Yeah yeah yeah I know you read the reviews of people saying that the food let them down or certain dishes let them down but you got a remember this place is serving you pretty much what they want to give you that month. not not everybody has the same taste we all like one thing and someone else will hate it just like some people like tomatoes others peoples can't stand them some people like pickles other people can't stand them it's just a fact of life. In my humble opinion and as a foodie I got to tell you this place is awesome they usually but nine out of 10 so no complaints here. The staff is always super friendly very attentive and the place is nice and clean. So if you feel like splurging having some good wine and some great food you got to try this place. read more

I've been to this restaurant several times over the years. It's a great place to take a date to make her feel special. You start off in the wine cellar where you're treated to hors d'oeuvres and complimentary champagne. A staff member is happy to help you decide on a wine to go with your meal. Eventually, you are taken upstairs to the main dining rooms where your table awaits. A multi-course meal is then served, where each dish is expertly prepared. Before your entree, there's an intermission where you're free to explore the rest of the house, meet with the chef, or relax outside. All in all, it's a wonderful dining experience that's great for special occasions. read more

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My experience here was fun, I loved the customer service and how friendly everyone was here from the phone call to reserve my table to the last second of my experience. The vibe here is very comfortable and hospitality oriented and would probably go back just because of that aspect. However for the price of the 7 course meal, I don't i'd return. Don't get me wrong it was good and I don't regret going by any means! I just don't think i'd return; it's a one visit! But thank you for everyone who made this experience lovely! You wont be disappointed with the wine selection if you are into wines, splurge and treat yourself to some fine wine. ;) read more

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A delightful summer evening of delicious courses, enchanting atmosphere, and first class service. The Hobbit has been on our bucket list for years and the stars aligned to knock out two birthdays and an anniversary with an evening to remember. The reservation process began with a visit to the website to determine which menu we wanted to try. A follow-up call with an extremely helpful (and patient) Hobbit hostess landed us a midweek reservation and details about our upcoming evening. We counted down the days with anticipation and we were not disappointed! We arrived early to discover a quaint home with a charming outdoor patio perfect for some pre-dinner photos. We were welcomed in and invited to the bar for a cocktail and a chance to lounge in the parlor or the outdoor patio - we chose the air-conditioned parlor where we got to meet some of our fellow diners and enjoy the decor. The regulars told us of their favorite Hobbit meals and more than one noted that the restaurant was THE best in Orange County. We all snickered a bit at the bold statement but we would soon take the statement to heart. The bar was doing a brisk business and while the cocktails looked delightful we decided to hold out for our wine pairings to come. We were soon called down to the wine cellar for champagne and appetizers but to call them that is really doing the chefs an injustice. The selection of bites both big and small were bountiful and offered a wide array of tastes and textures (it would be nice to have a name next to each dish but maybe those who are frequent diners know a dish by sight) and we enjoyed everything we tried and even had time to go back and snag seconds of our favorites. The champagne was lovely but I do wish they had waited until I descended the stairs to hand me a glass (heels + purse + steep staircase + a glass = what could go wrong?) but the descent was truly worth it. To say The Hobbit has a wine cellar is like saying a cat has a tail but do not mistake the obvious for the ordinary. The large wine cellar is divided into sections, well organized, labeled clearly, and a delight to stroll and admire as you sip your champagne and savor the goodies. The staff was knowledgeable on the courses for the evening and very helpful with either individual selections for the evening or to go over the wine pairings offered to match the menu. After some deliberation, we went with the wine pairings, a single wine selection, and the cocktail menu choices amongst the four of us. We made our way to the dining areas where there were two rooms set up for dinner - we were seated in the larger room but we had time to see the other dining area and either would be a fine choice in our opinion. For a midweek summer evening we were surprised to see that every table was occupied but we would soon discover why. The menu varies each week so I won't detail our meal but suffice it to say that every course was beautifully prepared, attractively plated, and perfectly paired with the evening's wine offerings. The wine steward served the wines with an origin story of the wine, its region, and why it was the best choice for the course. He was attentive and very knowledgeable as was the entire staff. The intermission gave us time to visit the kitchen where the magic happens and to meet the chefs who created the evening's delightful creations. We had time to stroll through the wine center once last time and take in the garden before our dining adventure continued. We ended our evening with special birthday desserts and after-dinner anniversary drinks which were a sweet surprise and a lovely end to the evening. The Hobbit is a dining 'event' so be prepared to spend 3-4 hours during your outing. There is only one sitting per evening so you can linger, enjoy your dining companions, and never feel rushed. My friend leaned over during dessert and said that this was the best restaurant in Orange County and I must agree - it is quite a memorable place! I don't know when we will return but we are going to add 'return to The Hobbit' on our bucket list and hope for an encore visit once again. read more

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Good eats just to chill no hassles and excellent service and fresh food. Truly recommend.

