We ate here with a party of 6 several months ago and experienced a lot of blunders throughout the evening. Because this is a new restaurant in OC I'm giving it 4 stars but if it was a restaurant in Los Angeles it would be 3 stars. The ambiance is nice and decor is clean and trendy. But let's talk about the food first: Appetizers: Salmon crudo - not memorable Hummus vegetable crudités Rolls - served with lemon zest butter (butter was very interesting but for everyone) Entrees: Lobster gnocchi - gnocchi was on the mushy side but flavor was good Halibut - 2 of us got this dish, it was alright nothing to rave about Papperdelle - hearty and flavorful, probably the best dish of the ones we tried Dessert: Coffee coated donuts - nice and fluffy Olive oil cake - tasted like pound cake not like a typical olive oil cake, would not order this again Apple tart - we all enjoyed this one the most, great texture The cocktails were good, a great selection of signature drinks with some unique twist. We also got the whiskey punch which all the guys really enjoyed and very well priced for the amount. Blunders: will give them benefit of the doubt since it's still a new restaurant But a lot of things still need to be smooth out 1. Wrong vodka cocktail order brought out 2. They brought out only 4 out of the 6 entrees, apparently there was a mix up in the kitchen and 2 of the entrees weren't made so 2 of us were just waiting for our meals (they forgot the lobster gnocchi and one of the wagyu papperdelli) 3. Wrong dessert brought out 4. There were 3 request to pack up the left overs and the server only brought back out 2...they apparently threw away one of the leftovers instead of packing it (but at least they admitted to the error and made a new entree ) 5. Every time they brought out drinks or food they never knew who to give it to and would just place it down randomly ... if they don't know just ask and make it less awkward haha Fortunately we found this dinner experience more comical than frustrating. Overall staff was friendly but service was not attentive at all. I would still recommend to check it out and support a new restaurant in OC but hopefully service is more refined by then. Might come back during happy hour and give it another try :) read more

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Fantastic food and service! Very fancy feeling too. Wait staff explained the menu well and they have seasonal menus.

My girlfriend and I had the absolute best time here for our anniversary. We were really blown away by the service and food. It was our first time here and the atmosphere was really warm as well as welcoming. Emily, our server was really on the ball and totally impressed us. I'm looking forward to coming again with more friends next time. I love the concept of the menu, and theres a bunch more things I want to try next. Everything we had hit its mark and we tried every dessert, all wonderful. read more

It was an amazing experience. The restaurant is located in between some office buildings but has such a cute vibe. We went there for dinner and sat outside in their patio which had enough heaters to make it cozy. We tried the mushroom risotto, pear roll, veg pappardelle, confit potatoes , brown butter fudge cake and tequila cocktail 1. Food was exceptional. Risotto and the brown butter fudge cake were my fav. A must try. read more

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If you are going for social hour, prices are still very high and drinks not so strong. VERY disappointed when we asked what they'd recommend for social hour and they recommended a drink that wasn't even happy hour prices!!!!! And the drinks were weak!! We ordered pinot grigio and they gave us red pinot instead. They fixed it, but just annoying they didn't take it off our bill. We did get food which was tasty- deviled egg mason jar, summer squash tartare (would probably skip this next time), Cheese & Charcuterie Board, hummus, fries. Small portion of fries. Overall wouldn't come here for social hour again, but it was a nice environment and pretty setting read more

Solstice - Happy hour - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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Excellent service exemplified by substituting halibut bouillabaisse with the lamb shank for my pescatarian partner at last night's Booker wine dinner. All the servers were personable and efficient. Most impressive that even the manager was actively helping the servers too! The restaurant is classy modern beautiful. The dinner opening course of wagyu beef tatami was excellent, the charred hispi cabbage delicious, savory lamb shank on polenta, and the halibut bouillabaisse superb. We were so full no one at our table could finish the decadent valrhona delice dessert. read more

