I can't believe it took me this long to experience Nick's, especially as someone who's deeply…read morefamiliar with the Laguna dining scene. To put it simply: this is the kind of place Laguna has been missing. From the moment we walked in, the energy felt dialed-in in a way that immediately reminded me of a Hillstone experience -- polished but not pretentious, lively but still intimate. That balance is incredibly hard to execute, and Nix nails it. For context, I'm part owner of 230 Forest Avenue, so I don't say this lightly: Nix easily lands in my top five in Laguna Beach. We started with Aperol spritzes (perfectly balanced, not overly sweet), along with a couple of appetizers -- including a fried asparagus dish that was addictive in the best way. Crisp, flavorful, and gone way too quickly. For mains, I ordered the veggie burger, which was genuinely one of the best I've had -- hearty, well-seasoned, and thoughtfully constructed (not an afterthought, which vegetarian options so often are). My boyfriend had the noodle salad, which was fresh, vibrant, and layered with flavor. But beyond the food, what really stood out was the overall experience. The atmosphere feels intentional , great music, beautiful crowd, and a buzz that makes you want to linger. It's the kind of place where dinner effortlessly turns into drinks, and drinks turn into "should we just stay a little longer?" Laguna Beach doesn't have a ton of restaurants that hit this level across the board -- food, service, ambiance, and energy, but Nix absolutely does. We'll be back, and soon.

Can you say delicious x10?! The food here is dangerously good…read more We kicked things off with drinks, an old fashioned and a skinny margarita, both doing exactly what they needed to do! Then came the artichoke appetizer and the soup of the day... and honestly, I could've stopped there and been happy. But we powered through like professionals and went for a late lunch entrée, the Chilean sea bass- and WOW. Worth every bite. And shoutout to our server and the entire staff, total pros. Super polished, attentive, and clearly know what they're doing without being over the top. If you're looking for amazing food with a cool, laid-back vibe, Nick's is your spot. Just come hungry... and maybe wear stretchy pants.

Great ambiance and service from our server was very attentive. Good choice for food served and…read moreawesome views of the Dana Point Harbor.

Pear Gorgonzola salad,- 5 stars Nachos- 4 stars…read moreCrispy chicken sandwich- 4.5 stars Burger- 4 stars

They provide exceptional service, and the quality of their food is truly outstanding. Their…read moremushroom burger is among the best in town, and the salmon is equally impressive. Tony the owner, is a remarkable professional who contributes greatly to the welcoming atmosphere. We visit 2-3 times a week, and it has become our favorite dining destination.

Amazing food, fantastic service, and the perfect ambiance. Every part of my experience at Oak was…read moreexceptional. The Oak Burger was hands down the best burger I've ever had. It was perfectly cooked, incredibly flavorful, and worth coming back for on its own. The staff was attentive, welcoming, and made us feel genuinely appreciated from the moment we arrived. Even the little details stood out, like validating our parking, which made it even more convenient and enjoyable. Honestly, 5 stars doesn't feel like enough for this restaurant. Oak absolutely exceeded expectations, and I can't wait to come back.

I've been wanting to try this place so we decided to give this one pace a try during OCRW! We made…read morereservations and got a seat on their generous size patio! The water guys were great! We never had an empty glass of water during our meal! That's impressive, haha. We both got the OCRW meal. We got 1 of each appetizer- gem salad & tomato bisque. It took a little bit for the food to come out when it wasn't that crowded but we enjoyed the view. Both were good. Then we waited a bit for our food but we got the lamb shanks which was huge!! The server said it was about 12oz! My friend said it was good! I got the seabass with veggies which I really enjoyed! Light fish and loved the veggies! We both got the crème brûlée which was a good way to end the deal! Everything was delicious! You also get an amazing view of the sunset which we didn't even plan. Definitely worth a try!! SYOY!

