The restaurant is absolutely beautiful. The service was 5 star from the beginning to end and the food was incredible. Clear to see why this chef won Top Chef on the season he completed. read more

The food was amazing! Our waiter Micha? I think, was awesome. Very attentive. We love going there and will definitely be back!!!

An absolutely fantastic dinner with the most delicious food and perfect service. We celebrated our 15 year anniversary here and can't wait to come back to this beautiful spot. Our server Tayla was so personable and engaging. We thoroughly enjoyed all of her suggestions which were totally spot on. We started with the bread basket, served with a lemon butter so delicious followed by the octopus appetizer that melts in your mouth. The endive and goat cheese salad is light and refreshing. For the main course, we split the lamb chops and roasted carrots. All of the sauces and spices are perfectly balanced. We were treated to a fabulous chocolate dessert to cap off a wonderful night The interior is so pretty open and welcoming all of the staff are so attentive this is definitely five star service! read more

Ilya Restaurant - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - San Clemente, California

The hosts were disengaged with greeting us and still took awhile to seat us, even with a reservation. Once seated the server was great, helpful with provided recommendations. I would go to this spot more for ambience and drinks vs food. Tried the duck special. Duck was a bit too chewy, compared to other duck at fine dining restaurants. The octopus was the best app but overall nothing too special. I think the spot is worth a try, but was a little overhyped in my honest opinion. read more

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Came here tonight with family to celebrate two birthdays and left feeling pretty conflicted about the experience. The frustrating part is that this place clearly has all the ingredients to be great. The food itself was genuinely very good, the atmosphere is beautiful, and when things were going smoothly, the staff and management were warm and welcoming. Unfortunately, the experience really shifted once we found a long, thick dark hair in one of our dishes that clearly did not belong to anyone at our table. Mistakes happen, especially at newer restaurants, so honestly that alone would not have ruined the night for us. What stood out more was how the restaurant chose to address this issue - or more so lack of addressing it. A very lackluster "would you like to order something else instead?" Acknowledgement or an apology of the unwanted coarse human hair in our food would have went a long way especially as it killed our entire table's appetite. In addition to reflect on the service, we spent most of the evening having to flag our waiter down rather than him proactively checking on the table. One small moment summed up the night perfectly. My mom had brought flowers in a vase for the birthdays. They were sitting on the table throughout dinner. The manager at one point came up and asked if we were celebrating something special because the flowers looked like they did not belong to the restaurant. Additionally, we had also noted twice in our OpenTable reservation that we were celebrating two birthdays. At the end of the meal, desserts came out completely standard with no acknowledgment at all until we had to ask for candles ourselves. By that point, gifts had already been exchanged and the moment had kind of passed. Again, the frustrating part is that this place is close to being excellent. The food and ambiance feel like a 5-star experience, but the level of service attention felt more like we were dining at a Cheesecake Factory. Not much thought, just going through the motions. That said, this restaurant is still fairly new, around 6 months old, so I do think there is room for growth. Right now, based on our experience it feels like they are missing the level of execution and hospitality consistency that separates a good restaurant from a truly great one. read more

This restaurant is so pretty! I love the decor! We had reservations and were promptly seated. The Clean Sheet and False Promise mocktails were colorful and not too sweet. I liked the False Promise more- it had Sencha Tea extract with coconut water, lime juice, ginger beer, and Thai basil. So refreshing! We chose the grilled tiger prawns and white fish carpaccio for our starters. Both appetizers were very tasty! For our entrees, we shared the rigatoni bolognese and branzino. They offered to take out the head and tail off, but we were experts at eating this fish. I loved how light the fish was. We chose the tres leches for our dessert! It was pretty dense, if you like that texture. The staff was very nice and friendly! It's a perfect spot for date nights or if you want to celebrate something special! read more

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Absolute perfection from check in to leaving. What an absolute gem of a restaurant with the most easy going service that was also so incredibly attentive. There is a small parking lot with valet which made parking incredibly easy. Every single dish that was ordered was of the most top notch quality and can't wait to be back sooner than later hopefully! read more

