I was invited to a baby shower scheduled for today. The invitations were sent out at least a month ago. Last night the host got an email, not a phone call, cancelling their reservation. The restaurant was going to be closed. I get it, things happen. But courtesy would dictate a phone call and explanation. There was nothing! Luckily, the Irvine Grill is in the same location. They saved the day! We had a great time. Their food was delicious and plentiful. The staff was gracious considering short notice. I will never go to Two Left Forks again. But the Irvine Grill has a new loyal patron.
Stacie H.
It wasn't good, it wasn't bad. overall, it was very easy to make a reservation and we didn't even need one, even on a Saturday night. The wait staff was not great; they were slow, inattentive, and everything seemed to take a long time. The food was pretty good overall and came out in a timely manner. The ambience was enjoyable on their patio. All in all, it was quiet, understaffed, slow, and there were not two left forks given out. We had to ask for our check... MEH.
Lauren M.
The lamb chops are to die for. Also, the short rib is ridiculously good. Great cocktails as well.
Jon C.
Just not good. Trying to be a little posh in its decor, food and drinks, and honestly none are very good. I got an old fashioned that tasted like burnt rubber, Bathroom door is paper thin, decorations seem nice until you look closer. Food just isn't good, ceviche is just silly, how do you make bad ceviche? It's an excellent location but typical Irvine restaurant that doesn't REALLY care about food or providing a top tier experience... not sure why there are so many of these in town. Sorry for the bad review guys, I don't mean to be rude, I'm just being honest.
Linda B.
Love this place! Quality food, great service and location. Nice to have a friendly place to grab food and cocktails. Not many bars around so nice to have a "local establishment" to go to and always feel welcomed. Our favorite bartender is Kristina. She makes the best drinks and most friendly services. My husband swears she has the best Manhattans! She's one of the many reasons we always come back! Atmosphere: casual/business casual Reservations: weekends recommended Service: great service esp Kristina the bartender Ambiance: Modern, upscale Parking: plenty! Tips: Happy Hour starts at 4-6pm! Great drink and food deals! Cravers: chicken piccata , manhattans (by Kristina), donuts for dessert, beef sliders
Sheena P.
Went to Two Left Forks for dinner on Friday 05/05. I had a reservation for 6pm for two people. Friday night non-holiday - Pretty empty and didn't really need the reservation Service - We had a really good server and he was attentive to our needs. Food - Overall, the food turned out okay. Top of the list are the appetizers and the dessert special. The carrot cake we had was delicious. The main dishes were not my favorites. Pan Seared scallops - the scallops were good but the rice/ side it came with wasn't a good pairing. 6.5/10 My friend tried the ravioli so I can't say anything about it. She said it was good but not wow. 7/10 Cocktails: I got the honey thyme martini. I'd give it a 7.5/10 taste wise. Will I come back? Yes, I want to try their lunch menu to get the full experience from the restaurant. I'll pass on dinner, however.
Adrienne H.
Took my mom here for an early Mothers Day dinner on Saturday, 05/07 and really wish now we had just stayed away. Our server, who turned out to also be the manager was immensely rude and clearly has no idea what customer service is. We chose an early time for dinner (5PM) because my parents are immunocompromised and we asked to sit outside for that reason. After learning there was a happy hour taking place, we simply asked if it would be possible to have that menu at our patio table. To which, we were met with extreme rudeness and what can only be described as impatient disdain. Our server/restaurant manager literally huffed and puffed and sighed so hard you would have thought I asked her if she could spoon feed me my dinner. Then she just simply didn't return to our table. We left at this point. My parents in a state of shock and my other family members pretty upset. On the way out, my brother ran into our server and told her that she had ruined our Mothers Day dinner with her inappropriate behavior to which she answered with "And? I have a job to do". Unbelievable. I'm still in shock writing about it 2 days later. This place has okay food. But it's definitely not good enough to support or enable behavior like that.
Jerica R.
