Come for music or come for the food, I liked it all. The great drinks, service, food and live music will keep me coming back. The service was on point and friendly with great recommendations. We had a party do four and we all felt the food was excellent. The kitchen crew does a great job with preparing as ordered, presentation and good trim around time. They also build a great drink. The place is small (intimate some would say) but the table arrangements are setup nicely where you don't feel like you are inadvertently eavesdropping on the other tables around you. Parking in the area is a pain so we go Valet and it's work the $7+tip. read more

This was my first time at The Drake. My wife and I made dinner reservations with plans afterwards. The place fills up, so reservations are a must. Valet parking is the only option due to the area and lack of street parking. My first observation was that no one rushed us. The entire atmosphere was one of calm enjoyment over what can only be described as classic luxury. Drinks delivered on a tray with a smile characterized the team table service we received. Each of the staff greeting us personally as we made our way to the table. I got the sense that the staff enjoyed their jobs. We discovered that beyond the comfortable ambiance and beautiful decore that there would be live jazz while we dined. The music started at 5:30 and kept us highly entertained while we enjoyed a couple of signature cocktails and appetizers. Our food was prepared to perfection and we ate everything while enjoying the experienced musicians. We ended up staying for over 2 hours and we're never pressured to leave. We could have stayed longer, but we had other plans that evening. Even my visit to the restroom made me feel like I was in a wealthy friend's home. The cleanliness of a restaurant's bathrooms always makes me feel better about the hygiene in the kitchen. This put me totally at ease. While the prices were not cheap, they were totally in line with the "high end" experience we enjoyed. This establishment is well worth the price and deserving of a return visit soon. We enjoyed the lobster guacamole and lamb lollipop appetizers, after which we shared the Thai shrimp with pasta. It was plenty of food and we had to decline dessert. We were sent off with the same polite attention that welcomed us and were on our way to the rest of our evening. I will definitely be back, but won't make plans afterwards next time! read more

The Drake - Signature cocktails at the Drake - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Food and service are excellent. Ambiance is awesome and especially good when live music is playing. I really liked being able to get there at opening and sitting through the first set because it gives you a chance to talk before they go on and then eat while you enjoy the music. The cocktails are good but a little on the pricy side for what they are. That is my only criticism of the place and it does not take away from the experience at all. Although the food might also be considered on the pricy end each dish is perfectly prepared with a hefty portion and has a unique character that makes up for it. Personally I like food this way since I think food is best shared. I was really impressed by the halibut ceviche appetizer. In my opinion the serving sizes are such that a dinner for two here would be best enjoyed with a shared appetizer and a shared entree with a shared dessert (since every dessert is amazing and worth trying and we would have been more than full if we didn't share entree and appetizer). Definitely a nice date spot in Laguna. read more

The Drake - Halibut ceviche - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Always amazing food and service is impeccable!! Live entertainment and it's always amazing. I highly recommend this place. Definitely feel like you're at the Drake in San Francisco. read more

It was the perfect spot to celebrate my mom's birthday. Great ambiance, quick service and good food. Although their cocktails could be better. Valet parking only unless you're lucky enough to find a street parking. read more

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This is my second visit here. I am always impressed by this venue, although I do not visit as often as I'd like. The music is always spectacular. The atmosphere and ambiance here are amazing and very elegant. Note that they close relatively early compared to other restaurants in Laguna Beach, as they are located adjacent to a residential neighborhood. There is street parking or valet parking at this location. The food, especially for the price, is wonderful. We (a group of five) shared a large number of appetizers and everything was delicious. I previously had steaks here and they were well prepared. The menu may be difficult to describe, but you will find seafood, pasta, steaks, salads, and a wide variety of dishes here for all palates. Service was attentive and was deserving of an upscale establishment like this. Everyone that works here seems to be having a great time. I have no hesitation to recommend this for a night out. read more

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We celebrated my 60th birthday celebration there with my family. My husband ordered the lamb shanks. He said they were awful and tasted like gas. He only ate one.... Felt very sick immediately. He was sick for 2 days after that. Not to mention ruined our evening. I tired contacting the restaurant the next day w no response. After spending over $600 for our dinner and no one contacting us after is horrible. read more

The cocktails, great! The music, fantastic! The MASHED POTATOES OMG YES Definitely recommend. read more

The Drake - The cocktails, amazing! The music, amazing! BUT THE MASHED POTATOES, OMG YES! - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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All anniversaries should be celebrated at The Drake [truly romantic!]. When I made the reservation, I included a note asking for the "best" table for our anniversary and VOILA! when we arrived they fulfilled the request. I had brought along one of our favorite bottles of wine for the occasion [$25 corkage], which our sociable server, Emilio, expertly poured into their full-sized elegant wine glasses. As we salivated over the menu, chef Paul came to our table, welcoming us with a cheery "Happy Anniversary". Our leisurely luxurious meal began with crab louie salad and jumbo tiger shrimp over black garlic toast, both were superb. Our excellent entrees were filet mignon [rare, cooked perfectly tender with decadent sauces] and halibut [also perfectly prepared]. Lovely Latin Rain Bisou serenaded us through supper. We savored the budino & espresso martinis for an epic finish! We shall return... read more

Chef Paul was amazing! Emilio our server was amazing! The jazz band was perfect! Recommend!!! And the special calamari was beyond!