First off, I give it 4.5 stars. I had a hard time rounding it up to 5 stars because the 5 star restaurants I've reviewed are better, even if only slightly in some instances. I came 1 time, so this is a 1 time visit review. Here's what we had: 1. Hors d'Oeuvres 2. Dungeness Crab Salad 3. Smoked Duck Breast with Israeli Couscous and Apricot Chutney 4. Baby Romaine Hearts with dressing and brie crostini 5. Bourbon Glazed NY Strip Steak 6. Tarte Tatin with Housemade Vanilla Ice Cream with Caramel Sauce This is an experience guys. You will need ample time to make your reservations and at the time (a year ago), you had to use your credit card to place your reservations. They give you an idea of what your menu is so we weren't surprised (their menu changes so it's not always the same thing). This dinner took over 3 hours and they give you an intermission to sit in the patio with your drink and clean your palette with a sorbet. When you come, you are requested to go upstairs - it's a converted house where the bar is on the 2nd floor. You will meet people there who are rookies (like us) and veterans who've been there numerous times. Then you are asked to go to the wine cellar for the hors d'oeuvres. Everything in the wine cellar, from what we could tell, was all you can eat as long as there was food available (and there was plenty). The rest of the menu you see above was fantastic. Diners are seated in different rooms depending on the size and it really is an experience I fully enjoyed. For those who don't want to sit through a 3+ hour dinner, I understand. Time is precious. But I would just nudge you to take that time to go here and try something new. The restaurant is along the main drag on Chapman, so you can miss it if you're Mario Andretti. Slow down, be open minded and just submit to what the staff is willing to offer you. You won't be disappointed!!! read more

If you are looking for a top tier dining experience this is it! The food was incredible, I highly recommend getting the wine paring with it. Even though there is a up charge to it, it is well worth it! read more

The Hobbit - Crab ravioli - French Near Me - Orange, California

Such a positive culinary experience Reservations are somewhat difficult to schedule, however I was able to request a call if a cancellation came up and they called me day before my date to let me know they had a cancellation We did wine pairing and would recommend this $55 add on. Sommelier was informative and entertaining. Service was excellent and food was delicious. Restaurant is clean and presentable, very quaint and historical looking. Parking is ample and free read more

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came for the beef wellington which was worth it! came on my birthday but forgot to leave a review. i like to say that the service is a different experience. they give you time in between meals and hors doeuvre were amazing. i suggest grabbing a bottle of wine for a full experience. and call ahead for food allergies. overall, great experience, service, & food. thank you Hobbit! read more

The Hobbit - Wine Cellar - French Near Me - Orange, California

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Was fortunate enough to dine here for my bday with my sisters Sept 2016. What an amazing, and memorable experience! Reservations only! And be sure to look at the menu online! The menu is seasonal- that's why I suggest going on their website to see what they offer on particular nights. Just FYI if you plan on having dinner here... be prepared to stay 3-3.5 hours! Dinner is at 7... we got there at 630 and had cocktails in the patio. They took the entire dinner party down to the basement and that's where the adventure began. They have unlimited champagne, all sorts of delicious finger foods and appetizers (or hors d'oeuvres for you fine folk out there) throughout. The walls were covered with wine bottles. Pretty dark down there- obvs- it's a basement. We were down there anywhere between 30-45 mins. I wanted to eat everything, but knew I had to keep some room for dinner. Dinner was 7 courses! Have you ever been to a dinner where there was a 30 minute intermission??? Well... that was a first for me. I really don't know when dinner ended... All I know is we were all exhausted by the end of it haha! But I enjoyed it sooo much. The reason for 4 stars and not 5 is that I didn't like that they served the entire room at the same time... so whether you've finished your course before the other tables... they wait for the entire room to be ready for the next course... I feel like if they served each table when they were ready- we wouldn't have to be there are for 3+ hours. Overall- one of my most favorite dining experience ever! read more

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Bottom line: Ambience - 5 stars; Food - 3 stars; Service - 4 Stars. See below for details. For me, this place has been hit or miss. I have been there several times and the food and service were fantastic. However, lately, the food has been lackluster. I'm not sure if they changed chefs or I have gone on nights when an understudy is there, but I have not been impressed. The food lacks flavor, beautiful presentation, but lackluster in the flavor department. I hope they get their act together soon. The ambience is a cave, hence the name, the Hobbit. I guess Hobbit's exclusively live in cave-like structures. Anyway, if you like that kind of a thing, it is a cool experience. The service was good, not great, but solid and attentive. read more

Just had an amazing dinner at The Hobbit. Great ambiance in this converted Bungalow home. Check out the vintage tiles from Ernest Batchelder in the fireplace of the main dining area. Every aspect was 5 stars. The food is amazing and the wine cellar is off the charts. GM/sommelier Matthew has extensive knowledge and really went out of his way to insure a perfect evening. Brittany also provided stellar service. This is definitely the best dining experience in the Orange area. read more

