This is such a cute and cozy restaurant on Balboa Island, great to stop in and grab a bite to eat after a walk around the island.The Stuffed Zucchini Flowers, RH Mac & Cheese and the Short Rib Fettuccine were the favorites of the evening by far. We could have just ordered doubles of these dishes and been in bliss.The shrimp and scallop curry risotto and chicken pot pie, for my taste were a bit bland; however, the rest of my dinner party did not agree and for them, the chicken pot pie was up there with the three favorites of the evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: RH Mac & Cheese, Short Rib Fettuccine, Pot Pie
Lucas Kinney
As someone who lives locally and has had multiple good experiences with the hen I want to put in a good word for the restaurant. The foods great and pretty much every dish is on the money. Service is personal and they pay you attention to your dining experience as an individual. Ambiance is cute and has a little bit of charm that feels inviting yet elevated. There's a reason that the locals say it's the best restaurant on the island.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
L K.
As someone who lives locally and has had multiple good experiences with the hen I want to put in a good word for the restaurant. The foods great and pretty much every dish is on the money. Service is personal and they pay you attention to your dining experience as an individual. Ambiance is cute and has a little bit of charm that feels inviting yet elevated. There's a reason that the locals say it's the best restaurant on the island.
Greg E.
I've read these recent negative posts and 100% disagree with virtually everything said. If i didn't know any better, i would think we were talking about a different restaurant altogether or that these reviews have an agenda or an axe to grind. My wife and i (and often our family and friends) have dined at the RH dozens and dozens of times, often when its busy. Never have we had the experience described below. in fact, the proprietor and staff are nothing but professional, gracious and welcoming even on the most hectic evening. We dine all over Newport Beach, and the Royal Hen is on par with all of our favorite restaurants and is often our go-to when seeking a fun, lively but cozy environment where we know we will be welcomed. We've recommended to friends and tourists alike and have heard nothing but great feedback. Those that read this should pay particular attention to and put stock in the many, many favorable reviews and not these most recent experiences..
Brendon P.
The older blonde lady (owner) was rude and showed a lack of care for customers. She was dismissive and unwelcoming and did not seem to want customers. Terrible service would not recommend.
Ashley K.
Absolutely horrendous. I cannot stress enough how utterly appalling my experience was at this establishment. From the moment I stepped foot inside, the owner's demeanor was shockingly rude and unprofessional, setting the tone for the entire evening. Not only was the food subpar and utterly forgettable, but the service was a complete disaster. Servers were inattentive and seemed utterly disinterested in providing even the most basic level of customer service. It's clear that the owner's lack of professionalism and zero idea on how to run a business has permeated every aspect of this restaurant, resulting in an abysmal dining experience that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy.
Amy W.
My parents were in town visiting, and we were excited to take them to dinner Saturday night at the Royal Hen. We had a reservation for 7:45. Normally, they are super nice even if there is a wait and will check in, offer drinks, etc. But this time, they just ignored us and as we waited for quite some time, we saw more than one group come in without reservations and get seated in front of us. In fact, they even seated one couple at a 6-person table. You could tell these were 'friends' of the owners. I finally went to talk to the owner and was very understanding/polite about the situation. I just said that we had a reservation and wondered how much longer our wait would be because my dad was getting hangry:). She snapped back at me that someone from their kitchen got injured and had to go to the hospital and said 'I don't really care if you want to eat here or not!'. I was SO shocked and we left. On the way out the door I commented to my boyfriend how rude that was and that I was shocked. A couple of my friends know the owners well, I have gone to markets they have in their restaurant, and while we aren't every week customers, we have spent a lot of money in their restaurant and normally bring friends and family whenever they visit. I was completely caught off guard. The owner must have heard me say that to my boyfriend and yells at me behind my back "YOU ARE THE ONE THAT IS RUDE!". I always try to be very understanding because I know running a restaurant is hard work and they have to deal with a lot; but this experience left such a bad taste in my mouth, embarrassed me in front of my parents and the rest of the people in the bar when we were so excited to take them out for a great dinner, and was completely inappropriate for her to act that way with ANY customer regardless of any issues they were having that night. Anyway, we went to Ciao and it was great but very unfortunate and negative experience.
