An update...the owner Gretchen contacted me and was so apologetic and comped our meal...as a result we will definitely go back and give them another try... read more

It's not Tao hollywood, I think it's the best for Asian fusion spot for Laguna Beach. We had the Dragon Martini, Ramen, lobster roll and dragon fruit shrimp. The food tasted good but they used too much sugar and salt. It was tasty but not clean. It's in a strip mall next to CVS across from the Montage. read more

Stumbled into Starfish tonight after a nearby sushi spot had a long wait. Luckily Starfish was able to seat me at the bar section. Right upon entering, I could tell this was an upscale place. The lighting is a bit dim, but it adds to the elegance. I started off with a Whisky cocktail that was quite delicious - kind of a spin on an old fashioned with egg whites. I ordered the spicy ahi tuna roll, which at $18 is more than I'd typically spend on one roll. I'm so glad I did. It was absolutely delicious - the perfect combination of textures. 10/10 would recommend. I was extra hungry today so I also ordered the lemon chicken ($19) over broccolini with coconut rice, and added some prawns as well ($6). The chicken breast was massive and had a perfectly crusty panko breading. Everything was cooked perfectly. The lemon ginger sauce was insane...like, I need the recipe. The chef tossed the prawns in the lemon sauce and they were so tasty. I don't think this is on the menu otherwise, so highly recommend this addition. The meal was also 10/10. I was not expecting such a great meal in Laguna to be honest. Coming from LA, I thought our food and particularly our sushi would outshine OC. This meal is definitely making me question that assumption. Can't wait to return when I'm in Laguna next. read more

Greeted by Archie on our way to pick up our to go order. He informed us that it wasn't ready yet and he asked our name. We waited outside for a couple minutes and then Archie came out to the exterior and confirmed our order was correct before we took it home. I'm not bragging, but we had a VIP treatment on a takeout order. Thanks Archie! read more

Food was disgusting and it was over priced. We were all very disappointed. We ordered Carb fried rice it lacked flavor. Both Kung pao chicken and Scallops were so tasteless. read more

Came here for the first time with a few friends to celebrate my birthday, as I had been watching to try this place for a while. I was not disappointed! First they are doing a great job with social distancing between tables, all staff have their masks on and everything was clean. The ambiance is such a vibe they were playing great music to set the tone. The food was VERY flavorful and was brought out pretty quickly. Our server was very attentive and I recommendation popping into to try their food it's delicious! read more

Best restaurant for happy hour!! Appetizers and drinks are out of this world and the decor is elegant! I highly recommend this place.l to anyone in the mood for a great date night! Amazing customer service! read more

The food was amazing and the servers were knowledgeable. We had made a reservation and they had the table ready when we arrived. The armistice very nice and we sat in the patio area which was very comfortable. I would recommend when you go try a bunch of different stuff since there's so much to choose from. read more

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This review is for OC Restaurant Week only. We had a very pleasant experience here. While it is in deep, South Laguna, there is ample parking which is always nice. The menu was only $15 for lunch and was very extensive. We shared a number of dishes and all the portions were very generous. The sautéed eggplant was very flavorful as were the spicy noodles. I didn't try it but there was a grilled salmon salad that looked very healthy and fresh. The appetizers (included in the $15) were great -- chicken lettuce wraps and steamed potstickers were standouts. Dessert was also included and the best was the mango pudding with tapioca. The chocolate chip bread pudding was good as was the dense flourless chocolate cake. I imagine the non-restaurant week menu is just as appealing albeit at a slightly higher price. Great service as well. read more

I was so excited and then so disappointed! The service was great the atmosphere beautiful. The food is another story. The Ted curry seafood stew had hardly any seafood in it. I actually had the worlds smallest clam, one scallop two shrimpy shrimp, two mussels and a small piece of I don't know what fish. All that for $28! The miso cod was mushy and had many bones in it. Not one but many! The coconut rice was over cooked and was more of a mush than a rice. The eggplant was very tasty but the green beans were very salty. We had high hopes for a Wilhelm restaurant but we won't be back. A very expensive over cooked meal. read more

