Best meal of my life! Brian is the best! This meal is amazing! We are here for our anniversary and every dish is beautifully crafted and amazing! The drinks are strong and the atmosphere is wonderful. This is the best place in Orange County for a special date night. We are drinking the smooth operator and the Knife Pleats version of a cosmopolitan. This restaurant is my favorite in Orange County inside of my favorite mall(South Coast Plaza). We are only on our third course of six and I'm in heaven. Thank you Knife Pleat for an amazing night and welcome to Orange County. Hope you get that third Michelin Star soon. Happy Yelping! read more

Knife Pleat - French Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This is a Michelin star restaurant inside of the South Coast Plaza mall. It was a bit hard to find so had to look on the directory, on 3rd floor. I actually wasn't expecting a Michelin star restauarant inside of a mall. It's nicely decorated. We came for afternoon tea for my birthday. It's a prefixe menu for $115 per person plus service fee. I really wanted to try the ambrosia tea but sadly they said they were out but were nice that if I didn't like my tea I chose he would replace it. I chose the Japanese Sencha and turned out to be pretty good. Also tried the husband's rooibos bourbon and that was also good. He really liked his tea. A tier came out of savory and sweet dishes along with a platter of 4 sandwhiches. Of the sandwhiches the lobster eclair was the best. The others tasted regular. The sungold tart was also unique and pretty good. The desserts were very pretty. And for my birthday they decorated a macaron with a candle. It was very pretty. If you are looking for a traditional tea and scones type of afternoon tea tho they do not serve scones. The service was very good tho. Staff very helpful. For the price tho I'm not sure their afternoon tea is that special but I'm assuming their Michelin star worthy rating is likely for their dinner. read more

See all

My husband took me here for Valentine's Day, and I have to say, it was an absolutely amazing experience! I had only ever been to the third floor of South Coast for exclusive Louis Vuitton private showings, so I was beyond excited to try something completely different. Mind you, I was six months pregnant at the time, so I was a bit picky about smells, cautious about new foods, and not super adventurous -- but every single bite exceeded my expectations. The food was phenomenal! According to my husband, the drinks were spot-on. The restaurant itself is incredibly intimate, creating the perfect atmosphere for a special occasion. I've attached pictures of everything we tried -- and I can honestly say we didn't regret a single dish. Yes, it was our highest bill ever, but it was absolutely worth it. The service was impeccable; plates disappeared as quickly as they arrived. Every detail was attended to, making us feel truly taken care of. This was more than a meal -- it was an unforgettable experience. Highly recommend for anyone looking to celebrate something special in style. read more

See all

Exceptional! We came here for the Saturday Tea, which comes out to be $115 per person, but with tax and tip it's probably more closer to $155 per person. For the reservation, everything is done online, including paying for the whole experience upfront. We just had to pay for the sparkling water we decided to opt for. From the service to the end of the tea time, it was spectacular. I can definitely see why this has a michelin star. When coming here, definitely go for the outdoor seating for a better experience. The ambiance is just beautiful in the patio area. The Saturday tea portions can be a little small, but I think this is perfect for a date or a time with your girlfriends. It's perfect for a time to just to chat, sip some tea, and eat some delicious snacks. Due to the price tag, this is good for a once a year experience. read more

See all

Knife Pleat has an elegant setting, but the experience fell flat. The chef carried a somewhat detached demeanor, and unfortunately the food didn't justify the confidence behind it. Several dishes lacked depth and balance, especially for the high price point. Overall, a disappointing visit. read more

