As a vegan with life-threatening allergies to gluten and animal products, I'm always very scared to eat out at non-fully-vegan kitchens. However, I was pleasantly surprised by having two options safe to eat! The tofu lettuce wraps were amazing, though I'd probably pass on the Naked Buddha roll the next time. Pricing for the entrées were pretty fair! The drink menu was a bit outlandish though with pricing. I do really wish they would denote on the menu what is gluten free or GFO for peace of mind. I'm ultimately super grateful to have been able to go out with my business partner & friends. I'd love to revisit the spot again. read more

Brandon is so awesome. We've been here countless times and having him as our server the past few times has been absolutely awesome! Thank you for being so positive and welcoming! FYI drunken noodles are delicious! read more

Holy moly. I literally had the best service I've ever had at this restaurant. I wish I knew my waitress's name because she was the sweetest lady ever!! I'm not from Laguna but she even recommended me other places to visit after our meal, I would come back just so that I could be served by her again! Aside from that, I got the piñatini which was tasty but really strong lol and my cousin got the lychee martini, also good but super strong. Our food was really good, didn't love the chili wontons though. Aside from that good vibes all around and their happy hour was awesome! read more

My favorite spot for Opium Hour and libations is a rare gem that offers happy hour seven days a week, from 3-6pm--a dream for any cocktail and food lover! I recently visited both the Newport and Laguna locations on back-to-back days, and to my delight, the cocktail menus weren't identical. At the Newport location, the Maui Water stole the show as my favorite drink, while in Laguna, I couldn't get enough of the Buddha's Kiss and the Starfish Cooler, which tasted just like a gummy bear. The food was equally impressive, especially the dry rub ribs--not on the happy hour menu but absolutely worth the splurge. Everything else on the happy hour menu was delicious, with so many great options I can't even list them all. I'm already counting down the days until my next visit! ‍Pirate's Pear Enlightenment Lychee martini Buddha's kiss Espresso martini Starfish cooler- gummy bear Pornstar martini Thai strawberry breeze Spicy Ahi tuna roll Half rack dry rub ribs Saigon Summer roll Soft shell crab banh mi sliders read more

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Always delicious!!! Vegan options are available and the servers have always taken time to engage in pleasant conversation. read more

Starfish - Naked Buddha roll - Asian Fusion Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

The food at starfish was delicious. I'm taking my son for his birthday there this week, but I was especially impressed with a young lady named Chantelle the hostess. !She helped me make plans with seating, etc., for a birthday get together. A great asset to the restaurant when you first walk in. Thanks again read more

Well prepared seafood options - very tasty - with indoor and outdoor seating options nicely arranged. Indoors has wonderful charm. Suggest for your outdoor seating you request the "booth / long bench" table area with planted buffer to screen parking - very pleasant with our weather here. Attentive / well versed staff. read more

Came here for OC restaurant week and it was worth it for the amount of food given. The portions were large so you could do family style. All the dishes are westernized Asian food and have a sweet taste. Appetizers: Pork Lettuce Wraps- 5/5: My favorite appetizer of the night. The lettuce made it refreshing. Braised BBQ Pork Buns- 3/5: This one was just alright. Korean Tacos- 4/5: On the sweet side. Tastes like bulgolgi. Banh Mi Beef Sliders, Traditional Style- 3/5: Tasted more like a burger with mayo sauce. Main: Kung Pao Prawns- 4/5: The prawns are huge. I liked the chestnuts in there. SoLag Drunken Noodle- 3.5/5: Tastes like your average drunken noodles. Grilled White Miso Black Cod- 5/5: This one was really good. The fish paired well with the sour sauce on the side. Thai Spicy Beef wtih Basil- 4/5: Tasted like Mongolian beef. Scratch Vanilla Bean Cheesecake- 4/5: I liked how the graham layer was in crumb form to eat with the cheesecake. The flavor is slightly different from regular vanilla in a good way. read more

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I love Starfish! Went for Lunch right upon opening because the whole day was booked out! Some days get reallll busy it seems (at both locations!) So make reservations! The cocktails are AMAZING- there was a new one called Spiced Carajillo and I fell in love. The sushi rolls are always spectacular. The shrimp lettuce wraps blew me away. This Candy Dragon Prawns with the Coconut rice was like the best version of Honey Walnut Shrimp ever. The miso salmon salad was alright but nothing too special in my opinion, and I am a huge miso salmon lover. Last, the scratch cheesecake was so light, fluffy and flavorful I loved the addition of the pear!!! Also our waitress Paola was so down to earth and personable with the me and my boyfriend- made for a great experience Will come back many times! read more

