Had great Thanksgiving dinner here with super delicious and moist turkey that withstood reheating the next day. Three-course dinner with great selections to choose from. We started with the diver scallop, ordered additional parsnip soup, and had one turkey and one fish. The portions were more than generous, we were so full we had to pack half the entree and both desserts. Service was good, attentive, and friendly. Will definitely be back for dinner and show package. read more

This is simply the best pre-theater restaurant that I know (not that I tried many). Locate across the plaza from the Segestrom Center, it is open for very few hours every day, the hours match the performance times at the center. The ambiance is excellent: huge panoramic windows open onto the plaza (the view cannot be ruined even by the horrible Connector sculpture in the middle of the open space). The food is great - not at the Michelin-level of greatness (for that you will have to go to the flagship restaurant of the Rouge's owner, the Patina), but way above a typical restaurant offering the "new" American food. In my experience, the food under chef Greg Stillman got better in the last couple of years, so it might be worth re-visiting. As it is typical for such venues, he menu is short, so meal time is predictable. Starting the dinner at 6PM for the 7:30PM performance allows plenty of time to enjoy the food; if you are the worrying type, starting at 5:30PM will allow you to relax completely. Service is attentive and efficient. The restaurant can fill up, so reservations are absolutely recommended on the weekends. All the luxury does not come cheap, budget about $80 per person for the dinner. read more

I dined here last week before the Lion King musical. My boyfriend and I opted for the Lion King three course menu. We were able to try all the dishes and we liked all of them. The best part of the meal was the rocky road sundae. It was a nice finish. Their drink menu was missing the cocktail section because they were still working on a fall cocktail menu. I was looking forward to a special cocktail but I settled for a rosé. It went really well with the meal. My boyfriend ordered an old fashioned and he was disappointed in it. Our waiter was very nice and he put in his best effort which we really appreciated. I will definitely come back again to try another special three course meal. read more

Came here for Valentine's Day and was completely blown away by the food. The flavors were out of this world and the service top notch!

Service was great but a little too doting. But the food was extremely salty bizarre food combos. The scallops(?) were rather large and a totally different consistency w/way too much salt! And duck over a pineapple risotto w/bits of salty ham? Do any of the cooks actually taste the food? On a positive note the dessert was good. read more

This restaurant is right by Segerstrom Hall, very convenient if you're going to a musical. For the most part, the service and side dishes/salads were good. They are supposed to specialize in steaks, the meat was flavorful but way over cooked. We both ordered medium and both were well done (zero pink inside). Also, when we arrived they took our drink orders, my husbands was there in a timely manor, mine took over 20 minutes. I could understand if they were busy but it was 545pm and only about eight tables refilled at the time. My second drink, our waiter was over by the bar talking to some lady is, he looked my way and I held up my martini glass to get a second one. If I had not done this, I'm not sure he would've asked me if I wanted another. Over all our meal was fine but for $160 for two, I would've liked something more than fine. read more

Leatherby's is very convenient and offers very good food and good, but somewhat snobby service. I think Leatherby's tries very hard, but the food does not live up to expectations and the service is not as good as it could be. For a pre-show dinner, Leatherby's is a good choice and they will work to get you fed before showtime. Otherwise, I wouldn't eat here. Too expensive for what you receive. read more

Wedding venue review only. Leatherby's did a fantastic job! The staff was polite, well dressed, coordinated and efficient. Best of all, they did a great job helping out my friend with her wedding when she had to change the reception venue at the last minute. The location near all the hotels is great/convenient and the windows give it a nice ambiance. I think it's a perfect small event space and would highly recommend other people to consider if if they're looking to host something in the area. They seated a little over 100 people on round tables comfortably. The only minus star was for the main course which could have been tastier. However, as far as wedding food goes, it was well done and all the tables came out at the same time. read more