Wife and I decided to change it up tonight (from Bistango ). Parking was a breeze. Save your parking ticket, they will validate it. We walked in and were welcomed by a lovely lady who found us two spots at the bar. We love sitting at the bar anywhere we go.. Working the bar: Sebastian, Tyler and Dylan. I hope I spelled those names correctly because their customer service was top notch. All three were friendly, welcoming and professional... Let them know what kind of cocktails you like and let them work.. The restaurant was clean, sleek and modern. The ambience was just right. They had two TVs playing the Lakers game, which was perfect. We had the mussels, lobster gnochii and the burger. All three were delicious. We will definitely return. read more

My husband and I came here for a date night and loved every part of the Solstice experience! The ambience is hip and airy, such a gorgeous space! Server was so kind, we felt at home. I had a black sesame daiquiri, which I highly recommend. The menu is seasonal and shifts periodically to showcase in-season items. We had the burger and the lobster gnocchi - both were delectable. My only regret is we couldn't stay longer (due to another obligation). Highly recommend going to Solstice if you want to impress your date! read more

Solstice - Black sesame daiquiri - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

-Waiter ordered us wrong drink. That's ok. -We ordered appetizers - mussels & crab cakes thinking crab cakes is an app. We then looked down at the menu and realized crab cakes is a $49 entree, so we flagged him down to cancel it. He did. But thanks for not pointing it out to us that we ordered an entree and not an app, knowing that we were only ordering the app round. -We ordered paparedelle and halibut as our entrees. -2 paparedelle come out, and we said we only ordered 1 so they walked back the other one. -The paparedelle is so thick that we cut into it and it's visibly raw flour inside. I take a small bite and it's def raw. We inform waiter. -Waiter comes back and tells us to try this plate instead - it's the other one that we sent back and says these noodles look more cooked. So you're not gonna make us a new one but give us the same batch as the raw dish? Lol -This other paparedelle is more cooked. Being handmade must cause the difference in thickness. Anyways, the sauce is watery. This dish remind me of a deconstructed lasagna cuz the pasta isn't flimsy. -it's been a while and we're still waiting on halibut. We ask waiter if it's coming and he tells us we didn't order it. But we did. So we order it...again. Perhaps not writing orders down doesn't work for this waiter? The share plates are black matte and when your knife/fork scrapes on it, it's like fingernails across a chalkboard. Gives me the heebie jeebies. The Oaxaca old fashioned is on the rocks and is super sweet. I couldn't finish it - way too much simple syrup. The dishes were all very flavorful but I can't say anything wowed me enough to come back. I did not enjoy the service either. read more

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This was our first visit and it was amazing! Everything from the food to the ambiance was perfect. We were so impressed with the service and attention to detail. We had the prime rib, short ribs, green beans, and Nutella bread pudding along with two tequila cocktails. We will be returning soon and look forward to each seasonal menu. BTW - I don't ever leave reviews but just had to with Solstice! read more

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If this was a review about airplane food it would be 5 stars. Was genuinely looking forward to a seasonal restaurant opening in Irvine. I understand that I'm in my 20's and am not viewed as an important customer to most restaurants in OC, but this place took the cake in being a wholehearted disappointment. From the "amuse bouche" that was clearly sitting out for hours (dry, crusted), to my server asking me and my friends "is it fire?" referencing our entrees, we were shocked. Flavorless, under-salted, underwhelming. Cocktails were too sweet or too sour. We couldn't convince ourselves to stay for dessert and waste another ~$40. Maybe someone can else can see the potential here but it's beyond me. read more

Hidden gem in OC. Amazing food, drinks and service. I've been several times with my family and for work with clients and they've always delivered. read more

Solstice is so pretty inside and I can't believe I didn't check out this restaurant sooner. It's in a hidden area in Irvine so I was surprised to find a restaurant when I walked by. The food was incredible. We ordered the watermelon salad, heirloom tomato caprese, parker house rolls, wagyu short rib, sweet corn ricotta gnocchi, roasted half chicken, and fries. All of these dishes were great but I will talk about some of my favorites. The salads were absolutely flavorful. The fruits were so fresh and refreshing. The watermelon and tomato were so sweet and crunchy. The house rolls is a must when you order food here. The bread is so fluffy and I loved the plum glaze and butter. My favorite dish would have to be the wagyu short ribs. It was tender and the perfect amount of chewy. The sauce was amazing but not overpowering. The gnocchi and chicken were pretty good too. It's so pretty inside and I was shocked by how big and open it looks. The ambience of this restaurant is absolutely stunning. It wasn't as crowded which I liked and the servers are so sweet and helpful. I'll definitely be back!! read more