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I came here on a date night and it didn't disappoint. It's a beautiful space with lots of indoor and outdoor seating options. Service was excellent and our server had great recommendations for drinks and food. Food was great, I recommend the papas. The only thing that could have been improved was it was a little chilly when we went and the outdoor set up with heaters was not sufficient. Overall good experience read more

Ilya Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - San Clemente, California

I came here with a group of friends for a birthday celebration. We had a fairly large group of 11 people. We waited about five minutes or so and were seated. The space itself is very beautiful with open-air dining and lots of natural light. There are four dollar signs on the Yelp profile for a reason. Mocktails are $15, entrees start at $36. I ordered seared salmon and Clean Sheet (mocktail). The salmon was pretty well cooked so it was more than well done than seared. The entrees do not come with any sides so you'll have to order anything extra that you want. One of the friends I was dining with asked the server and another person who I assume was in management about the lack of sides to go along the entree and he comped her a spinach and mushrooms and carrots side dishes which was very kind of him. Service was good and our waters were refilled frequently. The food itself was good but not great. My boyfriend and I shared the salmon and the truffle tagliatelle. The pasta was very flavorful and delicious. No complaints there. The salmon was average. For the price, I was hoping for more as far as flavor and presentation. I had some of the escargot and some of the mezze platter, both were decent. read more

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Came here for my birthday dinner and had such an amazing experience from start to finish. The staff welcomed me with birthday wishes the moment we arrived, which immediately made the night feel special and personal. The atmosphere was beautiful -- elegant but still cozy and inviting. It felt upscale without being pretentious, which I really loved. Every dish we ordered was incredible. You can tell a lot of care goes into both the flavors and presentation. One thing that really stood out was how they paced the meal and fired the food in stages, so everything arrived fresh and at exactly the right time. It made the entire dining experience feel thoughtful and elevated instead of rushed. The service was absolutely top-notch. The staff was attentive, friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely seemed to care that we were having a great experience. This was honestly one of the best birthday dinners I've had in a long time. Can't wait to come back! read more

Ilya Restaurant - Mezza Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - San Clemente, California

We sat in the patio, which was very cute, but can get cold. Our service was great. The restaurant was beautiful. We started with the dips and they were all good. I wish they provided more pita bread with the dish though. We also tried the prawn appetizer. It was fine. For our mains, we got the truffle pasta and the steak with the pepper sauce. The truffle pasta was tasty but a little bit overcooked. The steak had a great sauce to it, but it wasn't the best cut of meat as there were some chewy and fatty parts, it also came out cold. They were really kind and provided free dessert for a birthday at our table. We got the tiramisu and it was delicious. read more

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Ilya is a celebration of flavor, and brings Chef Charbel Hayek's vision for peace, abundance, and connection through food to life. They really make you feel welcome, like part of the family, when you dine here. We shared: Cheating Vegan Casablanca Ilya Mezze White Fish Carpaccio Seared Salmon Rigatoni Bolognese Lemon Tarte The ambiance is such a nice, open-air Mediterranean courtyard kind of vibe that makes you want to linger over cocktails and conversation for hours. We really loved the mezze - the fluffy bread and hummus are pure heaven. The cocktails have such unique flavor combinations, like masala chai infused vermouth and butterfly pea tea. Even the lemon tarte dessert had a base of basil cream on the bottom that really put a unique twist on a classic dessert. read more

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Went last night with two girlfriends. The Building is absolutely beautiful and welcoming. Our Server Matt was nice, but the mail manager of the night was extremely helpful, kind, and really helped make our night special. He is extremely personable. Now I'm for the best part... The food was fabulous. We made the night of sharing we started with baked feta. It was so yummy and the homemade pizza was incredible.. We then shared steak Frites and truffle tagiatelle. The steak was cooked to perfection and had the most incredible seasoning and taste. It was served with chimichurri, which one of the girls could not stop raving about. The frites were nice and cooked well. But I have to admit my favorite thing was the truffle tagliatelle. The creamy Parmesan and truffle sauce was extremely perfectly balanced and delicious. We added shaved truffles to the top, which just made it even more special. For dessert we ordered tiramisu which came out and a huge bowl and they dished it out for you at your table. I would recommend this place. I'm not gonna tell you that it's inexpensive because it's not... But it was worth every penny. I'm attaching some pictures of the food and also of how beautiful the building is because that always makes an experience special. The only thing I have to admit it is very loud and difficult to hear the people at your table. read more

