A must stop for any goonies lover…read more The entrance leaves a lot to be desired, but I suppose it add more to the magic and experience once you've entered. It feels like we're are navigating the caves from the movie and the bar is the treasure ship. Once you enter there is decor and memorabilia spread throughout (whether any of it is authentic or not I'm not sure) they have speciality drinks after the movie and the bartender was very attentive. Overall it was fun to experience and a nice spot to explore while going around San Clemente.

Really bummed out. My husband grew up in San Clemente, loved tiki bars and his favorite movie was…read moreThe Goonies. He sadly passed away recently and his memorial is this weekend, so we tried to go to Lost Inferno to celebrate him with all his high school and college friends. We called in advance and the person we spoke to said we couldn't make a reservation unless we could guarantee 20 people, but we could walk in with a smaller group no problem. Of course we got there right when they opened and they told us they couldn't seat us for an hour. We joined the wait list and walked to a bar a couple doors down waiting for the text that our table was ready. We received a text that our table would be ready at a specific time and then 2 minutes before our table was supposed to be ready we get a text saying we were removed from the wait list with no clarification or follow up. I understand being busy/booked up, but I would have liked to have received accurate information. We could have made reservations online if we had been told. I wore his favorite Goonies Hawaiian shirt and everything expecting to have a nice time talking about my husband. I guess I'm glad we never had the opportunity to experience this level of service with my husband, and guess I won't be back seeing that he's dead and all. Edited to add tips - don't believe anything they tell you on the phone and if you really want to go, make a reservation, and apparently they will close for you if you can guarantee 20 people.

Great bar with beachside views. It's super casual with good vibes. The drinks are fantastic and the…read morequesadilla was big enough for us to share for date night. Service was good but not super attentive. Personally, that's how I like it. They have TVs and billiards. I would definitely recommend.

LADIES WATCH YOUR PURSES HERE!…read more The bartenders and wait staff were great! Management is amateur hour. We had to move 3 different times for the VIP customer. Move 1 - I did deserve this move, I sat at a reserved table because I was tired of standing and when asked to move we did to a small tabletop with no reserve sign. Move 2 - The beautiful people arrived and we were asked to move again. (FYI - the beautiful people never used this tabletop) It's very late and knew the band was ending soon, so we went inside and found a table again with no reserve sign. Move 3 - We go out to dance and start to head back to where we were sitting and all our purses were gone! But guess who was at our table the beautiful people. I go up to ask where our purses are at and they send me to a pole, where they had moved over 10 purses. I was lucky my friend had picked up my purse, we found my other friends purse at a table all by itself! To management - 1. Don't ever touch a woman's purse, the song was maybe 3 minutes long you could have waited. 2. If you are stupid enough to move a purse, be apologetic and help us find our purses. Or offer to replace our drinks you tossed. I should not have had to ask. What if my friend needed her EpiPen? 3. Everyone in your establishment is a customer, we were buying drinks and food. Don't treat us like peasants or cattle for you to move. Oh they did have a nice drink menu, but we will never go back!

Alie (sp?) was our bartender today. She was amazing. Made awesome drinks. Definitely recommend the…read moreRooster! Kept my Surfside in the cooler to keep it cool. She was so much fun and we're already talking about our next visit! Thanks for the good times...

Only my second time there and it was such a great time. First time was so fun we were like we have…read moreto go back Allie was the bartender today and she was fabulous. Took great care of us. We had great conversations and Allie really made us feel welcome. We didn't want to leave, if that says anything. Can't wait to go back. Try the rooster there if you go!!!?

Amazing food and service! Sam was excellent and attentive! Made my birthday so special!read more

Asada Cantina + Kitchen in San Clemente was exactly what we needed after a long day at a soccer…read moretournament, and I was not expecting the food to be THIS good. You know when you're starving after being out all day and almost anything sounds good? This wasn't one of those situations where the food just tasted good because we were hungry. Everything that came to the table was legitimately impressive. We started with the chips and salsa, and immediately knew we were in for a good meal. The chips were fresh and crispy, and the different salsas each had their own flavor instead of just tasting like different levels of heat. The creamy green one was especially good. We kept going back to it. The Birria Quesadilla was ridiculous. The tortilla had that perfect golden crisp on the outside, plenty of melted cheese, and the birria inside was tender, juicy, and actually flavorful. Dip it into the consommé and it takes it to another level. Add a little guacamole and pico and you get the perfect combination of crispy, cheesy, rich, fresh, and savory all in one bite. We also had the Carne Asada and this is where I really have a hard time describing how good the food was. The texture, preparation, and flavor of the meat were all on point. It had a beautiful char on the outside while still being tender and juicy inside. Nothing tasted overly seasoned or covered up. You could actually taste the quality and preparation of the meat. Even the rice, beans, pico, guacamole, and bacon wrapped jalapeño on the plate felt like they belonged there instead of being random sides thrown on to fill the plate. The portions were generous too. This is the kind of Mexican food where you can tell someone actually cares about how each component is prepared. There are different textures throughout the meal, crispy tortillas, tender meat, creamy guacamole, fresh pico, rich beans, and everything works together. The restaurant itself has a great San Clemente feel. It's lively and casual, but still nice enough that you could come here for more than just a quick meal. We came in after a soccer tournament and felt completely comfortable, but I could just as easily see coming back for brunch, dinner, or drinks. And after looking through the menu, there are already several things I want to come back and try. The menu goes way beyond the typical tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. Filet mignon tacos, short rib, blackened shrimp, seafood, birria noodles, bowls, burgers, brunch, there is A LOT happening here. What impressed me most was how well the food was actually executed. Sometimes restaurants with huge menus do a little bit of everything but nothing particularly well. That wasn't our experience at Asada. We came in tired and hungry after a soccer tournament and left talking about the food. Asada Cantina + Kitchen is absolutely going on our San Clemente list. The texture, preparation, and taste of the food are honestly hard to put into words. You just need to try it.