The food was very tasty. The service was not very good. We sat at our table for at least 15 minutes before a waiter came over to take our drinks orders. I had to ask three times for a club soda. Our waiter changed to a different person after about 20 minutes. Our appetizer was tha sashimi, six little pieces for $14. It was very good but they brought out the entrée just five minutes later. While we were still eating the appetizer. So we had to send that back to keep it warm. The coconut rice with my Sea bass was not even cooked all the way. Even the second bowl was not cooked enough. But the Seabass was excellent and the shaking beef was very good. I might come back to try the happy hour. But not with a party of seven like we had last night. read more

My girlfriend and I went there for industry night. Our server, Chris was outstanding. He was very attentive and extremely knowledgeable about the menu. Your food was incredible. We shared five appetizers. Every one was unique and outstanding. The softshell crab sliders were my favorite The calamari was a close second. I don't think there's anything on that menu that I wouldn't like. Everything was fresh, cooked perfectly, presented beautifully and served promptly. Go there, try it, you won't be disappointed. read more

Rolled on in to check this place out upon getting a recommendation. Cool set up. Nice ambiance. My man Neil hooked me up with some delicious concoctions! When the place was closing he had some good suggestions of where to go next... he nailed the perfect place. Trust in Neil... That's my new motto. I wonder if he gives advice on other life things? What should I invest in Neil? Neil, which gal at the bar should I hit on? Does this shirt match? Diagnose my injury. I think people should be asking these questions... Lets put his advice to the test! Only other thing to note is that on. Thursday night I think the average age is like 75 years old. Maybe its younger on the weekends. read more

We went for restaurant week. Our reservation was confirmed the day before. We were promptly seated at a high top table next to the bar. The cocktails were 12 or 14 each so I passed, just got a glass of wine. I started with the salmon poki salad, hubby had the filet salad. Mine was just ok. The seaweed was good, but the dressing didn't add anything to the salad and the pieces of salmon were cut really big. Hubby felt the same about his filet salad. Second course I got the Korean galbi tacos. When they first came out they were cold. Our waiter insisted on taking them back to make new ones, and gave me some of the papaya salad to have until the tacos were ready. I thought that was really nice of him. My husband got the ribs - and hasn't stopped talking about them since! He thought they were AMAZING! We will definitely be back for more ribs. My chicken curry had just the right amount of spice, and the cocunut rice was really good too. I would order it again. Hubby got the beef pad thai. I had some leftovers and it was excellent. The beef was perfectly flavored and tender. We both got desserts that were not memorable. The pudding I had was actually gross- weird mouth feel. Overall an excellent meal and we will be back for the ribs, curry and pad thai. read more

This place is hidden in an old shopping center across from the Montage. You'd never know how great the ambiance is inside. The bartenders are some of the best at making the typical drinks like Lemon Drops and their own signature mixed drinks. The korean beef tacos are fantastic. You'd like them to be a little bigger, but if you take your time to really taste them, you'll be satisfied until your meal comes. The appetizer ribs are hit or miss depending on the day. I always get the ox tail soup, which is served pho style. The banana peel sea bass is one of the best dishes I've ever eaten. It includes a lemongrass sauce, but even the wild rice they serve with it is some of the best rice I've had in a restaurant. This place is a must-try. read more

Great flavors on every single dish, and we over ordered because so much sounded great. Standouts: Ribs and the fun cocktails, but everything we got was excellent and inventive. I'm definitely coming back. read more

Great cocktails, service and menu options. I liked the mix of Chinese, Japanese, Thai and sushi options on the menu. The Kung pao mahi mahi was outstanding, and the sushi was awesome. Everyone in my group was impressed. Compared to other restaurants in the area, the prices were a great value. read more

Short and sweet: Very good food and VEGAN ACCOMMODATING! I'll definitely return for more