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Where to begin... We had a group and started out outside with drinks. The drinks...very good. Connor, our waiter, was attentive and checked up on us so we weren't waiting empty-handed. Thumbs up to Connor and the bartender. Now, for the thumbs down...no patio heater(s). Instead of a patio heater, somebody had the bright idea (pun intended) of installing a stupid light that shines a dumb pattern on the floor in front of the front door. Appetizers. Charcuterie board was good and delivered by Emilio, who was 17. Not sure it's legal for him to be working here but he explained the food pretty good. Ok, for the rest of the apps: Mushroom risotto- YES Muscles and muscle juice - I didn't try it but the girl next me was losing her mind over it Butternut squash hummus - dumb, don't get it Spaghetti squash gratin - pretty good Grits - bomb.com. Get it. Rolls - kick ass. Use to lap up risotto and/or grits. In a nutshell, eat here but only if you're eating inside or it's warm outside. read more

I had a fantastic experience at this restaurant. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was inviting, and the waiter provided excellent service. I highly recommend it! read more

The service was fantastic and food was delicious!! I recommend my family and friends to come eat at Solstice.

Food is great, atmosphere is great! The service we got from Sebastian on the other hand was outstanding read more

I probably would not come back here. I wasn't a huge fan of the non meat eater options on the menu. I did enjoy my cocktail. The aesthetics aren't really my style. I came here for dinner with some of my colleagues and though we had a great time with each other, I think I will pass next time. read more

Solstice - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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Service: Solstice has impeccable service. Everyone from the hostess table to the servers to the manager are so kind and friendly. When my friend and I were deep in conversation during dinner, our server was always so sweet by apologizing for "interrupting" us. There were also so many "gifts" which came in the form of free dishes to try, including dinner rolls (which neither of us can eat because we are gluten free but they still packed it up for us to give to family at home), eggplant, amuse bouche, and a take home cocktail elixir in a small bottle. Food: It was the first day of their new summer menu so the menu was limited but wow the roasted chicken was phenomenal, so juicy and tender. The salmon was delicious and perfectly cooked. I've also tried their steak on a previous visit and it was also perfectly cooked. They really cook all of their protein to perfection. Everything is very fresh, farm-to-table tasting. Ambiance: The restaurant is beautifully designed. I have sat both inside and outside, and I would say outside is less noisy. Bathrooms are immaculate. Parking: They validate for free parking in the structure right next to the restaurant. read more

Love this place so much! Since they've opened I've been around 5 times for brunch, dinner, and drinks. I've celebrated birthdays here, and most recently a bridal brunch. The service is always really good and the decor inside is gorgeous. I love that they have a rotating seasonal menu! I will say, when I came for drinks once my server seemed to be a little confused. He told us the large format cocktails were only available during happy hour when I've had it during dinner before, and when he brought out our cocktail jar he forgot the lid. He also left out the peanut butter cookie on one of our friends PB&J whiskey drink, and when we asked for it he forgot about it again for another 30 minutes. Besides this one time, this place has always been a hit with everyone I bring here! Especially love that they give champagne for celebrations. It's a small touch that goes a long way in making it feel extra special! read more

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This place is incredible. Bartender was knowledgeable and intentional. Food was amazingly fresh and dinner salmon so good! read more

Solstice - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

Really good food. Staff was kind and attentive and I enjoyed the overall ambiance of the restaurant.