Goldy G.
One of the best restaurant in Newport Beach , very cosy and nice for a romantic dinner
Swathi Shetty
Really cozy restaurant with a great menu and pleasant servers.I love the ambience. Perfect for date night or a family dinner. Tiger Prawns are extremely tasty.I had the Zucchini pesto noodles and mussels
great service and high quality food. my husband got the burger and loved it. the brussel sprouts were cooked to perfection. the server and owner cynthia were so welcoming and kind, and made it feel like home. can’t wait to go back!Vegetarian options: great vegetarian options: shishito peppers, squash blossoms, salad, zucchini noodle pesto pasta, mac and cheese, brussel sprouts
Asparagus wrap & bread were great starters. And Cheeseburger was solid. Cinthia was a great host to us.Parking: It's Balboa so be ready to hunt for parking.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Burger
Carson Walter
They were so kind when it unexpectedly started to rain on us. Very quickly moved us under cover so we could finish our meal, which was delicious. The burger was super good, cooked excellently. We were here to celebrate Christmas since we couldn’t be together on the actual day and they made it a night to remember. We will definitely be coming back in the future
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Burger, Pot Pie
Carter Saacke
Great food manager was a friendly guy...highly recommended
SASS Sophia Avera Salon & Spa Jax Beach
Nothing is better as a traveler than walking into a bar full of locals who welcome you with open arms. TY for the incredible food and ideal place to wind down from our long day of conference center life.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
bendbitts
First off the restaurant is so cute and the people are very nice! The workers are hard working and give you an excellent experience while enjoying very delicious food! But again the service was absolutely AMAZING! Very friendly and quick!! Would 10000% recommend to anyone!! Great hole in the wall restaurant!
This is such a cute and cozy restaurant on Balboa Island, great to stop in and grab a bite to eat after a walk around the island.The Stuffed Zucchini Flowers, RH Mac & Cheese and the Short Rib Fettuccine were the favorites of the evening by far. We could have just ordered doubles of these dishes and been in bliss.The shrimp and scallop curry risotto and chicken pot pie, for my taste were a bit bland; however, the rest of my dinner party did not agree and for them, the chicken pot pie was up there with the three favorites of the evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: RH Mac & Cheese, Short Rib Fettuccine, Pot Pie
As someone who lives locally and has had multiple good experiences with the hen I want to put in a good word for the restaurant. The foods great and pretty much every dish is on the money. Service is personal and they pay you attention to your dining experience as an individual. Ambiance is cute and has a little bit of charm that feels inviting yet elevated. There's a reason that the locals say it's the best restaurant on the island.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
As someone who lives locally and has had multiple good experiences with the hen I want to put in a good word for the restaurant. The foods great and pretty much every dish is on the money. Service is personal and they pay you attention to your dining experience as an individual. Ambiance is cute and has a little bit of charm that feels inviting yet elevated. There's a reason that the locals say it's the best restaurant on the island.
I've read these recent negative posts and 100% disagree with virtually everything said. If i didn't know any better, i would think we were talking about a different restaurant altogether or that these reviews have an agenda or an axe to grind. My wife and i (and often our family and friends) have dined at the RH dozens and dozens of times, often when its busy. Never have we had the experience described below. in fact, the proprietor and staff are nothing but professional, gracious and welcoming even on the most hectic evening. We dine all over Newport Beach, and the Royal Hen is on par with all of our favorite restaurants and is often our go-to when seeking a fun, lively but cozy environment where we know we will be welcomed. We've recommended to friends and tourists alike and have heard nothing but great feedback. Those that read this should pay particular attention to and put stock in the many, many favorable reviews and not these most recent experiences..