*Insider's tip: Located in a strip mall across the street from Montage Resort in Laguna Beach...you'd be surprised to learn the interior design of the space is quite stunning (see Avec nightclub HB)...don't judge peeps, I'd totally host a bday party here, rent the entire space, and never complain that there's not enough parking. Give it a couple of months and I'd say they there menu should be up to par with the best of Asian fusion spots in South PCH* Ma Po Tofu Lettuce Wraps: fresh shiitake mushrooms, tofu, roasted cashews, caramelized onions, garlic, glass noodles, crisp lettuce cups: Soggy noodles + soft tofu = flimsy rolls...A for effort, C for execution. I'd have opted for hard/baked tofu instead...this dish definitely called for a mix of textures instead of a mushy pile of soy on soy. Kobe Banh Mi Beef Sliders: Vietnamese seasoned kobe beef, sweet baked mini buns, pickled carrots, daikon, sriracha aioli, cilantro: Love the concept of this dish. If y'all have yet to taste authentic Vietnamese Banh Mi, you're totally missing out. Love that Starfish attempted the pickled veggies synonymous with Banh Mi O, the aioli is a pretty genius substitution for French mayo/butter...a solid A. The bf complained that the veggies weren't pickled enough, but I gave them a point for adding beansprouts to the mix. No one around here does that anymore! Slow Cooked 5 Spice Baby Back Ribs (half order): Dry rubbed star anise, cinnamon, pickled veggies, katsu dipping sauce: The bf's fave dish. Falls off the bone, tastes authentically Chinese, no need for extra sauce, jam packed full of flavor. No complaints here. Wok Fired Mussels: pei mussels, crushed lemongrass, spicy Thai basil coconut broth, bell peppers, roasted garlic, micro opal basil: Tastes better than it looks. If you like green Thai curry, you'll love this dish. Very authentic to the typical flavors you'd find in Thai dishes, save for the fact that it's a bit heavy for an appetizer. Instead order this dish with a side of brown rice, perfect for drenching your carbs in yummy curry sauce. I have a feeling Starfish is gonna blow up in the next coming months. They still have to perfect their menu, hopefully adding more variety and focus to the coastal Asian fusion concept. Less bells and whistles, more concentration on authentic flavoring should do the trick. Bon Appétit my beauties! read more

"I'm totally buying what they're selling!!" Corny, i know... But this place is on a very short list of my favorite places to eat. Guess that is why we drive 90 mins to come eat here. Staff is super nice. The Manager/Host is super friendly and welcomes great conversation. You may remember him from the Real Housewives of OC when they came in to eat. Very attractive female staff as well. My favorite person though is the bartender, short, polite young man. Great craft cocktail ability, pours are spot on and really makes you feel welcome. We come in usually on Mondays as it also is Industry Night here. 50% off the bill. Totally awesome. Best thing on the menu: Spicy Udon. Warms you up and leaves you wanting more. Worst thing on the menu: The Pho is bad, like i'd take the pasta in prison over it. Other food: Calamari is good. Really enjoyed the Crab Rice. My g/f ALWAYS gets a side of the coconut rice, and it is pretty good to go with your meal. Spicy Tuna roll is my favorite of the sushi, but none of them are bad. The sliders and garlic noodles are my next items of interest to try. Overall, if you want to go somewhere with a wonderful staff, great food and the restaurant itself is gorgeous, come here. read more

came here for my husbands birthday lunch, our waitress was so friendly i wish i could remember her name, it was our first time and she knew exactly what to recommend. food was delicious will be coming back. read more

I was surprised that the restaurant itself was pretty small. It is dimly lit, with mirrors on all the walls which made the place look bigger than it really was. I personally didn't like how the tables were set up, it was too close to the neighboring tables, and you can basically listen in on everyone else's conversations nearby. I came by during restaurant week, and they had two different dinner menus to choose from. I was able to try the following: Garlic Noodles- the noodles are okay, there wasn't anything that stood out to me, i thought it was a bit oily, and i like it with the thicker larger noodles compared to the thin ones Baby Back Ribs- the sauce was amazing, but i thought my ribs were a little burned on the top. it would of been perfect if it wasn't so charred Salmon Poke salad- the salmon was really fresh, and was so good with the spring mix and seaweed salad. Sea Bass- the sea bass with cooked perfectly with just the right amount of seasoning and sauce. filet mignon salad- the filet mignon itself was really good, but when combined with the salad and dressing, it didn't taste like i expected. All in all, it was definitely worth going during restaurant week, but I'm not sure if I'd return again if there weren't any deals going on. Maybe it would be a good place to go for happy hour, since I did see some good choices on the menu for that, but the prices are still pretty steep for mixed drinks. read more