My goodness what an experience! You started with cocktail at the second floor, you can hangout at the front yard if you want, or just stay upstairs. At 7 you get to go to the basement, choose different wines, have appetizers...then you head to the first floor for dinner. There's a 15 minute break in between meals. I don't think I got out until 10pm! It was quite an unique experience! And you get to talk to people from different tables too. Highly recommended! Food was delicious; I actually love the appetizers the most! read more

The Hobbit - French Near Me - Orange, California

Yum! We booked the Hobbit for dinner on a Friday evening and brought the kids. It was really fun having appetizers in the wine cellar with generous pours of champagne. Each Hors d Oeuvres was unique and tasty. It was nice to meet other guests as we walked around the wine cellar tasting the various dishes. Make sure you don't fill up with food in the cellar because there are many courses still to come. We went upstairs to the bar and got a couple old fashions. The salmon appetizer was very refreshing. We were big fans of the blood orange and couscous. Next came the duck breast with risotto. Everything was delicious. We then had a refreshing salad before we took a 15 minute intermission to tour the kitchen and speak with the chef. I was a big fan of the sorbet, it was like having a bonus dessert in the middle of our meal as a palate cleanser. I ordered the Osso Bucco and my hubby got the filet. Then we had another dessert. The restaurant has been here since 1972. The building is adorable. There are very cute rooms and it's a very comfortable space. The service was impeccable. We will definitely be back for another Hobbit meal in the near future. Happy Yelping! read more

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I decided to wait until my second visit before completing a review. My first experience was the bomb a few months earlier it was a no-brainer to return. However, my second visit was not as stellar and to be honest, pretty disappointing. Embarrassing more so as I organized a large group and hyped my friends for the occasion. We even booked the cellar for our party for privacy. Everything except the food was great. The food this time around, albeit different from the last time, was not worth the effort. The main course was the Beef Wellington and was served cold and soggy. I was really hoping they would be consistent considering they only have one sitting per night. Maybe the chef and crew had an off day. Maybe my expectations were to high. Regardless, I was very disappointed considering the huge bill I had. Not too motivated to return any time soon. read more

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We celebrated Mother's Day here and the service was exceptional. The staff were all super nice and friendly and very accommodating. 2 in our party has food allergies and the chefs were so awesome and accommodated those needs. A lot of places won't or the food is really sad to eat and very bland but not this place! They took the time to make sure everything was perfect, tasted amazing, and food allergy friendly. Very special place when they can do that (please give them advance heads-ups to be fair) read more

Thank you Andrew! The hobbit was an amazing experience and the food was delicious! I loved the wine pairing with dinner, the sommeliers were so knowledgeable and made the experience that much better. Also loved the homey feel inside, it really is an experience! Go early for the drinks before dinner to settle in, it's so fun! read more

No one in the right mind would rate this place under 5 stars. This is an unbelievable dining experience. So phenomenal that we are planning to make this an anniversary tradition every year. The hors & oeuvres & champagne is such a great start of your dining experience. I promise you, you will not be disappointed. My recommendation is that you arrive by 6:45pm, skip the initial bar drink when arrive because you will definitely be liquored up. Definitely pair the dinner with the wine pairing and share it. Again, this is definitely one of the best dinners I have ever had chance to experience and it'll be yours too. Thank you too the attentive staff and knowledgeable sommelier for a wonderful evening. read more

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Came here to celebrate birthdays as well as the holidays with friends as a ladies' night outing. They have a dress code but casual elegance came to mind but observed others dressed up as in formal attire.... its French cuisine of course with a "pre fixe menu" in the guise of a theater show.... act 1 -- wine cellar visit with champagne & hors d'oeuvres, act 2 appetizer & light meat dish , intermission ("guests" take a break in their garden or up in the bar lounge), act 3 main entree, act 4 dessert & coffee/liqueur... overall a must dinner experience to enjoy with either family or friends (or both) but young under age children discouraged .... check out their website to get a better picture. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed it. So, for now, on to the next "posh" place to experience and write about:) read more

Excellent food service and ambiance. Very special place for dinner. Everything was wonderful!

We knew going in it would be expensive. And it was. $600.00 for two people. The wine is where you can drop some serious $$. Fantastic experience, amazing food, wonderful wait staff, The hors d'oeuvres were fantastic. Wine cellar was amazing. I know they are known for the long dining experience, but we have to be honest, from 6:30pm to 11:00 pm was a little long for us. Grateful we went. Kind of a once in a lifetime place to go and experience. read more

The Hobbit was a good experience. We've never had dinner for almost 4 hours. The service was good throughout and the transition between everything was smooth. The night went surprisingly quick. I would recommend to go at least once, but dress to impress. read more