My 5yo son and I had an early dinner here before our shown at Segerstrom. I left a message for reservations and they called me back to say they had plenty of availability. I mentioned I was a bit hesitant with my 5yo but they said it was fine. We got there and they were very welcoming and friendly. Beautiful interior and nice view. I already previewed menu in advanced and told the waiter right away that we wanted to order. Eat and go. We had the salmon, duck, eggplant, and mac and cheese. Everything was cooked perfectly. The eggplant and duck were definitely items I'd order again. I love eggplant and loved that they cooked it differently. It's definitely fine dining. I wouldn't say it's kid-friendly, but we were there for a mommy/son date. Patrons that sat next to us looked a bit hesitant at first, but later ok they actually complimented my son for his good behavior. As a mom, I was sweating bullets not knowing if my son would turn into Hulk any second. Thankfully he didn't. I highly recommend and will return with kids next time! read more

Leatherby's Cafe Rouge - New American Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I was really impressed with this place. We were the only customers in there at about 9:30 at night . The waiter was wonderful in spite of the fact that I am sure he could have gone home if we had not come in. Great service! I had the butternut squash soup which had bacon and fried sage. It was very tasty and had a wonderful, rich consistency without tasting fatty. I also ordered the albacore sashimi - which was covered in a flavorful vinegar sauce with dried cherry tomatoes and herbs. The fish was fresh and the sauce really went well with the texture of the fish. The place also has a nice, lounge area. I had desert and drinks there on a prior occasion and also enjoyed it. read more

The mixed green salad wasn't bad with tomatoes and onions. The entree, I tried the salmon over asparagus and mushrooms. The asparagus and mushrooms were great, but the salmon had a burnt smell. Upon cutting through and chewing the filet of salmon, it was a bit dry. The chocolate dessert was a bit rich and too much for me. read more

We came here for xmas eve, and they had a set pre-fixe menu. There were 4 courses, and for each course you could pick between 3 options, for a total of 65 bucks. Good deal! The brought out a caviar amuse bouche that I loved!! I want to order this again. There was some avocado and a piece of sushi in it also. Amazing. I had the foie gras pate style for course 1. I usually only like it seared, but it was quite good. Very buttery and smooth. I had the egg ravioli with duck confit for round 2. It was very good. Great mix of flavors. My friend got the scallop dish and didn't like the sauce, but I quite liked it. Round 3 was duo of beef. They called it a deconstructed ribeye. One of the meats (the thinner one) was very tender. The other was thicker and a little tough. It came with some mac and cheese and bone marrow. This is my 2nd time trying bone marrow... It's just not for me. I much prefer foie gras when eating pure fat. I had ordered an optional cheese plate for 10 bucks which I had to cancel b/c I was so full. For dessert, I had the brownie, which was okay. Nothing special. I should have gotten the cheese plate for dessert and skipped the brownie. If I were rating on food alone, I might have even given 5 stars. My friend wasn't overly impressed with the food, but I think she just didn't like the sauce on a couple of her dishes. But the service was not the greatest. First ,they don't answer the phone when you call, so good luck if you're lost trying to find the valet. The valet doesn't carry any change, so if you don't have the right amount of money (10 bucks), then you're out of luck. It took forever to get our drinks and our food. It took at least 15 minutes before the server even took our order. He started off more snooty, but got nicer as the meal progressed. I will definitely come back, as I really enjoyed the food. read more

I think the food here is just fantastic as is the wait-staff. The prices reflect the quality of the food and service. Approptiate. The ambiance adds a lot. It's a shame they close early. They are operating as if tied to the show schedule. But this is a real gem. Show up right before closing time and enjoy! read more

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The place is absolutely beautiful from the outside. So beautiful that we almost didn't go in because I felt under-dressed. Almost. Once we stepped inside, it was nice, but not as elegant as it was from the outside. We started with the heirloom tomato salad. When it came out, my first thought was "elf food" (aka small portions). While tiny, it was tasty. My husband had the beef tenderloin and I had the short ribs. While the portions might be small to some, it was perfect for us as we were both able to finish, which is a rare thing for us. That's also a sign that the food was good. We usually order dessert, but nothing on the menu appealed to us, so we ended up getting apple pie and coffee at McDonald's instead to finish our night. ;) Overall, I think Leatherby's Cafe Rouge is a nice place to go, especially if you're looking for a place to go pre-theater. read more

