Whether it is the burgers, roasted chicken, grilled artichoke, calamari, fish dishes, we have loved it all! The service is excellent and has the perfect walking location to the Pageant or Sawdust Festival or just a walk in downtown Laguna. Lumberyard is consistently great food and the lunch specials are great too! It doesn't have an ocean view, but the food is much better than many restaurants that do have a view. read more

Great service. Amazing food. Perfectly cooked steaks, amazing ribs and cornbread, and one of the most perfectly cooked sole I have ever had. This is our go to spot for special occasions. We love to sit near the fireplace. read more

We've gone to this restaurant many times in the past, prior to Covid, and went back for the first time since Covid started this past weekend. We were surprised to find how much this place has changed in terms of service and unfortunately, not for the better. Considering how much business they've likely lost due to Covid we thought that by going back and giving them some business would have allowed us to return to the Lumberyard we know and love. Not so. We totally get and understand how difficult this past year has been for many businesses so we of course try to exhibit a lot of patience and understanding but the basic tenets of service were completely missing here. The hostess was extremely friendly and nice when we arrived but the wait-staff seemed bothered to be waiting on us. We sat for a good 15-20 minutes before somebody even greeted us. When we did get someone's attention we figured we had better ask for several things in the event that we don't see them again for a while. So we ordered 2 waters, 2 cocktails and an appetizer. It took about 10 minutes to get our waters, another 10 minutes when our appetizer came out but no cocktails. When we reminded them that we had ordered drinks, the waiter went away and came back with my drink but not my spouse's. We figured it must be on the way and said nothing and after another 10 minutes we finally asked about the second cocktail only to learn that they had totally forgotten about it. When we got the second drink, we put in our food order for dinner and that came out in a fairly reasonable timeframe. Fortunately, the food tasted as good as we remembered. So the rating here is a 3-star since the food and drinks tasted good but the service not-so-much. We also mentioned to them that we were celebrating our anniversary and I might as well had told him I had a zit on my nose. It didn't register any type of acknowledgment whatsoever. Oh well, we hope they get it together soon but it'll probably be a while before we go back. I guess I'm just surprised that knowing how much business they've likely lost this past year that they would have been super happy to have customers again and that the service would be top-notch...nope. Maybe my expectations are unreasonable? read more

they took our party of 12 last minute. restaurants was pretty crowded. good service. split a french dip and mac and cheese. wish the horseradish had more zing. mac was real good. super rich. food was probably a 3.5 but need to round up for their staff putting up with our annoying drunk party. read more

Absolutely fantastic! Loved the Sea Bass, and Chad was absolutely great, best waiter we've had in a long time. Keep it up! Great ambiance, live music, AMAZING DRINKS, definitely coming back! read more

This place has great food and great drinks! They have an awesome brunch menu on Sundays and an amazing Bloody Mary bar. It's a place you can get in pretty easy and good parking area for Laguna. read more

I was delighted by my visit to the Lumberyard's Happy Hour yesterday! We sat in the outdoor patio and enjoyed very nice house Chardonnay and delicious appetizers: blackened salmon tacos and lamb meatballs in cauliflower puree. Not only were the setting, food, and wine very enjoyable, but our waiter Manny added to the positive experience. He was so accommodating, professional, and friendly. We were so impressed with his service that we asked to convey our commendation to the owner, Cary Redfern, who is one of the community's biggest assets. read more

We ordered medium well burgers and two out 3 of them were close to burnt! The fries are made in batter. Tasteless. And there is no reason to fry in batter! Service was mediocre. It was our last night in Laguna and so disappointed with this place. read more

Came here to celebrate graduating with my Masters degree. The owner was very accommodating and friendly. All of his recommendations turned out to be fabulous. My brother ordered the halibut which was from Alaska and was amazing. I got the filet, which practically melted in my mouth. I usually don't eat dessert, but my family ordered the apple cobbler to share and it was hard to share!! The dinner ended with a hand written note congratulating me for my accomplishment. It was a fabulous night. Highly recommended. read more

