New American Restaurants near Dana Point, CA

“Great food, service and atmosphere.“

“There’s no place like Jack’s in Dana Point! The service, the food, the atmosphere is unmatched! I know there’s so many new places popping up here but Jack’s is tried and true. Still here after all these years - and there’s a reason why!“

“Great atmosphere with great service. Loved how an entire team look out for you from the greeting to the end.“

“I like stopping there on bike rides“

“The ultimate post-beach brunch spot in Dana Point—and amazing service!
If you haven’t checked out What A Dish yet, you are seriously missing out! It’s tucked right by the harbor area on Golden Lantern, making it the perfect casual spot to pop into.
The outdoor patio has such a cozy, welcoming vibe, but what really set our visit apart was the service—Tasia took such incredible care of us! She was warm, attentive, and super friendly from the moment we sat down, giving great recommendations and making sure we had everything we needed without ever feeling rushed.
We had the Chilaquiles and the Avocado Toast paired with iced lattes, and every bite was fresh, full of flavor, and clearly made with high-quality ingredients. Plus, the patio is super dog-friendly, complete with water bowls for pups!
Don't leave without grabbing a treat from their bakery case on the way out, either. Big thanks to Tasia and the team for such a stellar experience—we’ll definitely be making this a regular habit!“

“I’ve never had a bad meal at the Craft House. Every single thing I’ve ordered was delicious. Kate & Nate are the very best and make dining there so fun!!! I could eat there every day!!!!“

“Food is excellent, pool games are legit. Good times by all“

“We needed something quick while we were out and wanted something that would leave us feeling good - found Urban Plates and it exceeded what we were looking for! My grass-fed steak was tender and juicy, the mac n cheese was comforting and delicious, and the side of beets paired well with the goat cheese. My husband enjoyed his crispy chicken sandwich and fries. I love the variety of food offered at Urban Plates and knowing my body is getting high quality nutrients while enjoying something delicious!

They also offer a membership discount - worth it if you live nearby and frequent this place!“

“Fine dining, excellent service, amazing food“

“Súper recomendado muy sabroso 😋 y muy amables todos 💕🙏“

“SARAH IS THE BEST IS THE WEST. after we got kick out of goodies. bc they thought our nevada id was fake (which btw turned out to be real bc we called the police and they scan it) sarah listened it our sob story even thought she didn’t have to. and everyone was so kind and accommodating. this place is a greatness for a chill vibe, if you’re looking to turn up. it’s not really the spot but to chill and drink and again have a chill cool night it’s totally fine. it would be cooler if they just offer a touch tunes to kinda set the vibe of the people
coming in. but again SARAH WAS THE BEST request her. <3“

“We were visiting friends in San Clemente and had dinner at Vine Restaurant & Bar. The service was outstanding and the food was delish. Great experience“

“UPDATE: I have raised to 4 stars because the service has slowly improved over the last few months. Thank you for taking note of customer input and acting on it. As of now 11Aug22, solid service, good food. Taco Tuesday is great. I will continue my regular visits and hope to give 5 stars soon.Old: The last several times we have been to TJ's we have had no service. We are coming off the course hot and thirsty, we seat ourselves and no one comes by for 15-20 mins. No water, no welcome, nothing. If you can get served the food is solid. We have enjoyed breakfast here before and it was really good. When its 90 degrees and golfers are coming off a round on the course, offer them some water would ya? I HATE giving low reviews, but until this situation is fixed it will stay this way.Edit: The director of food and drink responded almost immediately so I raised my review by a star (From 2 to 3). I will go back sometime in the next couple weeks (Anonymously of course), if the problems have been resolved, I will edit this review further.“

“The food was amazing! Delicious focaccia with marinara to start, then amazing short rib ravioli, and finally a delicious Margherita pizza. The dough is excellent! Nice and thin- chewy edges full of light air bubbles! Excellent wine choices and our server was very helpful with her suggestions!“