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My boyfriend brought me here for my birthday and we were both excited since we heard rave reviews from our friends. The night started off with bottomless champagne and a nice selection of hor d'oeuvres down in the cellar. My favorite was the cucumber caviar and salami & cheese bread. Next, the staff led us upstairs for dinner into the dining area. Overall: 1. Food was mediocre 2. Overpriced 3. Sevice was amazing 4. Chef was incredibly rude For instance, the main course was a stuffed filet mignon. It was very tender but, even with the sauce, wasn't flavorful enough. I would say the best part of the meal were my truffles and whipped cream. I think they focused so much on the experience and forgot about the food. The servers and hor d'oeuvres were the saving grace of this restaurant. But what really turned me off was the chef. He made a point to go to every table to say thank you but intentionally skipped ours. He accidentally made eye contact with us and we tried to compliment him on his food. But his response was just a head nod as he continued to walk to the next table. Because of that single moment, I would never return to this restaurant nor recommend it anyone. read more

The Hobbit - Scallops as an appetizer - French Near Me - Orange, California

Walking into The Hobbit is a little like going back in time. The moment you cross the threshold of this house-turned-restaurant you feel like you have been transported back into another era. To be sure, The Hobbit offers one of the most unique dining experiences I have ever had. It's unique not because of the food -- which, truth be told, I would rate about 3 1/2 stars -- but because the dinner is a 3+ hour journey into the Twilight Zone of food and wine. The set menu consists of 7 courses, which changes from week to week. Everyone is served the same thing (there is an alternative entrée for non-red meat eaters) and at the same time. Since the food train leaves promptly at 7:30 p.m. make sure you arrive well in advance. There is a small bar in the upstairs parlor room, in case you want to get your drink on early, but frankly, I did not think it was necessary. The first course takes place down in the basement cellar, where you will find all their wine proudly displayed for your perusal, as well as an array of hors d'oeuvres for your sampling, or in my case, scarfing, for not only was I famished but they were all so tasty. Everyone was also treated to unlimited servings of their house sparkling wine -- nothing fancy or complex, but tasty enough to want seconds (or fourths!) and potent enough to make you break your budget on your wine selection (ours was the 2005 Kobalt Cabernet). Truth be told, I could have spent the entire evening down there, and it was by far my favorite part of the dinner. When you finally emerge from the wine grotto, your wine is waiting for you at your table, expertly presented (in our case, decanted). The fact that all the tables are pre-determined and that you occupy it for the rest of the evening really makes you feel special. I won't comment on the food, since it changes from week to week, but I will say that it was very satisfactory (as mentioned above, 3 1/2 stars); the watermelon, mâche, and goat cheese salad was probably my favorite dish of the night. What was truly exceptional, however, was the service and attention to detail, which rival the best restaurants in the world. In fact, I thought the service here was better than at Picasso at The Bellagio in Las Vegas, and that place is known for its service! So the evening progressed until around 10:45 p.m., when we reluctantly decided it was time to leave. I did not want to, but I knew we had to. I don't know, maybe it was the wine. Or maybe I was just feeling a little sentimental. But upon leaving the epicurean time warp that is The Hobbit, I was actually a little saddened that my visit was over and that I had to travel back into the future. read more

