Great service on a Sunday afternoon. Sat upstairs by the windows. Enjoyed the salmon and crab cakes. Not sure why the rating is low but we had a very nice meal and Sylvia was the best! read more

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I came to the Rusty Pelican for a boat parade party so this is a not dinner review. It is a review of their event service. It was amazing. The food was unbelievably good with so many options. Their seafood (crab legs, shrimp and oysters) were 10/10 great. Other highlights included filet, duck, mini lamb chops (with mint jelly), tiny cones filled with tuna, and their charcuterie was spectacular. We watched the Newport Beach Boat Parade from their patio. The service was top notch with all the servers so friendly. The Rusty Pelican really does it right. I will be back for dinner soon. read more

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This was unfortunately my first and likely last visit to the Rusty Pelican. We arrived for an early dinner around 4:45 and didn't leave until 7:30, not because we wanted a long, leisurely evening, but because the service was extremely slow. While I understand restaurants can have challenges (short staffing, kitchen delays, etc.), it shouldn't take over an hour just to place an entrée order. On the positive side, the atmosphere is lovely. Most guests were dressed up, which gave the evening a more elevated feel, and the outdoor seating area offers a beautiful view. I'd recommend requesting a table outside if possible. As for the food, it fell short of expectations. We ordered the house special: halibut over mashed potatoes with shrimp in butter sauce. Unfortunately, the shrimp arrived lukewarm and the fish was slightly overcooked. Nothing was terrible, but nothing stood out either. It was nice to try something new, but given the slow service and underwhelming meal, we don't plan on returning read more

Rusty Pelican - Halibut Special - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I'm a little older than the clientele so I found it quite noisy although I did go on a weekend The service was good and Food was also tasty and the View is especially nice read more

Visited for a quick crave of Clam Chowder and champagne, celebrating a friend's pop up wish! It was fun and Eric delivered a great service with enthusiasm and laughter when he heard the story behind the crave. Fantastic views, great atmosphere and the menu was quite inviting, definitely a future visit is soon in the horizon!! Thank you for a wonderful night cap with a clam Chowder. read more

Came here to have lunch with a friend visiting from NY. We had a reservation at 11:30 and were seated right away. Blake our server was very knowledgeable about the dishes and was super attentive! The food was amazing! Everything was fresh and wonderful! Hadn't been here since I was a kid. Highly recommend it! read more

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Great Valentine's Day dinner! Cameron was awesome and great attitude. Very nice restaurant and good food. The Cajun shrimp app was phenomenal. The chefs choice sea bass was 90% good, my filet had some tough bites and redness. My wife's was a perfect filet. -1 star for bathrooms. Very small men's and women's for the size of establishment. Constant waiting to use the tiny stall in the men's room and the 2 in the women's. read more

Rusty Pelican - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Was here for a conference and on the last day of the conference there was a group dinner here. The view and service were both amazing but truthfully, I wasn't impressed with the food. We had different appetizers that ranged from shrimp, to garlic bread to fried asparagus? The clam chowder and my rose was pretty good but apart but that the food wasn't incredible. Don't think I'd be back unless it was for drinks or happy hour. read more

Rusty Pelican - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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The views are five stars, of course. And as with most waterfront restaurants, that's what you're really paying for. Hey, those oceanside rents don't pay for themselves! Thankfully, I came here for a work/team dinner so I didn't have to open my wallet. My Shrimp Scampi was pretty tasty, but laughably small in portion size. Then I remembered that this was LA/South Bay, and being thin is basically a city mandate. So in defiance, I also ordered the giant Crème Brûlée Cheesecake for dessert--because let's face it, none of the other skinny betches in that restaurnat were going to order it. It was delectably creamy and toasty. I washed it all down with the Pineapple-Sage Mule, a somewhat watered down rum creation that was disappointingly light on the pineapple--or maybe my expectations were too high having just spent the week before in Maui. read more

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We ordered the crab cakes, lobster mac and cheese, crab bisque, and the lobster tail with steak everything was absolutely delicious. The flavors were rich and perfectly prepared. The service and ambiance were outstanding, and they even surprised us with a complimentary cheesecake for my birthday, which was such a thoughtful touch. Overall, an amazing dining experience. We will definitely be returning! read more