Let me just say, the layout and area is very pretty. If I could, I would give it 3 1/2 stars but I don't round up. We had a special event and was given the private room to hold our dinner. I liked it because it was away from everything and everyone else. The Good: Market salad was EXCELLENT. The heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella was fabulous... great flavor and fresh. The mushroom risotto was also excellent. The short ribs was just not quality meat. It was fatty and salty. Very disappointing. That's why I had to deduct a star. The dessert was average. The Bad: The service was spotty. We had a large party but I would have assumed they would have had people designated to our area to help serve all the wine we were having. The hostess was great but I had to ask the servers a couple of times for different things like refilling people's glasses. Also, we asked if there was bread and they said it wasn't part of the package. Strange since they laid out bread plates and a butter knife for each setting. Another star deduction for just all around service that I thought needed improving. The Ugly: Parking is $10?! Crazy. I know it's not the restaurant's fault but it's still crazy to have to pay that much money just to dine there. read more

First tried Cafe Rouge the day after it opened and enjoyed it (with a little break for minor glitches to be expected in a brand new place) so I decided to take my wife and her business partner to dinner there last Friday before the ABT performance. The first thing I noticed was how the waiting staff seemed considerably "dressed down" from my last visit. Little did i realize that was a sign of things to come. The menu was at best boring and unimaginative which is exactly what the food was. In spite of how friendly the waiter was, service was mediocre and sporadic. I had to ask twice for bread and by the time it made it to the table we were almost done with the dinner., Except for my first glass I ended up pouring my own wine the rest of the time and the waiter flat out forgot the grand marnier I had ordered with my coffee, which by the way made it to the table too late to be enjoyed with the dessert. Bottom line is that while nothing was "bad" , nothing will bring me back either, specially at their price point. One last comment - unlike my first visit when we were "coddled" by staff at all times, our waiter was just about the only presence felt. No obvious sign of front of house management, no bus staff ever came to our table, no wine steward. read more

The setting is indeed quite beautiful - what a cool building and "block" (multiple arts centers). We were there before dark, and I bet it's even more impressive when the sun is down. The food was very good, though the menu was really short and limited. My BF and I both had the barramundi special - we hate getting the same thing, but we didn't feel we had much of as choice. It was very tasty. The wine list was decent, a little overpriced but they were having a 25% off "sale" which made it much more reasonable. The service was ok - our server was nice but seemed a little inexperienced (when she said the special was barramundi, she didn't even say how it was prepared ?! we had to ask). The bartender and host were much more polished. So why just three stars? Well, the place was almost completely empty - felt like a ghost town. I know that's not necessarily the fault of the restaurant, but it really detracted from the ambiance. It was just a little weird. Oh and the very loud big band/jazz music was a little annoying. read more

I'm glad to say that Leatherby's Cafe Rouge is back. I remember eating here many times over the years and had high hopes for them. At first, they were moving towards becoming Orange County's version of Patina in Los Angeles. Then something went wrong. They have suffered from an "identity complex" off and on for the past few years. Chefs coming and going, menus doing the same thing. The food was always good but there was a problem with consistency and therefore, when you pay good $$$, it drove away diners. Well I'm glad to say that Leatherby's is back. Their new chef is local and trained at various Patina owned restaurants. They are getting good reviews from Gayot and Zagat and most importantly, their menu is consistent. The best bet is to order the 3 course pre theater menu for $39. It is taken from their regular menu and was a winner all the way. While they do have a happy hour, the noise level was moderate at best and so how can I complain? My server was helpful and knowledgeable about the menu and had worked for a long enough period of time to acknowledge the ups and downs of the restaurant. Taken on faith, I went with her suggestions and wasn't disappointed with my courses. If this isn't enough to convince you, I'm going there again on Friday the 14th and expect another great meal. read more

Near perfection. I try not to be biased even though I got married here (yes, literally rented out the restaurant and had them cater), but have been here several times since and everything is always amazingly delicious as well as beautifully plated. Just short of five stars because I one time found a hair (not mine) on my plate, and when we walked in for our reservation tonight were kept waiting for what felt like an eternity (but was probably more like several minutes) before anyone showed up at the podium. Otherwise, beautiful ambiance and very attentive service. Will be back many more times for them to hopefully earn back that last golden star. P.S. I tried the beet salad, hamachi, short rib, parfait, and Flamingo drink tonight, if you're curious. All great picks. read more