First restaurant I've been to with service so slow the host had to take my order and close out my bill. Not once was I waited on or even knew who my server was. I ordered the French Onion Soup and it was too salty, I had to eat my serving of bread to just be somewhat satiated. Lumberyard can definitely do better than this. I've been here plenty of times. read more

Great happy hour. Lots of locals come to make a meal from the Happ Hour menu. Service was good. For dinner I had the planked salmon which was amazing. My husband had the chicken pot pie which was fine. read more

I came here last night for Valentine's Day and the restaurant was dimly lit, comfortable settings and nice atmosphere. We were greeted by an lovely and nice young hostess. Our waiter Micheal was nice, kept checking up on us and constantly refilled our drinks. I ordered the lumberyard burger and my boyfriend ordered the ahi burger we so ordered the cornbread served with honey butter. Both of our entrees came out within 10-15 minutes and was nice prepared on a big plate. The corn bread was delicious, with a little hint of sugar. Our burgers were amazing, very good. I'm very pleased with the restaurant and I would definitely go back. read more

ate before the pageant. waitress was Fun and enjoyable. a few hiccups but the place was slammed. its understood for anyone with half a brain and who's been at a restaurant on the other side. food was above average for OC american food. drinks were great and so were the cocktails. deserts were way better than they were named ( odd but true) read more

Stopped by here for dinner with friends before the Pageant of the Masters. The location was convenient to the venue, we all agreed drinks were great, food slightly overpriced and so-so (fish and chips was probably the best dish we ordered) and the service was poor. The waiter reached over me a few times and asked if I knew what was in my friend's water glass (I would assume water). The rest of the time we did not see him although it was quite busy. Will probably try another restaurant next time I'm in town. read more

Disappointing meal tonight. We ordered a glass of cab and draft hef. We started with a small ceased salad. We asked for some bread and was told there is a charge, ok, a but unusual. We were done with the salad by Rhine the bread arrived. The waiter offered to take it back, maybe cause we were going to get charged. We ordered the sea bass. We asked what the seasonal vegetables were and were told it was squash and mushrooms. The plate came with two pieces of over done sea bass on mashed potatoes along with a large amount of fava beans. We weren't told about the fava beans. We weren't told they were part of the vegetables. We waited awhile for the entrée to arrive the waiter did offer to take it back and replace them but did say what we would end up with. The amount of mushrooms and squash was substantially less than the overpowering amount green fava beans. We have been here several times before and this was a first. I did speak to management on the was out. They apologized and said they would speak to the waiter. Might be a while before we return. read more

This review has little to do with the service we received, rather mostly to do with the overall atmosphere and food experience. Our server was very nice and courteous. I came to the Lumberyard with my wife and another couple for a nice dinner. The expectation for a place in Laguna Beach called the "Lumberyard" was high, I must admit. While we were deciding I asked the server what the chef recommends. When I go to a nice restaurant, sometimes I to not even look at the menu and get what the chef would like to prepare for a guest. She had no idea, which was a bummer. She also mentioned that they were known for their fish.... I thought that was rather strange. A restaurant called the "Lumberyard" is know for fish? This place has an identity crisis. I'm sorry, if you're going to be called Lumberyard, you need to be know for something burly, manly, and meaty. That is one of the biggest issues I had with this place: it had no identity. I didn't know what they were going for. What they were about. And look, I admit this is a snooty review so far. But I wouldn't give a review like this for an In-N-Out (even though they know exactly who they are!), I'm giving this review because someone going to an expensive restaurant in Laguna Beach called the Lumberyard should have certain connotations and expectations. And they we're let down! Appetizers, we got the Lumberyard Zucchini. It was the only appetizer that carried the restaurants name... They were nothing special. We also got the corn bread, which was actually amazing! For entrees, I got the New York steak (cooked rare plus/med rare), my wife the ahi, my buddy the short ribs, and his wife the sea bass. All were mediocre. My steak was actually cooked perfectly, exactly how I ordered it. However, it was blah, boring, so-so. No sort of explosion of flavor. Nothing that made me close my eyes and think: that is good. My wife's ahi looked amazing. Presentation was impressive. Flavor: boring. My buddy seemed to really enjoy his short ribs, but there wasn't much a response from his wife's sea bass. After dinner, instead of dessert, I love getting a cocktail. I'm a sucker for a manhattan with a really good bourbon. I figured at an upscale restaurant like this they would have an upscale mixologist or a talented bartender who took pride in his drinks. I'm thinking I'll get a cool whiskey glass with a block of hard, cocktail ice in it. Wrong. They used the same ice as they do in their ice water (which is "soft" ice and melts very quickly due to the alcohol). They also used the same glass they used for their water glasses. Nothing special. I sound like a snob. I swear I'm not. I just love food. There are so many things that this place could do that would put them on the map. If they took pride in a few things and did them great, they could be really good. Here's my recommendation Mr. Lumberyard, sir: find your identity. What is your niche? I think it should be awesome steaks, wine, and whiskey/bourbon. Those 3 things would live up to the Lumberyard name. read more

