we came into eat for a little family celebration and we had a martini and chicken lettuce wraps…read morewhich were amazing. Kelsey was our server and she did absolutely amazing. She was so attentive and our drinks and food arrived at the table so quickly. She gave amazing amazing service

Michaela the GOAT…read more I had uber low expectations out of this place but I have been thoroughly impressed by all of the dishes. I got the spaghetti and lobster and for the price I will say I was expecting them to hold back on the portions but they gave a pretty good serving size. She was very attentive to the party and any allergies :). Good food and good service

Such a wonderful lunch experience. The food was delicious, and the service truly stood out. Jay…read moremade our son's occasion extra special and was incredibly attentive in accommodating his gluten-free needs. Easily some of the best service we've had thankful for such a memorable afternoon.

I'm in love with the firecracker sushi roll. That is a 10/10 sushi roll NO JOKE. You MUST order it…read more Everything else was pretty average on the menu. The service was very slow, despite the resturaunt being nearly empty on a Saturday night. For the price point, everything was mid-tier, other than the firecracker roll..it was just so insanely good. The desserts were delicious tbh. The dubai chocolate mousse is soooooo good. Ambiance is great! They don't call it "View" for nothing.

If you have not been to CDM speakeasy basement AND are a fan of food cocktails and good service you…read moreare missing out. There is no place in Orange County that you will have the cocktails and service that you get from Brandon. It is a privilege to drink his creations and passion for hospitality. I do not say this lightly. It is why the phrase "a hidden gem" was forged. In my case not to use lightly. The food is great and overshadowed by the ambiance and comfort and complexity of his creative drinks. Manager always coming in to check also a plus on the restaurant overalll service.

After receiving a recommendation to visit quite some time ago, we finally made it out to CDM for a…read morebirthday weekend and were, unfortunately, really disappointed. It wasn't terrible, and we didn't leave thinking the food was awful, but for what the experience seems like it should have been it was not great. The signature cocktails are really nothing special and cost a lot. I personally had the Blood Orange Sour and might as well have just made my own whiskey sour at home and saved $17. We reserved a table outside and the atmosphere was nice and seats were comfortable. We're not sure if it was because we were sat in the far corner or they were understaffed, but the service was very slow, and even getting our card back after we paid took at least 10 minutes. Finally, the food was fine, aside from one of the salmon entrees coming out VERY rare. The restaurant ended up comping this dish for us. If you're looking for a nice night out with great food and drinks, there are plenty of more satisfying options for m Orange County that will be far better, and also cost you less than CDM.

The view is the best and the main attraction of this restaurant. We have visited several times over…read morethe years, and it is always so nice to sit outside with a view of the water, boats. Our server was fantastic and checked on us regularly, making sure our water glasses were refilled and our cocktails delish. The food was fine. Not the most amazing meal but it is more than made up for with the views and the staff!

TLDR; Pretty sure this spot used to a pretty crappy brunch buffet spot. Decided to come and see…read morewhat the new spot is like. Advertised live dj on sundays when we made reservations and there was no live music. Food is overall bland as hell, steak was chewy and dry and unsalted it seems. Chicken and waffles board was probably the worst chicken and waffles I've had, and all the sides that came with it seemed random as hell. We were excited to try a newish brunch spot out and to get a bottle of champagne for mimosas. Little did we know, that the mimosa would be the best part of the meal. This spot replaced a super crappy brunch buffet, that was one of the saddest buffets I've ever been to. Saw that they opened a new concept and saw that they advertised live DJs on sundays for brunch. So we decided to try it. We sat down and ordered the chicken and waffles platter and steak and salad plate. The chicken and waffle plate was really not that good, not a single item on the platter was good. Waffles, you can tell they tried to make it fancy, but just tasted weird and dry. The syrup, looks like they make in house also, not sweet enough and bland. The chicken was the least bland item out of everything, but it's not worth it at all. The steak was one of the chewiest, dry steaks I've had in a while also under seasoned, maybe even no salt. The chicken platter also had random items on it, that made no sense. Random sprigs of rosemary, marshmallow amongst other items. Nothing seemed to gel and it looked like they were just trying to fill the space with easy things. The mimosas that came with the chicken and waffles platter was the star of our meal. Honestly, I'd say it's hard to make food taste this bland and whatevers. With what they are charging, the steak shouldn't be dry and chewy, let alone not seasoned. Everything was under seasoned like we were in a cardiatric ward in the hospital. You can make better food following any recipe on YouTube. 2 stars for the mimosa and the server was very friendly, service wasn't anything to write home about though. Not busy at all, and a lot of workers just standing around. We didn't get checked on much throughout the meal. Oh and the valet was free at least.