My man and I came to The Hobbit last night for a special occasion. We had made reservations almost 2 months in advance and were excited when the day finally arrived. The Hobbit is a lovely, inviting, and classic house-turned-restaurant. Definitely show up ON TIME if not earlier. We came about 15 minutes before our dinner and were able to mingle with some of the other guests on the patio. TIP 1: The Hobbit is a very social dining experience. Be prepared to get acquainted with the fellow guests, the staff, the chef. There are many opportunities and plenty of time set apart from the actual dinner to mingle and tour the house for yourself. On the same token, because you will be sharing space with the same people for 3-3.5 hours, let's hope you're not sitting next to some loud obnoxious guests who have had too much to drink... (yep, that was us. Not 'us' as in we were the drunk ones, but, yeah. Table across from us. It was a little annoying). At 7pm you are invited, along with everyone else, to come down to the basement for champagne and hors d'oeuvres. You walk down with your empty champagne glass and the staff at the bottom offers to pour you champagne left and right as you run out. It's magical. I had read from other Yelpers before coming that it's a bad idea to fill up on the delicious hors d'oeuvres before your meal. I beg to differ! Honestly, I read reviews advising to starve yourself the entire day before your dinner at The Hobbit, and I don't think that is AT ALL necessary. While it is "a lot" of food, each plate is served in an extremely petite portion. You can do it. Trust me. TIP 2: Go nuts wit the hors d'oeuvres! They are small and easy to pop in your mouth. Personal favorites were the beef tartare and cucumber with caviar. The basement-turned-wine cellar was one of the most impressive spectacles, in my opinion. From there you have the option to choose a bottle of wine with your meal; wines range from $50-$$$$ thousands per bottle. It's all very exciting and bewildering, but the good news is the staff is more than happy to help you or answer any questions you may have. We ended up going with just a glass of their house Pinot Noir of the night (did NOT choose a bottle from the cellar). My man and I had 3 glasses between us 2. Later on our tab, we saw that the 3 glasses cost over $50. TIP 3: If you're deciding between ordering a glass of the house wine or a bottle to share, just go with the bottle. 3 individual glasses easily = 1 bottle. I'm not sure how much time passed, but it was the perfect amount of time before most of the hors d'oeuvres were cleared out and we were called up as a group to take our seats for dinner. The dining hall set up is very formal and elegant. Candles, flowers, silverware, furniture. Tables are separated by groups/couples, but set very close to one another. It truly feels as if you have been invited to someone's home and they are hosting a lavish dinner party. To start we had a seared diver scallop over couscous and a sweet corn sauce. As expected, it was cooked to perfection and we devoured that dish in about 30 seconds. TIP 4: We didn't necessarily feel stuffed because it was an abnormal amount of food. Instead, it was the long wait time between each dish that caused us to feel full. The dinner at The Hobbit is a 3 hour dining experience because there is a 20+ minute wait time in between each dish. I would say the guests who enjoyed themselves the most were the ones who came in groups and were very very drunk. It makes the time pass faster. I could go on and on about the food, but here are the main points I want to communicate: 1. Each dish is served in a very very small portion. Sure, it was a "7" course meal; 2 of which consisted of one bite of sorbet and one diver scallop. 2. Each dish is cooked to perfection in terms of aromas, textures, flavors. You can count on that! 3. Favorite part was the almond cake dessert with candied apricots, housemade apricot ice cream, and Italian meringue. Least favorite was the green apple and fennel salad with the roquefort dressing. Not a huge fan of that dressing. Very blue-cheesy and yeasty. The bill was hefty but we were glad to have experienced dinner at The Hobbit. TIP 5: We are in our early-mid twenties and were definitely the youngest people there. read more

The Hobbit - Filet Mignon @ The Hobbit - French Near Me - Orange, California

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This is a true dining experience. For those that have never heard of this place, it is a converted house on Chapman in Orange. It is a refurbished 2-story home, turned into an elegant dinner hose, specializing in wine and a 7 course prix fix menu. You start with a 6pm cocktail hour upstairs in a converted bedroom. The bar is in a corner and the closet is used to hold ice chests full of booze. The gal is a very heavy pour and the selection is wonderful. At 7pm, all 60 of you make your way down to the wine cellar. Wall to wall shelves of new and old selections, from $29 to $5000 a bottle. While sipping champagne and eating a dozen different appetizers, you select your wines for the evening. You may choose, for $40 per person, to have them select a different pairing for each course, or buy your own selections. We opted for a couple of $75 bottles and they were wonderful. We were then brought to our preassigned table and were given a choice of main dishes. Our selection was tarragon rack of lamb, filet mignon or salmon. The four of us all chose the lamb. A scallop dish, followed by a salad with shaved prosciutto, followed by a duck breast dish. All fabulous. There was an intermission where you could sip your drinks on a small patio or take a tour of the small kitchen. Upon returning to the dining room, we were served blood orange sorbet, followed by the main course. Very good dishes and certainly enough food for the largest of appetites. We were allowed to select from a huge list of after dinner drinks, coffees, liquors, etc.. All served with an apple crisp with ice cream. 4 people, 1 cocktail each, 2 bottles of wine, dinner and an after dinner drink each.....$561 plus tip. A very hefty sum, yes, but an old world dining experience. The service was very good and the experience was quite memorable. I appreciated the open parking lot and the self parking but at these prices, with the formal dress code, why not have a valet? Speaking of dress codes, they were quite insistent on proper attire over the phone but several ladies wore denim jeans and some gentlemen had no coat, or no tie. Part of the experience in a place like this is the consistency of dress. The biggest thing to remember besides all of this is to bring good people with you. It is a 5 hour production. Fortunately we had great friends with us. Definitely worth trying out once. read more