“Had a wonderful evening out with my wife at Ironwood Cellars in Laguna Hills. We had reservations for 5:30 p.m. and arrived early. We were greeted by Joe, the manager on duty, who was very kind, professional, and welcoming. Art was our server and is amazingly gifted in customer service professionalism and overall people skills. Yes, showing the love. We started with tequilla drinks from the bar, and we each had a wedge salad. Joe sent us over a wonderful Agnolotti appetizer as well, which was more than kind. The ambiance was positive and upbeat, perfect for the evening. Sergio was also quite attentive in making sure our table was serviced properly. We ordered our entrees with my wife having the halibut dinner, and I had the famous giant meatball dish. Both meals were hot & tasty and presented well. We had a terrific time, and Art surprised us with a complimentary dessert 🍨 with berries. The restaurant is so nice and offers an outdoor patio and bar seating as well. The wine list is extensive, as are the craft beers. Highly recommended.“

“great NY vibe with good food“

“Each dish is spectacular. Love the calamari ….can be an appetizer to share or eat on your own with a salad. 230:Forest Avenue never disappoints!!!“

“The perfect sandwich place if you're visiting loved ones at the hospital, shopping nearby or just passing through on the freeway. Fast, friendly and reasonably priced, the sandwiches are great! House made potato chips with a variety of unique spices or the Sea Salt was great!“

“Always great wine and food here!“

“Ok, so first up it was a bit pricey. But holy cow the burgers were all amazing, the place was clean, staff was wonderful. If you want ridiculously tasty burgers and don't mind paying for it... I'll give this place 5/5 stars for sure.“

“Loved their chocolate desert!“

“Excellent everything!!!!!“

“If you want a unique dining experience this is the place to go. The wait staff and servers they were all on point very attentive I never had to look around to look for anyone if I raised my head somebody was right at my table to find out what I needed or how they could serve me. Awesome awesome experience wonderful food. I will be back!“

“We recently had our wedding Rehearsal Dinner in the back room at Trevor’s. Rachel was great to work with in arranging all the details of our special event and the staff all did an awesome job ‘night of’. The food was delicious and our guests all had a great time. Highly recommend!“

“We had a business dinner at the Loft last night and sat outside on the terrace. The food was wonderful with beautiful presentations for everything. We especially liked the sea bass, the scallops, the citrus garden salad and the vegan version of the bolognese for our vegan guest. It was delicious! The service was incredible. The servers constantly anticipating our needs before we needed to ask for anything. It reminded me what it is like to dine at a very nice restaurant! Absolutely fantastic!“

“Fresh, tasty, great combination of flavors and options on both salads and sammies. The natural sodas are a nice touch. Gotta try a cookie!💛 Staff has been consistently courteous and responsive. I’ve been three times. I CRAVE their salads.“

“Great service, great food!!👏“

“I think the food is very good and love the atmosphere. My only gripe (been two times) is that the cocktails are weak. It’s like they follow some sort of exact liquor measurement. When you’re paying this for a cocktail, take a page from Nick’s or Mastro’s and be generous with the pours. My recommendation would be to just stick with beer or wine.“

“It was my first time here, and the food is delicious. Love the simple & quaint decor. Definitely will be back!“

“Our first visit to Bushfire Kitchen was a great experience. My burger was delicious, and the Thai Bowl was really good as well. We also ordered the sweet potato fries, which were probably the best I’ve ever had — perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, which is hard to pull off since sweet potatoes can get mushy so easily. We’ll definitely be adding this spot into our regular restaurant rotation.“

“Great food! Great vibe! Great time!“

“Didn't look like much from the outside, but inside is very nice. The couples tables tho, are way too close together and so cluttered. There isn't enough room for your plate and drink.....but....food was delicious!

I had the halibut with mango salsa. OMG.... Delicious!! My bf had the shrimp n pasta. He said it was very good but the halibut was better. You absolutely need to try the beet salad. So many flavors. For dessert we had the lemon cheesecake. It was mouth watering.

Service was too rushed. I got my beet salad and 4 min later I received my dinner plate.