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We tried Ilya for the first time and the atmosphere is so charming the moment you walk in--such a cozy indoor + outdoor space that feels perfect for a date night. Service was also super attentive throughout. As for the food, it was a bit of a mix for us--we enjoyed 3 out of the 5 dishes we ordered. Our favorites were the tiger prawn appetizer, truffle pasta, and the tiramisu (definitely a highlight), while the branzino and hummus didn't quite stand out to us. If we're ever back in the area, we'd love to try the steak next! read more

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My wife and I went to Ilya for a long‑awaited date night, and I walked in with high expectations. When a restaurant is positioned as a destination spot -- especially one led by a Top Chef winner -- you naturally expect something on the level of places like Zahav in Philadelphia, Shaya in New Orleans, or Zaytinya in D.C. Even compared to West Coast Mediterranean favorites like Dishdash in Mountain View, Evvia in Palo Alto, or Kokkari in San Francisco, I was hoping for something in that tier. Unfortunately, the experience didn't land there. The Good - Drinks: Excellent. My margarita was fantastic, and my wife's Santorini white wine was crisp and delicious. - Service (early on): Warm and attentive. - Haricot Vert: The surprise hit of the night -- beautifully cooked, flavorful, and easily the best bite we had. Starters We ordered the baked feta and the grilled shrimp. - The baked feta was fine but lacked the salty punch and richness I usually look for. Tomatoes were good; the pita was light but not memorable. - The shrimp wasn't my favorite flavor profile, though my wife enjoyed it. Where Things Fell Apart We were seated at 8:00 p.m. on a Saturday. Appetizers arrived around 8:15-8:20, which was reasonable. But our mains didn't arrive until 9:18 p.m. -- nearly an hour later. We checked in multiple times and were told the dishes were "being fired" or that the kitchen was slammed. When the plates finally came out, they were staggered: - My wife's steak frites arrived first. The sauce was excellent, but the fries were cold and soft -- clearly sitting too long. - My lamb arrived almost 8 minutes later. It was okay, but nowhere near the level of lamb dishes at places like Kokkari or Evvia. By the time we finished, it was nearly 10 p.m., and not in the relaxed, European way -- more in the "we've been waiting forever and are now starving" way. Value Our bill was around $335 (after tip), and for that price, I expected a special‑occasion experience. Between the long delays, the uneven pacing, and dishes that didn't meet the hype, I can't recommend Ilya as a destination restaurant or a place for celebrations. Bottom Line - Drinks: Excellent - Haricot Vert: Outstanding - Everything else: Not at the level expected from a Top Chef winner or a restaurant marketed as a culinary destination I really wanted to love this place. I love seeing great restaurants thrive in San Clemente, especially downtown. But based on this visit, it didn't live up to the hype or the price. read more

I dined at ILYA recently and had such an incredible experience! The space is stunning and truly feels like you've been transported somewhere in the Mediterranean. The indoor dining area is moody and romantic, while the outdoor patio is perfect for sunset. It's a great spot for date nights, celebrations, or catching up with friends. Food and drinks were just as impressive. The grilled tiger prawns had amazing flavor. The white fish carpaccio was a standout. I don't usually gravitate toward white fish, but I would absolutely order this again. The truffle tagliatelle was rich, well-balanced, and perfect for sharing. The grilled bavette was cooked beautifully, and the chimichurri was so unique and addictive. I genuinely wish I could buy a bottle. All of the sauces here are incredibly well done and elevate each dish. The tiramisu is a must-order. It's served tableside, light, creamy, and the perfect way to end the meal. Cocktails were all unique and well executed. Service truly stood out. Everyone was warm, attentive, and welcoming. Our server mentioned it was her first night out of training, and you would never have known. She was knowledgeable, thoughtful, and made great recommendations throughout the meal. Parking is valet, and even the team outside was just as kind and hospitable as the staff inside. Every touchpoint felt like 5-star service. Overall, a 10/10 experience. I can't wait to come back and bring more people here! read more