We celebrated our anniversay here and will definitely be back for all the occasions! Shoutout to our waiter, Taylor, who was very attentive and provided excellent service. It's so rare to find a place that has BOTH good music AND good food. The live music was so fun and really set the atmosphere. We were blown away by the talent of Bryan Cabrera and his pianist- Selena. The food was SO good too. The lamb lollipops were divine (and we normally don't even like lamb!) and the tuna tartare. They had a special truffle stroganoff pasta that night which was so rich and flavorful (perfect to split with some other sides) and the brocollini. The pear-tini was amazing too. (Side note, drinks are strong! haha) I have nothing but good things to say about this place. Overall, 5 out of 5 stars. So happy we found this place and can't wait to come back! read more

Without a doubt one of the best restaurants I've ever been to! We sat at the bar where we had the pleasure of watching Sous Chef Nick Gstrein work his magic. Nick actually played football at UNLV with my BF's son where I'm sure he excelled, but clearly he is a wizard in the kitchen. I actually checked out their website the night before so I knew I wanted to start with lamb lollipops, they were better than I imagined. Then I had an Autumn Salad but as fabulous as it was, I only had a few bites because I wanted to make sure I had room in my tummy for the entree. The venison loin was outstanding! And to top it off, had the salted caramel budino, which I've never had but wow it's now easily in my top 5 of desserts. Loved everything I ate, including the bites I had off my friends' plates! And did I mention that we were also entertained by a jazz trio and vocalist Lia Booth, which really set the mood. What an amazing dining experience! read more

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omg avoid this place !!!! horrible place ,I went to this place to celebrate valentines day which they ruined it for me , first of all they didn't told me there is 10 $ for each person extra charge for music !! second was horrible dood snd management , I told my server my chicken its not cooked and its bloody , he rudely replied to me its cooked then I asked manager and omg how rude and racists he was ! he told me if its not cooked you dont have to eat it !!! I was totally shocked ! I've been in most of the restaurant in laguna beach and this place was terrible, mostly they ask you to change the food or cook it well , it it was steak I wouldn't mind but who wants to eat bloody uncooked chicken The Drake was horrible !!! read more

Another great evening at The Drake!!! Thank you Matthew for accommodating my large party, and giving us such a great table. We all had a blast, and the food was exceptional. With 12 of us, I got to do a lot of tasting, and enjoyed everything my friends ordered. I will be returning next month, but mid week, I could see how busy your weekends are. read more

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Tried this place for the first time with my husband and was so glad that I did. Delicious food, wonderfully attentive service, and good music and atmosphere made for a perfect experience. We started off with the Tuna Tartare appetizer which was very tasty. Next we shared the Autumn Salad which combined mixed greens tossed in a champagne dressing with blue cheese, grapes and pistachio nuts. For my main course, I had the Chili Lime Crusted Salmon Entree which was cooked to perfection and served with Jasmine rice, mango salsa and a "to die for" kaffir lime leaf emulsion. Probably the best salmon dish I have ever had. My husband had the filet mignon, served with a peppercorn sauce. I tasted that as well and it was also delicious and cooked perfectly. We opted for the early seating and the music started around the time we ordered dessert. The entertainment and atmosphere in the restaurant were just as enjoyable as the absolutely delicious Salted Caramel Budino that was highly recommended to us for dessert. It was a very light whipped caramel dish with caramel crisppearls and sauce. The Drake provided one of the best overall dining experiences that I have had and I would highly recommend! read more

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If you're looking to go out on a romance date with yo girl or guy, this is THE place, It does not disappoint!! This place is definitely a classic, the food is sexy/delicious!! They have live music, but definitely make reservations!! Hubby took me there, and was I like okurrr I see you boy, trying to impress ya girl!! I'm ready to go back already, what are y'all waiting get on over The Drake!! read more

Beware, too much fun, great food, ambiance, service & libations...consider yourself warned

