50 Best Mediterranean Restaurants near Laguna Beach

“Literally a hole-in-the-wall, but with GREAT Mediterranean food. Limited seating with an ocean breeze. Pricey, but worth it!

Parking: Don't drive to this place. Make your plans to enjoy Laguna Beach on foot, parking in one of the paid garages, and walk to this place. It's worth it!“

“Great food Great atmosphere“

“Authentic Italian cuisine at its finest! The pasta dishes are homemade and divine. The service is top-notch and the staff is friendly. Can't wait to go back!“

“Always like coming here for a quick, fresh lunch while I’m working on UCI campus. I especially like the salads - falafel on a Mediterranean salad is delicious. Very friendly staff!“

“It was my first time to the restaurant and I was hesitating between different bowl options. Ellie, the staff at the counter, was very helpful and pointed out the burrata bowl option (I love burrata!) Feeling thankful already for the friendly service, I told her that I was ready to pay-- and then to my utter surprise, she told me that my meal was FREE and not to worry about it! My jaw dropped and I said-- no you don't have to do that!-- but she said it was her pleasure since it was my first time there. Wow! And the food was amazing too! Highly recommend!“

“PS this is in a shared restaurant called Healthy Bistro, and they both get a joint highest recommendation. I wish they were everywhere, instead of ff chains (that I do not patronize.

SO good. I had the eggplant special, but first I wanted to try something more adventurous. The spicy meatballs with marinara and sour cream (??) did not disappoint. The lentil soup... the (complimentary) baklava... salad, millet(?)... everything was superb.

Sorry to deduct for the atmosphere. I'm used to the country, I think. Actually, I'll put a star back, because the kitchen is all right in front of your face. They're not hiding.“

“The food was delicious and well presented. Service: flawless. Good prices, especially for Newport Beach. The indoor seating looked nice, but we sat outside, which was comfortable but a little loud from the busy but not quite visible road 30 yards away. Plenty of parking.“

“Exelent servís the food is exelent“

“This place is a hidden gem! The food is affordable and delicious with good portions. But what stood out the most was the staff, they’re very friendly. I accidentally ordered Tzatziki Salad when I meant Tabbouleh and they gave me a portion anyway. Just very kind family owned vibes here. Would definitely recommend!“

“I highly recommend that you stop to eat here whenever you can. Amazing five star food. Staff is amazing, welcoming and friendly and helpful. Amazingly clean restaurant too. You will not be disappointed unless you pass them by and don't stop in.“

“Great food! Great service! This is one of the best places for lunch in Irvine!“

“Best of the Best Bravo Avo Greek & Mediterranean Restaurant! Great food and Excellent service 👏❤️❤️👏 RECOMAND 🎂🎉🍨🎊“

“Great food! Great service! This is one of the best places for lunch in Irvine!“

“My dinner was excellent and the waitress’ service was outstanding“

“Fresh & Delicious !! I'm from out of town and picked the Right place ! 😃“

“Very good kebab wraps ( falafel or beef/lamb with salad. The garlic aioli was pretty delicious and tasty too. Staff are friendly and helpful.“

“I love coming to this location. My go to meal is the chicken and koobideh plate. Every time I order it it taste so good and fresh. Their service is great, they have a good attitude and the food is always ready pretty fast.“

“Very nice outdoor seating, great food, music. Nice place and close your o the surrounding neighborhoods!“

“Buen servicio de Alex 👍🏼 y la comida muy rica“

“The food quality here is outstanding! While the pricing is on the higher side, the generous portions and food quality make it well worth it. Easily some of the best Mediterranean food we’ve had in Orange County. We’ll definitely be ordering again!“

“Alright, Cava, you’ve done it again. I’m trying to watch what I eat, and you’re over here making it impossible with your ridiculously good food. Seriously, every single time I come here, I end up getting more than I planned because it all just looks and tastes too amazing to resist. The customizable bowls are my downfall – so fresh and flavorful!

