An excellent place to eat before a show at the Playhouse or the Pageant of the Masters. We have been plenty of times and it has never disappointed. The big beautiful bar serves everything. On this particular visit, the bartender made us a a tasty Gin Martini and a Stanley Tucci Negroni. Excellent cocktails to go with our meal. We started of with the Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas. They are quite small but the flavor is big. The Cedar Planked Mahogany King Salmon with Yukon Gold Potatoes is not small; it's large and delicious. Also as good is the Lumberyard Meat Loaf, wrapped in Bacon and served with whipped potatoes. The Mushroom demiglaze is just a tad too salty for my taste but it was gobbled up by the rest of the party. We finished off our meal with the Huckleberry Bread Pudding and Iced Cream - fantastic. The service is friendly and attentive and our meal was just right. I think the only complaint I have is that they close too early. The doors shut at 8:30 or 9pm, depending on the day of the week. They are the perfect place to go, after a show, if only they would stay open later. Nevertheless, the Lumberyard is one of the best restaurants in Laguna Beach and worth a visit read more

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This isn't a knock on the service or atmosphere of this establishment, since it was pretty slow inside, however, this does speak to the price of the food, as well as the quality of the food. Fish of Chips (only decent - bready), Children's Mac and Cheese (OK), and a Cesar Salad (No protein) (It's a salad) cost us $83.00! Waters all around. If you are OK spending that type of money for sub-par food, then by all means. read more

Ambiance: Lumberyard gives a dark, sexy library vibe with masculine mahogany colors and a stone fireplace. This vibe is offset by the lively local band playing for the guests at the full bar top. We had reservations on a Friday night, and it was packed! We got there around 6:30 for a 7pm res thinking we could grab a drink at the bar first. No chance - the place was packed. We weren't disappointed, merely happily surprised, and we got a glass of wine down the street before coming back for dinner. Our booth was right near the fireplace which created a comfy cozy atmosphere. Service: Our server was great. She refilled our wine and water glasses frequently, and she was punctual with everything else. The hostess was very busy with seating and bussing, and was able to remain friendly and helpful. Food: The zucchini planks were plentiful and crispy! The breading was crisp and complimented the zucchini slices perfectly. We got the meatloaf and the artichoke & mushroom strozzapreti. I thought the pasta had a great bite and the sauce was tangy and flavorful. I'm told the meatloaf was delicious as well. I tried the potatoes that came with it and those were buttery and light. We ordered a bottle of Road 31 pinot noir as well. The wine was jammy and complimentary to the meal. Prices were on par with downtown Laguna prices, maybe even slightly less than average. All in all, make a reservation for weekend nights and enjoy! read more

Nice area, food was great ! Service was tough... not very busy but they seemed to struggle, no paper towels in the bathroom... host in the front was extremely rude!! First time there didn't know where to put our name in and he was not very helpful and when I asked he was very dismissive, to bad cute place but for how expensive things are and other places in Laguna I wouldn't recommend sadly . read more

I'm a local from a neighboring city. Came here years ago and forgot why I never came again. Made the mistake and then remembered. This must be some tourist trap restaurant because I don't understand why anyone would come here with the various better options around. Food is overpriced, venue needs major renovation and staff needs to be replaced. I asked for items several times and it was brought to me in the most inefficient way, and in the wrong quantity asked for. Server attitude was off too. Really basic request gone wrong. I could go on about several additional things but not worth the time. I just want to do other customers a favor to save their money and time and go elsewhere. Not sure what's going on lately, but there's still businesses that think they don't need to provide good service. Or owners that don't provide oversight because it's just money they clearly don't need ? I encourage everyone to be more discerning and support the smaller businesses that take more pride in their work and show us they need the business. This is the only behavior that will change quality. *funny I just read the other reviews and it's either 1 star or 5. I'll tell you that if you're not used to exceptional service and ok with run down dives because you enjoy loud music and loud clientele, this mediocre place will probably suit you LOL different strokes for different folks. read more

Terrible service! Was at table for forty minutes before drinks arrived. They were out of three of the first drinks we ordered! Took 20 minutes for water to get to table! read more

The atmosphere is great The location is great The food surprisingly wasn't great. We've been here before and it's been much better but this day it wasn't. read more