Absolutamente Delicioso!!! I rarely give 5 stars, but this…read morelittle gem most certainly deserves them all. The food is exquisite and a nice change from the usual Mexican fare. It's influenced by the San Cabos area of Mexico. So, it's what we're familiar with, only with a lovely twist. I ordered the chicken enchiladas Suiza, and my son got the taco trio. It was some of the BEST Mexican food we'd ever had. Another plus is that it's not on Balboa Island's main drag. So, parking and traffic aren't as much of a hassle. It's also very close to the water. The atmosphere is pleasant, and so is the staff. We couldn't have had a nicer experience. I highly recommend it.

Le sigh (sorry, my elder emo coming out). Todos Sandos was a 3 star/"OK" stop on a recent trip to…read moreSoCal. Located just down the street from the Balboa Ferry, it's an easy walk. Nice looking spot with plenty of outdoor seating. All the staff we interacted with were very friendly. So why just 3 stars? The food was just eh. If I had more hours in California I would have made up for the lackluster food by making a trip to HB's Tacos Los Cholos. I had the recommended Enchiladas Suizas. When my plate came out I knew immediately it would be just ok. The enchiladas didn't even look saucy. The refried beans looked (and tasted) like canned beans. The rice was very boring. The tinga chicken, somehow, was dry. My wife had the tostada salad. It was like $26 because of the $10 add on of steak. $26 for the most gringo thing on the menu. Best part of it was the steak, the rest will be repressed from my memory. A friend had the taco trio. $19 for 3 tacos and no sides. That's pretty steep. He didn't even finish the 3 tacos. He had the short rib, al pastor and carnitas. None of them looked very good. I had a pinch of his short rib meat. It tasted like grandma's Sunday pot roast. And just like the tinga chicken it was also dry. My wife's strawberry marg was quite good. The beer menu was very basic. Gotta step it up. When the free chips and salsa, and add on steak are the highlights of the dinner you know that the place needs help.

I loved the food, and the service was okay. However, the music was far too loud--it felt like it…read morewas on full blast. The waiter had trouble hearing us, and we could barely hear each other without raising our voices.

Lost Wallet. $15. Jack Daniels , skrewball peanut butter whiskey, lemon , Gifford Orgeat, mint -…read morevery good. Not overly peanut flavor. I would get again Black walnut old fashioned $13. Was ok but pretty normal old fashioned for me. Not a fan. Coastal halibut $29. Rice, creamy Parmesan, spinach, broccolini and roasted Carrots. - rice was very creamy and delicious. Fish was cooked perfectly Fish tacos were salmon. We're very good. $21 Joshua Smith as our server and very personable and a good server. For the area not a bad price for the quality.

Jereny was amazing serving us this weekend, and the manager Tawny took hospitality to the next…read morelevel with her attentiveness and enthusiasm. The ambiance was like stepping out of OC and into a setting out of a fantasy- intimate, rustic, and romantic. The food was delicious and the cocktails were refreshing. Will be coming back for more memories with the girlfriends!

Had such a wonderful experience at Habana for my boyfriend's birthday! As someone who is Cuban, I'm…read morealways excited to find restaurants that capture the flavors and nostalgia of authentic Cuban cuisine, and Habana did not disappoint. I ordered the ropa vieja, and it was absolutely delicious--rich, flavorful, and reminiscent of the classic Cuban dishes I grew up enjoying. I also had a mojito, which was perfectly made and the ideal complement to the meal. The atmosphere was beautiful, the service was attentive, and the entire experience felt special from start to finish. It was the perfect place to celebrate a birthday and enjoy a taste of home. If you're looking for great Cuban-inspired food, delicious cocktails, and a memorable dining experience, I highly recommend Habana. We'll definitely be back!

We were late to our reservation because traffic was horrendous getting out of our daughter's…read moregraduation ceremony on the other side of town. They were extremely understanding and accommodating. The service was amazing and the food was great. They even brought my daughter a treat for recognition! I would love to go back if we are in the area again... (my kid is moving to LA!)

I came here because of the great reviews, and I couldn't agree more with all of them! The service…read morewas great, as soon as we walked in the gentleman at the front were so welcoming, and our server was just as great! He was very attentive and funny. My mom did say she wished she had more carne asada because it was so good. My Birria plate was so juicy, along with my michelada that was made just as I like it! I would definitely come back. This would be a good place to come for a birthday, as it is a beautiful restaurant.