And don’t even get me started on the staff. Always so friendly and helpful, even when there’s a huge line. They make the whole experience even better, which is dangerous for my diet. I swear, they must be trained to tempt people into ordering extra toppings.

Since it’s the closest location to me, Cava has become my go-to spot, which is both a blessing and a curse. My taste buds are happy, but my wallet and waistline? Not so much. I just wish they weren’t so good at what they do!“

“I Loved The Chicken Very Tasty & Yummy I Wish They Had More Locations Here In California“

“Healthy food that is actually very tasty! It is clean and the service friendly and professional.“

“Food was excellent! One of the best tasting lamb shank & baghali polo I've had, and I've had this dish at a lot of Persian restaurants. Although my meal didn't include it, but my friend's order included freshly baked naan-like bread. Highly recommend this casual eatery. They also offer family style food at a reasonable price. Perfect for those nights you want to serve a good healthy meal to your family, without having to spend hours in the kitchen.“

“This is the find of the decade! Virtually hidden on a tiny street adjacent to the Coast Highway, the eclectic, artistic interior is as welcoming as the attentive and super friendly staff. Indoor and outdoor dining options, comfy furniture, a hip buzzy adjacent bar lets you know immediately you are in for a uniquely Newport Beach experience that you won’t want to leave. But all of this is nothing compared to the cuisine. The wide variety of ostensibly Middle Eastern menu items are comprehensive to meet virtually any dietary needs from vegan to Ketovore, but the competency across the board is astounding!! Lentil soup, yellow veggie curry, kabob, steak Diane - everything shines on its own merit. I planned to have one of the divine sounding desserts but alas, the portions were so generous that we had to take a rain check. Here’s hoping for a downpour!“

“Nick the owner is a great guy and the staff are super friendly and nice. Food portions were big and fresh. Thanks again for everything coming back everytime we go back to Cali! 👍👍“

“Me encanta panini a mi familia y a mi por su puesto. Muy rico todo.“

“Better than Halal Guys. Yeah I said it. Go taste for yourselves.“

“The Kabob Shop never disappoints! The food is always fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Big shoutout to Rayna for her amazing customer service—she was super friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. Highly recommend!“

“Great Greek salads. Get the Chicken and fried pitas.“

“Great value to flavor ratio. We visited on a busy Saturday evening and service was a little spotty, but the food more than made up for it. We were first given some housemade naan with butter. From the dining hall you could see a staff rolling out the naan dough and placing them in an oven, so I was excited to try it. The naan was sweet and fresh, my own qualm is that when it cooled it became stiff very easily, and would have preferred a house special dipping sauce over the butter.

The portions are huge, so we ordered one appetizer and one entree which was the perfect amount for two people. This restaurant has really gotten the texture of meat right; both dishes stood out for the tenderness of the protein. The koobideh was juice and soft, and the lamb neck was completely fall off the bone. The appetizer had a great smoky flavor, and the heaven stew had a rich tomato base. I think one area of improvement for me might be the diversity of spices; the eggplant was a good dipping sauce but had a slightly too overpowering garlic flavor and the pepper and tomato could be flavored with condiments other than salt to add layers, and I would have preferred the stew to have a slightly thicker consistency to condense the flavor.“

“I Loved The Chicken Very Tasty & Yummy I Wish They Had More Locations Here In California“

“Al Fresco Dining at Aveo Table + Bar located at the Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point. Loved the 7 Curry Pancake and Local Fisherman's Halibut. They need to bring those Apple Fritter donuts on the menu!“

“Really love this restaurant! Last night was our second visit and every dish was excellent! The outstanding quality of the ingredients stands out in all of the preparations! We started with a peaches/burrata salad and it did not disappoint! Flavorful peaches, high quality burrata and beautiful greens! We had the mushroom risotto for the second time and...perfectly cooked and deep mushroom flavor! The tagliata was also perfectly cooked - al dente pasta in a rich and delicious sauce. And, the branzino (again second time) was over the top fabulous! Honestly a dish Lemon & Thyme does EXTREMELY well! The ambiance is absolutely lovely! Warm and comfortable and the service and staff could not be better! If you haven't been to Lemon & Thyme make a res and go! You won't be disappointed!

