Had yet another amazing lunch here today. We started with the goat cheese soufflé and the amazing garlic bread. Our drinks were the salty pea martini and a Matai. Both were excellent. We then went onto the flagship, but we subbed halibut for the black cod. It was incredible. The staff is amazing, the general manager, Natalia who was so kind and so friendly and man did she make an excellent recommendation for our dessert it was a chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice cream and an espresso cream. Holy hell, it was Beyond amazing on a plate. There is a reason this is our go to. The staff is incredible, as is the food. And you can't beat the view. read more

So there's a black lady and an Asian lady and they're both super nice. But all the white employees are entitled crooks that gives horrible service. I hope they're not racist but the vibe they give off indicates so. Also the entitled valet guy dared to ask for tips when he just moved my truck for 10 feet. Don't recommend. read more

The view was perfect, great weather. Our food was delicious as well as our service.

honestly a really nice place. it's my uncles FAVORITE so he was hella hyping it up. everything was quality. the view was nice, the interior was nice, the waiter was nice as well. read more

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ERIC WAS AMAZING!!!! Definitely ask for him and enjoy and great night !!! Made our last night the best !! Best service we had in Cali allllll week !!! THANK YOU ERIC !!! YOU ARE A TRUE PROFESSIONAL!!!! read more

It has been a long time since I was at this restaurant. The location is awesome and we had a seat right on the glass overlooking the harbor which was really why I opted for a 3 and really deserves a 3.5 to be fair. There were four of us and my wife and I had a bowl of clam chowder each and we split the steak and lobster "surf and turf" but I asked for a larger steak which was a n 8oz filet. We had a bottle of Pessimist which we like and it is reasonably priced. The service via Eric was quite good although he had forgotten my wife's coffee at the end. It took quite a while to get him to pick up the check after he dropped it off but all in, he was friendly and generally attentive and certainly knew the menu well. The food was surprisingly average in taste which was a bit disappointing. We had a great time and had hoped for the well described crème brûlée and ordered it for desert only to learn that they were out of it. It was a nice experience but not overly noteworthy and I find there are better experiences nearby that may be a better option. read more

Rusty Pelican - Our steak and lobster "surf and turf" - not bad but could have been better! - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Such a beautiful sunny day. I had: 1. Champagne 2. Crab cake 3. Mahi mahi - lemon caper butter and mashed potatoes 4. Flourless chocolate torte with vanilla ice cream read more

We came here last Friday to take my mom out for a birthday dinner. Brenda was our server and her customer service was top notch. My niece unfortunately has some temporary but serious food allergies at the moment and Brenda was constantly going out of her way to ensure that none of the foods ordered contained anything that would cause her any issues. Her level of care and concern were outstanding and should be commended. The food also was well prepared and delicious. Everything from the appetizers to the main dishes were of great quality. Every single person in our group only had positive comments about food they ordered also, Brenda somehow seemed to understand when to check in at the right times whether it was checking if we needed any additional items or something as simple as a refill. She was on top of it without hovering over the table. It's like she has a natural sixth sense. We've been coming here over the years and we have never been let down. Thanks again to Brenda for an amazing first time experience for my mom as well as for her attention to detail. She's definitely an asset to the restaurant and I hope she is recognized for it read more

Salmon was delicious, whole dish was perfect. Service was very good and Eric was amazing!! read more

Rusty Pelican - Salmon was perfect and rice was delicious!!! - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

terrible food!!! The sort fish was like a flavorless piece of cardboard. the seafood pasta I took two bites and couldn't continue eating , service bad too, Do not come don't waste your time and money. i was embarrassed with family that came from europe. read more

We had lunch today at a table outside overlooking the bay. Lauren our server was great and we had the Black Cod Flagship, the crab bisque and the Black Cod with Orange and Ginger sauce. Food came out very quickly and was delicious. Anthony the manager was wonderful as well and treated us like royalty. Thanks read more

Jordan was great We were sat with a big party quickly The food was delicious Filet , Brussels sprouts, Chilean sea-bass , garlic bread and crème brûlée were perfect read more

The food was great and we really liked the atmosphere. The calamari and goat cheese bruschetta apps were amazing. The service for drinks was a little slow but it was a Friday night. We will definitely be back! read more