Blah, blah, blah, good food, good service, but too expensive. Black Angus food at Ruth's Chris pricing. Welcome to Laguna.

Went to Lumberyard on a double-date off a recommendation from a friend in Corona del Mar. Lucky for us the other couple couldn't make it, I would have been soooo embarrassed. We started off waiting almost 20 minutes for a table in a restaurant that was maybe just over half full. We only saw our server three times. Once to take our appetizer order as he was walking away, once to take our entree order, and once to drop off the bill when we already had the credit card out on the table. We were never asked how our meal was, offered refills, or given any kind of genuine welcome to the dining experience. The restroom was out of toilet paper AND paper towels...I had to change stalls just to wipe my backside. The booths were hard like something out of a bowling alley, but the chairs looked rather comfortable. If we thought the service was bad, the food made it look good. Cornbread was weak and dry, obviously something mixed out of a box. Dropped at the table in a skillet so hot it burned the outside of it with no service utensils and no plates for us to eat it. Aunt Jemima does better. Almost 40 minutes later our entrees arrived, I guess they had to butcher another pig or something. The 'falling off the bone pork ribs' were so tough I could have beat someone to death with them. They were grisly and fatty I didn't even eat half. My date's Rotisserie chicken was dry and flavorless topped with an equally flavorless and gummy gravy. We ditched dessert and went to Gelatto Paradiso instead. For $70 after tip it was hands down the worst dining experience I've had in OC, and as a Houston's fan its also the worst wanna-be. The one saving grace of Lumberyard? Its probably the only restaurant in the area with Hennepin on a rather short but impressive beer list. At least someone knows what they're doing. read more

Roasted Chicken was succulent and perfect sides were spot on- def will go back. I have a diabetic celiac's friend that was with us and they were very attentive to her needs. They crafted a meal for her that she not only could eat but really enjoyed. The service was attentive but not overbearing. The atmosphere was energetic but not too loud to have a lively conversation and still hear each other. Thanks for an enjoyable lunch read more

I will start out by saying YES you need to eat here. I have eaten here over a dozen times and the service is always awesome and the food is always cooked to your liking and full of flavor. I ordered the other night their special which was the crab with tomato gazpacho. The plate arrived with mound of sliced cucumbers & tomatoes, avocado, crab (claw meat), and shrimp. The waiter then proceeded to pour the clear tomato liquid into my bowl. The liquid did not look like it would add much but OMG did it explode in my mouth with tomato flavor mania! The seafood was cooked & chilled to perfection and this was just my starter. For my entree I ordered what I've had before which is their Lumberyard burger cooked perfectly medium with no bun. This burger is topped with everything a burger should be. Prices here are average and and the drinks are really yummy. Also try their sunday brunch with make your own bloody mary's. Way cool. read more

