First off don't let these reviews fool you! I hadn't been here since 1987 for my prom. Wanted to treat my boyfriend for his bday. Sure there's feelings, Morton's etc. But those are chains. The Service was impeccable. Le Cave is known for their martini's I'm advised. Now I know why, Cosmo was perfect When you order they take your order & proceed to bring the cart around so you know exactly what your ordering. Portions are big! And well under what Morton's would charge. I ordered the filet, my boyfriend ribeye w/half lobster tail. Which looked almost like a whole one. They don't rush you even as the crowds roll in. It's a very quaint restaurant and is the same as it opened in 1962 on Valentine's Day. My boyfriend was given the fluffiest cheese cake for his bday! I love it here! May go back to chill at the bar soon...
Robert Vandygrift
Very old school red leather booths Dimly lit small dining area. Area where music is preformed has bar and some additional seating. The girls ordered NY steaks med rare both came well done ny friend ordered Filet mignon med and came well done I had the rib med rare came well done too. No prices on the menu unless you are ordering off bar menu. Service was good. Really was looking forward to a nice Steak & potato meal this is not that place. We won't be back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: New York Steak 11 Oz Medium Rare & Twice Baked Potato, Cheesecake, Petite Filet Mignon with Twice Baked Potato and Crab Tail, Ceasar Salad
Jon R.
4th the 5th time here. Have never said "can't wait to go back". A great steak/seafood restaurant should be exceptional and it never has been. Salad was overdressed / teriyaki sauce plated under the rice was over salted. Drink was a measured pour and not a drop more. But the real crime was a medium rare steak served almost medium well. To be fair I didn't send it back and believe they would have remade it. Shouldn't have to though... Other restaurant choices for this kind of meal, with consistency and a great product. Bummer!
Eric H.
I waited two weeks to decide to post this negative review...and I've decided it's worth sharing if for no other reason than in the hopes the restaurant gets their act together. But then also a cautionary tale to other diners. 2 weeks ago my wife and I along with another couple made a reservation in the music room. We purposefully got there ahead of the music asking what time it started and being told that the singer starts at 6:30. We wanted to get there early so that we had a chance to have a conversation over dinner. One member in our party in particular was excited about the live music and we made a point to ask the reservation line and the hostess about when the music started so that we had planned everything accordingly. Before I go any further I want to make mention that by the time we paid tip our bill was just over $500. I say this because when you spend $500 for 4 diners at a table there's a certain level of Elegance and courtesy that is expected. The music didn't start at 6:30 it didn't even start at 7:30 it started at nearly 8:00. The singer was there at 6:30 setting up his gear and doing singer things.... but we were not given great information or we would have made our reservation later So we waited and ordered drinks and had dinner and waited more and as the second song was playing the manager came to our table and she told us that we were invited to move to the bar to listen to music and free up the table. When I asked a question about how long we had....or if we could listen to a couple of songs, the manager even raised her voice at me. I've never had any restaurant.... I've been to and I've been to some nice restaurants and not so nice restaurants.... been subjected to raised voices in fine dining. Especially something as trivial as 5 more minutes at a table where I just dropped $500. To that point they advertise themselves as the best steakhouse in Orange county and I think they're only better than average. I would WAYrather eat at mastros (and others). The experience put a damper on our evening we did not stay any longer. We left the restaurant. And for some people who may be thinking there was a long line waiting for our table...the waiting room was empty. I don't know why we were asked to leave when there was two empty tables next to us. And from what we could tell nobody waiting. I won't be back, ever! Mastro's has better steak, better food and frankly better music.
Alondra Soto
Wayyyy too overpriced. Plus they don't put the price on the menu. 140$ for 4 crab legs ?! 46$ for swordfish and a potato?!? Y'all tripping. Serving outback dinners for Michelin star price. Save your money.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
Nancy B.