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we were a group of eight and slightly late to our reservation because we were out on the water, but they were kind enough to hold our reservation until our boat docked and we were able to get seated without an issue. The service here was really good from beginning to end and they were all so kind to us. I was designated driver on this day, so no drinks for me, but my entrée was delicious! I'm hoping I can go back during the spring or summer when the weather is warmer so I can give them another try! read more

Rusty Pelican - miso cod - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Beautiful view! But that's all. For that I give 2 stars. The food was very basic and nothing special, with portions and quality that did not justify the high prices. The service was disappointing as well--everything we asked for was delayed, including bread that I requested three times and never received, and even paper napkins. No one seemed particularly attentive beyond asking once if everything was okay. The restaurant was extremely crowded and noisy, with people shouting so we could hardly hear each other. On top of that, we had to pay $10 for mandatory valet parking no other options available) which I felt was unnecessary. Overall, I did not have a good experience. read more

A wonderful experience for brunch! Amir was a wonderful server. He was attentive, kind, and funny throughout our entire experience. The view was beautiful, and the food and drinks were fantastic! read more

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Came here for a birthday party which was held on the second floor of the restaurant When you arrive you realize the parking situation is small and it's only valet which honestly is a pain because you feel forced to have to now spend $8 whether you want to or not especially if you aren't from the area to know where other parking lots are at and from what I saw it really looks limited anywhere to park so that to me is a bit of a downer but I guess that's Newport Beach for ya lol The staff was all very friendly though and the arrive was prompt and good despite them having to take a huge order for everyone picking from the limited party menu The seating arrangement was a little tight so I'm super glad I sat at the end but if I had sat at any other table I would have been stuck lol but maybe that's just lack of space for the size of the party but otherwise the view overlooking the water and boats was fantastic I wish I had taken photos of all the delicious food but I was so busy chatting and enjoying the party but my filet mignon was cooked perfectly and the shrimp and calamari was great and the cheesecake was good read more

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Service and views were nice! The rest of my party enjoyed their meal, Striped sea bass and Butternut squash gnocchi. I am vegan and inquired about what options were available and discovered the Roasted Cauliflower is vegan. It was just OK, nothing to write home about. Kind of odd blend of items and flavors in my opinion but I was very pleased to have a vegan option. I believe the Brussel sprouts are also vegan so that's great. read more

Rusty pelican is absolutely amazing! My husband and I have been coming here for many years! It is always great. The food is amazing! The ambience even better but mostly the servers up in the bar / lounge are the absolute best! Eric is awesome- he always serves us with a smile and total respect! He knows our orders before we place them! He is great! Cameron is great too - the nicest! So professional and friendly and super kind Hayley is another excellent server! Always smiling and Nate and Nick and Chad are so great too. Everyone here is great! Sylvia and Paige too! They are all so great! And the food is amazing! Desert is awesome too! Crème brule amazing! Thanks for everything! Deb and Mark from Huntington Beach. We love Rusty's and will always return for more. Even the valet is great! Thanks Rusty's for another great meal and afternoon. read more

Rusty Pelican - Upstairs Bar at Rusty Pelican Newport Beach Ca - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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The best thing they have is the Cajun Shrimp appetizer. Be sure to ask for extra of the garlic bread that comes with it because it's very good. The surf and turf applewood bacon wrapped filet mignon steak with Australian lobster tail was decent. The black cod flagship had an identity crisis because the cod was nice and delicate as expected, but the sauce was way too potent and harsh. I assume the orange ginger black cod must be better. read more

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We chose Rusty Pelican to celebrate a birthday, and unfortunately, the experience was disappointing from the very beginning. When I called to make the reservation, the woman who answered was rude and gave us attitude. When we arrived, we immediately recognized her voice--and she was just as unfriendly in person. An older gentleman who appeared to be an assistant manager or supervisor was standing nearby and witnessed the interaction but said nothing. We did not feel welcomed at all. The service didn't improve once we were seated. We were brought another table's appetizer, and our drinks were late every single time. Eventually, we became so uncomfortable and anxious that we actually left our table and went to the front to pay because we just wanted to get out of there. What makes this especially upsetting is that this was supposed to be a birthday celebration. We didn't even stay to order dessert for the birthday girl because by that point, neither of us wanted to be there anymore. We left feeling extremely disappointed, and the experience honestly put a damper on the rest of our day. When you're choosing a restaurant for a special occasion, you expect basic hospitality and attentive service. Unfortunately, we received neither. A beautiful location cannot make up for making your guests feel unwelcome. HIGHLY disappointed read more