Lumberyard - Crab Gazpacho - New American Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Write a review! I would, but we never got seated. I will write a review of the glass of beer I had at the bar, while waiting an additional hour plus on Saturday evening, after calling in from lower down on the PCH and being advised that I could get seated in approximately 30 minutes. Unfamiliar with the area, it took us slightly longer than that to find parking in this congested area and get to the restaurant door. Greeted by the girl at the front desk I told her my name and repeated that I had called 30 minutes earlier, etc. She said it would be a short wait and she would come get us. To get back to that beer, I waited for an opening at the bar, first sign of trouble was being deliberately ignored while I stood there cash in hand. The one bartender racked glasses while the other rushed around, finally approaching me and excusing my wait by saying that there was already a napkin in front of me? Well, she gave that napkin to the guy who had stepped away with his drink moments before I stepped up, and there were 5 or 6 other napkins and pieces of trash on the wide front portion of the bar. Anyhoo $7 + tip and a brief wait while she tantalized me from the opposite end of the bar, my poured beer in hand, chatting up some much more pretentious looking people, I got my beer. It was a good beer. We waited a full 30 minutes before approaching to ask for an update. It's a balancing act, ya know. We didn't have a reservation but we had been told 30 minutes on the phone, now we are at 1 hour. She said 10 minutes more. A pary of three next to us at the bar was growing impatient as well, they went up to inquire and were told about 20 minutes more. If she had half a brain and a clue and her computer there, she could have calculated we were not gonna be sitting in 10 minutes. I gave it an extra 10 minutes and went back to clueless. She didn't apologize, but acknowledged the long wait, and said there was one party ahead of us and we were next. It took more than an additional 10 minutes to seat two more parties, that pretty much did it for me. The wife and I asked for the manager and gave her an earful, we got our first apology and an offer of a table and an appetizer. Now I am not the brightest guy, but I know what can happen when you piss off the restaurant staff and yell at the manager and then accept a table. 'Nuff said. read more

Decent dinner, but made a few poor orders. My dad was in town so we decided to head to the beach for dinner. My mom ordered a well-done filet mignon--mistake, a filet mignon is supposed to melt in your mouth. She couldn't finish and gave it to me. This one took a full minute of chewing before I could swallow, and on top of that, I needed a glass of water to counter the dryness (had to finish because asians never leave unfinished food unattended). My main course however, was a bit better. I ordered the Linguine, which is the most expensive pasta on the menu. It was decent, but the plate was so diverse, the flavors didn't go well together. Personally, I think a dish that is already mixed should have their flavors work together. My dad ordered the Rigatoni with it being the most popular pasta dish. After tasting it and the Linguine, I pretty much understood why. The individual flavors enforced one strong taste, something the Linguine lacked. I left feeling less satisfied than my dad :( read more

This was our second time here. This time we brought a party of seven (including kids). Again, the food and service was very impressive. The Ahi Tuna burger and chicken pot pie seemed to be the best dishes. Another good thing about this place is that they have a kid's menu that has more than your average number of options. read more

Food is quite good and the french dip is excellent, I have had it numerous times. But, service in the bar is terrible. 3 of 4 visits have reminded me of how poorly managed the bar food service is, including the roaming manager that will walk by you for 10 minutes observing no menu or water and just go talk to the patrons he knows. The bartenders rarely acknowledge the bar tables for food or service. It is a combo if poorly trained/low-skilled servers, ignorant/clueless management, and the logistics of tables in the bar. But let me reiterate, the food is really good. I doubt I will return though after such terrible service this week. read more

This place just keeps getting better and better! The service is wonderful, the people are friendly and there's never too long of a wait! and if there is, I wouldn't mind waiting, happy to see others enjoying the place too. The Grilled Cheese is gone (Monday Night Football Special) but I have found another favorite! The Classic Caesar salad! Delicious! This place has 2 big screen tv's and live music on Thursday nights. This weekend I also found out that on Sunday's, along with a tasty looking breakfast menu, you can Build Your Own Bloody Mary! A definite must do! If I haven't already.... See you there! read more

So considering this is one of the first places to pop up when you type in bar they were really rude about us just ordering drinks at the table (maybe they wanted us to sit at the bar but I prefer the table to be able to talk easily) we saw the hostess and our server clearly talking about us or making comments and our server seemed annoyed that we just ordered drinks. As a table who was easy to serve and tipped well it was disappointing and convinced us to not order a second round read more