We have been to La Cave several times and have been fortunate to have found this gem! They treat their employees good and it shows! Food is delicious, large portions, music, ambiance great. We have had Malcolm the most polite attentive team member waiter. He is sharp and knowledgeable. The manager Laura, is such a lovely person, she brings the restaurant going and an asset to la Cave. La Cave is a fun romantic date place and highly recommend going there!
JMF1
We enjoyed our steaks cooked as ordered. But the noise was unbearable! Drunk loud people at the bar. One woman in particular was yelling the whole time we were there. We noticed some people left. Having a bar and quiet dining room in same room with low ceilings does NOT work! So disappointing.
Eric Hargis
I waited two weeks to decide to post this negative review...and I've decided it's worth sharing if for no other reason than in the hopes the restaurant gets their act together. But then also a cautionary tale to other diners.2 weeks ago my wife and I along with another couple made a reservation in the music room. We purposefully got there ahead of the music asking what time it started and being told that the singer starts at 6:30. We wanted to get there early so that we had a chance to have a conversation over dinner. One member in our party in particular was excited about the live music and we made a point to ask the reservation line and the hostess about when the music started so that we had planned everything accordingly.Before I go any further I want to make mention that by the time we paid tip our bill was just over $500. I say this because when you spend $500 for 4 diners at a table there's a certain level of Elegance and courtesy that is expected.The music didn't start at 6:30 it didn't even start at 7:30 it started at nearly 8:00. The singer was there at 6:30 setting up his gear and doing singer things.... but we were not given great information or we would have made our reservation laterSo we waited and ordered drinks and had dinner and waited more and as the second song was playing the manager came to our table and she told us that we were invited to move to the bar to listen to music and free up the table. When I asked a question about how long we had....ornif we could listen to a couple of songs, the manager even raised her voice at me. I've never had any restaurant I've been to and I've been to some nice restaurants and shook hands with some fairly nice people been subjected to raised voices at fine dining. To that point they advertise themselves as the best steakhouse in Orange county and I think they're only better than average. I would way rather eat at mastros (and others). The experience put a damper on our evening we did not stay any longer. We left the restaurant. And for some people who may be thinking there was a long line waiting for our table the waiting room was empty. I don't know why we were asked to leave when there was two empty tables next to us. And from what we could tell nobody waiting. I won't be back, ever! Mastro's has better steak, better food and frankly better music.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Evan S.
Just wanted to leave a quick review since the food was off tonight. I'm a regular here and food is usually great. All 4 of us agreed the food was saltier than normal and with some of the items was close to inedible. Other than that food is usually great!
The service started off ok. Food was quick to come out. Shrimp cocktail was extremely over cooked. Steak was ordered med/rare but came at a solid medium. By the time someone came to ask if our food was ok, our entire party was done with dinner. So we didn't have time to ask for a new steak. Out fish dish was undercooked, when asked if we wanted a box we said No thank you the dish wasn't tastey. Server says, ok and took the FULL dish away. No further asking if they could bring us someone else or give a discount. Absolutely will not return. Will write a yelp & Google review! Don't waste your time and money!!
Haven't been to LA Cave in ages. It doesn't change, consistently good with the "trolley" delicious steak and their famous twice baked potato. Awesome atmosphere and service. A long time favorite in Newport Beach.
AstridC
Steaks were excellent cooked perfectly, salad was very good, clam chowder my husband said was one of the best, garlic bread and double stuffed potatoes included in the meal was delicious. Only complaint was the noise, you could not have a conversation at the table. Our waitress had to shout to be heard, it did finally quiet down when people started eating next to us. If the food had not been so good I would have walked out. I have eaten here a few years ago and did not have this problem, hopefully it was just a Saturday night with multiple loud mouth people who will not be there at the same time again. I am marking I would recommend this restaurant since the food and service is so good but would mention it is not a restaurant where you could enjoy a glass of wine and have a pleasant conversation.
Mike R.