This review is a follow-up to manager's reply regarding our Thanksgiving Day meal experience at Lumberyard. As stated we were so looking forward to relaxing and having a nice warm tasty turkey dinner . Yes Laguna is beautiful, restaurant quaint but unfortunately for us their 3 course Turkey Dinner, not so much. A simple salad was followed by a cold plate of white overly thick square cut turkey pieces piled on top of cold white bland mashed potato, flavorless mushy cold stuffing, a hint of vegetable, touch of cranberry and a small pile of unappealing dark meat cut into weird smaller pieces , all sparsely topped with beyond bland thin cold gravy- But we were hungry so thought presentation looked somewhat inviting -until you tried cutting into and chewing the ole tough byrd! Needless to say, we sadly picked at food and were so angry and upset for coming here-we barely saw our server - bus person seemed confused we refused takeout containers-Oh and let's not forget the apple pastry dessert that was also stone cold and hard as a rock and tasted like cardboard! Have you ever tried to bite thru old cold pastry crust? Needed a chainsaw !! SO how would you feel? As the restaurant had many open tables when we placed our order there is no excuse for being served two cold Thanksgiving Day Turkey Dinners. I do understand we should of said something at the time, why put a customer in that position? We put our time. energy, expectations, $$$, into coming here and looking forward to the nice 3 course meal you advertised so why would we want another entree? That is adding insult to injury. The damage was done when restaurant allowed quality of food beyond mediocre to be served on a special day. No doubt others may have had a more enjoyable experience and no doubt better food served here on regular days, but the JOY OF A THANKSGIVING MEAL COMES ONCE A YEAR and so when a restaurant falls way short because poor quality of food allowed to be served then a customer review is warranted so please don't try and placate us by accusing us of not speaking up when our hearts were broken........ read more

The lumberyard is one of the nicest restaurants in Laguna Beach. It has a large bar with many seats and additional seating. I use Aria for table service on either side of the bar. The food is very good, and the service is excellent. The owner Cary will be walking around most nights. He has a hands-on approach, also owns the pizza place across the street. Do you want a nice meal with comfort food, this is one of the best. As you know, Laguna Beach is not known for great restaurants, but this one should definitely be on your list. It's comfortable and nice with excellent service and very fine food. read more

The fish and chips were great, but the meatloaf was a let down. Service was meh. Had better service from the busser than I did our server. The manager did stop by our table. She asked us how everything was before we got our entrees and didn't bother to clear our plates. read more

If you are going to Pageant of the Masters, this is where you should have dinner before the show. You can park your car underground for $15 and just walk to the venue. The place was packed! Always a sign that food will be good! A unique item on the menu is their Tinned Fish. According to our server, this item has only been on the menu for 4 months. They started with 5 tinned fish varieties, and now they have 43! A popular item in Spain, we needed to try! We opted for the rainbow trout smoked fish tin served with a variety to pickled veggies, homemade lavosh and..I kid you not, a bag of Ruffles potato chips, THIS was a winner! We also had the crab cakes, chicken pot pie and their mezze tear and share appetizer plate. Everything was amazing!! I am a huge pot pie fan and this was the one of the best I have ever had! If you are in Laguna Beach, make your reservation! read more

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Came here before going to the pageant. Got there early enough that we didn't have to fight for parking in the paid lot nearby. Food was great and the drinks as well! Appetizers were delicious. I really liked the crust on the pie and the fries with the French dip (French dip also great). The clam chowder was top tier as well. Good service and didn't have to wait too long for food. read more

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Family owned, local business, beloved by the community of Laguna Beach. Food is delicious, service is good. Love the live music, cozy ambiance, good service, and savory food. It's perfection! read more

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I wish I could eat here. I always get people telling me how good it is, but there are mushrooms in almost every dish!! A lot of people do not like mushrooms or have allergies. It's a real bummer. read more

A lot of restaurants in Laguna feel very touristy. Very upscale. This felt very local and home like. Definitely a tavern vibe. The meatloaf did not disappoint! The French dip did though. Meat was dry and lacked any flavor without the au jus. Service was fast and efficient. Loved the toast app integration. read more

Lumberyard - Lumberyard Meatloaf - New American Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