AMAZING! Everything on the menu sounded delish! We started with the shrimp spring rolls, had the best cucumber salad, The korean filet mignon tacos, the mussels with coconut rice and the lava cake. My favorite was the tacos, but everything was terrific including the decor. I am going back for round 2 tonight! Highly recommend this spot. read more

Great experience! Fantastic decor, food and service. We knew Friday night would be a busy one so we planned to hit this place for an early dinner/ late lunch. We walked into Opium Hour, their version of Happy Hour. What a menu. He had planned for dinner but so much here to choose from we stayed with the happy hour menu for the most part. Lobster tail tacos, the veggie Saigon roll. California crab roll, cucumber salad from the main menu and chicken lettuce wraps. All really good. Our server was Chris and he took great care of us. Great servers seem to be a given here as everyone from the bartender to the bus servers were on the ball and very friendly. We even left some room for dessert, the phyllo baked banana with caramel sauce, ice cream and berries was so good! And fresh sorbets; pink guava and mango. What a great find! Can't wait to visit again! read more

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Coming in on a Thursday night for happy hour. Waited 5 minutes at the front. No sign, no hostess. Walked in and seated ourselves. Drinks were great, fresh and creative. Service was painfully slow and food marginal and took much too long. Not worth even the happy hour prices. I will not be going back. read more

Kristy made us stay...she is the best bartender we've met in a long time! THANK YOU for your spectacular hospitality read more

Starfish - love this pic - Asian Fusion Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Took wifey out for date night. I wish they had more stars to give to this restaurant. We were treated like royalty. I called 20min earlier to see if there is a wait. Kaylee said there is a wait but took my name down. We arrived and she had a special table waiting for us. Then came Alexis our waitress. The best waitress we have ever had. She made great recommendations and served us with perfection. The food was over the top. She even offered us free desert this being our first visit. We were so full she said no problem I won't charge you for an appetizer. This is definitely my go to restaurant. read more

Excellent food & service and ambiance. excellent menu, big variety of food. Highly recommend. I do carry out often as well.

My wife and I drive down from the Inland Empire to Laguna for Earth Cafe on a regular basis but wanted to try something new. Starfish has good music; a mix of Frank Sinatra style and modern. Amazing food at a decent price. Food includes a mix of dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, China, Korea, and India, including sushi. Drinks were mixed well. No dry red wines other than Cabernet, but being an Asian restaurant I can't complain about that. read more

The food is amazing! Get the Chile fire wontons! Also ask for William! He was the best server I've ever had!

Just left for happy hour and my husband and I loved it! Food flavors so tasty and bold. We ordered a variety of stuff from mussels, filet satay, pork buns, crispy egg rolls, to Korean tacos! Amazing all to wah them down with fabulous drinks. We sat at the bar and our bartender was super attentive and on spot. Prices on the regular menu seem expensive but their happy hour prices were a deal esp for quality and quantity. And must get their banana in philo dough!!! We will definitely be back. read more

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ALWAYS a top spot to come for happy hour and dinner. The cocktails are always top notch and the food is to die for. the service is always wonderful. My wife and I have been here on two occasions. Her birthday and the night I proposed. These folks know how to run a restaurant. read more

I don't understand why more folks don't dine at Starfish. Today was my first lunch experience here (lunch served from Wednesdays on). The service was stellar, ambiance unbelievable and quality of the food superb! When in the mood for authentic Asian cuisine most often I drive to Little Saigon or Diamond Jamboree Plaza in Irvine. I'm glad great Asian fusion is a hop, skip and a jump from my front door. The tofu lettuce wrap - delicious. Fresh, crisp bibb lettuce is served with a huge portion of tofu, cashews and crispy noodles in a sweet Asian sauce. Ahi poke - the presentation is fit for a king. A layered tower of taro chips, micro greens and fresh corn kernels was subtle in flavor but left my palate satisfied. Kambucha cheesecake is rich, dense and sweet with a sprinkle of candied nuts and a handful of fresh raspberries. I enjoyed 3 courses (which I could have easily shared!), a Starfish Cooler herbacious cocktail and my meal was very reasonable. Happy hour offers $5 appetizers too! Cheers!! read more

Amazing food and great service!!!! Cool fresh decir and great drinks. A but on the pricey side but Will be back. The beef with thai-basil was yummy! read more

