We sat at the Chef's counter and he picked every course, each course perfectly cooked and delicious!!! The chef was engaging, explaining where the ingredients came from. This was one of the best culinary experiences we've ever had. We will be back ! read more

My entire party agreed that our dinner at The Drake was the best meal we had ever had. From drinks to dessert, everything was simply to die for. We came on a Tuesday night, and they had live music! It was wonderfully jazzy and totally added to the experience. Wait staff was friendly and attentive. On to the food. I would recommend everything we ordered. The asparagus shrimp salad was the perfect appetizer. I love shrimp, but the asparagus stole the show. I also ordered the salmon, and it was fantastic thanks to the mango salsa. But if I came back, I would order the steak. My dad, a Texan, conceded that the steak was the best restaurant steak ever. It totally melted in your mouth. Major compliments to the chef for that one. You also can't skip the butterscotch pudding. Best dessert I've had at a restaurant hands down (are you sensing a theme??). For an upscale restaurant, prices at The Drake are super reasonable. Entrees come with sides, so you're $50 steak includes a full meal whereas a lot of steakhouses have you order the sides separately. They also offer valet parking for $7 since it's not located in a super convenient location. read more

The Drake - Salmon - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Food was great, service and ambiance were awesome as well. I came here for my girlfriends birthday, made a reservation on open table. I selected birthday as the occasion and also wrote it down in the reservation notes. When we got there the hostess and I discussed that we had a birthday as well. Long story short, we ordered desert and no candle came with it. We thought maybe they don't do candles? The icing on the cake was the table 2 over from us received a birthday candle right after. Let's just say it really "set the mood" for what was left of the evening... I know it was somewhat of a minor mistake but unfortunately had a big impact on the evening. Really wanted to give it 5 stars. read more

WOW!!!!! Was I dreaming or this place is actually REAL? I was blown away by how exquisite and yummy the food was made by master chef Milad! So beyond talented and attentive! The live band was so awesome and the staff was so polite, prompt and friendly! The Drake in Laguna Beach is a MUST go to place read more

The Drake - From right to left: chef Milad and his awesome crew - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

First time here. Super friendly welcome. Server took great care of us. Nice recommendations. Enjoyed the duck tataki and the pork chop. Hostess Lindsay was stunning! The music was great. Female vocalist doing Jazz standards and a very solid guitarist. The ambiance was great. Music level was appropriate for dining and listening without overpowering conversation. Definitely going back. Recommended read more

I absolutely love this restaurant. My husband and I have been 3 times this month. The food, drinks, music, & vibe are everything. Perfect for date nights! I would love to shout out Taylor for being the best server I've ever had anywhere. She is amazing and made the entire vibe so much better. Come to The Drake and ask for Taylor. You won't be disappointed. P.S. Our last visit started off awful. Mariam was our server and she made myself and my friends feel like she was annoyed to serve us. I'm not the one to pull the "black card" but Mariam was very short with us. She rushed us to choose our entree, didn't come back to check on us even though she stopped at the table right next to ours to ask if they were doing ok. As I watched her interact with her other tables, her body language was very different. She was pleasant, patient, and polite with her other tables. With us however, it was opposite. I ended up going to the host and asking if Taylor could replace her. Thank you Taylor for saving the night . Mariam, you should treat everyone the same. If this had been my first time to The Drake I would never have come back. read more

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This is truly one of the most unique dining experiences in Orange County. It is a very intimate setting with outstanding food and cocktails, with live jazz music, singing, etc. close to the beach in Laguna read more

My husband and I had a great time at the Drake! We sat on the patio, we loved it and preferred it to the indoor, although the indoor is also nice. Call us weird but we enjoy watching PCH and the cars going by. We shared 2 first courses, the lamb chops and the crab cake, but great. Then for our mains my husband got steak and I got the venison, I would argue that my dish was better but I'm not a big steak person. For dessert we got the tiramisu and the salted caramel, both were excellent! I wish they had most space but Realestate on PCH in laguna is at a premium, so I get it. Staff was very nice and gave great recommendations! I would highly recommend this restaurant to others and I look forward to going back again myself! read more