Some things to consider. They claim they are THE steakhouse in the OC! BUT they do not serve prime steaks. They are all choice but charge like they are prime steaks like $63.95 for a 16 ounce Ribeye. The steak was good but no better than buying at Vons or Ralphs. The cheese bread was okay at best. The mushrooms are 17.95 for a side order. WOW and all this with NO printed pricing which in this day and age is terrible and abusive to customers and they do NOT offer to tell you the price when you order. Also interesting the waitress did not offer the baked potato to us. I asked why and she said that you can make those at home and I asked her so can you make mashed potatoes and rice? What really happened is she forgot to mention and just made up a lame excuse. if I had not asked, my girlfriend who loves baked potatoes would have gotten the twice baked and would have never known that she could have had a baked Potatoe, the service was good and they were attentive but the other factors, quality of food and price mean GO somewhere else for better steaks and value. OH they advertise "only the best cuts of steaks" That is a bit deceptive yes filet and rib eye is a best cut of steak but not being prime makes it a very average best cut of steak. The waitress when asked told me they are NOT prime cuts of meat they only sell choice.
james d.
I'm going to have a stern talk with the guy who recommended this place. Most people know that the menus do not have prices so you have to ask the server, which is annoying. Then when you get the bill, the prices are really annoying. Very high prices for mediocre food. On the plus side the hostess and wait staff (waitress, bussers) were very friendly and knowledgeable. Even though you'll get bumped by them frequently as there is little room to maneuver in the limited space they cram in tables. On the negative side, beside the ridiculously high prices, the food was not worth it. I had the prime rib which was a Saturday night special. I had trouble cutting it with a steak knife and I would have had trouble cutting it with a Skil saw. My GF had the lobster, and it was rubbery and chewy and over cooked. It was so loud in there that you could not hear the person on the opposite side of the table. Not a fun experience.
Mark C.
6 of us went to La Cave last night, sat in the back room for music and we were not disappointed. Service, as always, was on point. No finished plate stayed on the table longer than a minute. Food and drinks were ordered and served quickly. Steaks were cooked to perfection and the entertainment was spectacular. If you haven't tried it, why not? It's been here since 1962. Quite the iconic place!
First off don't let these reviews fool you! I hadn't been here since 1987 for my prom. Wanted to treat my boyfriend for his bday. Sure there's feelings, Morton's etc. But those are chains. The Service was impeccable. Le Cave is known for their martini's I'm advised. Now I know why, Cosmo was perfect When you order they take your order & proceed to bring the cart around so you know exactly what your ordering. Portions are big! And well under what Morton's would charge. I ordered the filet, my boyfriend ribeye w/half lobster tail. Which looked almost like a whole one. They don't rush you even as the crowds roll in. It's a very quaint restaurant and is the same as it opened in 1962 on Valentine's Day. My boyfriend was given the fluffiest cheese cake for his bday! I love it here! May go back to chill at the bar soon...
Very old school red leather booths Dimly lit small dining area. Area where music is preformed has bar and some additional seating. The girls ordered NY steaks med rare both came well done ny friend ordered Filet mignon med and came well done I had the rib med rare came well done too. No prices on the menu unless you are ordering off bar menu. Service was good. Really was looking forward to a nice Steak & potato meal this is not that place. We won't be back.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: New York Steak 11 Oz Medium Rare & Twice Baked Potato, Cheesecake, Petite Filet Mignon with Twice Baked Potato and Crab Tail, Ceasar Salad
4th the 5th time here. Have never said "can't wait to go back". A great steak/seafood restaurant should be exceptional and it never has been. Salad was overdressed / teriyaki sauce plated under the rice was over salted. Drink was a measured pour and not a drop more. But the real crime was a medium rare steak served almost medium well. To be fair I didn't send it back and believe they would have remade it. Shouldn't have to though... Other restaurant choices for this kind of meal, with consistency and a great product. Bummer!