I want to start by saying we didn't dine here, but this review is about the service, specifically the girl at the front desk who assisted us. We called a few hours earlier to check if there were any available seats, and the host who answered said there were two options. I asked if either option included seating with a view of the live music, and she confirmed that there was availability for two people right in front of the live music at 8 PM. When we arrived, we had to wait and were eventually seated by a blonde lady at the chef's table in the corner. I mentioned that I had reserved a table to see the live music, and she curtly asked, "When did you make the reservation?" I explained that I had called a few hours ago, and the girl on the phone had told me where we would be seated. Her response was extremely rude: "People who sit there have to reserve months in advance, so this is all we have." I said I needed to discuss it with my boyfriend, who was in the restroom. She picked up the menu and walked off without any further assistance. Her attitude was incredibly rude, and she could have handled the situation much better. I can't believe this happened. read more

I went to the drake for my birthday, this weekend, and enjoyed my experience. The food was wonderful, as always. We all quite enjoyed the beet salad, the tiger prawn appetizer and burrata dish. I ordered the ribeye, it was excellently cooked. The standout dish of the night was definitely the side of mushrooms, it's a must order every time we dine at the drake. read more

The Drake - Beet salad. Tiger prawns. Burrata. - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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I've been wanting to try this place for quite some time. So I decided to surprise my wife for Valentine's Day by taking her here. I had high expectations for this place because the reviews were very good... and boooooy we were not let down! The ambiance and vibes were good right off the bat. Good music, cool bar, intimate indoor setting. We were especially excited for the live jazz music. It's hard to find a good place in Southern California for a "typical" jazz bar. The live music was fantastic, our server was attentive and funny, the cocktails were 10/10, the food was A-mazing. My wife and I decided we'd be celebrating Valentines Day here every single year. Thank you The Drake, we look forward to seeing you often. read more

The Drake - Salmon and Filet Mignon 10/10 - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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One of our usual go-to spots! Great food, service and entertainment! Situated in the perfect location of the most beautiful city in SoCal!

Another amazing meal at the Drake! My wife and I go here a few times a year because it's a great place to enjoy a solid meal and take in live music. I once again enjoyed the pork chop which is always so damn good! My wife enjoyed the filet mignon which is always delicious but the drinks are always amazing!!! Purple Beret and the other drink were might fine!!! Another great meal in the books. read more

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Amazing from start to finish .... Services... food .... Entertainment atmosphere romance and LAGUNA Beach the best. Had the Halibut my hubby had the pork chop and the beet salad was great! Best part Emily our waitress ... :) read more

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My absolute favorite restaurant. Period. We're from Arizona and we plan trips to Laguna Beach just to come here! I can't recommend it enough. Amazing service every time and incredible atmosphere (love love love the live music!) but the best part is the FOOD. My god it is to die for. Trust when I say I know good food when I try it - my dad is a chef so I've been raised to have high expectations of a meal! Must get the venison! Perfectly cooked and the flavor combination of the dish is *chefs kiss* Also love the tuna tartare appetizer - best I've had. Perfect restaurant in a perfect place. read more

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The drake was an amazing experience. We got a table for 9pm which meant we got to sit in for the 2nd set of the night. Everything from the hand-crafted cocktails and sparkling wine to the crab crostini was on point. We spoke to Matt (the manager) and he hooked us up with a table front and center. We started with the french fries (delicious seasoning and bernaise sauce) crab crostini app and a couple glasses of prosecco - perfect. By the end of the 2 hour set we were completely enamored by the band and the front man. If you are looking for a jazzy night out with some friends accompanied by good food and cocktails, the Drake is the perfect spot to go. As long time OC residents and jazz fans, our expectations were exceeded. Would definitely come back again. Next time hungrier for the lamb lollipops! read more

Absolutely one of the greatest evenings we have had. Great Atmosphere, Great Food, Great Drinks, and THE LIVE BAND WOOO HOOO SO AMAZING... Thank you for the great service Tim You Rock !! read more

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My gf and I came here on a last minute dinner for our anniversary. The host graciously sat us inside close to the live jazz band which is a plus. The low dimmed light ambience with candlelight was a nice touch. Our amazing waitress Emily started us with some Cap and the Sophisticated lady on cocktails and recommended the tuna taretare as a starter with the prime rib as the main course. She was very attentive to our needs throughout the evening. We will definitely come back in the future! Thank you Emily! read more

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Besides the vibes and martinis, I'm not sure I'd come back here. Service was kind but food was mediocre at best. It's rare for me to find a steak (ribeye) I don't like and this one was tough to get through. Literally. But I finished it. Because I was starving. The appetizers were better. Maybe just drinks and apps next time. read more

It was our first time here. I wanted to surprise my husband as a tribute to his late Father who loved jazz & also celebrate the day we met 18 years ago. It's an intimate setting. Cozy, warm, nice decor & a great ambiance. The staff is wonderful. I felt so welcomed there as if I was at someone's home. The entertainment was awesome. We are definitely coming back & I loved this place. The food was so good & I basically inhaled the desert. lol. Definitely a great date night. read more