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Wow. This place is a must. If you're looking for a true dining experience, make the reservation. I'll start with the service. We came on a Sunday night and service was pretty amazing. Greeted immediately with waters and utensils followed by a prompt taking of our orders by our waiter. Which was then surprisingly matched by how quickly our first order came out. Also, valet was easy and nearby. The food - an absolute symphony for your taste buds. We started with the lamb lollipops. Seared and cooked to perfection with the right amount of seasoning. You can either order two or 4. Go ahead and get 4. The Beet Salad. Where do I begin? The portion was so generous. Enough for two people. The beets were fresh, the goat cheese was generous and the strawberries created a perfect balance. You guys, I'm raving about a beet salad. That's how good it was!! The lump crab guacamole. Holy moly. This was not just guac with a little crab. This was a lot of crab with delicious guac. I didn't even need the accompanying tortilla chips. My fork was the perfect vessel. Was it the BEST thing I've ever eaten. No. But definitely a great starter-choice!! Light and won't disappoint. The Venison. Their special of the day and it truly was special. Again, cooked to perfection, it was barely gamey. I probably could have done without the poached pears, but that's just my preference. (They we're too sweet for me... I'd rather those with a scoop of vanilla ice cream) Again perfect portion for two if you'd like to share. Ended the night with a smooth Salted Caramel confection. There was texture. There was taste. This is how you end an evening at The Drake. I would have liked it paired with some kind of fresh berry - to give it some tart, but again that's just me. All in all, if you're looking for a swanky night out, minus the pretentious vibe and pricing, come here. Have a drink, enjoy the live music performed and the concert of flavors. I promise it'll be delightfully memorable. read more

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The ambiance was incredible. The service was good for the most part but I felt our waitress could've checked on us more often. The mix of music was perfect for dinner time. The food, first the French fries were probably the best I've ever had and the broccolini was incredible. My only complaint was the $74.00 ribeye. For $74 I was expecting an incredible taste experience but it fell far short of tasty. It was ok and I did finish it only because it was $74. But I've had better tasting steaks at Outback Steakhouse. I definitely was disappointed with their ribeye steak. read more

We've been coming here for years and it is absolutely our favorite restaurant. Aside from the ambiance and outstanding food, our server Taylor is a huge part of the reason that we love The Drake. Taylor provides the experience that we appreciate so much. He does not skip a beat in his service and is truly an expert at his craft. My husband and I cannot say enough good things about Taylor and the Drake. Thank you Taylor for always making us feel so special. We are so blessed to have this establishment right in our backyard, truly. What a special place! read more

The Drake - Filet and chicken - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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We had a great time there! The food was amazing, the atmosphere was great! And the music, oh my, that was so enjoyable read more

The Drake - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

I love this place! Very choosey and cool. Love the Jazz Band and the food was simply fabulous!

The Drake is a hidden gem! Who doesn't want to enjoy some relaxing jazz music in the background while you dine on a scrumptious meal paired with delicious wine and cocktails? We went on a Friday at the 5:45pm seating. Our table was actually ready about 20 minutes early, but we were stuck in traffic so we couldn't take advantage. However, I think this is a great time because you will eat most of your meal and can then enjoy jazz at the end with dessert. We sat on the patio and the music wasn't too loud at all--it really provided the perfect background vibe. And with the fire along the patio, the temperature was perfect. Now for food: we ordered the beet salad and fries to start. My husband loved the beets paired with goat cheese and balsamic. The fries came with an amazing sauce that I couldn't put my finger on, but the taste brought forth some childhood memories, similar to Ratatouille! For entrees, we had the halibut and venison and both were equally delicious. For dessert, we ordered the affogato and salted caramel budino. Both were wonderful, but the budino is on the richer side, so I'd suggest sharing (I couldn't finish it on my own). Service was also fantastic and the ambience was amazing. The decor in the bar area is especially cool too. Overall, we had a perfect experience and will be back! read more

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Halibut - best fish I've ever had? Venison - amazing dish. Outstanding Live band was fantastic, Len Rainey & The Midnight Players. Amazing entertainers Caramel creme dessert was delicious This is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to read more

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for drinks, i'd recommend the sophisticated lady. it comes with an edible buzz flower that numbs your mouth for a minute or two so it's an interesting experience! the tuna tartare was my favorite appetizer here. the fish was very fresh and citrusy. the lamb lollipops were also cooked really well. i enjoyed the filet mignon cooked medium rare. thur-sat nights they also offer live jazz music. read more

The Drake - tuna tartare and lamb lollipops - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Made reservations here for a group of six. Highly recommend making reservations in advance because this is a well known spot! We were seated right by the band. I would have preferred our table wasn't so close to the speaker but it made for a really fun besides not being able to hear each other at the table. The band is very interactive with those in the room and I can't wait to go back again! For drinks I began with the "Start Me Up" cocktail. It didn't have as much flavor or pop to it so I switched over to an espresso martini which really hit the spot. Our table shared the crab guacamole(which I would t have ordered normally but am so glad I did-you have to try this!), NY Fries(always obviously) and the tuna tartare. 3 was a perfect amount to split between the six of us. For the main course I chose the Filet with the potato trio. The steak was seasoned and cooked perfectly-you can't go wrong with this one. My friend ordered the scallops and she let me try a bite and when I go back I might order this-tender and buttery cooked properly! read more