Sucks to have to write this on Mother's Day but that's how terrible it was. I wanted to love it with so many positive reviews but from start to finish it was bad. They might be understaffed so that could be it but on Mother's Day of all days I think they should've been a little more prepared. We had reservations for 12pm. When we got there there was no host at the front but a server. He checked us in and we waited about 5 minutes. We sat down and 5 mins later he took our drink order. We got our drinks and then ordered our food and apps at the same time. We waited for over an hour to get our food. A lot of people in there were also visibly upset about waiting for their food. One family with a small baby even confronted the manager and left. The server was polite but he never really updated us about when our food would be coming and the manager never walked around and apologized. When we got our food, it was cold! The food was mediocre and we didn't finish eating it. Spent $130 for 3 people. There wasn't a discount applied or anything. We should've complained. Wouldn't waste my time going back
Mike N.
I goofed and forgot it was Mother's Day weekend and that people like to celebrate the Hallmark day starting on Saturday. I'm not sure if it was due to the pandemic, but they are severely understaffed by the looks of it. Place needs to be renamed to Two Left Feet by the way it's being run. Food took forever and lets be realistic, it's okay but pretty American food if you know what I mean. Nothing too special.
Angela C.
Overpriced, mediocre food. You know it's bad when you think, "I can make it much better at home". My review isn't even considering the 45 minutes it took for us to get our food. The 2 stars is just for the quality of food for the price of food. Not worth it at all. $20 for a breakfast burrito $22 for the carnitas chilaquiles $25 for the steak & eggs Take a look at the pictures I posted and you'll see how these entrees were absolutely not worth the prices they charged.
I wanted to love this place. I give it a 3.5 but rounding to a 4. Pros: No one was there. I went for happy hour at 5pm and was literally the only table. Specialty cocktails. Delicious! Service. Assuming that this is because we were the only ones there but assuming service is always good. Happy Hour. Not many options for restaurants with happy hour in the area. Food came out fast. Again, probably because it was empty. Cons: Food was fine. I'd rather go for just drinks. Happy hour discounts were weak. There wasn't any discounts to their specialty drinks which ranged from $17-20/ea. Although the drinks were amazing, $20 for a restaurant drink is ridiculous. Starters were $3 off, $8 well drinks, $3 off wine. The vibe. It was a pretty boring ambiance. No music or anything exciting... which also makes it hard to pay $20 for a drink. Overall, I'd try going again in hopes the place has a better, exciting vibe and more people to liven up the restaurant.
Terri A.
I'm back with my husband for his birthday dinner. Still love this place and love that it looks the same as pre-pandemic. I am a vegan now and am thrilled that out of 8 entrees two are vegan! I'm also gluten free and there are several options for that diet restriction. This is a great place for an office party or a big family gathering. You can eat inside or outside and I'm certain you will love the food, ambiance and servers. Try it!
Amina K.
We had a lovely dining experience at this restaurant but were slightly disappointed in the quality of our main entrees. The lamb appetizer was excellent and ended up being our favorite dish. The filet Mignon was slightly chewer than it should be but the red wine reduction it was served with was executed to perfection. The pan seared halibuts texture was more dry and not flaky. Overall, we enjoyed our dining experience and the ambiance.
DominatorDom
I've become more attuned to how restaurants prepare meals. I look for genuinely good tasting ingredients that are fresh and healthy. All I could taste in the food I ordered at Two Left Forks was salt. Some folks find salt savory, but I find salty prepared meals very disappointing . Maybe its me, but I prefer to taste the the natural flavor of food on my plate. I understand its an American obsession, but in recent years I've tried to find restaurants that refrain from disguising they dishes with lots of sodium. That said, I didn't eat my meal but rather just paid the bill. In all fairness, my first order was kindly switched, however the replacement was equally loaded with salt. I didn't want to complain so I just decided to forego my meal. Two Left Forks might be a good restaurant, but at least for now I'll keep searching.
Carla E.
Brunch review 3/5: 25 min wait after reservations. The service was mediocre, the French onion soup was good a little less cheese than I usually prefer and a lot of pepper made it a bit spicy but it was good. The Parmesan fries were also tasty. I was not a fan of the Chinese chicken salad, the chicken was super dry and the dressing was mediocre. The dressing tasted tangy and sweet. Not a huge fan of the chilaquiles, the salsa was good but it was just nothing special. The brussels sprouts were actually done very well. The lava cake was good but not great. Outdoor patio area was nice, dogs welcomed. Service was 3/5. Would not go back.