I waited two weeks to decide to post this negative review...and I've decided it's worth sharing if for no other reason than in the hopes the restaurant gets their act together. But then also a cautionary tale to other diners. 2 weeks ago my wife and I along with another couple made a reservation in the music room. We purposefully got there ahead of the music asking what time it started and being told that the singer starts at 6:30. We wanted to get there early so that we had a chance to have a conversation over dinner. One member in our party in particular was excited about the live music and we made a point to ask the reservation line and the hostess about when the music started so that we had planned everything accordingly. Before I go any further I want to make mention that by the time we paid tip our bill was just over $500. I say this because when you spend $500 for 4 diners at a table there's a certain level of Elegance and courtesy that is expected. The music didn't start at 6:30 it didn't even start at 7:30 it started at nearly 8:00. The singer was there at 6:30 setting up his gear and doing singer things.... but we were not given great information or we would have made our reservation later So we waited and ordered drinks and had dinner and waited more and as the second song was playing the manager came to our table and she told us that we were invited to move to the bar to listen to music and free up the table. When I asked a question about how long we had....or if we could listen to a couple of songs, the manager even raised her voice at me. I've never had any restaurant.... I've been to and I've been to some nice restaurants and not so nice restaurants.... been subjected to raised voices in fine dining. Especially something as trivial as 5 more minutes at a table where I just dropped $500. To that point they advertise themselves as the best steakhouse in Orange county and I think they're only better than average. I would WAYrather eat at mastros (and others). The experience put a damper on our evening we did not stay any longer. We left the restaurant. And for some people who may be thinking there was a long line waiting for our table...the waiting room was empty. I don't know why we were asked to leave when there was two empty tables next to us. And from what we could tell nobody waiting. I won't be back, ever! Mastro's has better steak, better food and frankly better music.
Wayyyy too overpriced. Plus they don't put the price on the menu. 140$ for 4 crab legs ?! 46$ for swordfish and a potato?!? Y'all tripping. Serving outback dinners for Michelin star price. Save your money.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
We have been to La Cave several times and have been fortunate to have found this gem! They treat their employees good and it shows! Food is delicious, large portions, music, ambiance great. We have had Malcolm the most polite attentive team member waiter. He is sharp and knowledgeable. The manager Laura, is such a lovely person, she brings the restaurant going and an asset to la Cave. La Cave is a fun romantic date place and highly recommend going there!
We enjoyed our steaks cooked as ordered. But the noise was unbearable! Drunk loud people at the bar. One woman in particular was yelling the whole time we were there. We noticed some people left. Having a bar and quiet dining room in same room with low ceilings does NOT work! So disappointing.
I waited two weeks to decide to post this negative review...and I've decided it's worth sharing if for no other reason than in the hopes the restaurant gets their act together. But then also a cautionary tale to other diners.2 weeks ago my wife and I along with another couple made a reservation in the music room. We purposefully got there ahead of the music asking what time it started and being told that the singer starts at 6:30. We wanted to get there early so that we had a chance to have a conversation over dinner. One member in our party in particular was excited about the live music and we made a point to ask the reservation line and the hostess about when the music started so that we had planned everything accordingly.Before I go any further I want to make mention that by the time we paid tip our bill was just over $500. I say this because when you spend $500 for 4 diners at a table there's a certain level of Elegance and courtesy that is expected.The music didn't start at 6:30 it didn't even start at 7:30 it started at nearly 8:00. The singer was there at 6:30 setting up his gear and doing singer things.... but we were not given great information or we would have made our reservation laterSo we waited and ordered drinks and had dinner and waited more and as the second song was playing the manager came to our table and she told us that we were invited to move to the bar to listen to music and free up the table. When I asked a question about how long we had....ornif we could listen to a couple of songs, the manager even raised her voice at me. I've never had any restaurant I've been to and I've been to some nice restaurants and shook hands with some fairly nice people been subjected to raised voices at fine dining. To that point they advertise themselves as the best steakhouse in Orange county and I think they're only better than average. I would way rather eat at mastros (and others). The experience put a damper on our evening we did not stay any longer. We left the restaurant. And for some people who may be thinking there was a long line waiting for our table the waiting room was empty. I don't know why we were asked to leave when there was two empty tables next to us. And from what we could tell nobody waiting. I won't be back, ever! Mastro's has better steak, better food and frankly better music.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Just wanted to leave a quick review since the food was off tonight. I'm a regular here and food is usually great. All 4 of us agreed the food was saltier than normal and with some of the items was close to inedible. Other than that food is usually great!