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This is a new restaurant in San Clemente and the decor / ambiance is on point. Beautiful patio and lots of heaters to be enjoyable in colder temperatures. Highly recommend coming with at least a party of 3 people to share multiple plates. The roasted carrots were delicious, flavorful and perfectly roasted. The tiger prawn were somehow creamy tasting and full of flavor. Goat cheese salad was hands down the favorite to the night, fresh, crunchy and goat cheese everywhere. I'm typically not a huge meatball fan but here they are so packed with flavor and sauce was perfect pairing. The spicy rigatoni could have been spicier but we still enjoyed it. We ordered our steak medium rare, it was more on the medium side but still tasted good. Overall, I would recommend llya and make sure to order a good spread from meat to veggies. read more

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The food is good but very pricey. 85 bucks for the branzino. It might be worth the money but for the outdoor seating. It's incredibly sub-par for a place with valet parking that represents itself as a fine dining restaurant. If you can get seating inside that is the place to be. The patio dining area is not what you'd expect for the prices they charge. The patio has been covered with plastic roofing that resembles galvanized roofing with undulations, it's not chic or cool. The open air windows are covered with landscaping netting like you'd get at Lowe's. The outdoor heating is propane stands like you might have on your patio. If you are cold they go down in the parking garage and wheel one up to your table but they need to open the landscape netting to let a breeze in or the whole place smells like propane. The outdoor dining at the local taco shop on Del Mar street is nicer as is almost every outdoor dining area in San Clemente. How they charge these prices for the dining experience they provide is beyond me. I recommend they install permanent natural gas heaters and clear pressed and polished plastic vinyl on the windows like is found on boats and yachts. There are much better choices in San Clemente and OC to spend an evening dining at until they make some changes. read more

Went back for my second visit and it was just as good as my first! Tonight, my husband and I were seated in the bar area, which has tables surrounding an olive tree. I know I said this in my first review, but everything about this restaurant is spectacular! The bar is beautiful, the restaurant beautiful, the wine and meat displays are really nice and service tonight was just as good as the first time! Since I had the Bavette steak the first visit and it was so delicious I had it again. We added a side of spinach with mushrooms and a share plate of the Truffle Tagliatelle. My husband had the lamb chops which he has been craving since his first visit. All of these flavors together were beyond delicious! Another thing I love about this restaurant is the portion sizes. I think they're absolutely the perfect portion size, you get enough food, but you're not stuffed! Kind of convenient for the restaurant since it saves just enough room for dessert! Haha, which, of course we did.... last time we had the tiramisu tonight we tried the lemon tart, which was not only beautiful, but tasty! I cannot wait to bring everyone I know to this restaurant! read more

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Gave this place another try after a disappointing Valentine's Day dinner, and I'm glad we did. We arrived around 5pm and sat at the bar, where we ordered the Ilya Mezze along with a couple of drinks. The food was a solid 8/10, and the drinks were a 9/10. The space itself is absolutely gorgeous, with so much attention to detail! it really makes the experience feel special. The two bartenders were friendly and welcoming, and by the time we left, the place was completely packed. read more

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New place in town. I love the aesthetics and decor - Simple, clean natural look. Open air, tree in center of dining room and fireplace with heaters throughout. Plenty of seating but Reservations suggested. Open view of kitchen. Great food. We had the starter with hummus, babaganoush pita etc with some veggies- Delicious. The truffle pasta was made with cream so I didn't have it (no vegan options yet but hopefully soon) my husband loved it. The tiramisu was soft, creamy, and delicious (hopefully a vegan option will be considered). Zach the GM was polite to go around to each table and graciously received feedback requests. Lindsey, our waitress was a doll. Very kind, helpful and attentive. We will return for sure. read more