We had a celebration dinner last night, party of 7. Our server, Joseph provided excellent service, including timely pacing of food courses. Cocktails were great and the food was outstanding. Apps we ordered were crab cakes, calamari fritti, dozen oysters on the half shell and garlic bread. Dinner entrees ordered: lemon caper mahi mahi, New York strip, blackened sea scallops, surf and turf, salmon with lobster sauce, filet mignons and crème brûlée for dessert. Highly recommend and great for groups. read more

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We had such a wonderful time at Rusty Pelican! The food, drinks, ambiance and views were all fantastic. A huge shoutout to Eric for making our dinner date night an amazing and enjoyable experience. Key Lime Pie is a must! Exceptional service from start to finish! read more

We were hoping for a nice elevated evening to celebrate our anniversary, and it was just not what we expected. Mediocre service, kids everywhere, loud, and we were seated right by the kitchen door. Food was good, but definitely would not recommend for any special occasion or date. read more

Amazing food !! And waiter was very attentive and we enjoyed the views ! We will definitly be back when in Southern Cal.

Great service and amazing review. Celebrating mom's 70th bday. Crab cakes, lobster mac n cheese, coconut shrimp, black cod, pasta read more

Rusty Pelican - Cod, lobster mac n cheese crab cakes, pasta, coconut shrimp. Great service and amazing view. Celebrating mom's 70th bday! - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

I gotta tell ya... it wasn't great. The black cod was just ok. It may have been under cooked, but i put a lot of stock in. Chefs on the coast to do it right. Our server was OK. She seemed like she was just going through the motions of asking if we wanted an appetizer... if we wanted dessert... etc. It wasn't a very personalized or welcoming experience. The atmosphere was just ok. 3 out of 5... meh. read more

Rusty Pelican - Black cod - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Long-standing go to on the Newport coast the Pelican has been a part of my family dining experience for decades and never ceases to live-up to its image. The service is always top-notch, the food is incredible and what better dining table than on the Newport Marina? Not sure which I like better, the evening or daylight views Both make the experience second to none. I had the Caprese salad with the bone-in rid eye which was cooled to perfection and seasoned the same. The black cod was also deliciously satisfying! Our waitress had a great personality and very easy to talk to and joke with. She made it an even better experience! Great for a date night and even a large family (10-12) which I saw enjoying the Pelican as well! read more

Finally got to try this place. It was super busy in the evening and couldn't get a table because we didn't have a reservation. But luckily there was seating upstairs at bar. There are several high tops you can sit at. There was a wedding reception going on upstairs but service was still good and prompt. I tried their scallops as my entree and wow it was probably the best scallop entree I've ever had. Flavors were amazing and had a little kick. Can't wait to be back to try the other items! The dinner views is beautiful as well. read more

Rusty Pelican - Seafood pasta - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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If I could give a negative zero review, I would... I was really looking forward to dining here after making reservations online the day before for a seafood dinner with my kids. Unfortunately, our experience was disappointing from the moment we arrived. The restaurant offers valet parking only, which costs $10. While that wasn't ideal, we accepted it and were seated promptly. However, after being seated, we waited over 15 minutes without a single staff member acknowledging us. During that time, three different servers walked by our table multiple times, serving the surrounding tables, refilling water glasses, and checking on guests who had already finished their meals and paid. Meanwhile, our table wasn't greeted, offered water, or even told that someone would be with us shortly. After waiting long enough, I got up and told the hostess that we were leaving because no one had acknowledged us. Her response was simply a shrug of the shoulders--no apology, no attempt to understand what had happened, and no effort to make things right. I understand that restaurants can get busy, and I try to be patient. But feeling completely invisible as a guest, followed by such an indifferent response, made us feel unwelcome. We left without having the opportunity to try the food we had been looking forward to. I hope management takes this feedback seriously because a little acknowledgment and genuine customer service can make all the difference. read more

Not sure how this place doesn't have 5 stars. It was an amazing experience. Great food, great service and reasonable pricing. Love the atmosphere of the restaurant and eating out on the patio at night is a must read more

A beautiful restaurant right on the water, perfect for both business dinners and special occasions. I had a wonderful evening here with some business partners and it exceeded expectations. The menu offers a great selection of entrées and the wine list is impressive with plenty of options to pair with your meal. The food was delicious, the service was attentive, and the ambiance made the whole experience feel elevated yet comfortable. Great food, great service, and a stunning view. What more could you ask for? Definitely a spot worth returning to. read more