Not sure why some people think this place is just ok or a "steak" version of Olive Garden. But…read morethis place is phenomenal. Came here to celebrate our birthdays. They are a week apart so we combined them. Very sneaky spot because it is not visible like a regular restaurant, but that just adds to the ambiance. Had reservations at 8 PM and our seats were on the second floor where we had a view of the wonderful sunset. We were seated in a both that fits 6, but it was better because the food was spaced out nicely on the table for easy access. My wife tried the Lady Luck cocktail which has vodka and others very a very tasty drink. We ordered the party house dinner rolls that that were ok. We also got the Lobster Crab Mac n Cheese. OMG this was so good. The melt cheese, the chunks of crab and chunks lobster made this an exquisite item to eat. We could not stop talking about how good it was. It also had cheese crated over the top as well. Lastly we got the Executive platter which is a collection of steak that the chef chooses. Our platter had filet mignon, 40 day dry aged New York Strip, and a 35 day dry aged Ribeye. All three were fantastic. We could not stop gushing over the ribeye and how well it was prepared and tasted. The steaks were all seasoned to perfection and did not require anything added to them . They also serve them with 3 sauces, but they are not needed at all. They also brought us small dessert for our birthday which was scoops of ice cream, but we were so full that we could not eat all of them. This place is worth the price and the staff and management were great. Special thanks to Daren. But special thanks to the tall slender gentleman who helped us. We can't remember his name but he made the night so enjoyable. We will be back as we have a few more birthdays to celebrate this year.

Rare Society was a birthday celebration for one of my really close friends, and I was very much…read morelooking forward to this place because I'd heard some good things about the quality of their meat and their food. I ended up getting the Caesar salad, which comes with lemon, fried anchovy, and a ton of pecorino, and they were not kidding about the pecorino. It was literally like a blanket over the whole thing. But this Caesar was probably one of the best I've ever had. It was so good I literally didn't share it with anybody, I was like nope, I'm eating this whole thing by myself. The flavor, the pepper, the anchovies, the lemon, everything was so perfectly balanced. Even the waitress was super sweet and told me if I needed a salad, as basic as it sounds, the Caesar is the go to. She was absolutely right, phenomenal salad. We also got the beef marrow tartare dip thing that came with potato chips. It was good, nothing too crazy to say about it honestly. The Parker House rolls though, those we got as a side and they came out buttery, juicy, and just really good. The truffle came right through, these were phenomenal and absolutely a must have to go along with that Caesar. Then there's the bacon, which sounds crazy, it's literally just called bacon and it's this fat thick four inch slab, one single piece, and it was so so so good. I was absolutely shocked by it. For my main I went with the forty day dry aged bone in New York strip. It was pretty dang good, wouldn't say I was completely blown away, but I have a hard time with steak places in general because I always compare them to how I make a steak at home, and I still think I can make a better one myself. That said, this was very good, great crunch and crisp on the edge, those nice burnt increased edges, seasoned perfectly, and a spot on medium rare, so no complaints there. For sixty bucks though I just have a hard time paying for it, even if it was very good. The one that stole the whole night, hands down and by far, was the dessert. I don't remember what it was called but it was like this pancake ice cream, buttery, gooey, delicious, light and airy heaven. I literally apologized at the table and said I'm going to eat this entire thing, and I did just that. It was awesome. The ambiance and decoration of this place is straight up fine dining, you can feel and see it, and they even have actual dry aged beef ribs on display which is really cool. Not bad at all. I'd recommend it as a high end spot, just not somewhere I'd go consistently since I can do better at home. But that dessert dish, whatever the heck it was, I would go back for that alone. Best dish of the night for sure.