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Went to Starfish while on a trip to Laguna Beach. My husband got the lychee martini while I settled for a strawberry lemonade. Both drinks were good. We had the shrimp lettuce wraps and edamame for starters. Both were big portions for shareables. Main course was the general stars spicy chicken which was yummy. They brought us a free dessert since it was our anniversary which was a chocolate raspberry mousse and very deciduous! We went on a Saturday night and service was a bit slow. Overall very happy with this place. read more

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I've been coming here off and on for many years. When I use to drink alcohol it was amazing for the craft cocktails and their names. Now, it's nostalgic reasons and to have food. To be honest food is just okay as most likely won't return again as I've given it 3 separate attempts. Most recently I got sashimi, a sushi roll (can't remember name) and the shrimp kung pao. The side of coconut rice was my favorite part of meal sadly. Ambience and decor is epic, love it hence the higher star rating. Service is always great. read more

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I really wanted to love this place. We visited yesterday for my birthday, but unfortunately the food was below average. The sushi was decent, but the drunken noodles came in a small portion and were mostly cherry tomatoes. The spicy chicken was bland and lacked flavor. The fried rice was probably the best dish we tried, but it still wasn't anything memorable. To top it off, they asked if we were celebrating anything special. We mentioned it was my birthday, but nothing was done to acknowledge it. That made the question feel unnecessary and left the overall experience feeling disappointing. Ambience was probably the best part and the waiter was a young 21 year old kid who was doing a great job, come for happy hour otherwise definitely not worth it. read more

This is one of the most impressive restaurants that I have dined in. My friend is a Starfish regular and recommended this place. This establishment combines excellent food and beer with excellent service and large portion size and excellent atmosphere for the best dining experience. If you want to learn how to operate a successful restaurant--get a job here and work for a few years. The folks that own this restaurant know what they are doing I can tell. Perfect for dining alone at the bar, romantic couples dinner, business meal or friends get together. Free parking in front shared with other businesses. I had the Kung Pao Chicken ($21) (summer squash, water chestnuts, bell peppers, peanuts, green onion, chili pods, brown rice) and large Japanese Beer actually brewed in Japan ($11). They gave lot's of chicken and lot's of fresh vegetables and lots of brown rice--I eat a ton of food and was filled up. My friend gave me a taste of her scallops and it was excellent too. Service is friendly, efficient and helpful. They have tables inside and outside on the patio. They take reservations. read more

Went in on a Sunday evening/ night with a party of 8, was asked beforehand while making the reservation if we were celebrating anything. Which I answered yes, it was an engagement dinner with my fiancée family. Server never said anything or asked if there's anything being celebrated, she had an awkward/ rude reaction to the 15 month old in our party because he made a noise during her greet, she took forever to come back in between trips to the table, we asked for an extra chair for the 85 year old in our party because we got packed into patio table we barely could fit into and had to ask again for the chair multiple times, asked for recommendations on appetizers and verbatim she said "we have sushi rolls.. you know with like raw fish and stuff on it" awesome... I also wrote the management team an email the day after the dinner detailing our experience and hoping they'd take advantage of the opportunity to respond before I had to write a bad review but haven't heard back 5 days later now.. Loved this place before, but when we went the other night it was quite disappointing. Not sure if we will return. If you're celebrating anything important with a large group, I recommend spending your money elsewhere. read more

I've been a regular at Starfish and still love the food and ambiance, which is why I'm giving a few stars. Unfortunately, my recent Saturday lunch was disappointing. Service has gone downhill--our server rarely checked on us, and at one point spilled water directly onto our table, soaking my clothes and even my car key. While he apologized, he didn't help clean it up or replace the wet napkins, and I had to ask other staff for assistance. To make matters worse, at the table next to us, a server dropped a dish on the floor, causing food and liquid to splash over to our table. No one came to check on us or make sure we were okay after that incident, which made the whole situation feel chaotic and poorly handled. The food is still great, but the lack of attentive service and how these incidents were handled made the experience frustrating. Hoping they improve because this place has a lot of potential. read more