Knife Pleat - French Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Disappointing Michelin Star Experience - Not Worth the Hype We recently moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Orange County and were excited to explore the local Michelin-starred dining scene. Having tried most of the Michelin-star restaurants up north, we were looking forward to seeing what OC had to offer. We booked Knife Pleat's tea service for my husband's birthday, hoping it would be a great intro--and if we liked it, we planned to return for dinner. Unfortunately, the experience was a letdown from the start. We arrived just 4 minutes early for our reservation and were met with attitude from the hostess. She asked, rather irritably, "Do you want to be seated now? You are 4 minutes early!" We offered to wait, but she replied with a curt "I guess you can sit now," and walked us to our table with no welcome or explanation. No warm greeting, no mention of who would be serving us--nothing. For a Michelin-starred restaurant, that was a red flag. We ordered the rooibos and ambrosia teas. The first pour was fine, but later another staff member mistakenly poured rooibos into our cups that already had ambrosia, mixing the two. Despite being completely different in color, the error seemed to stem from the identical metal teapots used. Honestly, the teapots looked more like camping gear than fine dining serviceware. The food? Beautiful presentation, but underwhelming in flavor. The winter crostini had a metallic taste. I had to force it down. Even non-seafood items like radish and watercress had a strange seafood smell--possibly from being prepped with the same utensils or stored near seafood. The deviled eggs were just average. There were no moist towels to cleanse our hands between courses, so we had to go to the restroom to avoid flavor transfer. To their credit, the ambiance was lovely. The interior design is elegant, and the bathrooms are beautifully done. Most of the staff (aside from the hostess) were friendly, but service was inconsistent. We had to pour our own tea several times because no one came by. The tea itself was fine, but nothing memorable--honestly, we've had better at upscale hotels. We ordered two cocktails and a sparkling water ($12), and with the tea collection and a 23% service fee (plus tip with a verbal reminder that this did not include gratuity). the bill came out to around $400--for a tea service for two. For that price, we expected a far more refined and memorable experience. It just didn't deliver. Even the macarons--something you'd expect a French restaurant to excel at--were just average. There wasn't a single dish we'd crave again, which has never been the case with other Michelin-starred meals we've had in the past. And that's the true test of a great restaurant, especially one with a Michelin star. Knife Pleat missed the mark completely--for us, it didn't live up to the name or the star. read more

See all

We went there around early afternoon today, and there was a male host who asked us if we made a reservation. we said no. he was grabbing menus and trying to get us a table. This lady came to the front and she said " we are not taking walk in at the time. Would you like to make a reservation for future?" So i said i will prob try next time and left. More than half of tables were empty. If it was a reservation only, then you guys should have at least put a sign or the lady should have explained about confusion with the male host. It was a very unpleasant experience. read more

The six course meal at Knife Pleat is an incredible selection of quality and seasonal ingredients.  The flavors, the textures, the presentation, the service, the ambiance - every detail was so well-thought out and so, so impressive!  The trio of amuse bouches delighted our senses and set the stage for a spectacular meal: PEAS & CARROTS: huacatay, pea foam - an almost smoothie-like texture and refreshing flavors with satisfying bits of crunchy carrots. PANISSE: charred eggplant puree, pickled onion - this delightful bite was as beautiful as it was flavorful. POPPY SEED CRACKER: goat cheese, garlic-honey - an elevated savory cracker "sandwich" perfect for goat cheese lovers. OSETRA CAVIAR: the buttery, nutty, and firm caviar paired incredibly with avocado, tomatillo marmalade, pine nut crumble, and crudite - absolutely sensational, gorgeous, and unforgettable. SHIMA AJI & GEODUCK: fennel cream, dulse seaweed, and chartreuse-cucumber jus - first time enjoying both shima aji and geoduck together and the differences in texture really complemented one another. Choice between: (1) MOREL MUSHROOM: served with parmesan pearl barley and fava beans. I love #morels and the parmesan pearl barley tasted like a creamy and savory risotto with better texture.  Couldn't get enough of this dish! (2) LEGUMES DE SAISON: My husband chose this dish in lieu of the morel dish and I'm so glad he did!  This is one of Chef Tony's specialties and a stunning work of edible art, with individually prepared farmer's market vegetables and black winter truffle.  The different preparations (pickled, steamed, sauteed, etc.) made for a really delicious variety of flavors, textures, and colors.  ALASKAN HALIBUT: pistachio crust, lima & fava beans, pickled ramps, and nettle-tarragon jus.  Just the most tender, tasty, and perfectly-cooked halibut I've ever had.  Every flake of fish was absolutely glistening. Choice between: (1) CRESCENT FARM DUCK: seared breast, leg confit, savory madeleine, pink turnip, and blackberry gastrique.  So happy that duck was on the menu!  I'd had a taste of the lunch version before and this dinner version was amazingly flavorful and perfectly executed. (2) AMERICAN WAGYU: For an upcharge, you can enjoy Snake River Farms wagyu ribeye cap, Magic Myrna (Alaskan fingerling) potato, delta asparagus, cippolini onion, and beef jus.  Tender, melt-in-your-mouth wagyu that we'll be dreaming about. BLACK TRUFFLE BRIE: frisee, watercress, chive, truffle vinaigrette, and toasted sourdough baguette. Oh my dough - this was such a delightful add-on!  The creamy black truffle brie cheese was a match made in heaven with the crispy sourdough toast. STRAWBERRY: delicious Harry's berries in confit and sorbet forms served with a basil tarragon granita.  A light, refreshing, and lightly sweet palate cleanser that prepared us for dessert! CHERRY: clafoutis (crustless tart), poached cherries, griotte marmalade, and thinly sliced almonds - a very satisfying cherry duo dessert that balanced rich chocolate, fluffy cream, fruitiness of the cherries, and delicate almond flavor. Last few sweet bites: MACARON: a tiny, adorable and tasty marigold macaron PATE DE FRUIT: reminded me of an elevated fruit rollup  CHOCOLATE STAR: creamy and smooth And a lovely surprise: LEMON CAKE: a nice take-home gift to savor after departing the restaurant  Definitely a meal to remember and we'll be looking forward to our next visit! read more