Truly one of the best restaurants meets coffee shops in all of Orange County. Every single employee…read moreis friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Cole is our guy! It feels like a local spot with endless options to enjoy. Their baristas (Lucy is the best) can make everything but also don't shy away from suggesting something new. I've recently fallen in love with an iced flat white with vanilla for a little summer sweet treat. Their drip coffee is divine too! Talk about range... we frequent for brunch/lunch/date night too. Their wine list is truly endless. You can sit inside at the bar, at a gorgeous table with air conditioning, under their adorable pink-striped umbrellas on the patio, or in an extended patio off the sidewalk with plenty of seating. You will be treated with exceptional service regardless of seating. Their brunch menu is delicious. Their chive biscuit breakfast sandwich is incredible, as is their breakfast burrito, chilaquiles AND biscuits and gravy. To be fair, we visit most regularly for a cheese board and meat with a glass of wine. Recently enjoyed the ceviche and smash burger with side-winder fries which was hand crafted and filling. Even our young boys enjoyed every bite. On Sunday's (1st and 3rd of the month) they have live music which is wonderful. Last thing, the cellar cookie is incredible. It's hard to just drop in for a coffee and not leave with one when available. You will never regret a visit to The Cellar! One of the best places in San Clemente.

Best TRUFFLE POPCORN to exist. Steep price but big portion and so delicious. I would go back for…read morethis. I do however present some bias as a truffle lover. CHARCUTERIE BOARD was beautiful just wish it had a bit more cheese and there was separation between ingredients. Sitting on the couch for a glass of wine is very VIBEY for a date or even a girls night out.

We love this restaurant! Sat outside and waitress quickly turned on patio heater,much appreciated…read more Entrees ordered - chicken habanero,peach flatbreads,beet salad,brisket sandwhich with potato fries,chipotle chicken pasta.It was all amazing. For dessert we shared mint brownie and s'mores brownie.The s'mores was the standout,it's a must so good!

My boyfriend took me here because it was a restaurant that he used to frequent when he was in the…read moremilitary. Unfortunately, he was disappointed because, according to him, it wasn't the same anymore. We were seated immediately when we came into the restaurant. They had many artworks on the wall that you could purchase. They also had a nice rear patio if the weather is nice enough. He ordered the calamari, and even I could agree that it was disappointing because it was very chewy, and the sweet sauce they had on it was not a good combination. I had to squirt some lemons on it to balance the taste, and it was still not a good balance because it was too sweet. We both ordered the Beach Fire Cheeseburger. The fries were frozen, and they definitely tasted frozen, which was probably also the case for the calamari. We both finished half of our burger. They were okay. There are definitely other spots you can try in this area.

Definitely no plain Jane! Jane bar has a chic and cool atmosphere with soft lighting and hand…read morecrafted cocktails. Jane has a speakeasy vibe, with soft lighting, muted wall finishes and elegant decor, yet still evokes an inviting ambiance. Jane also offers snacks and light bites that are hearty enough for a meal. Great for drinks with friends or a cool date option.

A beautiful space for drinks, food, and even engagement photos! We drove all the way from San Diego…read moreto take our photos here and were beyond impressed. The cocktails were top notch - so many fun, inventive ingredients. Servers were so nice and laid back. We will definitely be making the trek to come back for food and a making a weekend trip of it!

Very close between a 3 and a 4 star here. Service was probably a 2…read more They had a lot of employees standing around. A lot. Not sure if they don't have a manager but this place is in desperate need of management. When we walked up the employee working the host stand just stared at us so I said "hi we are here for dinner." And she replied "Okay" but then walked away. She came back and said we could sit on the outside now if we wanted so we took that. We were seated at 6:45-6:50 and apparently they have a special that ends at 7. The server didn't get to us until after 7 so we asked for the special but you would have thought we were asking for the server's first born. The server/runner who brought our food to our table looked like she was having a rough day. She dropped off the food in the dead center of a large table and said nothing. Now, the place is pretty awesome right on the pier. Also, the food was actually good - we were not optimistic based on the service. Lastly, I thought their prices were quite reasonable. We will swing over there in a few weeks and try again.

Hubby and I had a great first time experience at the Fisherman's Restaurant. We had a sourdough…read morebread filled with delicious clam chowder. Also had a barbeque chicken dinner that was also great. Sitting next to the pier and watching the boats and people walking was very calming. Also, our waitress Izzy was so nice to us, great service. Looking forward to returning in the near future.

Great views!!! And…read morethe good part is over... Drinks were average, chairs were wobbly, staff were on their phones... Take my small sample size of an experience with a grain of salt. However, I will cut somebody out of my life just for the way they sneeze.

Great Views, But the Food and Drinks Fall Completely Short…read moreThe atmosphere and view at this rooftop lounge are truly incredible--10/10 on that front. The service was equally amazing, with an attentive and friendly staff that made us feel welcome. Unfortunately, the food and drinks were a major letdown. The food was bland ,appetizer-sized portions. The ceviche lacked flavor, the guacamole chips were stale, and the birria tacos were uncomfortably dry (2/10). The cocktails were even more disappointing--loaded to the top with ice and tasting like they had half a shot of alcohol or less (1/10). I really hate leaving negative reviews, especially when the staff and location are so great, but given the quality of the menu, I won't be returning. Come for a single drink to enjoy the view, but eat and drink elsewhere.