The service started off ok. Food was quick to come out. Shrimp cocktail was extremely over cooked. Steak was ordered med/rare but came at a solid medium. By the time someone came to ask if our food was ok, our entire party was done with dinner. So we didn't have time to ask for a new steak. Out fish dish was undercooked, when asked if we wanted a box we said No thank you the dish wasn't tastey. Server says, ok and took the FULL dish away. No further asking if they could bring us someone else or give a discount. Absolutely will not return. Will write a yelp & Google review! Don't waste your time and money!!
Restaurantji Recommends
Haven't been to LA Cave in ages. It doesn't change, consistently good with the "trolley" delicious steak and their famous twice baked potato. Awesome atmosphere and service. A long time favorite in Newport Beach.
Steaks were excellent cooked perfectly, salad was very good, clam chowder my husband said was one of the best, garlic bread and double stuffed potatoes included in the meal was delicious. Only complaint was the noise, you could not have a conversation at the table. Our waitress had to shout to be heard, it did finally quiet down when people started eating next to us. If the food had not been so good I would have walked out. I have eaten here a few years ago and did not have this problem, hopefully it was just a Saturday night with multiple loud mouth people who will not be there at the same time again. I am marking I would recommend this restaurant since the food and service is so good but would mention it is not a restaurant where you could enjoy a glass of wine and have a pleasant conversation.
Some things to consider. They claim they are THE steakhouse in the OC! BUT they do not serve prime steaks. They are all choice but charge like they are prime steaks like $63.95 for a 16 ounce Ribeye. The steak was good but no better than buying at Vons or Ralphs. The cheese bread was okay at best. The mushrooms are 17.95 for a side order. WOW and all this with NO printed pricing which in this day and age is terrible and abusive to customers and they do NOT offer to tell you the price when you order. Also interesting the waitress did not offer the baked potato to us. I asked why and she said that you can make those at home and I asked her so can you make mashed potatoes and rice? What really happened is she forgot to mention and just made up a lame excuse. if I had not asked, my girlfriend who loves baked potatoes would have gotten the twice baked and would have never known that she could have had a baked Potatoe, the service was good and they were attentive but the other factors, quality of food and price mean GO somewhere else for better steaks and value. OH they advertise "only the best cuts of steaks" That is a bit deceptive yes filet and rib eye is a best cut of steak but not being prime makes it a very average best cut of steak. The waitress when asked told me they are NOT prime cuts of meat they only sell choice.
I'm going to have a stern talk with the guy who recommended this place. Most people know that the menus do not have prices so you have to ask the server, which is annoying. Then when you get the bill, the prices are really annoying. Very high prices for mediocre food. On the plus side the hostess and wait staff (waitress, bussers) were very friendly and knowledgeable. Even though you'll get bumped by them frequently as there is little room to maneuver in the limited space they cram in tables. On the negative side, beside the ridiculously high prices, the food was not worth it. I had the prime rib which was a Saturday night special. I had trouble cutting it with a steak knife and I would have had trouble cutting it with a Skil saw. My GF had the lobster, and it was rubbery and chewy and over cooked. It was so loud in there that you could not hear the person on the opposite side of the table. Not a fun experience.
6 of us went to La Cave last night, sat in the back room for music and we were not disappointed. Service, as always, was on point. No finished plate stayed on the table longer than a minute. Food and drinks were ordered and served quickly. Steaks were cooked to perfection and the entertainment was spectacular. If you haven't tried it, why not? It's been here since 1962. Quite the iconic place!