I'm completely obsessed with their gluten-free calamari and love coming here for happy hour which is every day between 3 and 6 PM. Half off some great menu items and drinks too. The staff is always friendly and accommodating!! read more

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Got to try this at the Sawdust Festival, we had a collection of items for lunch. The kids bento was an interesting choice for kids with a California roll, ahi tuna poke and a bag of potato chips; the poke had a kick that mom didn't care for so if you have spice sensitive kids tread carefully. The potato chips were amazing honestly, could have bags of it. The shrimp dumplings and California roll were good, the siracha aioli on the sushi I felt didn't add anything and the roll was a bit blander than others I've had before. The shrimp dumplings were nice, a small kick but not much flavor without that. The the spicy ahi tuna roll had to be requested without jalapeño for my brothers taste but wrapped in soy paper which was a great choice. The lemon chicken bowl was also a hit: the chicken was lemony with a touch of sweet, rice was fluffy and a touch of salt and perfectly cooked broccolini. Honestly probably the best one of the things we ordered. Finally, the vanilla bean cheesecake was such a hit with my mom she refused to let anyone taste it. Which means it was the best thing ever. All together for a festival it was decent food for the cost. Music was live and a great touch though tables are close together so come early or before rushes to make sure you all can sit together! read more

Starfish was really nice after the beach. Went for their happy hour food & drinks. All the food we got tasted amazing. Our server, Alex, was very attentive and made sure our experience was up to par. read more

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Always a good time. They have a great happy hour that's high value. The food is always on point and the service is always good.

My friend met me at Starfish in Laguna Beach to celebrate my birthday. Right after we sat down, our server Brandon met us with complimentary sparkling and flat water. We decided to order the Wok Fired Edamame while we looked over the menu. The edamame is really delicious. There is plenty of garlic in this dish that really compliments the edamame. We decided to split the Crispy Lobster Spring Roll and the Kung Pao Prawns. Do yourself a favor and order the lobster spring roll. It is a little pricey but worth every penny. The roll is filled with large chunks of lobster and comes with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. The Kung Pao Prawns are also delicious that include lots of veggies and peanuts and is just the right amount of spicy. Brandon was informed by my friend that we were celebrating my birthday, so at the end of our meal he surprised us with a delicious dark chocolate covered ball of strawberry mousse at no charge. It was a beautiful sunny day sitting out on the front patio with a good friend dining on great food. We will definitely be back. read more

Starfish - Delicious birthday dessert! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Fantastic lobster and hamachi rolls. Must try seafood coconut curry dish. Nathalie is attentive and very knowledgeable. read more

We went there for opium hour and it did not disappoint. I was afraid that they would be so busy to seat us but we got in easy breezy. I love the vibe, it's like an eclectic Asian supper club inside (not out in the patio). Stephanie was our server and did a good job. The food came out rather quickly which was probably a good thing because we were hungry folks. We ordered quite a few dishes: mixed herb calamari, sunset roll, Korean tacos, Saigon summer roll, mint Thai chicken roll, star nigiri, and steak satays. It's hard to say which ones were my favorite because they all were very good in different ways. You can't go wrong with the steak satays, sunset rolls, and mint Thai chicken roll for sure. They have such an extensive menu during 3-6 pm that there's something for everyone. read more

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So my husband, who I Love with all my heart and soul! Well it's our 40th anniversary and he chose Starfish in Laguna Beach, California.as the restaurant we were gonna celebrate our 40th anniversary at. Great choice my love! We started out with some drinks. I wish I could say that they were great, but they were OK. I really like the strawberry and coconut one. Unfortunately I can't remember the name. we ended up trying the spicy dumplings, which tasted so good but my God are they spicy! The Korean tacos are amazing. I really loved those too. Everything was awesome! The service was bomb to! Our waitress was very nice. She explained everything on the menu and even brought an anniversary dessert for us. I had a great anniversary dinner with my family. We will definitely be back to try some of the other dishes they serve. read more