Had an amazing dinner @ Leatherby's before seeing Finding Neverland. Enjoyed the Caesar Salad, Carrot/Leek Soup, Duck Cavatelli Pasta & John Dory. Our server Andy was fantastic (as always). What a wonderful evening!!!! read more

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We were seeing a show at Segerstrom so we tried Cage Rouge because it is located at the venue. Turned out to be less than a great experience. The menus is very limited so check it out before you go. The salads and starters are kind of fo foey. My wife has the diver Scallops which she liked. I had the Swordfish which has a less than tasty sauce. The service was slow. We arrived about 5 pm and it took 40 minutes to get our entries and I had to ask to find out what was going on. read more

I was looking for a place that was close to the performing arts center and had a decent wine list. Leatherby's served as nice new place to try. Usually I would try and book Mastro's but I was in a pinch. I have to say the reviews about the shorts are right on! They are delish! However the 14' New York steak is massive. It is a little marbled but was fantastic! You need to try the Chocolate Symphony dessert.... it's the perfect ending to a wine and red meat filled dinner. Two things that really surprised me was the french press Irish coffee. Presentation was table side and it tasted great. To make things better.. no corkage fee :-) The service was bit slow due to high volume before the show but server was very nice. read more

Came here for Restaurant Week, so I am always slightly more forgiving for that. The starters were delicious. The fish that we got for the entree was perfectly cooked but was sadly lacking in salt. But the lentils and bacon underneath were delicious! The duck made me a little sad though... I was SO looking forward to this dish. And they didn't render the fat properly. :( So I got duck with a very rubbery top. But the desserts salvaged all. Even though the dessert advertised on the Restaurant Week website wasn't what was served, it was still quite good. And the Chocolate Symphony was really quite delicious. Mmmmmm... how can you go wrong with Opera Cake? The service... the server was very nice. But knew almost nothing. When I was asking about wine, he said "well they told us that this wine should pair well with the duck". Uhhhhhh.... and then I asked about one of the cheeses on the appetizer and he said "I think it's this" but never offered to find out for me. But service was fairly prompt and he took good care of us, making sure we had everything we needed. Since I cook for a living I understand that I can be a bit high maintenance when it comes to finding out about food, so I definitely give a little leeway when it comes to that... Overall a good place. There was a lot on the menu that I would like to go back and try out sometime. Let's see how it goes next time! read more

Leatherby's is a convenient place to dine before catching a show at the Segerstrom. It is the restaurant of the same building as the concert hall, where you see the diners from outside. It really is a lovely setting, light, airy, bright. My friend and I had the Herb Ricotta Agnolotti (mini ravioli), the Farmer's Market Vegetable Risotto (rich and creamy) and the Bristol Day Boat Scallops (nice and fresh) with a nice light potato hash and corn puree. The Grey Goose martini is recommended. While the food came out promptly, there didn't seem to be enough servers to check up on diners in between. Also, the bread basket could have been a bit better. Still, it was not enough to detract from a nice evening with great company. read more

Location 5-star if you are going to a show or concert in the center. Food quality 5-star Service 4-star, Value good considering the location ($32 for a ribeye!), Ambience very good and modern, Seating a little tight in the booths, Reservation not that easy to get. Be sure to get your valet parking validated ($10 vs $20 without). read more

For years this has been one of our favorite pre theatre spots. The change of menu and decor recently took us a couple of trips to enjoy. Change can be difficult! But it's a clean, modern look allowing diners to see the Segrestrom campus, the new outdoor plaza and the "vibe" of what's going on that night. The menu offers less than before, but more of enough of whatever type of meat or not you may desire! read more

Coming here was a spectacular gastronomic experience. I had one of the two prix fixe menus. I started off with pork belly, which was cooked and presented perfectly. Following the pork belly, I was served short ribs. While very good, it wasn't very memorable. For desert I had Nutella ice cream on top of an apple tart, which was perfect. The decor is very contemporary, and the service was stellar. Overall had a very good experience dining here. read more

