, perfectly cooked prime rib an duck. The sides were hit or miss. Duck came with delicious apple compote and red cabbage cooked in wine vinegar- but then there was a sad twice cooked potato ( 80s style) that was simply not good. Great service, fun Halloween decorations over regular decor, so hard to tell what lurked underneath, but my friend had to get a different chair because the one she had was so tipsy. Mixed review, I know. But I will go back again and avoid the potato next time- extra red cabbage! Yum! read more

Groupon always takes me to some hidden places, some experiences have been great and others not so much. I had high expectations for this place but nothing really gave me a "wow" factor. To be fair though, I didn't order the prime rib which they are known for. Food -Gulliver's roasted chicken-roasted herb chicken with a side of green beans and mashed potatoes. Chicken was alright, very dry in some places. To be honest it tastes like rotisserie chicken from Costco with some gravy on top. Mash potatoes were okay as well, I've had creamier. Green beans were good. -Seafood Linguine- huge portion size with good amount of fish and clams. Sauce was a bit too light for me, dish could use some veggies to balance it out. -food was alright but overpriced. Nothing blew me away. Service -These types of restaurants usually have great service but they did not deliver in this department either. Waiter checked up on us but he lacked enthusiasm and charisma. Felt like he only cared about doing the bare minimum. Environment -very cool gothic interior (that's what I call it). Restaurant has a homey feel which I like. They made us wait a while even though there were plenty of empty tables. Overall, Guillivers did not stand out to me. Food was okay but not up to par for its price. I might come back to try the prime rib but probably not. IG-feedingfranco read more

Absolutely adorable atmosphere and phenomenal service! They had the entire place dressed up with Halloween decor, even the center pieces and the restroom! Our server gladly took my plate back because I forgot to say no bacon and a second time because the prime rib was a bit too pink for my liking and did it with a welcoming smile! We ordered the bone in prime rib and prime ribs... very generous portions. Knocked off one star because I felt the food was alright... not memorable but not bad. They offered us cream of corn even though we didn't order it and although heavy, it was so yummy! Dinner for two $100 including $15 tip! Private self parking. Ambiance and service might have us give the food a second shot! read more

Gulliver's Restaurant - American Near Me - Irvine, California

This is my third time coming here more because it is not close to my house than any other reason. Tonight's visit did not live up to what i remembered. The rib eye was pretty good, but not great. The Prime Rib Bones is a definite pass. They were very fatty and allot of it was really over cooked. Cocktails? Earl of Bartlett was flavorful and pleasant. I am a connoisseur of Vesper Martini's. If you have read any of my other reviews you will understand this. I have experimented with all the possible derivations. They have a drink called a 007. Which is an obvious reference to James Bond and Ian Fleming but it just isn't a Vesper. If they are going to make the inference they should do it Justice. Lillet would be a good start. If they are using Lillet they have the mix all wrong. The penicillin is good if you like very "Peaty" drinks. I enjoyed it, my wife didn't. They get credit for this one it is unique and enjoyable, IF YOU Like peat. The ingredients list " Monster Peat Scotch". I must say they give you ample warning! I'd order it again. The creamed corn didn't seem very creamy it seem like who ever made it got carried away with the flour. I could only eat 2 small fork fulls. As for the coleslaw? There is a restaurant who's name starts with, "Kentucky....." that sees the bar very high. The coleslaw was bland and flavorless. Our Waitress "Toni" was attentive, entertaining and responsive. She was pleasant. read more

Fantastic been going since they opened in 73 if I recall. I was a young child and back when the prime rib dimmer was 7.95 a plate with all the trimmings. I make the creamed corn at home all the time read more

I landed in Orange County and after a long flight I wanted to quickly grab lunch. I stopped by Gulliver's which is located across the street from the John Wayne Orange County airport. I was greeted by a lovely hostess who quickly seated me in the main dining room. Then my experience went down hill. I sat and waited for someone to serve me. A young gentleman brought a basket of bread to the table, placed the basket on the table, turned and walked away without saying a word. Then I waited some more. Now at this point I am getting a little mad and I see a waiter that is walking around and passed my table 3 or 4 times. I spoke up and asked if he could take my order and he did. He quickly realized that they had screwed up. I am not sure if the assigned waiter forgot me or the handoff from the hostess to the waiter was dropped, but I was a customer without service. And there was only about 6 customers in the restaurant. After some discussion with the waiter I ordered the trip-tip Tuesday special with mashed potatoes and fries. The trip-tip was very tough and I had to use a steak knife to cut the meat. The meat was void of taste and the only flavor was present because if the gravy. Also, the bread served prior to arrival of the main course was so hard that I couldn't eat it. Overall a bad dining experience. I visited this restaurant often about 8 to 10 years ago and have good memories, but something has changed. Not worth $22.85, before tip, for a lunch special. read more

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Don't have to go to Chinatown to get good Chinese food anymore. We had the orange chicken, broccoli chicken (all breast meat), black bean fish filet and Singapore rice noodles. read more

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Teri Anne was working the bar the night I went in. My first visit to this place after having lived in OC for 2 decades. Prime Rib was good, not a huge fan of the spinach and corn that were sides. Yorkshire pudding could have been better. I'll probably be back for the Prime Rib. Interior and decore for Christmas were 10/10, A+ read more