Sapphire is such an amazing restaurant. Its located just a block from the beach so the dining…read moreexperience comes with a beautiful view. The patio area is very spacious so there is plenty of room for people to enjoy the ocean breeze. I dined here on a Friday evening and it was pretty busy. Despite how lively it was, our server was extremely attentive to all of our needs. The manager, Sal, was extremely friendly and I noticed him engaging with tables throughout the night. The food was all so delicious. For appetizers we ordered the White Mexican Shrimp & Chilean Sea Bass Ceviche, the Rosemary Focaccia Bread, and a cup of their Seafood Chowder. The Ceviche was fresh and packed with flavor. The Focaccia was so fluffy and was served with a delicious whipped honey butter. For my entree I ordered the Short Rib Pappardelle. The chunk of short rib was massive and the creme fraise really tied all the elements of the dish together. My friends ordered the Wild Caught Chilean Sea Bass and American Wagyu Beef Burger. Both were yummy. Overall the food, service, and ambiance were top notch. Will definitely be back.

The deck is a great place to have a meal and look out over the vast Pacific Ocean. The views from…read morethe outdoor seating area are absolutely stunning. The service is great and the food is really good. This is the second or third time we've been to the deck while visiting Laguna Beach and it does not disappoint. We shared several different items between the four of us and enjoyed delicious cocktails. Definitely recommend this restaurant if you are in Laguna Beach during the day & really take in those view!

a bit difficult to find and is really small. i didn't eat here because of how busy it was. it was…read moreso busy there was someone in the way at the end of the stairs. wasn't a big fan of the environment. probably not a place for younger people or something because older people that were there were staring, of course i know it's not the restaurants fault just saying. got there around 5pm put name on wait for 2 people and was told about an hour. i was told to not order from the bar while i waited, never heard of that before as i also work at a restaurant. not sure what the policy is here for that. i was ok with waiting, but i went back to ask for a table by the rail since i was waiting a bit already anyway. the lady in front of me put her name down and was told her wait time would be 30-40 mins, so i was confused why hers was shorter than mine maybe the wait time changed and i'd wait less? anyway i told the host my request to sit by the rail and she said it would be a little longer, but that's ok that's what i expected. i actually never received a text that my table was ready and i thought maybe it was the wrong number put down, but who knows. kind of disappointed because i saw this place online a year ago and was excited to finally try it. i didnt get to and just went to eat somewhere else

Finney's was such a special experience!…read more Josiah, our server, was perfect in every way. He would check on us and remember every detail about our order and preferences, demonstrating the sharpness of his mind. We were surprised when he said he had worked there less than a year because he knew the menu like the back of his hand. Atmosphere was good. Food was good.

We were visiting Laguna Beach and hungry and thirsty while walking around so we stopped in Finneys…read more Friendly staff sat us and took really good care of us. Great decor and very open so it was nice to enjoy the fresh ocean air while we sat inside. Food was very good and priced reasonably, the beverages quenched our thirst and amazingly delizioso. So when you see Finneys especially this location, mosy in and pull up a seat. You won't be disappointed. Ciao

I feel like this restaurant is finally back to its old self …read more.. It was so good 6 years ago when it first opened but then went through some staff and management changes that left the service spotty at best. Known previously for excellent service, it became hit or miss. But we stuck with it because the food was always amazing and the margaritas consistently spot-on. This trip was back to the original level of service we came to expect, and then missed when several of our favorite servers and bartenders left. While we experienced mostly new service faces this time, the service itself was excellent.

The wait was terrible a little over an hour. Then they were going to put us on a table right in the…read moreentrance in a very awkward area thankfully after asking they were able to switch to be better table. The server we had was very nice she was helping and with an inviting personality. For food I got the seafood enchiladas and they were delicious the sauce was very good I personally don't care for sour cream but if you do like it, it does come with some at the top. The queso fundido was just okay. The ambience is lively and with good music semi loud.

Food is great here. best food I had in Laguna and didn't break my bank thankfully. Just want to…read morethank the servers and baristas for being so sweet! Everyone was super awesome and kind. Food came out really fast. Very clean and super aesthetic! I'm surprised this place doesn't have a higher rating. Deserves all the love and hype! My friends and I had a great time here for visiting in the area. Can't wait to come back!