See all

This was an interesting experience and serves as a discussion point for what a Michelin star restaurant is and isn't. The service is great, very attentive, maybe a tad bit overbearing but it wasn't an issue. They came by to explain each course as expected. We had the preview and it was a lot of food and couldn't imagine doing the full collection course. We did opt for the caviar and it was very good, came with airy tony bread sticks(?) and waffle chips which were good accompaniment to the rich caviar. The presentation of the caviar was also very cool. I'm not going to review all the courses since it's been reviewed heavily and will focus on reason for the rating. The vegetables in the veggie course was slightly overcooked, it was bordering on being mushy without much bite. And seemed a bit on the salty side. The beef seemed to be too tough to cut but seemed ok when chewing. Perhaps it was due to it being cooked more on the rare side. Overall the dishes seemed to be a bit heavy and perhaps this is more of a preference issue than the actual food itself. For some context, my favorite dishes were the amuse bouche and the caviar. So after spending $850 for 2 people for dinner and 2 drinks, this is perhaps a one time experience. Even taking the cost out of the equation, I'd venture to say the above remains true for me. This experience also made me realize that my tastes and preferences have shifted over the past few years. If I were to have gone to knife pleat maybe even 5 years ago, I believe my rating would be different. The experience was good, but that's the issue. The Michelin star sets an expectation of an extraordinary experience whether fairly or unfairly. Expectations are high and unfortunately it didn't deliver. read more

I've been to Knife Pleat for several times over the years, and it has been a wonderful experience until tonight. We ordered the full tasting menu with wine pairing. The food is overly salted, but the worst part was that the sommelier didn't even bother to introduce the wines in the last few courses, and I also found a plastic wrap in the dessert. Given this is one of the most high-end restaurants in OC, the chef/manager didn't even bother to apologize. All in all, I don't think I'll be back again. read more

I recently dined at Knife Pleat for a girlfriend's private birthday bash on Saturday October 12, 2024. It was my second time at Knife Pleat. The first time I experienced Knife Pleat was a date which was an incredible 5-star Michelin experience -- the date not so much but Knife Pleat, yes please :) -- and so, as you can imagine, I was excited to dine here again. Knife Pleat is an upscale fine dining French restaurant inside South Coast Plaza, located on the Penthouse Level, adjacent to Louis Vuitton. In other words, incredibly boujee, just how I like it :) The first time I dined here, my date and I were seated in the outdoor patio area. The second time for my girlfriend's birthday, we were seated in the main dining area, near their nine-seat marble bar overlooking the open kitchen area. The service here is unparalleled. From the first course to the last -- everything from the quality, freshness and explanation of dishes to the timing of the courses flowed smoothly and the servers were in lock step for our party of 8. If you are looking to experience an incredible and memorable curated culinary journey, I highly recommend Knife Pleat. It is definitely on my top 5 list of favorite restaurants -- in the world. read more

See all

We had an extraordinary experience at this restaurant and I'm glad that we celebrated the anniversary here with the family. Beau was extremely professional in the way he described each course and with the presentation of the food as well! We will definitely be back to celebrate special occasions, and also host family gatherings . Cheers to management and please continue the good work! read more