There were four of us for dinner and we ordered the halibut and lamb. The waiter asked me how I wanted my fish cooked; rare, medium or well done -- what??, I thought there was only one way to cook fish. We decided to order it medium because we didn't want it to be like sushi. It was overcooked and for this price unacceptable. The lamb was all fat so very little meat. We mentioned this to the waiter and he offered to pay for desert, it was like he was prepared for this. We asked for bread, there were four of us and they bring out 2 rolls so we asked for more. He didn't tell us there was a charge so that added an additional $10 ($5 each bread order) to our order. The crab salad (VERY SMALL) was excellent but didn't make me want to come back here. There are far better places in the area (South Coast Plaza) that we won't be back. read more

We had a 6 o'clock reservation. We were going to the concert at 8 o'clock. Our main course was not served until after seven. Two of us ordered veal. It was at least 50% fat. The waiter offered us another main course. It was not served until shortly after 7:30. We had to rush to finish this course and then dessert, which we had already ordered. We barely got to the concert in time. It was a very unsatisfying experience. The chef should have clearly seen that the video was at least 50% fat, and not served it. I will be reluctant to go back there again. read more

I came here with two friends from work for dinner. We brought our own bottle of wine and sat at a lovely table next to the full length glass wall. We ordered a couple appetizers: Hiramasa, (VERY interesting and delicious!), Mushroom risotto (incredibly rich and creamy) and the anti pasto platter (A great one to share). The servings were not too big and not too little, especially for appetizers. We were eager to move onto entrees! Between us we had the Barramundi, angolotti pasta, and the 3 step short ribs. We all agreed the short ribs were the best short ribs we've ever had! Absolutely amazing. The barramundi was cooked to perfection, with a thin layer of parmesean french bread crust. The pasta was excellent, although at first didn't seem like it was going to be enough, but in the end was incredibly rich and filling. For dessert we all agreed to share a chocolate symphony, and each had a cappuchino to go with it. The chocolate symphony was three different pieces of chocolate cake which included a flourless chocolate cake which was exquisite. It was the perfect dessert to share. We took a look at the wine list even though we brought our own bottle. They have an excellent selection, and I was told it was recently updated due to frequent requests. They also had an excellent dessert wine and port selection, something we will definitely take advantage of on our next visit. The service was great throughout the entire meal. Our server was a young lady, very professional and knowledgeable about the food. She recommended the hiramasa and the short ribs and we were glad we took her suggestions! Although most of the other guests were a pre-theater crowd, we did not feel rushed by any means. Five stars from the look of the restaurant, the service, and the food! Could not have had a better evening! read more

Pros. We travelled from LA to see " An American in Paris" at the Segerstrom Theater. 1) The restaurant ajoins the theater and 2) the waiters are very accommodating. Con- They make you pay $5 for a meager 3 pieces of bread. The waiter said that they started charging for bread 2 weeks prior. This is a disgrace. We paid $10 just for the bread. They bring 3 branches of bread to be shared by two people per request. I had the John Dory fish and it was just ok. I recommend going elsewhere for dinner before or after the theater. The proximity near the theater isn't a good reason to visit this restaurant. It's on the pricey side for the mediocre meal you get. Buyer beware. Eat before you go to the theater. There are so many better restaurant nearby. read more

I had high hopes for this restaurant but it was a disappointment. Location: it's fantastic if you are attending a show at the OC Performing Arts Center. Menu: The choices are good with a nice pre-theater tasting, a chief tasting, and an ample array of interesting a la carte items. Our table opted for the pre-theater tasting. The food was good but not anything that would bring me back. Service: In spite of the friendly staff, service was mediocre & SLOW. #1 We reserved a booth table and when we arrived, it was not available. #2 Our first course of tomato soup was served without a spoon. #3 We were served a wine paring with our pre-theater tasting first course and our waitress immediately rushed away. We had no idea what we were drinking until we asked when she returned later. #4 The time between our first course and entrée was incredibly long. We were not able to enjoy it because we had to leave for the show. We had to skip the desert course completely. Bottom line, this entire restaurant exists to serve theater patrons however there seems to be no sense of urgency in getting diners out on time. Sebastian, the manager did not seem to care at all. We were assured that we would be able to have the complete pre-theater tasting in time to make the show. We did not. This seems inexcusable to me when I see several wait staff standing around the kitchen door. Even paying the bill became a long process. read more