I'll be honest, the bad reviews made me nervous. I had some Landry's gift cards to use so I made reservations for the day after Valentine's. We were 30 minutes late because of bad traffic in Newport. They still accommodated us but maybe we could have had better seating if we got here on time. We sat at a high top by the bar. It was close to the fire place and you could still see the pretty sunset so it was fine. Each person working that night was super courteous and helpful. The hostess was super sweet. Our waitress had great energy and was very attentive all night. They keep your tables nice and clean throughout year meal. It was stellar. They don't have a lot of things on their menu but they have something for everyone IMO. My husband got the Orange ginger sea bass and I got the cioppino. We both also got the clam chowder. The clam chowder had good flavor, it was mostly potatoes but it still left us satisfied. The sea bass was perfection, would not change one thing! Was kind of jealous! The cioppino was one of the best I've had. Great portion of seafood, great flavor, just wished they put scallops in it. I also had a Newport Mojito and a mud pie. The mud pie was so amazing I cannot believe we ate the whole thing. Mojito was tasty, a little sweet but still yummy. Ambiance was perfect for us. Not to young and loud. Not too old and dead. Was definitely a great night for us. I would come back WITHOUT gift cards LOL read more

Rusty Pelican - Cioppino - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Old fashioned. Solid performance. Expensive. Valet parking only. The fish is solid, prepared however you want it. read more

Rusty Pelican - Seafood Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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The food was absolutely delicious! Service was exceptional the servers were super sweet to all 3 of our kids and made us feel very welcomed. We sat outside but as soon as we walked in everything looked absolutely beautiful it gave that sense of peacefulness overlooking the water and boats. Towards the end of dinner we were surprised us with an ice cream sundae for our two year old boy which he loved! Our servwas so sweet and thoughtful the whole time we were there. read more

Awesome view while eating. Food was great. Seafood was fresh and the girls working there were on top of things and very friendly. I would recommend this place and I would definitely come back. read more

Food is really good, fresh! Service is excellent, our server Devin is the best! She provided a blanket since our seat is outside overlooking the yachts and the harbor. Ambiance is just breathtaking! read more

Our waiter Eric was great! He was very attentive and personable. The food was delicious as well. We will come back next time we visit.

Eric was a great service and food was good too! Will be back again. And will ask for Eric. Thank you

Parking was valet only so I parked on the street close by and it wasn't bad. Inside is gorgeous & a lovely view of the harbor. Service was very friendly & fast. We got garlic bread to start which was great & I had the swordfish firepot which was flavorful & tasty. My friend got the seafood pasta which was okay read more

Mediocre at best. Place could use a good cleaning Food was bland drinks were mediocre. There's so many other good options in the area. This place was probably good 25 years ago before there were other choices nearby. Also I'm not a cheapskate but charging $10 to park in the parking lot in front of the building is ridiculous. read more

Awesome seafood and great spot on the water for a cute brunch patio is also great. I recommend

Celebrated my cousin's birthday at Rusty Pelican recently, we had wonderful experience. Parking is primarily valet only. Soon as we checked-in, we were seated immediately. Our windows seats offered amazing view of the Newport Bay. The vibrant wood design and classic seafarer decor gives the restaurant old school charm. We started off with some calamari and steamed mussels & clams. The calamari was delicious, tempura batter really enhances texture of the calamari. Garlic wine sauce of steamed mussels & clams was flavorful. We got some garlic bread for soaking up those incredible sauce. For entrée, I had the sea bass flagship with broccolini while the rest of the party got seafood pasta. The sea bass was outstanding. Perfectly seared outside and firm flaky inside. It was seasoned with cajun spices and brandy topped with sante fe butter for ultimate eating pleasure...so tempted to lick the plate afterwards. Everyone enjoyed seafood pasta. It was loaded with mussels, clams and shrimp; accompanied with lovely cream sauce. The bottle of Justin Cabernet Sauvignon was the perfect complement to our meal. For dessert, my cousin got complimentary butter cake with berries compote for his birthday. We also got a mud pie which was yummerz! All in all, fabulous seaside meal worthy of return visit. Portions were perfect and our bellies were satisfied. Good service - staff was friendly and attentive. read more

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