Michelin star? I guess.. We opted for the 4 course meal for this special occasion of a birthday. Every dish is, of course, finely crafted and enjoyable. Presented in a wonderfully pretentious kind of way, there's a whole choreography when the plates come out. You can tell I'm out of my element as a $250+ dinner per person isn't something I regularly do. However, to be honest, I've had more flavorful and composed dishes for significantly less. One interaction was extremely offputting, in which a server was taking a dish away and dropped a (butter?) knife. And in trying to catch it midfall jammed it into my arm getting sauce all over my sleeve as well. He then proceeded to just leave quietly... pretty rookie and unprofessional behavior for this establishment. Even though the food was great and the pomp and circumstance was fun to a part of, I can't see myself wanting to come back again and it would be hard for me to recommend this to any of my non millionaire friends lol. Food: 9/10 Service: 7/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Value: 4/10 read more

See all

This is a 1 star Michelin restaurant located in South Coast Plaza. We came here for afternoon tea, which comes with 7 savory items, 8 sweet items, and a choice of a tea. Cost is $115 plus 23% service charge and $5 order fee. The presentation of the tower for the afternoon tea items was beautiful! My favorites were the beet-cured salmon, Maine lobster eclair, and the chicken barquette. These were so flavorful! The Persian cucumber and radish & watercress were just ok - it had too much cream cheese/butter. The caviar deviled egg was solid, but wasn't astounding. My least favorite was the truffle brie since I personally don't like brie. The chocolate desserts were my fave! The other desserts tasted pretty standard. Of note, the sesame ball had a strong black sesame taste. The mandarin tart was super sour. I tried the Phoenix Jasmine Pearls tea. I was expecting a stronger chestnut taste, but it just tasted like regular green tea. Also got the Yves Saint Laurent cocktail, which was sweet and tasty. Service was pretty good. They gave me a little table holder thing for my purse. Everyone was friendly. The guy serving our tea initially told us he would help pour our tea cuz it kept spilling but then he ditched lol Overall, we had a good experience! Enjoyed the variety of finger foods for afternoon tea and the beautiful presentation! read more

See all

My partner and I celebrated our 10-year anniversary here, and it was the most special dinner we've shared. The staff were incredibly friendly, congratulated us, and treated us to an unforgettable meal. We were so full by the end, we almost had to be rolled out! ENJOY! PS: The restaurant is inside the South Coast Plaza, on the 3rd floor near LV. read more

We went today for Afternoon tea. We made our reservations in May and this was the first available. So make those reservations early folks! You pay ahead and service fees are added. It is a beautifully decorated space, we chose to sit on the patio as it was a beautiful day. Very comfortable seating and they had greenery and fans going. The menu is pre fixe for the tea service but you can choose your tea and order cocktails or wine. I had a hard time choosing my favorite item but the deviled egg won out, with the curry chicken and lobster roll close seconds. We tried the rooibos tea and ambrosia - the rooibos was great with the savory and the ambrosia was absolutely the perfect flavor for the sweets. I also had a Shiso - nonalcoholic drink which was light and refreshing. Our served Sid was so attentive and helpful! read more

See all

Enjoyed high tea today with my girlfriends as a way to usher in the year and finish out the holiday season. The restaurant is a lovely intimate setting in the Penthouse of South Coast Plaza with a warm and inviting atmosphere. Staff were very welcoming and worked to make sure all of our needs were met and that our visit was as enjoyable as it could be. We enjoyed 3 hours at the table, catching up and thoroughly enjoying the food and tea. Champagne and mocktails were a great addition! The hot chocolate was rich and creamy and the teas were exceptional - ambrosia, Earl Grey, and rooibos bourbon. The finger foods were delicious - the eggplant tart and the radish sandwiches deserving honorable mentions! What a treat to share this with friends! read more

See all

Overhyped and Underwhelming Went to Knife Pleat at South Coast Plaza for lunch with two friends.....and it was a $450 disappointment for three people. From the moment we arrived, the experience felt off: disorganized service, confused staff, and a stiff atmosphere that tried too hard to feel upscale. The food? Bland, uninspired, and nowhere near the quality you'd expect from a Michelin-mentioned restaurant. Honestly, I have no idea how this place gets any recognition. For the price, we expected something memorable....instead, we left wondering if we'd accidentally walked into a very expensive joke. Save your money. There are far better places in OC. read more