Rusty Pelican - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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We just enjoyed a fantastic dinner and wonderful experience for my birthday dinner at the Rusty Pelican. Our server Eric went above and beyond hosting this experience and describing the entrees with great detail. We will definitely be back! read more

We ate early on Monday 4pm. PCH was jammed but their parking lot was empty. I parked my own vehicle and was charged $8 for valet. The valet guy was perfectly polite but there was not much for him to do. Food was excellent. We had sea bass and halibut, with heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Yum. The mud pie was great. The restaurant had an event going upstairs. It was quiet enough for us to luxuriate in nice surroundings and sparkling sea view. read more

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This weekend we went to the Rusty Pelican for dinner. I made reservation and arrived on time. You must use the valet because there is no on-site parking. My son walks with a cane, so we were forced to walk up four steps into the restaurant and a bunch more steps to our table. Our first impressions were not the best because our host took us to a table with absolutely no space to sit on the right or left side. The customer on our right side was so nice, he got up tried to move his table and chair to make some space. My handicapped son tried to sit down with his cane, but it was a big scene with patrons trying to help us, saying all kinds of nice things to us, while our hostess had long gone back to her station. I went back up to the host, with the manager right there, and said that there was not enough room for us, especially with a handicapped person. He came down to our seats and said, "No problem, I'll set up another down at the end of the row." I asked him if we could have a table three feet away next to the window with a nice view of the harbor? and it had no issues with crowding? He just walked away from me. We were all standing and waiting. He came back and started to clean the window table. That is where we sat. The waiter came over and introduced himself. I apologized to him about the move. He said it is all in his section and not a problem. We understand that we have a handicapped person and it slows everyone down to walk around, to help accommodate takes time and effort, but we just want a nice experience at your restaurant. When my mother passed many years ago, we had a Wake at this restaurant and it was wonderful. The food and staff were great. Here are the things I was hoping might have been said and done up to this point: 1. Let me help you to your table and stay until you sit down to hand you your menus. I want to make sure you are comfortable. 2. Where would you like to sit? Oh, here is a nice table with a view? Would that work for you guys? 3. I want to stay here to make sure you have sat and are comfortable. Please take your time. You guys have a wonderful meal with us. We are so happy you chose the Rusty Pelican for dinner. Instead, we felt we were more of a burden to the staff. We felt you didn't want to seat us in a nice section for some reason? The manager was not friendly at all. The meal came, and it was delicious. The clams didn't come with bread which we had to pay an extra $6 for. There were only ten or twelve clams and three or four mussels for $21. The Valet parking in front was $9 and then the tip is extra. The dessert was $11. It was excellent but the cost was high. I'm not sure if the view is worth the cost, but overall, the kitchen does a very good job. read more

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Not sure why all the negative reviews? Truly had a fantastic experience here! Reservations easy to make, valet parking only $8, service was top notch, food came out fast, food was delicious and customized to allergy needs, great selection, gorgeous views, ambiance cozy and inviting ... excellent all around imo! My hubby and I shared a salad as an appetizer (croutons and feta on side) with oil and vinegar which met my allergy needs. Food came out quickly - hubby enjoyed filet mignon, i enjoyed scallops and shrimp with asparagus and broccoli (swapped out risotto which had butter) - mine was flavored with seasoned oil...sooo yummy! Chili brussell sprouts were amazingly delicious and so flavorful. So good! Great experience all around! And a sunset dinner with harbor view, by a fireplace?! My kind of vibe! read more

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Nice ambiance great views. Food is okay but price point pretty high. Get it location -location. Tried few entrees - salad was best. Nice bar upstairs- Not sure would go back. read more

We will be back. Our server Jordan was beyond amazing. We were seated outside, beautiful view, heaters on so we were warm and comfortable, the pear martini was delicious no wonder so many people left great reviews of it. I had chicken Piccata and it was delicious. Hubby had salmon and loved it. Garlic bread is yummy. We will definitely be back. read more

Rusty Pelican - Salty pear martini - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I have been going here for many years awsome food and service great location on the bay