I was invited to a baby shower scheduled for today. The invitations were sent out at least a month ago. Last night the host got an email, not a phone call, cancelling their reservation. The restaurant was going to be closed. I get it, things happen. But courtesy would dictate a phone call and explanation. There was nothing! Luckily, the Irvine Grill is in the same location. They saved the day! We had a great time. Their food was delicious and plentiful. The staff was gracious considering short notice. I will never go to Two Left Forks again. But the Irvine Grill has a new loyal patron.
It wasn't good, it wasn't bad. overall, it was very easy to make a reservation and we didn't even need one, even on a Saturday night. The wait staff was not great; they were slow, inattentive, and everything seemed to take a long time. The food was pretty good overall and came out in a timely manner. The ambience was enjoyable on their patio. All in all, it was quiet, understaffed, slow, and there were not two left forks given out. We had to ask for our check... MEH.
The lamb chops are to die for. Also, the short rib is ridiculously good. Great cocktails as well.
Just not good. Trying to be a little posh in its decor, food and drinks, and honestly none are very good. I got an old fashioned that tasted like burnt rubber, Bathroom door is paper thin, decorations seem nice until you look closer. Food just isn't good, ceviche is just silly, how do you make bad ceviche? It's an excellent location but typical Irvine restaurant that doesn't REALLY care about food or providing a top tier experience... not sure why there are so many of these in town. Sorry for the bad review guys, I don't mean to be rude, I'm just being honest.
Love this place! Quality food, great service and location. Nice to have a friendly place to grab food and cocktails. Not many bars around so nice to have a "local establishment" to go to and always feel welcomed. Our favorite bartender is Kristina. She makes the best drinks and most friendly services. My husband swears she has the best Manhattans! She's one of the many reasons we always come back! Atmosphere: casual/business casual Reservations: weekends recommended Service: great service esp Kristina the bartender Ambiance: Modern, upscale Parking: plenty! Tips: Happy Hour starts at 4-6pm! Great drink and food deals! Cravers: chicken piccata , manhattans (by Kristina), donuts for dessert, beef sliders
Went to Two Left Forks for dinner on Friday 05/05. I had a reservation for 6pm for two people. Friday night non-holiday - Pretty empty and didn't really need the reservation Service - We had a really good server and he was attentive to our needs. Food - Overall, the food turned out okay. Top of the list are the appetizers and the dessert special. The carrot cake we had was delicious. The main dishes were not my favorites. Pan Seared scallops - the scallops were good but the rice/ side it came with wasn't a good pairing. 6.5/10 My friend tried the ravioli so I can't say anything about it. She said it was good but not wow. 7/10 Cocktails: I got the honey thyme martini. I'd give it a 7.5/10 taste wise. Will I come back? Yes, I want to try their lunch menu to get the full experience from the restaurant. I'll pass on dinner, however.
Took my mom here for an early Mothers Day dinner on Saturday, 05/07 and really wish now we had just stayed away. Our server, who turned out to also be the manager was immensely rude and clearly has no idea what customer service is. We chose an early time for dinner (5PM) because my parents are immunocompromised and we asked to sit outside for that reason. After learning there was a happy hour taking place, we simply asked if it would be possible to have that menu at our patio table. To which, we were met with extreme rudeness and what can only be described as impatient disdain. Our server/restaurant manager literally huffed and puffed and sighed so hard you would have thought I asked her if she could spoon feed me my dinner. Then she just simply didn't return to our table. We left at this point. My parents in a state of shock and my other family members pretty upset. On the way out, my brother ran into our server and told her that she had ruined our Mothers Day dinner with her inappropriate behavior to which she answered with "And? I have a job to do". Unbelievable. I'm still in shock writing about it 2 days later. This place has okay food. But it's definitely not good enough to support or enable behavior like that.