My friend took us here for her birthday celebration and holiday treat, it was a beautiful experience, the food was great, I had the Poached Lobster Gnocchi and of course the delicious dessert brownie fudge and apple cake service was great love the ambience. read more

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Fantastic upscale place to come for a lunch or dinner. They offer complimentary valet service and have a convenient parking garage. The decor and furniture is very modern and clean when you enter you can tell they take pride in their aesthetic. The menu offerings are truly delicious. We tried the hummus, the ginger and lime seared tuna salad, and the gnocchi, all of which were excellent. We also had their watermelon Margaritas which were unlike any I had ever had before- there was no salt on the rim, instead, the margaritas were topped with sea salt foam! It was amazing. I would definitely come back here for a date night or a nice afternoon out with friends. read more

Had an incredible brunch at Solstice! The service was exceptional, Aldo was simply the best. And the food is delicious. We had decided to order 4 meals and share them all. Started with the delicious biscuits and cocktails. Then we ordered the PBLT, crab cakes Benedict, omelet, and French toast. The breakfast potatoes were also exceptional. Parking is easy with an attached structure that validates. I highly recommend it! read more

My first time experience. It was a company dinner with a fix menu. The staff was on spot from the time we sat down until we left. Very cordial and patient when we requested a variety of drinks for the table. Food was exceptional and could taste the freshness in every bite. Definitely coming back! read more

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Recently had a family birthday celebration here with 40+ guests and everyone had a great time. The food and service are great! Tegan did an awesome job coordinating the event and the staff was superb especially Aldo. Special thanks to their GM Chris. Will be coming back! Thank you so much. Btw the only recommendation is to add shades on the uncovered outdoor Patio because of the direct sunlight at midday. read more

Good food.good vibes Had the chicken. Beautiful Really nice service. Parking was in the structure. You'll need a voucher for parking. read more

Personally thought food and Cocktails are mediocre at best.. We had dinner for 3. Tried 3 cocktails and they do look good but the flavors are not balanced. Some too sweet some just not great. The papadelle was excellent. Steak not So much. Way over cooked. No texture on the crust. No flavor. I had to ask for few things multiple times. Don't think I'll every come back read more

I came here for brunch last week for my birthday and EVERYTHING was fantastic! We had a group of 7 and all of the food was delicious! The decor inside is very trendy and cute and the service is great. They even wrote me a birthday card!! I chose inside after reading a review that said the patio had no covering for shade. We had reservations for 12:30 and I'm super glad we were inside otherwise we would bake in the sun. When I come back sometime for dinner I'll probably sit outside because it's super cute too! read more

Fast. They don't make you wait 30 mins for anything. friendly. Servers are super nice. Great quality food. Definitely recommend. They need to carry michelob ultras do but 5 stars read more

Solstice - Short rib and salmon - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

The service was amazing. We sat at the bar and the bartender was very sweet and since it was our first time he helped us with the menus and drinks. The food was also delicious read more

Absolutely fantastic experience. I went for the first time ever to celebrate an anniversary and all the staff were so friendly and helpful. The food was spectacular and so were the drinks, and our server Emily was able to give some great recommendations and the management was totally on top of everything! 10/10 Would recommend and will definitely be going again. Talk to Sherry, one of the managers, she will show you the hospitality that every restaurant should strive for! read more

My boyfriend and I came here to celebrate his birthday and it was easily one of the best experiences we've had at a restaurant yet! It was our first time visiting this location and our server Sebastian took such amazing care of us. All the food we ordered was fantastic and overall the entire ambiance of the restaurant was very inviting, you could sit there and talk for hours (which many people did). They change out their menu seasonally and you can tell how much thought goes in to each of their dishes. Extremely excited to come back and try out the whichever new goodies they decided to bring next.. Thank you Solstice! read more