The Lumberyard Restaurant is located in the main village of Laguna Beach. It's situated on a portion of lot that was once the original lumberyard that built much of Laguna Beach. The outside resembles a quaint home you would expect to encounter in the French countryside. Inside is a cozy restaurant and bar that pays homage to it's namesake with a rich wood interior. A stone fireplace provides warmth and ambiance on cool evenings and a small shaded patio is perfect for warm summer days. The Lumberyard specializes in steakhouse fare and gourmet comfort foods like chicken pot pie, burgers and grilled seafood. I ordered their signature dish, Lumberyard Meatloaf, and my wife ordered the Beef Stroganoff. The meatloaf was wrapped in bacon, surrounded with a mushroom demiglaze and had more than a hint of a smoke flavor. Best meatloaf I've ever encountered. The Stroganoff featured extra wide pappardelle pasta noodles, tender strips of beef and a generous portion of flavorful mushrooms. Also a fantastic full-flavored dish. We accompanied our meals with a couple glasses of Cabernet from their robust wine menu. The service, food and ambiance were top notch and had us already planning what to order on our next visit. The Lumberyard is open daily for lunch and dinner. Brunch is offered on Sunday where they specialize in a custom martini bar. Happy hour specials are available weekdays where friendly locals gather around the central bar for conversation and televised sporting events. Live music Friday & Saturday nights. It's a casual enough place for nice shorts (not trunks) but also upscale enough for a dinner dress or suit. Parking is available at nearby pay lots and metered street spots. Parking can be tough on busy weekends and summer months but we found a metered spot right outside the restaurant. Consider an after-dinner stroll through the multitude of boutique shops that surround the restaurant in Laguna Village or a short walk to the Main Beach boardwalk. read more

Wow...... haven't been here in a very long time! But let me tell you the staff is still and has always been very friendly, praises to the Kitchen crew the food is breath taking and so much more!!! Can't wait to go back again for dinner with my family!!! read more

I have ate here twice, both times at 4:30 pm, prior to the Pageant of the Masters. The first time was mediocre, with good service and so-so food. We tried it again today and have decided not to go back. Our waitress was fantastic, she explained all the dishes and gave recommendations when we had requested it. We ordered the espresso-rubbed rib eye and my wife had the halibut with risotto. The rib eye was ordered medium but came out medium well, no big deal. It lacked flavor and wasn't a nice cut of meat. The Yukon potatoes it came with were a bit undercooked. My wife's shrimp-asparagus risotto was outstanding, but the halibut was also a bit overcooked. We ordered the ice cream pie for dessert and it was satisfying. The reason we are not going back is the following: It took a long time to find our waitress to put in an order for dessert and when we did make the order, it took a long time to come out. This, in itself, is no big deal. Later, we had to ask our busser if he could find our waitress so we could get the check after waiting for a very long time. She came over and graciously apologized because there was a mix-up and thought someone else closed our bill. No later than two minutes after paying our bill, some guy we had never seen comes over to our table and basically asks us to leave because they are starting to get busy with the Pageant crowd. He offered us a table outside. We were preparing to leave anyways, but he did it in such a tasteless and obnoxious way that it left a bad taste in our mouth, especially since we were there so late because of their tardiness in getting the check out to us and our dessert. No need for us to patronize again. read more

This place is further away from the beach so you might have better luck here than those places just walking up. A little pricey, but par for the neighborhood. On a Saturday night, it was loud and crowded and there is no waiting area so you have to stand; the bar was packed. Nice ambiance besides. Friendly attentive service, but it took about an hour to get the food. Well executed comfort food, but otherwise unexciting cuisine. Best veggie plate I've ever had. Zucchini planks were great. read more