Sucks to have to write this on Mother's Day but that's how terrible it was. I wanted to love it with so many positive reviews but from start to finish it was bad. They might be understaffed so that could be it but on Mother's Day of all days I think they should've been a little more prepared. We had reservations for 12pm. When we got there there was no host at the front but a server. He checked us in and we waited about 5 minutes. We sat down and 5 mins later he took our drink order. We got our drinks and then ordered our food and apps at the same time. We waited for over an hour to get our food. A lot of people in there were also visibly upset about waiting for their food. One family with a small baby even confronted the manager and left. The server was polite but he never really updated us about when our food would be coming and the manager never walked around and apologized. When we got our food, it was cold! The food was mediocre and we didn't finish eating it. Spent $130 for 3 people. There wasn't a discount applied or anything. We should've complained. Wouldn't waste my time going back
I goofed and forgot it was Mother's Day weekend and that people like to celebrate the Hallmark day starting on Saturday. I'm not sure if it was due to the pandemic, but they are severely understaffed by the looks of it. Place needs to be renamed to Two Left Feet by the way it's being run. Food took forever and lets be realistic, it's okay but pretty American food if you know what I mean. Nothing too special.
Overpriced, mediocre food. You know it's bad when you think, "I can make it much better at home". My review isn't even considering the 45 minutes it took for us to get our food. The 2 stars is just for the quality of food for the price of food. Not worth it at all. $20 for a breakfast burrito $22 for the carnitas chilaquiles $25 for the steak & eggs Take a look at the pictures I posted and you'll see how these entrees were absolutely not worth the prices they charged.
Restaurantji Recommends
I wanted to love this place. I give it a 3.5 but rounding to a 4. Pros: No one was there. I went for happy hour at 5pm and was literally the only table. Specialty cocktails. Delicious! Service. Assuming that this is because we were the only ones there but assuming service is always good. Happy Hour. Not many options for restaurants with happy hour in the area. Food came out fast. Again, probably because it was empty. Cons: Food was fine. I'd rather go for just drinks. Happy hour discounts were weak. There wasn't any discounts to their specialty drinks which ranged from $17-20/ea. Although the drinks were amazing, $20 for a restaurant drink is ridiculous. Starters were $3 off, $8 well drinks, $3 off wine. The vibe. It was a pretty boring ambiance. No music or anything exciting... which also makes it hard to pay $20 for a drink. Overall, I'd try going again in hopes the place has a better, exciting vibe and more people to liven up the restaurant.
I'm back with my husband for his birthday dinner. Still love this place and love that it looks the same as pre-pandemic. I am a vegan now and am thrilled that out of 8 entrees two are vegan! I'm also gluten free and there are several options for that diet restriction. This is a great place for an office party or a big family gathering. You can eat inside or outside and I'm certain you will love the food, ambiance and servers. Try it!
We had a lovely dining experience at this restaurant but were slightly disappointed in the quality of our main entrees. The lamb appetizer was excellent and ended up being our favorite dish. The filet Mignon was slightly chewer than it should be but the red wine reduction it was served with was executed to perfection. The pan seared halibuts texture was more dry and not flaky. Overall, we enjoyed our dining experience and the ambiance.
I've become more attuned to how restaurants prepare meals. I look for genuinely good tasting ingredients that are fresh and healthy. All I could taste in the food I ordered at Two Left Forks was salt. Some folks find salt savory, but I find salty prepared meals very disappointing . Maybe its me, but I prefer to taste the the natural flavor of food on my plate. I understand its an American obsession, but in recent years I've tried to find restaurants that refrain from disguising they dishes with lots of sodium. That said, I didn't eat my meal but rather just paid the bill. In all fairness, my first order was kindly switched, however the replacement was equally loaded with salt. I didn't want to complain so I just decided to forego my meal. Two Left Forks might be a good restaurant, but at least for now I'll keep searching.
Brunch review 3/5: 25 min wait after reservations. The service was mediocre, the French onion soup was good a little less cheese than I usually prefer and a lot of pepper made it a bit spicy but it was good. The Parmesan fries were also tasty. I was not a fan of the Chinese chicken salad, the chicken was super dry and the dressing was mediocre. The dressing tasted tangy and sweet. Not a huge fan of the chilaquiles, the salsa was good but it was just nothing special. The brussels sprouts were actually done very well. The lava cake was good but not great. Outdoor patio area was nice, dogs welcomed. Service was 3/5. Would not go back.