Really nice establishment. Small but great vibe. The live music adds to the ambiance but honestly it was just a bit too loud for such a small space. When I'm having dinner and there's live music I'd still prefer to have a conversation with other people at the table without having to yell. Even the server was yelling. Speaking of, service was cordial and friendly, though a bit slow. The food was fantastic. Thoroughly enjoyed the tiger prawns, beet salad and salmon. read more

As promised we anxiously await our upcoming RSVP . Our husbands , daughter and her husband, all anticipating the experience. Will update after our next visit VDay weekends read more

Diner beware- we went to The Drake to celebrate my birthday. The dining room is crowded and gets very noisy when it fills up. The food is absolutely delicious. We were there on a Saturday so there was a jazz group playing. However each diner is charged $10 for the entertainment- no $10 per table- $10 per diner. So our table paid $40 towards the entertainment. In addition there is a 2 hour limit. So even though we were not finished with our wine ( and we had just handed over $600 for our food and drinks) we were hustled out of the dining room and over to the bar where it was crowded and where we could no longer hear the music. And by the way the tables in the dining room didn't fill again for quite some time. As much as we loved the creative scrumptious dinners we won't be returning. The stars are for the food the missing two stars is for the cover charge and the ridiculous time limit. read more

More trashy than cool classy. I had high hopes for this place... staff was neutral to me and my husband but noticed how other tables were treated - a lot of attitude and honestly unprofessional. atmosphere : it was too crowded, people visibly perspiring and too many wannabe oligarchs.., seriously reminded me of the less pleasing aspects of my travels to Cairo, Greece and perhaps some pop culture reference to New Jersey (GTL anyone?) Music was a bit louder but I don't mind that if it's big band style of music. Not too enjoyable since the crowd roars nonstop..., I guess not many people eating, which brings me to the food. Food was not memorable. Lamb pops were Luke warm but they were cooked a nice medium rare. Steak was a bit too tough. But at least now this joint is checked off my list. read more

You had me at "hello"...everything hit on all notes - amazing atmosphere, food, cocktails, service - everything is top notch!! My new favorite place! read more

The Drake - Craft cocktails - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Great ambiance and delicious food. Loved the live music. Our server was very knowledgeable and provided wonderful service. Can't wait to come back and try more incredible dishes. read more

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First time finally trying it here! This place is so beautifully designed. The whole vibe of the place is not something you see very often in OC. The whole experience was surreal. The live jazz band was so nice to watch during dinner! But the food was out of this world! I don't think I have ever enjoyed a salmon dish more than I have here. Every bite was full of flavor. It had a little spice to it and was just cooked to perfection. My drinks also were amazing. I ordered the pomegranate martini and I was enjoying them a little too much.. I wanted to keep ordering them all night! The service too, was 5 star. Everyone was really kind and very professional. I definitely would love to come back here again. It's a perfect date night spot or for a birthday celebration. I would recommend making reservations because it does seem to get pretty busy. Overall amazing experience, this place will not disappoint! read more

The Drake - Chile Lime Salmon - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Absolutely my new favorite spot while visiting Orange County. The vibe upon walking in was so fun and hip. The decor luxurious. The staff gorgeous and friendly. The food- omg!! So damn good. So good I didn't get pictures. The live music made us want to stay and linger. All I can say is "well done!" read more

The Drake - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

The Swordfish special was delicious! Staff is super friendly and made my 1st time experience a joy to remember. The live jazz dancing around the room with my food was the cherry on top. read more

I made this reservation 2 months in advance. When I got the call from the restaurant I asked to be seated in the main dining room. We arrived at the restaurant early and when we went to be seated, the hostess tried to seat us in the bar. I quickly stopped her to let know that when I spoke via confirmation I was told that we could sit in the main dining room. Another gentleman stepped in and explained to me that you can not request the main dining room and that it is reserved for "locals" only. After pressing him on this extremely unfair comment, he reverted back and said that you have to reserve it. After reminding him that I did, he said that it is first come first serve. He was obviously backtracking but could not come up with a story that made sense. They obviously either only care about their "locals" or do not know how to manage their reservation system. We had this booked very far in advance for a special occasion and it was extremely disappointing to be treated this way. Cocktails were phenomenal, food was good. We ordered the tiramisu, and the lady fingers were completely dry and hard and you could not eat the tiramisu with a fork. We let the sever know as it was inedible and we were hoping to switch it out for something else, he looked us straight in the face and said, "thanks for the feedback" and walked away. We have been to the drake a handful of times and after this last time, we will not be returning. read more