My friend who lives in Dana Point and I live here in Laguna Beach decided to try something new and local (walking distance). Traffic can get a bit much during the Summer time here. The restaurant is at the end of my street and we wanted to sit outside. The patio was full, it was a great evening. So we sat in a very comfortable booth almost by the door. Sonia was our server, very pretty, perky young lady. We both opted for the Fish & Chips. My friend had the Gazpacho to start and I had the House Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette. The expo guy forgot to bring my friend a spoon for the Gazpacho, which is a different version than I've ever seen. There were shrimp and long strips of cucumber and the tomato sauce came in a small glass, that he served for my friend. We wanted to seem hip so my friend ate his soup with a fork... Until we asked Sonia for a spoon to soup-up the last of the tomato soup. My friend was not very impressed with but it was the special of the day. We didn't think it was that special. My salad was a nice portion for a starter and just the right amount of dressing. I like more dressing on my salads but it was good, "A trio of lettuces with carrots, tomatoes, & chopped egg" it says on the menu, I liked that the egg was finely chopped. The Fish & Chips was good, it didn't blow me away, but the fries were nicely seasoned and the batter on the fish was good. But it filled me up and I thought the portions were good for the price. I'm sure I'll take friends there when they visit. Oh, to make up for the spoon incident Sonia offer us a piece of Key Lime Pie for dessert... That was really yummy a perfect ending to the evening. read more

Breakfast and brunch are not my favorite meals but I was in need of a place to dine before hitting the Arts Festival with my husband, mother and my sister-in-law's mother. I liked that the Lumberyard actually had lunch items on its brunch menu. My other companions are breakfast fans and enjoyed their meals. The portions are quite large. I enjoyed the french dip as it was an actual french dip with meat and jus on a roll with no onions, peppers or cheese. So many places try to pass a Philly Cheesesteak off as a French Dip these days. The skillet cornbread is amazing. It was nice to have a glass of sparkling wine for $6. The 2 hours of free covered parking is a great perq. read more

Excellent food! Very similar menu and ambiance to a Houston's. I went with my girlfriend this past Saturday. We had our dog with us and were sat in the outside dining area. Very comfortable seating and quiet. The outdoor area is smaller and very cozy. We had the zucchini appetizer (Lumberyard Planks), flame grilled artichoke, shrimp and avocado civiche and I had the Ribeye for my entree. Everything was great! My steak was cooked perfectly (Rare) and the mashed potatoes and asparagus were perfectly seasoned. I would absolutely return the next time I am in Laguna! read more

I'd like to ask people to clean up their language on the Internet. We're looking for good restaurants here, not vulgar, hateful people. If you need to vent your inner rage, go to a good anger management counselor. Yelp ... Please monitor filthy language. It's very unpleasant for everyone and not at all helpful. read more

Had dinner here and really enjoyed this place. I had the signature burger and my wife had the fish and chips. Food is very good. Service was good and it was a fun place. It's loud inside but we were still able to have a conversation. My son had the cedar plank salmon which he said was great and my daughter had the chicken fingers from the kids menu which is a chicken breast cut to look like a hand with fingers. We will be back. read more

Amazing ahi tuna burger and sweet potato fries, paired with a delicious beer on tap or a small carafe of wine, and you've got a dream dinner! read more

Food is ok, but the service lack to be desired. We visited on a Sunday night before the Pageant of the Masters. Everyone but one person got their order delivered. My stepfather did not get his hamburger until everyone was finished eating. Thankfully they took his order off the bill, but they charged us 18% gratuity because we had a party of 9. read more

The atmosphere is amazing as well as the service. My boyfriend and I split the salmon salad and it was delicious! We went during the day but are wanting to come back for happy hour due to their affordable prices. Definitely will be back read more

Was in the mood for steak and found a really delicious, perfectly cooked filet. It was served with this bernaise sauce, asparagus, and potato au gratin. Very good. I give 4 stars for nice ambience on a quiet night. Fri, Sat, and Sun I wouldn't touch Laguna Beach in general because all the overcrowding in restaurants. I like the quiet times although the night we went there were some older Brits that were obnoxiously loud. Pretty gross when you're about to dive into your steak and this 60+ year old man is talking about the majority of the male population "hanging to the left," SERIOUSLY!!!? Eeeeeeeeew! In any case the only problem I had was they waited for my husbands beverage to be empty for quite some time before offering to refill it. It's not like they were crazy busy, just thinking the server assumed our table didn't need attention. It's a small thing, but if you pay attention to that small detail of filling one's beverage prior to it being empty, it would be 5 stars. Overall, great steak! Thanks! read more

Service is great food is over priced, quality does not match price, a let down!