Pelican Grill

We usually go for coffee or ice cream. The view is amazing. Service is always super friendly and not stuffy. Maybe one day we can go eat there.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Food was amazing, the waiter was super nice and constantly checking in to refill my water and make sure everything was good. View was very nice as well.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We celebrated Valentine’s Day and our anniversary at Pelican Grill in Newport Beach, and I want to start with what they did right. The food was excellent. Beautifully prepared, flavorful, and worthy of a special occasion. The service was equally impressive. Professional, attentive, and polished without being intrusive. It felt like a proper celebration dinner.

Yes, the pricing is on the higher end, and for pure portion-to-cost value it may lean steep, but for a special evening the overall experience still felt worth it.

Unfortunately, the night ended on a frustrating note that overshadowed an otherwise wonderful dinner.

When we arrived, we were informed that valet would be compensated for dining guests. What no one told us was that valet parking had apparently increased as of December 2025 to $50. The valet attendant initially indicated $25. When we retrieved the car, we were told the total charge was $50, with only $25 being compensated.

To charge $50 for valet — and then only partially comp it — when dinner for two exceeds $600 feels excessive and poorly communicated. At this level of hospitality, transparency should be standard. A surprise like that at the end of an anniversary dinner leaves a disappointing final impression.

The food and service at Pelican Grill were excellent. Truly. But a $50 valet fee, only half-offset after a $600+ dinner, is difficult to overlook. It may very well push us to consider alternatives in the future rather than return, regardless of how good the cuisine is.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 5

The whole experience was pretty disappointing. We had to stand in the lobby waiting 20+ minutes past our reservation time for a table, the demeanor of the seating team was a bit cold, the temperature on the outdoor patio was also cold, our server forgot to place the order for one of our dishes, and the food was ok but not great. I was hoping for better.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 3

Service: 1

Great lunch! Perfect for outdoor dining. Wait staff was very attentive and quality of the food was excellent.

We had a great experience at Pelican Grill. The short rib sandwich was flavorful and perfectly cooked, the truffle fries were crispy and delicious, and the espresso was smooth and well made. Everything came out fresh and well presented. The atmosphere was relaxed and enjoyable, making it a perfect spot to sit back and enjoy a meal. We truly enjoyed our time here and would definitely come back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I brought my own flowers for the table. They could use better centerpiece. It really doesn't cost much. And it can be sustainable. Honestly - you do need to pay attention to that.

The food was good but only average for the price. They now have a $25 parking charge that is exorbitant for a restaurant where you have to use the valet. Out of stock on several of the drink selections.

Pelican Grill is one of my favorite restaurants to eat at. From the amazing valet to the service and food. You can’t beat great food with an amazing view!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Love this place! It's definitely a special occasion spot for us when we are in Newport Beach. Excellent food and service. We had David as a server and he was very attentive and personable. His recommendations were fabulous. We brought in a special bottle of wine ($50 corkage) and Franco the sommelier came in to help get the cork out and decant our wine. He was very friendly and helpful. We had a wonderful experience celebrating my husband's Birthday. The occasion was acknowledged by the waiter when we first sat down and throughout the night. Outstanding food and service! Highly recommend.

We visited for a special occasion, and while the front desk staff was very kind, our initial interaction at the table was disappointing. The person who seated us asked about our water preference but did so in a very curt manner, without any warmth or friendliness. He then told me not to keep my small dog on my lap. My dog is a service animal, and I had only lifted him briefly to help him get settled, I was not intending to keep him there. Given that this is a high-end restaurant, I expected a more welcoming and courteous approach. Unfortunately, that first interaction negatively affected the start of our celebration. That said, our actual server was wonderful, very kind, calming, and attentive, which we truly appreciated.

My family of 5 is vegetarian and we were able to have a good lunch there. However, I would expect more vegetarian options on the menu, or at least several dishes that can be modified. We ended up ordering all that can be ordered vegetarian... the Newport salad, and Caesar salad (sub vinegarette dressing), veggie wrap, mushroom pizza, and spaghetti with vegetables (not on the menu but they made it for us). It was my husband's birthday and they brought out a small slice of strawberry cheesecake for him. Great service and good food. Again, in this day and age, would expect more creative vegetarian options.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

The food got much more expensive in the last couple years ($24 for a simple Caesar salad? $36 for a burger?!) food was fine but grossly overpriced. And I've lived in NYC and Santa Monica so I am used to overpriced things.

Food was good. Room is clean. The service was exceptional! David was really knowledgeable and very funny. Overall it was a good experience. Very quiet and spacious. I would have rated it higher except you are forced to valet park and they have a mandatory $25 charge for parking, with validation. Very unnecessary. They also have great views in the day time. The bar area adjacent to the dining room is a perfect sports bar with 2 giant 100 inch screens. The drinks are excellent, but they also like many others, do measured pours. Captain jacks doesn't. You get more bang for your buck.

Always a great experience. Wait staff is awesome friendly and accommodating. Only down side is the heavy $25 valet fee. Not competitive with other high end restaurants