Starfish - The front of the restaurant - Asian Fusion Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Be forewarned: it's very dark inside! It was okay - nothing to write home about, IMO. They need to update the pics with menus - very outdated as far as prices are concerned - and that's not an accident. Most cocktails are $19'ish +/-. Gosh, that's high for weakish drinks. I was there for Happy Hour (3-6 PM). I requested my drink ($13 for H. Hour) to go easy on the ice; yet, it was PACKED with ice to the point I had to really PUSH my straw down through all the ice. If the ice had been removed, I imagine the remaining liquid would be about 1/3 of a cup of liquid. That's ludicrous. And, it was weak, to add insult to injury. I ordered the Mushi Shrimp with lettuce leaves. The top 3 leaves were limp. ALL the leaves were torn, making it difficult to hold the ingredients rolled up inside. Each bite resulted in the ingredients spilling out onto the plate or table - a sloppy mess. I would guesstimate that they used two shrimp, chopped up into pieces - I only once detected the flavor or texture of the (presumed) shrimp. The overall flavor wasn't too bad, once I asked for Hoisin Sauce, normally ALWAYS served with this dish. The "crispy" noodles served with it were stale with very little crunch. Often in many restaurants these are fried in the morning and by evening they are stale with a very dull crunch. Why do they all continue to do this? I was given a piece of a salmon roll or maybe it's a salmon "salad" on the inside, she wasn't sure what fish was on the outside. That "salad" was dry! Just overall very disappointing. $40 for 'mediocre' ... shouldn't be. I think too much has been made in advance and no one is checking on the output. read more

This is our regular spot for Yummy tasty food, love the food came out fast and hot love it! great service great atmosphere. Conor is nice and friendly! Definitely refer to friends and family read more

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Never had a bad meal here and have celebrated many birthdays at this restaurant! Try the wet ribs (my husband's favorite)! Definitely a 10/10 for food, drinks and ambience. read more

People told me this was their favorite restaurant my husband I would and he's literally not picky I was like that food was the worst we've ever had we will never go back I should've just ordered from Perez was like all the dry. And I was up all night sick after eating the sushi which when they brought it to me it had a smell and seemed disgusting should've never eaten it because I knew I didn't want to but I like people love this place I'm sure it's fine. We will never go back. And hear me out I know everyone loves this place but it's gone downhill! read more

This is a great stop if you're in the area. Lots of yummy options to choose from. Drinks are on point, staff is attentive, and the food is delicious. If you're a big fan of spicy get the Chili Fire wontons! Best I've had by far. The Chix Satay has a really good Peanut sauce that it's served with. They do have Happy hour, take reservations, and are kid friendly. They have bar seating, inside tables, and a small covered patio area which is where they seemed to sit larger parties. Inside can be a little dark, but that is part of their ambiance. I've heard great things about their sushi, but haven't had a chance to try yet. read more

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Truly one of my favorite restaurants and everything is always so delicious It has a little bit of everything since it's asian fusion and the service is wonderful read more

Tasty Korean tacos, seafood curry, black cod and children's chicken. Pleasant service. Easy takeout. Nice for indoor seating. Easy parking. Huge selection on menu. read more

After a great spa day at the Montage, I decided to walk across the street to Starfish based solely on the recommendation of the spa hostess. Wow...what a great recommendation! I sat at the bar and the friendly staff greeted me and made excellent recommendations. The Ginger pinch martini was absolutely fabulous...not too sweet but full of flavor. The Mahi Hot Fish with coconut rice was top tier. Everything came out fast, hot and flavorable. 4.5 stars! read more

Starfish - Gingers Pinch - Asian Fusion Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Love the Happy Hour and our waitress Leslie gave perfect suggestions and phenomenal service!!!

We had a pleasure of attending a private party in Newport, which was catered by starfish sushi restaurant They do the absolute best gorgeous sushi boats with all of the delicious sides, fresh ginger, fresh wasabi. Everything was so delicious and their main courses were fine. We absolutely love the restaurant starfish but if you ever have the pleasure of going to a party, where they cater it it is amazing , five star all the way... read more

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This place is dangerous in the sense that the menu is a little too good and catering to my tastes. I always get the lobster macadamia roll. The happy hour drinks always hit, and they're not a bad deal either. It can be easy to get carried away ordering more though. Ambiance is fantastic, place is clean every time I go, servers are always attentive even when we're sitting out of the way. Can get a bit chaotic during busy hours since it's a popular spot, but it's easy to avoid that. One lowkey positive is that it's one of the few places in town with ample parking, being located in a plaza center with some stores and restaurants. You never have to stress about parking there. read more