The Drake - Three Chocolate Parfait - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

A cozy jazz bar with great cocktails and delicious food! I got the shrimp pasta, which was perfect. My fiancé doesn't even like seafood and she was eating it up! The noodles were cooked al dente, the sauce was not overbearing, and there was a very liberal serving of shrimp within. My fiancé got the tenderloin. They only serve it medium rare, which is the way I prefer it, but my fiancé prefers medium temperature. So keep that in mind if you're planning on ordering steak and don't like rare meat. Regardless, it was delicious! Will definitely be returning with my fiancé for the drinks and the music. read more

First time here Wow, it was just a great place and so refreshing to come here after being locked up in our homes for so long! We were excited to start stimulating the economy. First impressions: -although everyone is wearing a mask and the wait staff are wearing gloves, valet staff is also using precautions it didn't feel stressful but the restaurant was doing their part to keep their staff and patrons safe -decor is so fun and beautifully done (not cheesy) -staff is great and super helpful Drinks Ordered: -Champagne -Start Me Up (gin drink which is put together and shaken at your table) -Savage Martini (wonderful balance drink, got to eat the cherry) Appetizer: -Salmon Poke with Crisp Cracker You must try this if this is available when you come. It is so fresh and the flavors are so delicious together and served on a crispy cracker, wish we would have had more cracker! -fries with Bernaise sauce on the side, the fries are cut and cooked perfectly. They retain their heat and crisp for so long. Dinner: -Scallops -Pork Chops -Beet Salad Everything we ordered here for our main was so decorous, beautifully presented and tasted like art in our mouth. Dessert: -Because it was my husband's birthday, they gave him a cake dessert which was delicious but we also ordered the Carmel Budino. It tastes like a delicious and delicate deconstructed twix candy bar...but obviously elevated. The jazz was awesome. The experience was perfect and my birthday boy was so happy! read more

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Loved our dining experience here! Food was great, they had gluten free options, staff was amazing and the music was absolutely memorable!! Loved it! read more

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I have lived 1 mile from The Drake for 10 years now but never visited. We received an invite to come for a free meal and so we went to experience the place. We are so glad we did. The food was amazing. It has an upscale "night club" vibe. They had a great singer playing tunes from the 50's to present. The food was great, good dessert and the best service. I checked out the menu prices and they are on par to most of the upscale restaurants in Laguna Beach. They have tables on the street and have heaters going to keep you warm. If you want a nice change I would defintely give it a try. I am definitely going back. read more

I celebrated my 20th birthday here last week and it was delicious ! My waiter Taylor was super sweet, the ambiance and music were fabulous, and the food was tasty. It definitely feels like you're in New York. The Tiger pasta and salmon appetizer were to die for !!! read more

The Drake - Birthday desert - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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This place is amazing.... If you want to sit at a table, it highly recommended to make a reservation through open table. We did not have a reservation but there were some seats available at the bar. My husband and I had a cocktail each and shared the tuna tartare entree. The bartender Ted was amazing. I love watching bartender make the drinks. The Raspberry Baret was perfect. Not too sweet, very smooth. My husband chose the Black Magic Women. He said it was very smooth and sweet with the Frangelico. We would definitely come back here. They have live entertainment Thursday-Sun night. Come early if you want to sit at the bar and was the entertainment. We sat at the back bar but they did have a projector streaming the live music for us to watch. read more

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Fabulous food, music, and service. The total dining experience. First time here but will definitely be back.

Since this is Orange County's premier dining with musical entertainment destination, I was surprised at how delicious the food coming out of the kitchen was. This place screams special occasion dining. The style of the place, service, and the food were all worthy of that special occasion. The food was a little bit of something for everyone with all the classics done to near perfection. The musical entertainment was great although I could see it becoming a problem with a full room if you're trying to have an intimate conversation. They offer valet parking because parking in that area PCH is always a challenge. The bar area while out of sight of the entertainment was pretty busy all night long and they looked to be pouring some great in-house custom cocktails. This place is certainly worthy of being one of the best Orange County dining destinations and would be a fine choice if you're looking for a fun night out. read more

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Live jazz music - blues and swing with Christopher and Ray. Hostess was fantastic. Food was good as well.

We had absolutely the BEST meal we've had in a long time last night, at The Drake. Our server, Nick, was amazing, the food absolutely perfect, and the music absolutely fabulous. And I finished my meal off with coffee (as always when I have dinner out), and it was the smoothest and best coffee I've had. Definitely our go-to place for now on for dinners out! read more

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First time there to celebrate my Sister in law birthday. Easy to find and far enough from Forest Avenue so you don't have to deal with a lot of traffic. Great crowd a little older and a great band playing. Food and Service was great. I will definitely be going back. We drove an hour to get there worth it enjoy. read more