Even though there were a few hiccups, we did have a pleasant evening and we'll be back.“

“Stumbled across this absolutely gem! The live music really sets the tone for a great evening, and the outdoor seating with the heaters makes a great ambiance. The food was delicious, and reasonably priced for the experience. Highly recommend this place for an evening filled with good food and live music!“

“Delicious 🥰familiale belle vague 🌊 beach 🏝️☀️“

“This place is so good I’ve literally come back to eat here four times after discovering it a month ago 😂 the portion sizes are so generous!! Not like some of these healthy places that leave me feeling hungry afterwards. Everything I’ve had is great but my favorite is the farmer’s market bowl“

“Googled a sports bar near me while in the Danny's parking lot. Mulligan's came up. My sister came from Del Mar my wife and I cane form Westminster. We kinda met in the middle. First walk in impression, dive bar. Pool tables, tvs and music. Bartender met us with a smile. Orders beers, wings ,mozzarella sticks, chicken wrap, ABC burger, and a BLT. Everything was simply perfect!!!!“

“good service food it's so delicious 😋 atmosphere everything is incredible“

“Great wines and knowledgable plus friendly staff!“

“You are paying for the quality of the food, and the atmosphere. My wife and I celebrated our first anniversary here, and it was a wonderful evening. The food was made with detail and care - the quality was evident in the taste.

Carson was our waiter, and he was very friendly and attentive.

The hostess was respectful and helped us with a great seat with the gorgeous view of the ocean. The sunset is a site to behold.“

“The Lumberyard located in beautiful downtown Laguna Beach is a great place to have lunch or dinner. There is a new $16 lunch menu and I decided to try the fish tacos. There was a choice between salmon or halibut for the tacos which included shredded cabbage with a pink cream sauce and a side of black bean and corn salad. I chose the halibut for my taco and it was cooked perfectly. It was a generous portion of fish in each of the tacos so it could easily be split with a friend. The service was excellent. Our orders were taken within about five minutes of sitting down and the food came out quickly after we ordered. I would recommend the Lumberyard if you are visiting Laguna Beach. You will need to have reservations during the Art Festivals or when there is a play at the Playhouse.“

“I use to go to RH with my family in the 70's. Atmosphere always transported us to Hawaii. They were famous for BB ribs, drinks, unique salad (with mayo dressing) and even served a bowl of crudite' with celery, salami, etc. every meal. I didn't like the modern re model, however, NOW THIS RE BUILD iS so cool! Just like the 1970's but better!! Dim lit and Hawaiian music set the mood. I was really anxious to try the ribs again. The service was GREAT appetizer excellent but, ribs, BAD! They were not edible. Hard and chewy, like beef jerky. I was so disappointed and all of our party ordered and received the same. I may try again but won't order ribs!!!“

“Great music venue! We had a blast playing here Mother's Day for Kim and her outstanding team. Thanks, Barnoa!“

“A newer brewer in town... yet supposedly started by a former brewmaster of a more established brewery...

Yet they're very quickly becoming one of my favorites in all of Southern California... I'll wholesale whatever I can for myself back to Mid-America whenever I'm in town...“

“When you taste them, you'll know he qualities they possess that you can't resist“

“Phenomenal experience every time! If you are not a member of the Rancho Capistrano wine club you are missing out!!!!“

“Wow! Super yum to say the least. It’s always great when the new local restaurant hits it out of the park! My wife & I started with the bacon & meatballs appetizer. She then had the fried green tomatoes & French onion soup while I had the ribeye. Delicious!“

“Good place to go to eat, even if you are not a golfer.
First visit, we sat inside, but there is a large outdoor dining area.
I had the Western BBQ Bacon Burger. It was good, plenty of bacon and tasty BBQ sauce. We also had the Butter Toffee Cake for dessert, very good.
Table service was a little lacking, but wouldn’t keep me from a second visit.
Prices are reasonable.
Recommended.“

“I have been to the Sessions in Newport beach a few times and I love everything about the place, great food, great service, and the owner greeted me personally! I would 100% recommend this place for a great family meal!“

“Breezy Experience #breezy #goodfood #filipinofusion #brunch #familybusiness“

“Great place to grab some good food and enjoy a cold beer with friends. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, making it a perfect spot to hang out, have a few drinks, and enjoy a casual meal together. Good food, good beer, and great vibes. Definitely worth checking out!“