Overall, I would give this place a solid 3. 4 stars for the food (vegan friendly) and 2 stars for the service (staff was friendly but there's room for improvement). As we all know, the food scene in Orange County subpar comparing to LA. And so we were excited to find out there's a new restaurant in OC. New food and new drinks, who wouldn't like that?! With that being said, new restaurants are still testing out their menu and workflow. Let me start out decor and ambience of this restaurant, which I do like. It has a clean modern look, but also felt warm and welcoming with lots of space. I do like their bar. It's good to go here for drinks or happy hour with a few friends. You can park in the structure, and get your ticket validated. Before I get even more sidetracked, let's get back to the drinks, food and service. We made reservation for 6 on a Sunday night, and so it wasn't busy. We were seated right away. All of us order a drink, and it took awhile for them to come out. When the drinks came out, they messed up my drink. I ordered vodka cocktail 2, but it the server brought out cocktail 1. First strike. All the drinks were good, and it's nice that they have a variety to choose from. Appetizers were good. We got the rolls, salmon crudo, hummus, and salad. The rolls were a bit sweet with the glaze on top. I know that this restaurant focuses on seasonal produce, but I have to say there was a lot of butternut squash on the menu. We ordered like 4 dishes that contain butternut squash! After appetizers, came our entrees. The server came out with entree and started to put it down on the table without asking who ordered and we ended up moving the dishes around. Not to mention, he only brought out 4 entrees when there was 6 of us. We thought he went back to the kitchen to get the remaining two. And then another staff came by and ask us if we're missing anything. Yes, two entrees. And this is the second strike. Apparently, there was a mix up and they forgot two of our entrees. So we sat there and waited. We ordered the pappardelle, gnocchi, risotto, and halibut. The food was solid. Friends said the pappardelle was good. Pasta was fresh. I got the risotto and got more butternut squash. In between entree, we ordered the whiskey punch bowl. Gotta say it was worth it! Definitely recommend it for a big group. We asked server to pack out leftover and saw her talking to another girl, telling her which dish to pack. Somehow, they forgot to pack one of our dishes. 3rd strike! But they were nice enough to cook up another dish and pack it to go. Lastly, we ordered the olive oil cake and donuts for dessert. And the server came out with olive oil cake and apple butter cake. 4th strike. We didn't order the apple butter cake and they forgot about our donuts. At this point, I wanted that apple butter cake for free. That apple butter cake was the best dessert out of the three. Bottom line, we did have a good time and enjoy the food. However, there were so many hiccups that it's hard to overlook. I understand this is a new restaurant, but how can there be so many miscommunications between the staff? I would say there's room for improvement and this felt more like a soft opening. Is it worth trying? Yes! Will I come back? Maybe...depending on what's on the menu. read more

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It's always exciting to see a new restaurant in the OC as there is a serious lack of high end quality food establishments. I was really looking forward to trying Solstice after months of teasing about their opening. The space is beautiful and has a great vibe. Parking is easy and convenient. The patio will be in high demand when the weather gets just a bit warmer. This restaurant is super new and it's to be expected that they haven't worked all the kinks out. Here's hoping this review gives them some tips to help them do that. Service-There are lots and lots of servers, runners, managers buzzing around. Seemed to be overkill given the number of diners but once this place gets hopping I imagine the ratio will be spot on. What was surprising given the number of servers, that the service was very slow. Upon getting seated, we were given a booklet (literally a booklet) with pages of drink options. It was a little overwhelming. We were told to turn to page 6 as that's where the signature cocktails were listed. If that is what you are promoting...why is it on page 6? two of the four of us ordered signature cocktails. Reviews were they were very nice- when they finally arrived. We were given way too long to peruse the drink menu and way too long before food menus were given. Our server seemed to need to get her timing right. Sometimes she was too attentive, like when coming to pick up plates that weren't finished, and other times out of site such as when we had to wait an uncomfortably long time to place our food order. Our server was lovely, but a bit frazzled and definitely not knowledgeable enough about the menu or options for dietary restrictions. Menu was interesting with something for everyone. Just a point of note, there seemed to be an overabundance of butternut squash items in every part of the menu Portions are on the small side. Ahi tuna was overcooked and paired with Thanksgiving type flavors, or should I say dots of flavor all over the plate (butternut squash and cranberry) that did not compliment the flavor of the tuna. Chicken was flavorful but just 5-6 oz of actual chicken. Husband left hungry. Butternut squash hummus appetizer was tasty (but very tiny to actually share) . Parker house rolls got a thumbs up, but beware the maple syrup topping makes them sticky. Risotto and salmon were good. Website made a point of asking for preferences and food allergies so I assumed substitutions would be ok. I also called the restaurant ahead of time to ask as we did not want have an issues or surprises and were told it would not be a problem as someone in our party had some dietary restrictions... When it came time for the person in our party with food issues to order, the server and the chef seem to get flustered and we were flatly told nothing could be substituted. This elicited a frustrated reaction which brought over a manager who then assured us he would talk to the chef and make something work. Thankfully they were able to make it happen and our friend could have a dinner that worked for her. Dessert was interesting. We were told by our server there was a dairy free Panne Cotta with poached pears that was not on the dessert menu but was available. It sounded great and we ordered it. What arrived was poached pears witch a few "dots" of their version of vegan panne cotta. It was tasty but not what was described. When we looked back at the menu, we realized it was the spiced poached pears that was listed. Again, confused server led to unmet expectations. Here are a few suggestions- 1.make sure your servers know your menu, 2. don't take forever between drinks, ordering and dessert (our meal lasted 3 hours!!) 3. Small mains with little dots of flavor are deceiving the way it's listed on the menu. We would have ordered a few sides had we know the extra flavors on the plates beside the main protein were just dots. We left hungry. 4. list your signature cocktails you are promoting on page 1of the drink menu 5. Timing is key, dinner should not take 3 hours. Especially if you want to get 2 seatings in. This restaurant has potential. I would give it another shot and try some other items to see if they are better. Really hoping they get everything dialed in. Will be a great option for upscale dinner in Irvine if they do. read more