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Once again, an amazing food experience. This is my most favorite restaurant in the OC. From its food, service, atmosphere, personnel you can expect nothing but pure excellence! Kudos to Zach for his hospitality to every diner there. It is a most definitely a happening place that you will want to dine! read more

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Perfect spot to impress your date, girls night out, but also can be a nice family night. I need to spend more time in San Clemente. There are so many nice places here but I'm just so used to going North... Ilya is definitely a gem in San Clemente. And shout out to our sever, Micah! He was amazing! ILYA Mediterranean restaurant @ilyasanclemente 1502 S El Camino Real San Clemente, CA 92672 What we tried: 1. Cocktail: Cheating Vegan $19 2. Mocktail: False Promise $15 3. Escargot $27 4. White fish carpaccio $22 5. Truffle Tagliatelle (Creamy truffle pamigiano sauce) $36 6. Branzino (Zhoug, Beurre Blanc, Cilantro oil) $64 7. RIGATONI A LA BOLOGNESE (Rigatoni, Bolognese Sauce, Béchamel, Parmigiano) $33 8. Dessert: Lemon tarte (Lemon cremeux, breton cookie, praline feuillantine, basil creme anglaise, hazelnuts, basil) $16 Parking: $10 valet or free street parking read more

The brunch menu is FANTASTIC. Love the Shakshouka and phyllo wrapped baked feta. The ambience in here is always incredible.

Brunch was lovely, even better than dinner service! Loved the chicken apple sausage. The truffle salad that came with the omelette was the star of the show for us. read more

Ilya Restaurant - Brunch Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - San Clemente, California

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This was my second time visiting ILYA, but the first time having a sit-down meal rather than a couple drinks at the bar. Both experiences have been wonderful, but last night was really amazing. The food is top notch, the drinks are well-crafted and delicious, and the service was next level. We started at the bar, and the bartenders were quick to greet us, and it's obvious they are well-trained in their craft. Once we were seated at a table, Matt, our server, was extremely attentive and knowledgeable. He was friendly and helpful in recommending dishes and making suggestions. During our meal, we were visited by the GM, Zack, who made sure we were happy and enjoying our meal. I think it's apparent that everyone who works here, from what I've experienced, cares about the environment they're creating for their customers. read more

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Ambiance is lovely but cold at night unless you sit in the bar. Food was slow in coming, apologies were made, that's good. I suspect the kitchen has issues when a lot of tickets arrive during the rush. My chop was good but dry, server did not come back to check until a good 15 minutes lapsed. Overall, good, expensive and nice manager. He never followed up tho. We would try again in a few months to give them a chance to work out the kinks... read more

The restaurant is beautiful, the service is excellent, the food is good but not fantastic and it's pricey. We had the Branzino, lamb chops, NewYork steak and pasta. There were no Lebanese dishes which was a shame read more

Ilya Restaurant - Pomegranate Martini - Mediterranean Near Me - San Clemente, California

We had a great experience. The staff was incredibly attentive, but it never felt rushed or like they were trying to move us along. It truly felt like a full dining experience rather than a quick in-and-out meal. We even got to meet the chef, which was a special treat since we're big fans of Top Chef. Everyone was so lovely and kept checking on us, and the whole room had such a great energy. We ordered the octopus, baked feta, shrimp, endive salad, rack of lamb, oyster mushrooms, spinach, and carrots. Everything was delicious, but the octopus really stood out. We order octopus often when we're out, and this one was so unique--the accoutrements and presentation were exceptional. Also very creative and delicious desserts. A memorable meal all around! read more

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The lemon tart dessert changed my life. Possibly top 5 best desserts I've had in my entire life. Like the chef is French or something and it might be better than any dessert I've had in Europe. But the entrees were pretty average. Like good but nothing out of this world. The service was so amazing like everyone was SOO nice. And like vibes were just so good and like the owner came up and talked to us and just a great experience. It wasn't too expensive so Id definitely come back with friends for like a little GNO dinner. read more

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Very average and overpriced. Only the endive salad stood out. The pita was cold and sad. The sides were tiny and way too salty. The pasta bland. All our sides and appetizers came out at once. Zero spacing between plates is insane. Service was ok. Restaurant is beautiful. That's probably the only thing that's a plus. The lemon tart was strange and very sweet. Just an overall disappointment, especially coming into it with high hopes :( read more