The food is mediocre and the service was terrible. We came here to celebrate a birthday lunch, hoping for a great experience. Waiter took our orders, dropped off the food, and never came back. We waited for a while for the check. However, a couple of *clearly* regular diners came in and sat near us, and were gifted 5 star service. I am glad they were able to get a great experience here, but I am not sure why service here varies. You can put your money in a better spot here in Laguna! read more

Came for a business lunch and the service was very attentive and was a nice quiet setting in a beautiful setting of Laguna Beach. The chicken had a nice flavor and was perfectly cooked to a Coca Cola brown char on top. Pricing was reasonable and the highest priced item I saw on the menu was a $49 Filet. With their location in Laguna Beach I feel like they could charge even more considering the food quality and location. Highly recommend this California gem and had it been a nicer day would have sat outside on their patio. Great place for a steak and wine, business meal or dinner date. read more

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Great service and delicious food. Love the setting very calm and relaxing . The food is very delicious and I love the menu options . Prices are reasonable and there's parking close by . read more

Stopped by for an early dinner tonight.. sat outside.. we had the beef dip and the beef stroganoff.. The beef dip was okay. The stroganoff beef was horrible. The beef was so dry and lacked flavor. I took 2. Items and couldn't even eat it. Our server barely checked on us. By the time he came out to check on how our meal was going it was almost 10 min later... Instead of taking it off our bill. He gave us a 50% off employee discount lol and asked if we wanted to box it up to go. The meal was still full and untouched after a couple bites. No thank you and not coming back. read more

3.5 * service was good! My French dip was good but my sweet potato fries were mediocre and my drink was gross. It was incredibly loud and you had to yell just to be heard by the person next to you read more

Great outdoor patio that is super pet friendly. Love the burger and sweet potato fries. The pups get beef patties and it's always a huge hit. read more

My little sister visited from Virginia for a mini bachelorette party, and we decided to try this restaurant for the first time. From the moment we arrived, everything--from the service to the food--was worth every penny! I highly recommend it and will definitely be coming back! I've never been a fan of key lime pie, but theirs was absolutely divine! read more

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The place was cute, the server was nice and kept our waters full. The food however was very average. The French dip sandwich and the burger were both a little bland with dry meat. read more

I do not recommend you eat here. I originally got the fish and chips and the fish was off. Then I got a replacement burger and wow it was pretty awful soo disappointed in such crappy and overpriced food. I legit left feeling ill, and still feel ill like maybe I got food poisoning. The clam chowder was mediocre and the meatloaf was also mediocre. The only good thing about this place was the kind and friendly service. read more

I have been coming here for 10 ish years now and the food is always yummy but the menu likes to change! The calamari was great and the grilled artichoke is amazing! I had a Cobb salad for which was great and my husband thoroughly enjoyed the Barramundi. I'm not sure anything is bad on this menu. Ambiance was great and there was a live musician playing guitar. The only negative comment is that service was slow so if you're in a hurry this is not your place. Also this place really fills up after 5:30 so get there early or get a reservation. P.S. please bring back the ahi sandwich and onion rings. read more

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Lumberyard is our go-to neighborhood restaurant. Very friendly team, good & consistent food, really fun bar. The hand made chicken fingers are a huge hit with our kids (and their dad). read more

Stopped by for dinner on our way home from the beach. Their outdoor patio area attracted us to give this place a try. The atmosphere is great and they had live music on that evening we visited. The service was good, friendly and attentive staff. As far as food I was expecting it to be much better than what it was considering the prices of each dish. Most likely we will give this place another try and order other dishes. read more

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The blue cheese dressing is horrible and ruined our dinner. It had a very sour taste. We ordered soup and salad. The French Onion soup was very good. Thank you. read more

This place will have a special place in my heart as it is where my now fiancé and I had our first date, and again where he took me before he proposed on the beach. The food here is fine, although this last time I saw the large tinned fish menu and am so curious about it. I have gotten the fish here as well as the pasta and both have been fine. This last time, the service was very good, and really the reason I bumped the rating to 4. Food alone would be in the 3 star category. Parking here can be difficult as this is a beach town, but if you're in the area. Check it out! read more

I went for a weekday lunch with a group of friends. We ordered from the $16 lunch menu and enjoyed fish tacos, fish and chips, the fish kebab, and chopped salad. We all enjoyed what we had and the waiter was attentive without being overbearing. It was an enjoyable experience. read more