Have you ever had dinner like a play in 3 acts? Well I have! And it was pretty great! The Hobbit is an experiential meal if you will that is offered Wednesdays through Sundays at what looks like someone's huge house in Orange. For 82 dollars a person (plus 7.75 if you go with the fish entree and whatever you're going to pay for wine, gratuities etc) you are treated to a 7 course meal that is indeed experiential. Like a play, the evening is divided into Acts. Act 1 begins where you're invited down to the cellar for champagne and appetizers. As you stroll around the Hobbit's wine cellar, you can nibble their Famous French Sandwich (warm fillo dough sandwich available for purchase) or choose from a table full of different hors d'oeuvres. You can also pick out the wine that you want to drink that night. We chose to do the wine pairing for $45/person but they had a great selection of reasonably priced (and ridiculously priced) wine. Tip: if you're not the greatest in heels maybe wear flats because if you trip and knock over that 1500 dollar bottle of wine on the rack...well, start licking the floor b/c you break it you bought it! Act 2 begins when you are brought to your table. We were served smoked wild prawns with onion glaces a brun, beluga lentils and petite croutons as a first course, grilled quail with Israeli couscous and Indian spiced apricot chutney as a second course followed by a salad of little gems lettuce with diced pancetta, spiced poached pears and a Roquefort dressing. This was accompanied by rolls and butter that was made into the shape of a rose (see picture). I found the prawns interesting and delicious as was the grilled quail (although difficult to eat due to the bone structure of a tiny quail). I really liked the salad especially with the perfectly poached pears. Act 2 ends with an Intermission where you can go visit the kitchen, go outside on the patio or wander around to any room in the house while your table is re-set for Act 3. Act 3 started with a Christmas sorbet that cleansed our pallets just in time for our main course. I had the Evening's alternative because I don't eat red meat which was a grilled grouper with ginger rice and baby bok choy put in a Chervil Beurre Blanc sauce. The fish was tender and a little rich for me but good overall. It paled in comparison to my husband's filet mignon which was perfectly cooked and accompanied by vegetables and this sweet potato thingee that was pretty amazing. From there it was on to dessert which was a chocolate lava cake with torched Italian meringue and a salted grand marnier caramel sauce. We also got an extra dessert because it was my birthday! Just a few thoughts for any newbies considering going to the Hobbit for their first time: ***You can make a reservation on Open Table with a credit card and make sure to do that as far in advance as you can because they book out especially around the holidays ***If you come early to your reservation there is a bar upstairs that serves specialty cocktails but make sure that if you partake you have enough time to finish your drink. You are welcome to bring it downstairs for the first act but to get the most out of the experience, I think you want to have your glass of champagne right away and it's awkward fumbling around with a big glass. (For me, next time I'll skip the bar) ***The wine cellar can get a little crowded especially around the appetizers so you may have to be a bit more aggressive to try all the apps. We waited patiently for people to step away from the table and by the time we got in, some of the appetizer plates were empty (and those were the ones that other patrons told me were really good). ***If it's winter, bring a jacket: It's a little cold in the wine cellar and if you have one you can go out onto any of the patios prior to dinner or during intermission read more

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It's hard to find the right words to describe how fantastic The Hobbit was. It must be one of the most elegant & stylish looking restaurants I've been to. The food is cooked to a very high standard. Every dish was unique & creative. Then the amazing staff really enhances an already fantastic experience. This is a destination restaurant and is a must visit for food lovers. read more

Summary: My SO and I have been too busy with work and events to actually have a date night lately so when the timing was right I made reservation for The Hobbit. When we arrive, I was wondering if I made a mistake, the outside parking lot look rundown, the outside of the restaurant looks old like it belong to a 90 year old lady with 7 cats. But we stick to it because I didn't want to lose my deposit and I'm glad I did. Food: The hors d'oeuvres was to die for. I couldn't stop eating it. If my SO hadn't stop me I probably wouldn't have room for our main course. The course were prep and place very elegantly on our plate. Each course was mouth watering and with just the right amount so we could have room for our next course. I just wish I hadn't tried their sorbet for it has in a way ruin my taste bud. Service: Exceptional. Every staff member there was very attentive and professional. They made our date phenomenal. Overall: I can see myself coming here once a year or on SPECIAL occasion. I'm just glad that my SO was happy with the experience knowing how anal she can be. read more

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We came here on Sunday January 11th, 2020 to celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary with 3 other family members. We got here about 30 minutes early to have a drink at the bar, I bartender was a bit backed up with specialty drinks that takes longer than usual to create and put together, everyone liked their cocktails or wine. Time came for appetizers and the specialty Hobbit sparkling wine that tasted better than champagne, the appetizers down in the cellar were great and there was plenty of them, I'm putting some photos here. Al in all it was a wonderful 3 hours 7 course meal, the wine pairing was right on and blended well. The previous time we came here was about 20 years ago, this place has lived up to their good reputation. read more

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You have to eat here and Celebrate Life. I did the next the best thing. I ordered their "Available to Purchase." A large tray of French sandwiches, Artichoke dip, their 6 bottles of Hobbit Champagne. Since, Last year I had the most amazing birthday here! Due to COVID-19 and my 80yr mother being quarantined with me. I did not get my birthday wish of returning to the Hobbit. Grandma is scared, but something amazing happened. Grandma left the house, took the drive with me to the "Hobbit", her first time outside to pick up the "Available to Purchase." with me. She remembers The Hobbit, the delicious food, the kindness, the love that was put into everything! We reminisced on the drive there and drive home. I had to celebrate, I cheated and cracked open one of their Hobbit Champagne bottles today! Perfection!!!! Grandma, I, and granddaughter celebrated life and memories & toasted to a perfect excuse to enjoy their Hobbit Champagne. I will get to enjoy the bliss of their cooking while keeping my 80yr old mom happy. Their delicious French sandwiches, Artichoke dip, the Hobbit Champagne, Yeah!!!! "Happy Birthday to Me!" Everyone, be kind, be safe, and do what is best! Create Amazing memories and new ones at The Hobbit. It is truly a magical place. read more