Dietary restrictions: Plenty of gluten free options!“

“It's a simple menu, but there is a ton of variety with food choices. This has become our go-to lunch place whenever we're in the mood for something healthy. The food is delicious, the prices are very reasonable, and the service is great. We often see the same staff every time we come and they are always attentive, friendly and professional.

SAJJ is especially great if you're vegan or vegetarian as it's way more than just a salad, there's so many options you can choose that you can have something different every time you come. I also like that you get a lentil soup with your meal too. Such a great added bonus.

The portions are generous, and I often get filled up. If you come during the peak lunch rush, expect to wait a little and you may not find a table. But the line moves quickly and there's plenty of public seating around the restaurant as well.

Signing up for the app got us occasional discounts so you may want to check that out, and we always return regularly, but especially when there's a promotion. Enjoy healthy eating!“

“I love the food and I highly recommend“

“Wow wow wow, my first time here, I had beef Soltani, it was the best Soltani i ever had, brave owner and staff“

“Best Tacos in Town! Love this place for tacos and burritos!“

“I really really wanted to give it five stars. I loved the vibe and most importantly how fresh the seafood was. The way the food was prepared shows that they take pride in doing their job. Our order had octopus and shrimp ceviche, which was full of juicy pieces of each generously served. We also asked if they served chips and guacamole, not on the menu but they happily and quickly made it and served with blue corn chips. For entree, my husband got Baja fish taco and I had spicy octopus and shrimp taco. The tacos were so well stuffed it was impossible to pick them up to eat. Our cup runneth over! LOL trust me, you don't need to order more than one taco. The portions are so generous, and the seafood is fresh and high quality. Service was friendly and speedy. Great people, great little business, I truly recommend everyone go support them. The only thing I take points off is the Baja fish taco was flavorless according to my husband. I didn't try it, but he really didn't like it. My food was excellent minus being over seasoned with salt and proportion of tortilla to meat. But all in all, good restaurant, should try.“

“Such a fun, colorful place to eat with many vegan options. We tried the Zesty and Earth Bowls. They substitute hummus for Tzatziki. Super fresh food, enjoyable atmosphere. Definitely going back. They promote Christianity on their signage and when I asked the server - says they are non denomination. Make sure to look at their website for the beautiful food pictures.“

“Small place cooking Mediterranean food which was both affordable and quite good in taste. Kind of fast food restaurant that you are pleased to discover.I personally recommend this pace.Quality of ingredients: 4*Taste: 5*Ambiance: 4*Service: 4*Price/quality ratio: 5*“

“Don’t like the fact they raised the prices, but the food is still the bomb though!“

“Food at this location is so dang good! I went in on Saturday the 9th of April around 3pm and I was amazed. I got the half chicken and half falafel pita and it was really good. My wife got a bowl with falafel as well and both of us were amazed at how fresh everything was. The cook made us fresh falafel and was very nice to us. The chicken was so good next time I am getting double chicken and falafel! My wife said the rice was very well made and that she enjoyed her bowl. Cava for the win!“

“Amazing food and the staff were so incredibly nice! I keep telling everyone about it. I’m coming BACK.“

“Best food I’ve had in a long time!!“

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

“Anybody near hoag Newport needs to go here. We started with the combination plate and the samosas, marinated olives and baba ganoush were the standouts of the plate. The dolmas were served warm and were cooked very well. I really like my beef koobideh kebab as it was so juicy and tender it fell apart. The interesting one was the Iskender kebab. The sauce was very fresh. Excited to go back“

“Great service and reasonable prices“

“Wonderful welcoming and friendly environment, excellent and authentic Turkish food, and they take the time to answer any questions. Highly recommended!“