While the service was as expected for a Michelin Starred restaurant, I found the food to be lacking in comparison to my previous Michelin-starred meals. I got the preview prime fixe and while the spread of dishes and quantity was good, most of them were just fine. I found the desserts and mushroom risotto to be exceptional, but the rest was just good, not amazing. Grade is reflective of the price and prestige that didn't match with the caliber of food. read more

Impeccable service, food, and ambiance. Definitely a place to dress up, feel pretty, and eat great food. The starter of amuse-bouche, salmon tartare and steak tartare were excellent. Savory, perfectly salty, and crunchy. It was super well balanced. Came with a Champagne foam parfait, which I did not care for, due to me not enjoying alcohol taste, but it balanced out the rest of the starter courses well. 4/5 We got the caviar ostera as an extra, and it came with potato chips and crispy bread strips, with a chive egg foam. Absolutely delicious. It was creamy, buttery, with a mild, but pleasant fish taste. 5/5 The next dish was a savory panna cotta ( it tasted a bit like a crustacean panna cotta, topped with celery, crostini, poached lobster and caviar. The lobster was poached perfectly, celery gave a refreshing crunch along with the crostini. Slightly salty, but very good, 4/5 We then had a passion fruit/satsuma orange fish sashimi. The fish just had was firm but had the most pleasant bite to it. It was as if your teeth was slicing through butter but it didn't taste like butter. Super nice texture. I found the passion fruit to be a bit overpowering/tart, but it was still good. 4/5 The maitake mushroom risotto with barley was good, but a tad bit salty. I still loved it though. Barley gave a fluffy texture, lightly battered mushrooms have a slight crunch. 4/5 Halibut with poached endive. I never had a poached endive before as I usually like to eat them as is. However, the fish mixed with the sauce, the endive, was very balanced. The fish was buttery, flakey, endives provided a slight bitterness to cut through the richness with the sauce. Flawlessly seasoned. 5/5 Duck a'l'orange perfectly cooked duck with turnip cream, orange sauce. Excellent. The fatty duck paired well with the orange sauce which helped balance the richness of the dish. 5/5 Wagyu was perfectly cooked and flavored as well. 5/5 Truffle Brie Cheese plate, extra add on came with a salad using truffle vinaigrette and brioche slices. I thought this dish was the least exciting. It was alright to me. The truffle Brie was an overwhelming amount of truffle flavor which was too much for me. The salad, which had a bitter taste helped cut through that a little bit, but I did not favor this dish. The bread was good though, crunchy and warm. If you really enjoy truffle, I think this dish is for you. 3/5 Almond and pomegranate sorbet with fennel. Delicious. I usually dislike almond flavored things but this plate made it taste great. Perfectly balanced with pomegranate ice, and the fennel and pomegranate seeds added a nice texture. Sweet, tart, and refreshing 5/5 Chestnut dessert with chantilly cream and a sorbet. Sorbet was tart and balanced out the creaminess of the cream and chestnut. It was not too sweet either. 4/5 We also got a small dish of chocolate, macaroon and two tiny jelly roll like treats. It was pleasant. 4/5 Service was absolutely on point. I highly recommend coming here for an exceptional dining experience. Looking forward to coming back for the tea service! read more

See all

This place is a parody of what exactly you would think a Michelin star French restaurant would be. Small plates presented beautifully. The service was incredible. Very traditional French style dinner service and the staff was very friendly and very attentive to detail. The food however, was just mediocre at best. Our whole table found the food under seasons, and the menu was pretty boring. I don't feel like anybody in our party of six would ever come back to have this experience. I would certainly check out other restaurants at that price point. Overall, the experience was very underwhelming read more

I thoroughly enjoyed this dining experience. Was it the fanciest restaurant I'd ever sat in? No. It's actually a bit unassuming considering it's inside of South Coast Plaza and right next to a Louis Vuitton store. This was by far the most expensive meal I had ever had. But, it was a special occasion, and I don't mind splurging. It's a prefix menu. The chef's selections. And no substitutions are allowed though they do make exceptions for dietary restrictions. The staff was attentive. And I recommend the wine pairing. They complimented the courses quite well. We ordered The Preview. Then we added on the cheese course. And the flavors, generally were complimentary and quite enjoyable. I was not a huge fan of the greens that were added to the dessert. And the chilled vegetable soup was not really my thing. But everything else was lovely. I would come back and sit at the bar or maybe try their tea service. But I don't think I need to return for dinner. Not that they did anything wrong. It was totally their style. But their style and mine aren't perfect together. read more