I have wanted to eat at The Hobbit for years and was really looking forward to a personalized, exciting culinary experience. I did not realize that the place is under new management and it seems that this new iteration is living on the high reputation earned by the previous owners, while offering a decidedly inferior experience. The dishes were overwrought, muddled, and almost everything was over salted to the point I could not eat more than a couple of bites. The meal included only one wine pairing of which we were made aware and that was a sparkling cider at the beginning. Everything else was extra. The fish option which was a concoction sounding like it was conceived in 1970 was $9 extra. The amuse Bouche were truly awful, lacking freshness and subtlety. They tasted catered rather than freshly prepared which is not the experience I expected. The venue has nothing to do with its namesake, consisting of a white walled converted Spanish revival. The new management has revamped the venue erasing any physical resemblance to the cozy grotto atmosphere evoked by the Tolkien reference. Everyone is seated and served at the same time giving the experience the feel of a pumped up Mrs Knotts restaurant. The touted appetizers served during the cocktail hour were one big tray of filo dough with some salami and cheese filling. Everyone grab your own while the staff upsells bottles of wine. For a price tag of around $1200 for our party of 4, I expected a much more personalized and culinarily sophisticated experience. I have had many much better meals with better ambience, including at Michelin rated restaurants for lower prices. The one bright point was a delicious bottle of wine that we ordered from the cellar. Even this was exaggeratedly priced, however. read more

Located in Orange on Chapman Ave this restaurant is in an old house. Expect a four hour epic experience. A few things to note. Come hungry. You will eat a lot. Also, they open at 6pm and you can grab a drink and sit in the courtyard. Here is the breakdown: 7pm begins in the wine cellar. At least a dozen different appetizers are served. And they are all delicious. A liver pate, pastry filled with different cheeses, caviar, artichoke dip, steak tartare, and on and on. Also, is is where you can pick your wine for dinner. Some very reasonable prices too. The chef and owner comes down to talk to everyone and help with picking out the wine. Then it's upstairs to your table for dinner. But not really dinner yet. Just a sampling of a few different types of dishes. And the wine you picked out is served. Then dinner is served. Check the web site for the dinner entrees. We had beef Wellington. Small amount but excellent. His chef knows how to cook well and pair favors. Finally about 10pm dessert is served. Next time we go I will not eat for a day and will take a nap beforehand. read more

The Hobbit - Feb menu 2015 - French Near Me - Orange, California

We had such a lovely time. I've always wanted to eat here and never got a chance and then when I was diagnosed with a gluten allergy I thought I never would. They catered to my allergy and my whole dining experience from start to finish was delicious and gluten free. It's rare that I don't get sick from cross-contamination but I didn't have that problem here. I will say that it is VERY expensive - almost $200pp with dinner, one cocktail, one cappuccino, and service charge. It's more of an experience overall than a fine dining experience by itself. I've eaten at Michelin starred restaurants for less. Don't get me wrong, the food is good but it's not out of the ordinary but you're going for the experience of the whole evening and they deliver on that count and the food is tasty and a part of the experience. I will absolutely return for a special occasion. read more

The hobbit has been my go to for special occasions. This is the one resturant that serves beef Wellington! Oh my gosh, the entree brought us back to days where we honeymooned in London, the king of beef Wellington. Since then we go every so often. I am grateful we got to experience the pre Covid experience as well as now the post covid. I'm glad they moved it back inside, it's more intimate. Highly recommended. read more