Food was good. Service was mostly good. Came here for a double date with my boyfriend and good friends. We had reservations. Upon our arrival, there were at least 2 parties ahead of us (waiting area is small). The host sat the party at the head of the line then took a few minutes to come back to the front. 5ish minutes later, he sat the party ahead of us. My boyfriend noticed the host was taking forever, so peaked around the corner to see what was taking so long and the host was on an ipad at the end of the bar. OK, maybe he was checking to see what tables were available? Yeah, maybe. We were seated. Chad and another server (in training) came to our table to fill drinks. There were very kind and prompt in taking our drink and appetizer orders. The service was really great to start. We ordered calamari, korean tacos, shaking beef and kung pao shrimp. The entire menu looked delicious. I have to say that all the food was really good. We also tried the coconut rice. It was different but very good... worth a try! The beef was very tasty but I was a bit deceived. It looks like a huge plate with a ton of food but there is a fairly large mound of lettuce underneath (first world problems, I know). Overall, I enjoyed the food and the service of Chad and the server in training. My lower rating is a result of observations of the hostess stand. It is worth mentioning for the management of this restaurant that after the "dinner rush" and all parties were seated, I noticed the host (male dressed in a suit but maybe also a manager since I saw him in the kitchen), APPEARED to be taking shots (multiple shots, not just one) with another server at the hostess stand. As we were waiting to leave, this host bumped into us rather hard. I blame it on being intoxicated. If that was the manager, shame on you. You have a reputation and image to uphold for your restaurant. Update 1/22/2014 - Review updated to depict a more accurate description of my observation. As the restaurant kindly notes below, they only drink from bottled water and not the same water they serve to customers. They also drink that water in small amounts quickly. But don't confuse that with shot taking. My review is honest and intended to give insight to my experience as a patron. One can only hope that businesses take reviewers comments as an opportunity to improve - whether that be service, food or in this case, a customers perception of events. I wish the restaurant owners luck in their adventures ahead. Based on their very professional and kind response below, I'm sure they'll need it. read more

Where have you been all my life?? New favorite place. Lobster tacos where out of this world. Seafood curry with coconut rice for my entree was excuisite. Cocktails are fresh and flavorful. Service industry night on Monday is the best kept secret in town. Chris, our server, was a delight and very knowledgeable. Thanks for a fun birthday dinner experience! read more

Food was delicious. Great atmosphere only thing is the music was a little loud for my liking. Waitress was great but the service could have been better. All in all great place to have a nice candlelit dinner, definitely worth the wait! read more

We are long time customers of Starfish. We started going there when Nancy Wilhelm opened it years ago. Now it seems something has changed. Perhaps the new owners don't care as much about service because last night's visit was ruined by slow and poor service. Our male server appeared to be sleep walking or high on something. Bottom line : we spent the evening waiting, waiting, waiting. When I complained to the young lady who told me she was in charge, her response was non- committal and unsatisfactory. We regretfully won't be back. There are too many good restaurants in Laguna to fool around with poor service. read more

Haven't been here in a few years. I had the slow cooked baby backs, unbelievable flavor even the spicy cole slaw was great. Service as prompt and friendly. Only complaint is it's a bit too dark for me. But overall a very positive experience. The menu choices are plentiful even for lunch. read more

for locals, this was Sam's paradise, China Bistro #1, and now Starfish with substantial upgrade to the decor and new outdoor seating arrangements. It has a good bar area and great value on happy hour items. Their take on Pho Bo was lacking, it included a large piece of an inedible cow bone and meatballs, rather than thinly sliced pieces of beef. The noodles were overcooked, the standard accoutrements of sprouts and basil leafs were fairly small....and the broth had a overly aromatic quality...as if the broth came out of a can rather than prepared FRESH from scratch and simmered for hours. Overall, the ambiance is great, parking is easy, and the food is a good change from standard Mexican or typical pub food and most of the places in downtown Laguna. This would be a great place to bring friends and enjoy the experience with a few light dishes to share....but if you're looking for quality and more authentic and exciting Thai or Vietnamese fare (and cheaper), this is probably not the place for you. Like any chic Asian spots, it's more geared towards finicky and less discerning eaters who are more comfortable with glorified American-Chinese food...sweet, not too spicy and many meat-centric dishes.... read more