For a 1 star Mich. this is the worst service. Offers a reservation and texts a link. Wrong email. I call back. Put on a 5 min hold. Sorry we ahhh we dont have that time anymore ummmm. Are you serious. Out of 20+ Mich 1-3 visited this is one of the worst. read more

I had the most amazing experience at Knife Pleat. My mouth waters thinking about how delicious the food was. The staff was wonderful. So personable and pleasant. Chef Tony and Yasmin are so lovely. Beautiful restaurant. I cant wait to go back. My date and I did the lunch tasting menu. I highly recommend it. I agree with descriptions I have read, their concept is an approachable french cuisine. You dont have to be a big foodie to enjoy it but incase you are, you'll definitely be able to appreciate the art and culinary technique. I didnt take too many pictures but here is what I did grab a snap of :) hope youre able to enjoy yourself sometime. read more

Knife Pleat - French Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Went here for afternoon tea. Amazing experience. Great Service, really good champagne, actual tea wasn't my favorite but all pastries were delicious, caviar was delicious, will be coming back !!! read more

Amazing service amazing meal! I highly recommend a visit! I came for the first time and loved it! I will be back! read more

See all

This so call afternoon tea should be cancelled . They have zero heart on running this afternoon tea . No scones ? No individual tea set, they pour tea from a big camping pot tea choice with no earl grey ? I am paying $300 for a kindergarten sandwich and a macaron ? I started at 1 pm with a business client , the waiter who never introduce himself keep rushing me to pack my food to go at 2:15 pm , so I asked him what time are we supposed to go , he said before 4 pm. I don't get the point , this food was prepaid and I should able to enjoy my food until I look like I finished . I will not come again ever , what an embarrassment in front of a client ! This place deserve zero star . read more

Knife Pleat - Seriously , $300 for 2 high tea with no scones ? - French Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Dining at Knife Pleat was an amazing experience. All the food was great and they truly deserve the Michelin star. The full dinner experience did take about 3 hours or more, including paying for additional things at the end, so allot enough time for your dining. Service was fantastic, though it went quickly in the beginning, but really slowed down near the end. For the last few courses, it felt like we were waiting 10 minutes or so for each course. When you book the reservation, you will be asked to pay ahead of time plus a 23% service fee. I was told this fee includes the tip so you don't have to tip again unless you want to. Also, if you let them know about a birthday or anniversary in the reservation, you'll get a peppermint macaron as a free dessert. Below were what we had for the December holiday menu. * Apple Cider Mousse 4.5/5 - Salted apple cider and almond mousse. A good "drink" in food form. * Everything Pretzel 5/5 - Really good thin-crust pretzel cookie with cheese in the middle. * Buckwheat Tartelette 4.5/5 - Little tarts with tuna and orange marmalade. * Osetra Caviar 5/5 - Cauliflower custard topped with Osetra caviar and other ingredients. The flavors blended together well. The caviar was good. * Chicory 4.5/5 - Good salad. I liked all the addons like the cheese bits, fuji apple slices, and the walnut. The vegetables weren't bad though I'm not a salad person lol. I felt healthy eating it though. * Ricotta Gnudi 5/5 - Ricotta cheese gnochi in onion soup. The flavor alluded to the French onion soup. * Maine Lobster 6/5 - The portion was not big, but the lobster was so good. It came with mango sauce and potato that looked like a brownie. Everything tasted good except for the mango sauce that was a bit out of place in terms of flavor. * Beef 5/5 - It wasn't indicated on the menu so I thought it was just regular beef, but it was actually Wagyu rib cab. The meat was tender, juicy and delicious. It was more like American wagyu though, not Japanese Wagyu, so it didn't have that melt-in-your-mouth characteristic, but still really good. * Pomegranate 5.5/5 - Almond sorbet with fennel marmalade and pomegranate. It had a refreshing sweetness and crunchy texture. So good. * Snow Globe 4/5 - Very pretty. The bottom was a big lemon cookie which was too sweet for me but my partner liked it. * Macaron 5/5 - Pistachio macaron with a hint of cardamom. * Pate de Fruit 5/5 - Cranberry fruit roll up. It had a soft chewy texture between gummy bear and jelly. * Chocolate Star 5/5 - The waiter joked that this represented the Michelin Star for the restaurant. It was a star-shaped chocolate caramel treat with passion fruit filling. read more