Laguna Beach, Ca. It was a lunch meeting with an old friend…read morewho is a regular here. He likes the burgers and the steaks. Parking during the lunch hour can be a problem, you may have to walk a bit from the upper neighborhood. Some of the residents there do not hold back their disdain for tourists parking in front of their homes. Place your order outside, like a fast food joint, get a number and sit down somewhere after you get your drinks from another outside window. They are very busy here and have a good system in place to process and complete the orders. The wait time for your food is minimal. The vibe here is touristy yet the crowd is young. Beach goers mostly I suspect. Picnic tables inside with an assortment of round patio tables and chairs inside and out. The burgers taste good. They are a double patty, so they were cooked up quickly and were definitely served hot off the grill. The meat is without much taste. The cheese is American which is nothing more than a mysterious blend of yellow ingredients, few which are probably real dairy products. It does melt easily though and kind of makes a runny addition to the sauce they use. Flavor from the sauce and the texture from the meat made the burger interesting but not great. Probably on the level of an In and Out puck. The bun was ok, it held up well to the sauces. Since this a well cooked double patty, there was no juice to sog up the bun. Of course the lack of juice makes the overall product lacking. The fries are great and ample but the stingy amount of catsup provided is almost good enough for only half the fries. The ice tea is average and very small. It is not enough to wash down the meal. Make sure you get waters because your ice tea will not be refilled.

Our server was so friendly and the food was great. Our favorite item we ordered was the fried…read moreasparagus. Definitely recommend!

Laguna Beach: Ample parking and outdoor seating is always a plus in any beach city. We made…read morereservations and glad we did. It was a weekend and the place filled quickly. Loud crowd! Ordered: Salmon Citrus salad. The salmon was cooked perfectly, and my friend was very happy with the amount of salmon to salad ratio. Attractive dish! Sliced Steak & Potato Salad was a nice portion of sliced steak, a decent warm potato salad, and a great side salad. I can't remember if that was one of her side options, but it was a solid choice. Steak was ordered medium rare and it was definitely all rare - but edible. Sometimes it's not a good option to send it back. Fear of over cook. Blackened Halibut Sandwich was my choice and the fresh tasting halibut was cooked to perfection. I would go lighter on the blackened seasoning next time and skip the non-crispy onions straws. Love those but most definitely they were prepped long before we got there. Minor culinary issue as the halibut sandwich was a delicious combo of fresh ingredients that I had to deconstruct so I could manage to eat it. I think only a mega shark could take a bite of this sandwich as it was meant to be built! So it nicely transformed into a Blackened Halibut Salad plate with a highly recommended crispy Caesar salad for the side. I enjoyed every bite. I would go here again. Service was courteous and prompt, and our food was served on the spot. We were too full to try their recommended warm butter cake. Next time it's Brussel sprouts and desert! Well, maybe a side of a self-deconstructed Halibut Sandwich.

Went to Driftwood Kitchen last minute for brunch. They used to have a great vegan hash on the menu,…read morebut unfortunately there are no real vegan options anymore. I am not a fan of places where you simply remove the cheese from a dish to make it vegan, don't replace it with anything else, and still charge the same price. It just feels like an afterthought rather than a true option. I did have a watermelon mocktail which was actually pretty good. The inside was really loud though, and it was hard for our table of four to hear each other. There were also no tables available outside when we arrived. That said, the location really is beautiful and the ocean view is great. One thing to note is that it is valet only, and we ended up waiting quite a while to get the car back. Overall: great location and views, but I wish they still offered a thoughtful vegan dish like they used to.

Very sad. What used to be a place that took pride in their product, it has gone the way of other…read morerestaurants which believe they can live on location alone. Eggs Benedict with incredibly over cooked eggs is a deal killer. While they were poached by definition, they were hard as any hard boiled egg on its worst day. It pains me to write such negativity but I'm trying to be as nice as possible with the two stars.