Beautiful atmosphere and great tasting food. Our service was 10000/10 such a great staff. Brunch is great as well. Definitely will be returning read more

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I came here with a group that consisted of professionals that are part of a membership association. The restaurant is very close to where I work, so I appreciated the proximity. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful - clean, open, lots of lighting, and modern. It's a stylish look and definitely compliments the food and the overall restaurant atmosphere. This venue is next to the parking garage (they validate parking) and there's a large green space between here and the office building it's technically part of. The interior was very busy mid-week when we visited. This is a restaurant you will want to use a reservation for. f The food was fantastic - everything was fresh, cooked at the right temperatures, and very attractive to the eye and pleasing to the taste palate. They have a unique and very flavorful menu here. Despite it being a busy weeknight, the service was also wonderful. They get compliments for the professional fast friendly service for our entire party. I'd recommend this place, and definitely would come back. read more

Came here for my cousin's bridal brunch and it was perfect for that! We were able to set up some decorations, like balloons and flowers without any issue. The restaurant is also very cute inside and outside for some pictures. The staff was very nice about taking pictures for our group as well and brought over champagne for our celebration. Onto the food review! The sticky bun was absolutely massive and delicious! It was enough for our group of 7 to all have some, and for people to have seconds too. I would definitely recommend having a group to share this with. We asked for pecans on the side as some of us have but allergies. The house biscuits were also nice, but much smaller portion than the sticky bun. My cousins really enjoyed the jam they came with. I ordered the shrimp and lobster roll with the truffle home fries. I thought the seafood was good, but the roll was not up to par. It seemed kind of stale and dry to me. I also had to ask for salt for the home fries as they definitely tasted of truffle, but had no other seasoning. I tried a bite of the PBLT and it was pretty good, though a bit sweet for my taste. Parking is validated for the structure right next to the restaurant! I would come back, but pass on the lobster roll. read more

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I made a last minute reservation to celebrate one friend's birthday this past weekend. We got to the restaurant early. I had been looking forward to trying this place after seeing the social ads. It was so packed, we did wait for some time before our table was ready. After the first sips, our group of 4 started this l feast with dinner rolls (recommend), crab cakes (fresh), and apple Waldorf salad (very small portion but tasty). Then it was the porterhouse steak. I had asked for medium rare, but it came out very rare, so the hero of this dish ended up being the salsa verde. I personally didn't think it was worthy of the $93 price tag. Last dish was a decent, but not stellar, risotto. Very good service, lovely ambiance, and tasty cocktails. But the food. Perhaps we did not make the best selections. Quite honestly, mid. read more

Solstice - Crab cakes - New American Near Me - Irvine, California

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