See all

Knife Pleat is one of the only of three Michelin Star restaurants in Orange County. I wish I could say I was blown away but it definitely doesn't compare to the Michelin restaurants I've been to in SF. Service: great but also inconsistent. I loved how they had the staff come out and circle the table and place the plates down at the same time for each dish. It's really nice presentation. Despite this va va voom, I found it some inconsistencies...We asked the waiter twice for the complimentary bread and he never brought it out. Quite disappointing to have to ask twice- (once when we placed our orders and once before the entrees came out. There wasn't any point to ask again before dessert). Also, I'd notice that on certain courses the waiter would come by and explain what we were eating but during the dessert course, which had the most components, we had to wave him down again to ask. Food: The most memorable thing at Knife Pleat was the desserts. I absolutely loved the maple dessert (I forget the name) and enjoyed the different textures (ice cream, cake, gelatin) that came on the plate, and the Louis XV hazelnut cake. So delicious and decadent. The duck and crude were fine, I was a bit disappointed in the caviar service. I would've loved to see the normal accoutrements like red onion, chives and crème fraise to accompany the delicious Tsar Nicoulai caviar. It was a pleasant experience overall and glad I went but I don't see myself itching to come back. read more

See all

Came with a friend and we had the prix fixe lunch. It's an interesting place... Supposed to be a Michelin Starred Restaurant? I've had better service at non-Michelin restaurants... Everyone was nice, and food was decent but nothing really stood out for me. Maybe it's because it's prix fixe?? We had Wagyu (extra $20) and Duck as our entree option. Maybe it's because my friend valet parked and the valet person went on a break with her key so we had to wait a while to get the car back? (Not the restaurant's fault) or maybe it's because we asked for a double espresso but got just a single, or maybe it's because there was an extra house charge of 23% that wasn't the tip (or was it? but they didn't explain so we just tipped more) - so we ended up paying close to $400 for two people for lunch and we were still kinda hungry. For me, if I'm paying $200 for lunch per person (No alcohol ordered just a virgin drink my friend ordered + 2 espresso), it should be more memorable than this. I will not come back here and will tell my friends they aren't missing much. read more

See all

My friends and i wanted to do a high tea on one of the weekends and made reservations here. Its definitely a high class type of high tea place. We got the prefixe menu that was around $115 each person. It included a lot of sweet and savory bite sized items along with our own kettle of tea. They also had an option to add caviar as a add on option. My favorite was the lobster eclaire and deviled eggs. And then my friends and i each got different types of tea so we all got to share and taste the distant teas. But the server would always come around and fill up our tea cups for us which is nice but takes away from the experience of high teaing with friends. We just wanted to catch up and chit chat but would always get interrupted with the great service. I think the good was alright and the service was impeccable but probably not what my friends and i needed for our catch up session. read more

I should have left this review so long ago. We have been to knife pleat multiple times now. The first time was right when they opened and have continued going through this year. It is where marche modern used to be and interior is simple with inside and outside tables and a small bar. The entrees and apps have always been good, but I had never thought they were Michelin star good. The desserts are amazing, just so good I'm still missing an apple dessert they had for a bit there. There's a very south coast vibe with the other guests which sometimes is a bit much. And depending on who your server is you will have a varying experience. Mothers Day this year changed my entire opinion on this restaurant. I had made a reservation for my mom and myself and we had the best time. The Somm brought around a champagne cart and had a na option which was so so thoughtful and my mom got to have champagne with me. I had called earlier in the week to modify my reservation and was put on hold. When I was seated for my reservation the host and manager both came by my table to apologize for that hold which I thought was such amazing hospitality to remember that, to do that in person. Thank you!! read more

Knife Pleat - French Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Has all the ingredients for a Michelin Star restaurant. Flavors didn't come together well for me though. My partner disagrees. Not many restaurants like these in the area so it's worth trying. read more