As many concert and theater-goers do, I stopped here with my date prior to attending a holiday event at the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts. I took advantage of their White Christmas menu with the wine pairing. We began with the Chestnut Soup paired with a Pinot Grigio--nice selection which complimented the soup well. Second course was the Turkey entree paired with a Pinot Noir. Again a delicious meal with a good pairing. I thought the turkey portions were way too small for the price of the entree. The brussels sprouts were amazing, however. Up to this point I had never tried a brussels sprout I enjoyed but this was a revelation (hah!) The service was well-timed and we were able to finish in plenty of time for the show. All in all a very nice evening! read more

Great, Great Food! Get the Pre-Fix for the best Deal. But it's all excellent! Been here 5 times, never had a bad experience! Try It!! read more

Delicious food,chose the menu the chef had put together in lovely courses with the wine pairings. The meal was paced perfectly, the food was fabulous and delicous. Service was top-notch,highly recommend this little jewel of a restaurant. read more

Overpriced and not great. There are better options. I called a head because I'm gluten free and was told they would accommodate most dishes to be gluten free. Once I arrived I realized my choices was limited to very little. Overall a disappointing experience for a family brunch. I do not recommend this place if you have celiacs or any other food allergies read more

We had a great time before The Bodyguard at Segerstrom Center for the Arts! Our party of four had the Bodyguard menu as well as several small plates beets, butternut squash soup, I'm Every Woman watermelon shrimp ceviche, Pork chops were superb. The halibut was excellent, salmon and asparagus to die for! Desert was heavenly we split a lemon centered dish with a delicious cake with Lemon sorbet, a chocolate tart with caramel ice cream, and the signature Bodyguard desert OMGOSH!!! I can't wait to come back. read more

Love Leatherby's new decor and menu. Our server Andy made our night. The filet and scallops were awesome. Definitely will have those again. Be back soon. read more

Dined here before a show at segerstrom, location is very convenient, great view if your seated next to glass wall. I had the pork steak, girlfriend had the scallops, both were surprisingly good! Portions were bigger than expected as well. Love the fluffy bread that comes before meal, all restaurants should offer these! Not sure if I would dine here without attending a show though. Interior is pretty sparse/ plain, fairly expensive, for same price I'd go to Mastros across the street or Water Grill a couple blocks away. But location, location, location. read more

I was attending Pippin with two friends, so we decided to dine at Leatherbys so we could walk to the show after our dinner. The restaurant is located on the first floor of the Concert Hall, where they hold some of the performances, and right across from the hall in which the Broadway plays are shown. Very convenient location if you are attending a show. The restaurant itself is very pretty. The large floor to ceiling windows offer a fantastic view of the concert hall and plaza. When making a reservation I recommended asking for a window seat. Upon arriving we were greeted by the host who was very welcoming and had us seated right away. They offer a nice a la carte menu, or you can go with two prix fix menus that included three courses with the option of wine pairings. Although hungry, we thought 3 courses may be a bit much, so we decided to share some appetizers and each order an entrée. Below is what we tried. - Fine Herb Ricotta Agnolotti -I am reluctant to admit I did not know what agnolotti was, however our waiter described it nicely and made it sound amazing so we gave it a shot. It was excellent. The pasta was delicious and the white wine sauce was perfect. - Tuna- This was excellent as well. The fish is very fresh and melts in your mouth. They serve it atop a wonton crisp that you can enjoy with the tuna. - Scallops- This was my entrée. I was expecting a small plate, but was pleasantly surprised when I received 4 large scallops atop fresh veggies and potato has. Scallops can be tricky as they are easily overcooked, however these were perfect. - Lamb- My friend said this was excellent. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare, and the gremulota made for just the right seasoning. - Tenderloin- My other friends entrée. She raved about it. The tenderloin was excellent and cooked just right. The meat was tender and the peppercorn sauce was perfect on it. Overall, you can really tell the chef takes pride in each and every dish. His presentation alone could sell you on any dish. Service was impeccable all night--they constantly refilled our waters and came by to make sure we were both enjoying what we were eating and knew what was in our plates. They never auctioned our food (which is always a nice touch) and they made sure our courses were timed accurately so we made it the show. I highly recommend Leatherbys, whether you are attending a show or not. read more