Gorgeous views from the patio! We dined at strong 6 pm in the fall, and caught the sunset over the water. It was chilly on the patio, but they had heat lamps and even offered us blankets! Food was decent, but somehow the star was the garlic bread according to my kids. I ordered the Chilean Sea Bass special, and it was seasoned well, but slightly overcooked. I tasted some of the shrimp scampi and thought it was just alright. Service was slow, but they were very busy, with out being the dinner rush and all. read more

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First time here with our friends and we were so surprised at how empty the place was on a Friday night. The food was amazing and came out quickly. Service was great our waitress was very nice and professional. We got to sit outside and had a nice view of the water. All in all great experience. read more

My wife and I have been going to this location for over 5 years. We've never had a bad experience here. The food is always great. The best thing on the menu is actually the garlic bread, but all the meals are delicious. My wife is vegetarian and they added a butternut squash. Gnocchi on the menu is great. Devyn was our server today. She was great. read more

Came here with some co workers for lunch. They only have valet parking $8. Food was great. Seafood was really fresh and the waitress was very attentive. View of the Mariana was pretty. read more

Rusty Pelican - Grilled Mahi Mahi - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I'll start by saying this review is solely based on the food. The service was great and so was the valet service out front. We started off by doing the Fried Calamari, Garlic Bread, and the Crab Cakes as appetizers. The Fried Calamari (6/10) was pretty good, nothing spectacular, the Garlic Bread (3/10) left a lot to be desired, I've had better garlic bread from the grocery store freezer. Crab Cakes (3/10) were disappointing! No lump crab meat, just shredded crab meat, flavor was mediocre. For our main course we got the Fillet Mignon (7/10) and the NY Strip (8/10). The Filet was not cooked how we asked for it, we asked for it medium and came out rare. The NY Strip was delicious and flavorful. Overall, the ambiance was a bit on the loud side and the food was ok. Probably will try a different restaurant next time I'm in town. read more

Rusty Pelican - Fried Calamari - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Food was fantastic, we had a calamari appetizer and garlic bread followed by the halibut special and scallops. The service was mediocre at best. Very slow service to start the meal, we also ordered a second round of drinks prior to dinner being served and they arrived after we finished the meal. My biggest complaint was the valet. Seriously, I just happily spent a hefty amount on dinner and you charge $10 minimum to valet my car in an empty parking lot plus ask for a tip. This is nothing more than a money grab. It is completely pointless. A last impression is just as important as the first. read more

Had a lovely dinner upstairs by the floor to ceiling windows with a perfect view of the setting sun! Everything was delicious- from our drinks, to appetizers, to entrees, to dessert. We had one meal that wasn't quite to our liking, but our server, Eric, was AMAZING and was able to take it back to the kitchen to put a different sauce on it and it tasted much better! On top of that, Eric made multiple recommendations that we ordered and loved! If you go, try to be seated in Eric's section! We had a fantastic time! FYI, parking is valet only. read more

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Rusty's has been our favorite restaurant for many years! The food and service is always amazing! The oysters and crab cakes are a must!!

Been coming here for years! Rusty Pelican is located along Newport Harbor. It's quite the dine in experience, perfect for any celebrations - graduations, birthdays, anniversaries or just because you're fancy ;) They valet your car BTW! Overall ambiance is cozy. Food is yummy. I'm not a big fan of seafood so I opt for the chicken picatta or filet mignon. My family enjoyed the halibut. Service is good and the servers are very personable in my experience. OMG their garlic is bread so good. I know you're not supposed to get full off bread but this is an exception here. Do yourself a favor and order 2 garlic breads. Thank me later. read more

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Views are absolutely beautiful & during sunset even better. Food is delicious & presentation is on point. read more

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Delicious food, and beautiful location. Most of the tables have a great view of the water!

We had a birthday lunch here and it was delicious! We had the calamari, Caesar salad, garlic bread, black cod flagship, and black cod firepot. Highly recommend all the food. We sat upstairs, had a beautiful view of the waters, and the wait staff were very kind and accommodating. read more

While a little tourist-ee, the ambiance was comfortable and welcoming. The restaurant was full but we could easily talk at our table which doesn't always happen in a noisy restaurant. Food was very good! Loved the crab bisque and coconut shrimp. We were too full to try desert. read more