Love This Beautiful Restaurant!! I've Been A Guest Here Many Times & Always Enjoyed My Visits!! Lovely Ambiance & Beautiful Decor!! I Decided To Visit & Dined At The Bar Counter!! Enjoyed A Glass Of Jean Veselle Champagne Rose!! So Relaxing!! The Bartender, Management & Servers Were Very Kind & Courteous!! I Even Got To Say Hi To Chef, So Nice!! Love Their Lunch, Dinner Menu & Desserts Choices!! Great Wine & Cocktail Menu As Well!! I Enjoyed The New Pear Dessert With Cup Of Cappuccino!! I Will Be Back For Lunch & Dinner & Try More Menu Items!! Can't Wait To Visit For Tea Service Too!! ThankU Team Knife Pleat!! Amazing Service!! Looking Forward To My Next Visit At Knife Pleat!! ThankU read more

See all

WOW! JUST WOW! I am impressed and I usually don't give a lot of 5 star reviews but upon entering this beautiful Michelin restaurant to the service to the delicious food, I am happy. I took my sister out for her birthday brunch and went for the afternoon tea service. At $115 per person, it is worth the price because the sandwiches and the desserts are BOMB! 23% service charge is added to the bill. If it is your first time, it can be hard to find as it was for us. It is located on the 3rd floor next to Nordstrom side. I was impressed by so many different kinds of sandwiches and yummy desserts. All the finger sandwiches were delicious and wish I had more. Some of the desserts were a little too sweet in my taste like the macarons and the lemon pound cake. Service was good. They came to refill our hot water and filled our cups occasionally. I would want to come back and try their tasting menu for dinner time. My friend who recently went told me it was good. Can't wait to go back! read more

Knife Pleat - French Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Wow, what an experience!! I came here to host a work event and the entire thing was amazing! It's a many course event and every single item that I tasted was delicious! They also have exceptional service come and serve all of the same time per table and then one person explains exactly what you're having. There were so many courses that were delicious between the soups, the duck which I'm not normally a big fan of but it was so good here, and the dainty desserts. Each course that we had was also carefully paired with wine. This is a fine dining Michelin star if you're looking for something amazing! we sat outside of the beautiful patio and the weather was great, I'll definitely be back! read more

See all

I recently enjoyed a pleasant lunch with my wife at Knife Pleat for her birthday. The food was excellently prepared, the service was efficient and friendly, and I would certainly recommend this restaurant. Interestingly though, something happened during our meal which I don't recall ever experiencing before. After the amuse bouche, there seemed to be a bit of a delay in receiving our first course (we ordered the 3-course prix fixe meal). When it finally arrived, we quickly realized that the the 2nd course entrees were being served. I did a double take because I had to confirm in my head whether we ordered - and received - our first course...which we hadn't. We pointed out this error to our server who seemed equally confused/surprised and asked if we would like to enjoy our entree first - which we agreed to. I have no doubt that this was an unexpected and unintentional error and to their credit, they took full ownership of the oversight. In fact, I saw the wait staff and the chefs in several huddles trying to figure out what may have happened. The maitre d apologized profusely on several occasions and I reiterated that I was not at all upset. I joked that they should use this as a training case study. Regardless, I wanted to highlight that the staff handled this error professionally and pleasantly. They were also kind enough to cover our drinks and provided several comped dishes as well. Errors happen from time to time and they recovered very well. read more

It was delicious. The wine pairing was perfect. Although this is a one star it's really at the upper end of a one star michelin. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because it's priced as a 2 star, which it isn't. It hasn't breeched that barrier in terms of food presentation or ambiance. I loved our servers, they weren't as dialed as I usually would expect at a restaurant at this level, but clearly were well trained so probably newer. They were so nice. Reservations are easy to get, the food was well prepared and plated and the wine pairing is absolutely at a 2 star level. Highly recommend going if you don't mind it being a scooch overpriced read more

See all

This restaurant located on the third floor of south coast plaza, right above Nordstrom, and you can park on the third floor and just cross the bridge to get there! The food was really good and also the quality of the tea. Definitely a spot I would like to revisit with my friends and family! The service is exceptional and great relaxing environment. read more

Knife Pleat - French Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The wife and I finally got to try this place out a couple months ago. I was definitely ready for some food and drinks after the shopping spree and bag carrying after the shopping spree the wife went on. Service was spectacular and on point as far as expectations are concerned in a place like this. We got the caviar service, tasting menu, and the wine pairings. Caviar course was our favorite! We were pretty happy with the courses curated for the tasting menu and the wines did pair with the dishes pretty well. Best part was actually just getting to relax after a long day of shopping and the service and ambiance definitely helped greatly read more