Swanky. Romantic. Distinguished. Sophisticated. Intimate. These are the feelings you experience here. The dinner was created to slowly seduce all your senses, and immerse you in the experience. The experience starts in a comfortable outdoor waiting area furnished with comfortable couches and surrounded with trellises with crawling vines. You chat with with your friends in the small courtyard while your dining area is prepared. At 7:00PM everyone is invited inside, but everyone is lead downstairs to an extensive wine cellar to sample Hors d'Oeuvres and sip Champagne. It is a very intimate setting, walking down a narrow old wooden stairway into a room (not too dimly lit, but still with a romantic feel to it) with old wooden shelves featuring wine's from all over the world lining every inch. Here, everyone is presented with the menu (courses for the evening.) Once dinner is ready, everyone is led upstairs to the dining area where all parties are seated at their respective tables. The dinner itself lasts a long time. Nothing is rushed. All five courses are brought out slowly, with an intermission before dinner and, and given a palette cleanser in the form of a sorbet to enjoy the experience. Our first course, Seared Diver Scallops with Chayote Squash & Fennel in a Smoked Yellow Tomato Sauce flirted with my taste buds, and left me wondering how good the rest of the meal must be! The scallop was the sweetest, most tender and flavorful scallop I had ever tasted. The sauce was a perfect savory companion to the sweetness of the scallop. The second course was a Roasted Manchester farms Quail served with Artichoke Risotto & Petite Red Endive Sauce Vierge. Simply sublime. Third was a favorite of mine: The Wild Rocket Arugula, Spring Spring Flame Peaches, Humbolt Fog Cheese, and a Prosciutto Crisp. It was an explosion in my mouth of sweet, salty, savory, creamy and crunchy. Truly, I could have just eaten that all evening long and been in heaven. That prosciutto crisp.... it was like crispy bacon and an potato chip fused into one amazing creation. The vinaigrette dressing made the dish really sing. After these dishes, everyone is once again led out to the patio area to chat and enjoy each others company, or to meet the chef's if you desire. About thirty minutes later, we are all led back in for the main event. A palette cleanser, a blood orange sorbet, is tart and fresh. Soon after, we are presented with Prime Aged Filet Mignon with Solferino sauce. It was so tender that the steak knife cut through it like butter. Served medium rare unless otherwise specified, it was mouthwatering and memorable. It's the type of culinary perfection that makes you cut smaller slices and chew a little longer so that you can savor each amazing bite. Most amazing too, were the roasted radishes served with the dish. Completely bold in its simplicity, it is was an unexpected delicious surprise for my entire party. Winding down, we were presented with Cocoa Pain de Genes, Walnut Ice Cream with Warm Raspberries. A perfect end to a perfect meal. Two people in my party ordered wine flights to accompany the meal, giving them an added fantastic experience to the evening. The evening ended around 11:00 PM. The service was top notch. Each night, they only have room to serve about 20 people, but the staff is plentiful, attentive and speedy. They cater to your every need, and are part of the ambiance of The Hobbit. Now... all this awesome is not cheap. I briefly saw the bill as it was presented. About $550.00 for five of us. (five dinners with two wine flights) Not something I would do often, but definitely makes for a very memorable evening. read more

The Hobbit - The evenings courses - French Near Me - Orange, California

I adore fine dining, have always enjoyed the experience of being actively waited on and the high quality of food. The Hobbit was no exception to this. The service was top rate: consistently checking in and ensuring that everything was to our liking without being overbearing. The food: wonderfully cooked and all dishes unique from one another. The entree of the night was lamb which was a lovely medium rare and I could not get enough of the sweet potato that came with it. The ambiance: perfect. Music playing lightly in the background and strategically sectioned into three rooms to allow for the break up of noise. I would recommend this experience to anyone who enjoys fine dining or wants to give it a try. read more

I AM IN LOVE WITH THE FOOD HERE. I was a plus one at my boyfriend's company holiday party and I honestly wasn't expecting much since I'm a vegetarian and it's usually just pasta in marinara sauce. Dinner was a 7 course extravaganza. For each course, the chef made a vegetarian counterpart. They even have an intermission! I had never been to a dinner with intermission before! During the intermission you can get a tour of their kitchen and boy is it small and staffed with just a handful of people. For dessert they had a chocolate pecan tart which was to die for. Quiet honestly one of the best meals I've had and I was certainly not expecting that at a company holiday party. I highly recommend this place. Great service and even better food! read more

The Hobbit - Fantastic mushroom pasta - French Near Me - Orange, California

very high end restaurant only accept reservation. perdesign meau has 3 appetizer couse, one main course and dessert. You can spend 3 to 4 hours here. read more

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What an epic night! My hubs made dinner reservations to celebrate my birthday and we both had no idea what the night had in store for us. We arrived promptly at 7 PM and were greeted at the door by some of the staff who welcomed us warmly. A server handed us each an empty champagne flute and guided us downstairs to the wine cellar for champagne and hors d'oeuvres. As we entered cellar, another server greeted us and filled our flutes with champagne. There were two stationed tables full of tasty appetizers. We lingered around the stations while looking around in awe at the ceiling to floor walls full of wine bottles. The head chef was also in sight greeting tonight's diners and conversing with them. One of the servers offered to refill our glasses and informed us that if we'd like wine with our dinner that now was the time to inform them. We had a choice of selecting a bottle(s) from the cellar or the sommelier parings, which consisted of 4 wines paired with 4 of the 6 dinner courses. After some time, the servers informed all guests that dinner was ready to be served and up we went. It was a 6 course dinner including intermission. The dinner menu changes each evening, so returning for another enjoyable evening is always a possibility. The staff was amazing and super helpful. They were there to refill glasses before we even noticed it needed a refill. They were great at answering questions we had and very knowledgeable about the wine and dinner being served. The food was delicious and so satisfying. My steak was cooked to perfection. The fish melted in your mouth like butter. The wine pairings with each course was so fitting. The combination of quality food, wine, service and ambiance made the night epic! read more

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