The older blonde lady (owner) was rude and showed a lack of care for customers. She was dismissive and unwelcoming and did not seem to want customers. Terrible service would not recommend.
Absolutely horrendous. I cannot stress enough how utterly appalling my experience was at this establishment. From the moment I stepped foot inside, the owner's demeanor was shockingly rude and unprofessional, setting the tone for the entire evening. Not only was the food subpar and utterly forgettable, but the service was a complete disaster. Servers were inattentive and seemed utterly disinterested in providing even the most basic level of customer service. It's clear that the owner's lack of professionalism and zero idea on how to run a business has permeated every aspect of this restaurant, resulting in an abysmal dining experience that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy.
My parents were in town visiting, and we were excited to take them to dinner Saturday night at the Royal Hen. We had a reservation for 7:45. Normally, they are super nice even if there is a wait and will check in, offer drinks, etc. But this time, they just ignored us and as we waited for quite some time, we saw more than one group come in without reservations and get seated in front of us. In fact, they even seated one couple at a 6-person table. You could tell these were 'friends' of the owners. I finally went to talk to the owner and was very understanding/polite about the situation. I just said that we had a reservation and wondered how much longer our wait would be because my dad was getting hangry:). She snapped back at me that someone from their kitchen got injured and had to go to the hospital and said 'I don't really care if you want to eat here or not!'. I was SO shocked and we left. On the way out the door I commented to my boyfriend how rude that was and that I was shocked. A couple of my friends know the owners well, I have gone to markets they have in their restaurant, and while we aren't every week customers, we have spent a lot of money in their restaurant and normally bring friends and family whenever they visit. I was completely caught off guard. The owner must have heard me say that to my boyfriend and yells at me behind my back "YOU ARE THE ONE THAT IS RUDE!". I always try to be very understanding because I know running a restaurant is hard work and they have to deal with a lot; but this experience left such a bad taste in my mouth, embarrassed me in front of my parents and the rest of the people in the bar when we were so excited to take them out for a great dinner, and was completely inappropriate for her to act that way with ANY customer regardless of any issues they were having that night. Anyway, we went to Ciao and it was great but very unfortunate and negative experience.
One of the best restaurant in Newport Beach , very cosy and nice for a romantic dinner
Really cozy restaurant with a great menu and pleasant servers.I love the ambience. Perfect for date night or a family dinner. Tiger Prawns are extremely tasty.I had the Zucchini pesto noodles and mussels
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Mussels Marinara Sauce, Shrimp Appetizers
great service and high quality food. my husband got the burger and loved it. the brussel sprouts were cooked to perfection. the server and owner cynthia were so welcoming and kind, and made it feel like home. can’t wait to go back!Vegetarian options: great vegetarian options: shishito peppers, squash blossoms, salad, zucchini noodle pesto pasta, mac and cheese, brussel sprouts
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Burger
Restaurantji Recommends
Asparagus wrap & bread were great starters. And Cheeseburger was solid. Cinthia was a great host to us.Parking: It's Balboa so be ready to hunt for parking.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Burger
They were so kind when it unexpectedly started to rain on us. Very quickly moved us under cover so we could finish our meal, which was delicious. The burger was super good, cooked excellently. We were here to celebrate Christmas since we couldn’t be together on the actual day and they made it a night to remember. We will definitely be coming back in the future
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Burger, Pot Pie
Great food manager was a friendly guy...highly recommended
Nothing is better as a traveler than walking into a bar full of locals who welcome you with open arms. TY for the incredible food and ideal place to wind down from our long day of conference center life.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First off the restaurant is so cute and the people are very nice! The workers are hard working and give you an excellent experience while enjoying very delicious food! But again the service was absolutely AMAZING! Very friendly and quick!! Would 10000% recommend to anyone!! Great hole in the wall restaurant!