My husband and I came back for a second visit to Starfish and it was just as fantastic as the first time!! We love the variety of the menu! There are many great choices and prices on the Opium hour menu! The rolls here are so so good! We have yet to try some of the other dinner options other than the crab wontons (which were amazing btw) because the rolls are so delicious. The drinks are great too! A big thank you to Connor. We adore this place, but the best part is having Leslie as our server! She always is so sweet and has such great suggestions! Her smile is infectious and she is such a breath of fresh air. She really adds to the dining experience and we cannot wait to come back. read more

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i've always loved Starfish & now my daughter asks to go here every time we go to the beach in Laguna. she loves the kids honey chicken with white rice & i had the Star Fried Rice today. their Thai Fried Rice is also really good & they have some of the best and lightest calamari with delicious dipping sauces! the decor is beautiful & they have a small patio. great deals on happy hour (aka Opium Hour) & great rolls/sushi. Leslie took care of us the last couple times we have come in (myself & my six-year-old daughter). she is SO SWEET & GENUINE. she always takes the time to connect w my daughter & even remembers how i like my Star Fried Rice (add chinese sausage, yum!!). the girls at the front were not very friendly tonight (Thursday 5/15) which is unusual as the employees at the front are usually so nice.. the last time we came in there was a gentleman who was so welcoming.. maybe they were stressed? i smiled but not one of the three smiled back. i'm sure they're working hard & just trying to coordinate everything. anyways we had a great time as usual! Leslie made sure we had everything we needed including the right size boxes for all the food we took home.. haha we ended up getting two kids meals for my daughter, they're a little pricey at $15 a piece but they have a good amount of food & i ate a couple pieces of hers, it was delicious! so having a half an order in the fridge wasn't going to hurt anyone! haha my girl is picky but she loves their chicken.. our second order came out quickly & w the extra sauce we requested. i had a moscow mule which was delicious & after boxing our food up we were on our way pretty quickly. before seating us the hostess did mention our table was for specified amount of time (one hour or less) as there was another party coming after us. we were seated at the first two top when you first walk out the door onto the patio. that doesn't bother me at all, i would much rather be made aware at the beginning & they were professional about it. when u have a younger kid it's unlikely you'll be at a sit-down restaurant for too long. regardless, i appreciate the communication & if i wanted to take my time i'm sure i could have waited for a different table but this worked out perfectly :) thank you to Leslie for her hospitality & thank u Starfish kitchen staff for the delicious food as well as all the other staff who stopped by/dropped off food etc. we will be back the next time we're in the area, doubtless! read more

Starfish - happiness. PS Leslie is an angel & a great server who is genuine & will take great care of you. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Great lunch place! Requested patio seating and was seated away from the front parking lot tables. Server was friendly and offered many recommendations. We enjoyed Thai flavors but can't handle spicy heat. We shared our concern with the server and asked for spicy sauce on the side. We ordered: Green Curry sea bass (our favorite), very mild and creamy, Lobster roll - asked for the spicy sauce on the side. Unfortunately the lobster was too spicy and we were unable to finish the roll. The spice overpower the lobster. The menu nor the server warned us about lobster meat was spicy. We would not order this again. Crab mango salad - nice tropical salad Solag Drunken Noodles with Shrimp - asked for chili flakes on the side. Nice flavor. We would come back and try other dishes. read more

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Love Starfish in Laguna Beach! The atmosphere is chic-modern-sexy, but still inviting for having sushi with the kiddos. The food has always been mouthwatering delicious and Starfish will modify to make what they can (which is most things) GF. Drumroll please...every server we've had-- regardless if we are we sitting at the bar or in the dining area or "outside" side area--has been exceptional, which only enhances your experience. read more

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This is the worst sushi I have ever had in my life. I had one bite of two different rolls and because deathly sick. The coloring was off and tasted extremely fishy. read more

Starfish - This is Salmon.. white salmon this took me to the ER. AVOID EVERYTHING. This was the Sunset Roll. Everything made me deathly sick - Asian Fusion Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Unique and tasty food, excellent service in a fun and interesting restaurant - what's not to like? Every time we go to Starfish we ask ourselves, "Why don't we come here more often?" My wife and I tend to find and order the proven winner meal. Here we order new things every visit. We have yet to be disappointed. My only negative comment: I'd prefer it if they turn up the lights a little. :) read more