Had a great dinner last night with family from out of town before the Pageant of the Masters. Everyone loved their meal. We started with the corn bread that I have seen rave reviews about and it was spot on. They also have dishes called tinned fish with 45 varieties of fish from all over the world, served in a tin with crackers, marinated vegetables, etc. I ordered the white anchovies, and they were amazing. Not fishy at all. The owner, Cary, went out of his way to explain the whole idea behind the tinned fish, and we really enjoyed meeting him. We will be back!! read more

This is our local go-to place! The staff are friendly and welcoming and the food is comfort amped up. We were there recently after a very sad happening and they were kind enough to comp our drinks. Cannot recommend Lumberyard highly enough! read more

I hate leaving this review because the Lumberyard has been one of my favorite restaurants in Laguna Beach for about ten years now. This particular experience was not good. My son and I were greeted and seated promptly; our waiter took our order shortly after and it didn't take long for our food to arrive. However, that's when the issues started. My clam chowder looked delicious, but it wasn't even lukewarm, so I reluctantly sent it back and kindly asked if they could warm it up. Meanwhile, my son said his fish & chips were just ok, and his food wasn't hot either. When I was finally served a hot bowl of chowder, I kinda lost my appetite wondering if it had been sitting out for a while before being reheated. I actually worried about getting sick, so I only ate a little of it. It was also super salty. Service was extremely slow. It seemed like they were short staffed, so maybe it was an off day, but I was so disappointed this time. read more

Lumberyard - New American Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

We were there yesterday after a long morning at the beach. Food 4.4/5: The clam chowder was 5/5, Halibut sandy 4.4/5, burgers 4.4/5 Service: Exceptional, friendly, attentive, and Taylor (our server) was super nice and just awesome Ambiance: Dark, cool architecture, I enjoyed it. read more

Just had lunch at the lumberyard. I just love this place. I always get the burger because I think it's the best burger in town and it was delicious. read more

Lumberyard - Hamburger and Fries - New American Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

I wanted to like this place so bad but nothing about it was awesome. The patio furniture is dingy and stained and just overall gross. Also, the patio is right next to a dog washing salon, so the whole patio smells like dog pee and wet dog. Gross. Our server wasn't particularly friendly. The food, well it was just super bland. Between our table, we had the halibut sandwich, which was dry and overcooked, the clam chowder which wasn't thick at all, like a traditional clam chowder should be, the fish and chips, also zero flavor. I think if the kitchen had a heavier hand on the salt shaker, it could have improved the taste of the food immensely. Bummer, but we won't be back read more

It's been more than a year since my last visit: I'll based this rating on the food only: BEST SALMON I EVER HAD. Obviously the chef has skill. Thank you, But the noise level in the room and the garish light at the entry hurt the atmosphere. I'd be inclined to do take-out next time, just to get more of that outstanding salmon, and eat it in the tranquil warmly-lit comfort of my condo. read more

Lumberyard is our 'go to place' in Laguna Beach. Spacious and comfortable bar seating. Attentive service Yummy espresso martinis Good food options We visit mostly for drinks and appetizers and they never disappoint. With inflation dining out can get exceptionally pricey but not here. I highly recommend visiting on your next trip to Laguna Beach. read more

Lumberyard - New American Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

The staff could improve. I was just there on Monday December 25th at 7:00 and stood at the hostess desk for at least 3 minutes,they weren't that busy,no one came to seat me or even acknowledged me. I like this restaurant but this is unacceptable for when the restaurant is slow AND for the prices. Sorry Kery but you need to look at your Monday night crew. I always suggest your restaurant to my friends and people I meet on the street while walking my dog but if this is the service,or lack of, I'll stop coming and stop recommending your establishment. By the way I'm a Chef so I know how restaurants work and I'm sorry to say that your restaurant at that night didn't have a manager or at least she was not to be found. I hope you'll fix this because I'd like to still come to your restaurant...BUT only if this problem is fixed...I never saw your manager and she never came to the hostess desk...so where was she when I was waiting to be seated? Sorry but this is your problem and I hope you'll fix it. Keep them on there toes,so to speak. Thanks Kery read more

Food decent. Atmosphere unbearably noisy - even when band wasn't playing. Literally couldn't hear my fellow guest from across the table.