Recommend coming here. The love music was great. The food was well made. I loved the attention to detail. The service was impeccable, from the hostess, server, manager, and the cooks. We sat by the cooking station, so we got a chance to chat with them and they were also very friendly. read more

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We were one of the first groups to be seated, Tim was our waiter, so much good food/drinks and then the Jazz group starts! Since we were seated at 5pm our table was limited to 2 hours but so glad the musicians started at 6:30 so we enjoyed their skills with stand up bass, electric guitar, drums and keyboard in addition to the chanteuse who rocked it! I had the venison loin (so tender) with awesome port wine reduction. read more

Amazing and delicious food! The service is amazing and everyone is so fun and friendly. Live music adds even more to it! Highly recommend!

By far one the best food experiences in Laguna Beach, the ambiance of restaurant is great with that live jazz music that is going on. Tasty food with the best presentation done by chef Milad read more

The Drake - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Highly enjoyable dining experience. The food is world class and flavorful and elegant. The atmosphere with the live music is very classy and old world enjoyment. The Drake is a REAL GEM! A must have goto spot for great dining and date night! read more

The ambiance, the food, the service, everything was top tier. We had outside seating picked when making the reservation but fortunately when we got there we were placed in the FRONT MIDDLE of the stage area, perfect view. It was for his birthday and we were also greeted by the head chef! The music was perfect and the food was absolutely amazing. 10/10. read more

The Drake - Filet Mignon! - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

So, I've actually never been to The Drake, so this review is only for the grilled salmon. My husband plays in a band there once a month and he's brought me home the grilled salmon and I thought it was worth a review. So, the salmon is seasoned and cooked to perfection. Very flaky and not overcooked. One of the best parts though, is it comes with what tastes like a mango chutney and this green cream sauce that has a little kick to it and the combo is SO Delish!!! My sincere compliments to the chef! It's mouthwatering! read more

My husband brought me here for Mother's day and it was an awesome meal! Everything from the service, ambiance/environment, appetizers, entree and dessert were wonderful! We were obsessed with the tiger shrimp starter, my salmon entree and the mango sorbet dessert. We would definitely come back again! read more

This place was a different restaurant that had live music. It's a jazz themed place with a bar and outside seating. The food was good and waiter super friendly. read more

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OMG I am obsessed with this place! Came here for drinks & food and it was the best experience ever! I tried 4 different cocktails... the Raspberry Beret, Black Magic Woman, Savage Manhattan and Start Me Up. The smoke gun was broken for the raspberry beret smoke bubble so that was a bummer, but it still tasted good - a little too sweet for my taste though. My favorite drink was the Start Me Up, it's with Empress Gin and shaken at the table! Also there's some color changing action which is super fun! We got some apps: Tuna tartare, Lobster guacamole, NY fries and a beet salad to share. I wasn't a huge fan of the guac only because I don't think it needs seafood added, but the fries... you HAVE to get them! They are to die for! And if You like beets, the beet salad is an absolute must. I don't usually like goat cheese, but it's whipped with honey and complements the beets perfectly. By the time we all had some of the apps we weren't super hungry so we got the Chile lime crusted steelhead salmon and WOW it's incredible. One of the best salmons I've ever tasted. The mango salsa and lime leaf emulsion give it so much flavor. Lastly, for dessert we ordered one of each (I was living my best life at this point) and got to taste everything which is my favorite thing to do! The seasonal sorbet was Delish, I highly recommend that! The salted caramel budino, three chocolate parfait and affogato were all super yummy!! I had an espresso with dessert too which was delightful. The service is outstanding! Taylor, our waiter, had a sexy deep voice and we just had a blast with him. We were well taken care of and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! The band was so much fun and even though they don't allow dancing, We shimmied in our seats and busted a couple of brief dance moves up by the band. Highly, highly recommend this place, it's definitely my new favorite! read more

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This place offers exciting jazz and mouth-watering cuisine! I indulged in a rich meal called Venison Loin 10/10! read more

The Drake - Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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A coworker mentioned a recent dinner at The Drake and I made reservations for my next day off. A small group of friends and I dined there yesterday and it was a fantastic experience! The entire staff, from the manager who came by and introduced himself (sorry I'm horrible with names) to the host made sure we felt welcomed and cared for. Our server, Robert, was very inviting and fun. read more

Wow this place is a gem! Nice atmosphere with live singer even on a weekday. Great service, food is so special and their cocktails are one of a kind Will definitely come back read more