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The food was extremely salty and overpriced for the quality. We were charged about $50 for ~9g of truffle, which didn't feel worth it--especially since it wasn't weighed in front of us, so there was no way to verify the amount. For a per-gram item, that lack of transparency is disappointing. Also, the heater next to our table was visibly dirty with spider webs, which is not acceptable for a restaurant at this level. Disappointing overall. read more

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The food was good however pricey for what it was. Service was amazing!!!! The server was super helpful, the water was kept full, the wine was kept full. The location is nice although the seats at our table were a little short for the table. Like they were purchased by look not function. I would bring a light jacket with you as it can get breezy. read more

Ilya Restaurant - Bread basket - Mediterranean Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Cocktails very good service was excellent. The lobster spaghetti was excellent steak and fries was excellent. Best grilled octopus ever! read more

Our experience was overwhelmingly positive. While the open sliding door made the space a bit chilly and VERY loud, I believe closing it during this season would create a cozier atmosphere and provide more privacy for diners. The service, led by Tayla , was top-notch - friendly, attentive, and efficient. The food was impressive, with standouts like the baked feta and Truffle Tagliatelle. Unfortunately, the New York Strip didn't meet our expectations - it was tough and lacking in flavor. It didn't taste like a New York strip either and they should've told us that they will serve it cut, if we would've known, we would've ask for them to serve it uncut! The fries was our side dish and it was overcooked (see in the picture) it was hard and tasteless (unsalted) Also the corkage fee is $30 per bottle as we did bring a bottle of wine. Nevertheless, we're eager to return and try other entree options, aside from their steaks. I also did not like the way their reservation works. If you call the place they would direct you into an automated voice and it is just so much work and very hard to get ahold of them. It is easier to book online such as open table yes! But when you have to change your reservation time you have no other choice than to call and wait for how many minutes until they direct you to an actual person... This is why I would only give it a 3 stars... though we did have a good experience. I will also give them a chance since I do understand that they just open! read more

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Well, this is quite a surprise in San Clemente. Been open roughly a month in South San Clemente, my husband decided to plan a date night to this restaurant. Let's start with parking. There is valet parking at $10 per car or you can try street parking, which can be a little difficult. They will take a credit card. Now let's get to the restaurant and experience - we had a great time. We arrived at 7:30 and it took a few minutes just for our table to be completed and ready for us to be sat. Gorgeous first impression when you walk in. The host stand was very friendly and professional. It's kind of a indoor outdoor type restaurant. There's definitely an outdoor seating area that's covered. It does feel cozy and like a room and there are heaters and a fireplace. We sat into the section that was more like a regular dining room closest to the bar area. There is an open kitchen. The bar was pretty busy. To the right of the bar was quite a bit of soiled and used glassware that just needed to be washed and put away. Wasn't the best observation, but not the worst either. Since we visited an in January, I do recommend perhaps a sweater or light jacket for either room because both rooms were cool. We were promptly greeted and offered a choice of waters. Our server was very professional and friendly. I wish I remembered her name, but she had brown wavy hair. We opted to start with the bread basket, which was not very impressive overall. The only items that I did like were the pitas. The rest just seemed to be premade toasts and breads that were just put into the basket. Next time I would just ask for just the pita or not to get this starter at all. we then moved onto the goat cheese and endive salad as well as the barramundi crudo. We also ordered the potatoes brava. All three of these items are great. For the Main, we decided to share the Bavette steak, which is essentially a flank steak. It comes with chimichurri sauce. Now here's what I would do I would order the potatoes bravas as your side item with any of the meats. They do offer french fries but I think the Spanish potatoes are delicious and would compliment any of the steak entrées. They are double fried and seasoned and were delicious. The steak was actually very good. It was well seasoned and tender. We asked for medium rare. Water and beverage refills came throughout the night. Our only giggle of the night would be charging for a refill for a Coke. I'm not at all for nickel and diming guests but when you're already paying $60-$70 and up for an entrée, I think complementary refills add to the experience. I will say this is a fountain Coke. It was delicious. It had the perfect amount of carbonation and ice. It always frustrates me when I get those tiny little Coke bottles or cans at other locations around town. I want a crispy Coke. The dessert menu featured three items, including tiramisu, a lemon tart, and trace Leches cake. We opted to pass on dessert but next time we're definitely gonna try the tiramisu. we saw it go past us. It is served from a large bowl which looked amazing. The restaurant was full by the time we left around 8:40 PM. Good crowd. It felt welcoming and not snobby if that makes sense. I think there was a genuine air to making sure guests were comfortable etc. The manager came by our table to say hello, which was appreciated. Will definitely come back. It's a welcoming new location for the city. read more

Ilya Restaurant - Bavette - Mediterranean Near Me - San Clemente, California

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We had such a great date night at Ilya. It's a beautiful coastal Mediterranean spot by. The space feels warm and inviting, with both indoor and patio seating. A few highlights from our visit: The butterfly pea flower mezcal cocktail was a standout--super unique and refreshing The Ilya Mezze Plate was fresh and full of flavor Barramundi carpaccio was a 10/10--easily one of our favorites Rigatoni bolognese was rich and comforting (8/10) The Australian rack of lamb with Moroccan spiced yogurt was incredible--probably the best lamb we've had Tiramisu was light, smooth, and the perfect way to end the meal read more

Ilya Restaurant - The Ilya Mezze Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - San Clemente, California

Ilya by Chef Charbel Hayek is such an exciting addition to the San Clemente food scene. The menu beautifully captures the flavors of the Mediterranean coast - vibrant seafood, wood-fired dishes and classic mezze designed for sharing and savoring together. Everything we tried was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The attention to detail in each dish really elevates the experience and gives it that refined, special-occasion feel. The interiors and overall ambiance are just as impressive as the food : warm, stylish, and inviting. Definitely a standout in San Clemente. read more

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This restaurant is gorgeous, opens to the patio area. But it's small, fits less than 100 people and very loud/noisy, we had to yell at each other. It's by the freeway so location is a bit odd. There's street parking in the residential area nearby but it's not easy to find parking so we were all forced to valet, which is $10. The food was ok, the tiger prawns were average, the carrots were way too sweet and drowned in sauce and the haricot verts had a weird flavor, also drowned. The branzino was amazing and I enjoyed that very much. the tres leches was good. It was all very expensive for what you get. Service was great in the beginning but it seemed our server got tired halfway through our meal. We were celebrating a birthday and she's vegan. What I thought was super strange is that they put a candle in my tres leches to give to her as her birthday treat. She was confused and said she can't eat that so I asked if he could just bring her some plain berries but he either didn't hear or didn't care but simply walked away. We realized later that it was my dessert, which she just spat into blowing out the candle. The worst part was when we got the check, the manager told us they could split the bill however we liked by item or people or whichever and as many ways so we wanted to get a check for each person but the server refused to do it. In the end we calculated our own bills and he was able to charge the amount we specified for each card. It was fine but just mixed messages and awkward. read more

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This restaurant is beautiful! It's a patio with a tropical ambiance. We dined here for a birthday dinner and we enjoyed the food we had. Only the portions were small for four when our waiter mentioned about sharing. For starters we had two dishes. The Mussels in curry, lime, and tarragon with pita bread was wonderful. The mussels were soft in a tasty curry broth while we dipped the rest of the pita bread in it. The Ilya Mezze was good as well only if it were a bit more it would have been perfect. The Goat Cheese Endive Salad was superb. Very flavorful and appetizing. Then for our main we ordered the Australian Rack of Lamb in spiced yogurt with two side dishes of Glazed Carrots and Bloomsdale Spinach & Oyster Mushrooms. Ate them to the last bit! Cocktails were made nice and smooth like the Casablanca and the Vesuvio Margarita. And for desserts, the Tres Leches and Lemon Tarte, a nice way to end our meal with sweet satisfaction! Our servers were engaging. read more

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