The Village Inn is a must-do if visiting Balboa Island. The people watching is spectacular BUT aside from the corner lot viewing, the food is delicious (the fish n' chips are as delicious as the ones I had in England). Wait staff are attentive and friendly, able to make recommendations and in the case of my tasting something different and yummy in a dressing, he came back to me with the special ingredient from the Chef. Very worthwhile stop when visiting. Just be prepared for a modicum of noise as the windows are open and it can feel like sitting at Parisian Cafe (California beach style) if seated on the outside veranda. Love!
BRYAN PENA
Underdone chicken wings and semi raw hamburger, what more can be said Service was ok and the location is great but the food is not worth it by any measure. House made chili definitely came from a can.
Great place to stop for a drink to watch a sporting event or people watch, but you take your life in your hands if you order anything to eat.
Mark Zimmerman
Great service and drinks.
Lori
It was Mother's Day & they offered a very limited brunch menu. I think 5 different items. The pancakes came out 25 minutes before our order. No syrup was offered until the cakes were cold. Burrito's were so small & not enough salsa. My eggs over med were hard as rocks & cold. Service was horrible. Not a good experience.
Lori Barrios
What's not to love about the Village Inn. Firstly the food and staff are above par. The atmosphere is friendly and you're treated like a favorite customer, even if you've only visited a few times.
It's a pleasure to walk there, no matter where you park on Balboa Island, even if you parked on the Peninsula.
My favorite meal is the Short Ribs. The beefy delectable melts in your mouth, while the mashed potatoes smothered in beefy gravy adds great flavor, the delicately cooked asparagus adds a crisp bite and green goodness to the plate.
John
Good food, friendly service, casual atmosphere. Great place to join friends for lunch. Traffic and parking on Balboa can be challenging, especially with road improvements underway.
Shanna E Stevens
🤩⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🤩 From B-1 to 0-75 and all the fun in between, Village Inn is the kind of place that makes you question everything you thought you knew about bingo, sports, and the power of a well-timed high five.
Katie took Wednesday night bingo to a whole new level—so much so that I left with a newfound respect for this timeless game. Who knew bingo could be so intense? I swear I saw someone break into a victory dance that belongs in the Bingo Hall of Fame.
Meanwhile, Oscar kept the bar energy at a championship level during the final play of the game, making sure our drinks were never empty and our spirits were sky-high. And let’s talk about those high fives—top-tier, A+, the kind that make you believe in humanity again.
And through it all, Ron was at the helm, steering this glorious ship we call the Best Bar on Balboa Island. Whether you're here for bingo, sports, or just to witness the best collection of regulars this side of the Pacific, Village Inn never disappoints. Five stars, two thumbs up, and a standing ovation for this beautiful adventure.
Matt Smith
Visiting Balboa we got takeout from the Village Inn. We had the short rib, chili, wedge salad and calamari. Everything tasted great. The service, for as little as I experienced, was very good. The inside of the restaurant is casual, with TVs in every corner and a large bar in the center. The four star review is because of the prices - expensive even for Newport Beach. The wedge salad is $21. There’s no excuse for that pricing, no matter how popular the item is. It’s one of the only nice, sit down restaurants on Balboa, so I guess they get to charge what they want. The food is good, so enjoy!
Candice Peterson
Stopped in for a drink while touring around. Great service and dinks Will be back...
Amy Lindgren
We rented out half the restaurant for a gathering for my father's funeral. The food was good and service was excellent. They were great for a large gathering.
We came here for Christmas Eve without reservation, and we were able to be seated. The service is great and they have a lot of food selections. I opted for the Braised short ribs. The flavor is good, but it was in a little dry side. It could have used a lot more sauce. However, the crowd here is great, and it's always nice to people watch enjoying the lights all around.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Village Burger, French Dip, Blackened Salmon
Joanne
Billy our server was excellent! We go to the village inn at lease once a month and always ask for Billy. Kind, professional and caring.
Eric Bergstrom
The place to meet on Balboa Island.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Janet Jones
Remodeled since last visit. Bright and modern. Good menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
mike
We have spent summers at the beach since the sixties. We always stopped in at the Village Inn as kids, through our college years and now bringing our grandchildren here.
The Village Inn is a must-do if visiting Balboa Island. The people watching is spectacular BUT aside from the corner lot viewing, the food is delicious (the fish n' chips are as delicious as the ones I had in England). Wait staff are attentive and friendly, able to make recommendations and in the case of my tasting something different and yummy in a dressing, he came back to me with the special ingredient from the Chef. Very worthwhile stop when visiting. Just be prepared for a modicum of noise as the windows are open and it can feel like sitting at Parisian Cafe (California beach style) if seated on the outside veranda. Love!
Underdone chicken wings and semi raw hamburger, what more can be said Service was ok and the location is great but the food is not worth it by any measure. House made chili definitely came from a can.
Great place to stop for a drink to watch a sporting event or people watch, but you take your life in your hands if you order anything to eat.
Great service and drinks.
It was Mother's Day & they offered a very limited brunch menu. I think 5 different items. The pancakes came out 25 minutes before our order. No syrup was offered until the cakes were cold. Burrito's were so small & not enough salsa. My eggs over med were hard as rocks & cold. Service was horrible. Not a good experience.
What's not to love about the Village Inn. Firstly the food and staff are above par. The atmosphere is friendly and you're treated like a favorite customer, even if you've only visited a few times.
It's a pleasure to walk there, no matter where you park on Balboa Island, even if you parked on the Peninsula.
My favorite meal is the Short Ribs. The beefy delectable melts in your mouth, while the mashed potatoes smothered in beefy gravy adds great flavor, the delicately cooked asparagus adds a crisp bite and green goodness to the plate.
Good food, friendly service, casual atmosphere. Great place to join friends for lunch. Traffic and parking on Balboa can be challenging, especially with road improvements underway.
🤩⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🤩
From B-1 to 0-75 and all the fun in between, Village Inn is the kind of place that makes you question everything you thought you knew about bingo, sports, and the power of a well-timed high five.
Katie took Wednesday night bingo to a whole new level—so much so that I left with a newfound respect for this timeless game. Who knew bingo could be so intense? I swear I saw someone break into a victory dance that belongs in the Bingo Hall of Fame.
Meanwhile, Oscar kept the bar energy at a championship level during the final play of the game, making sure our drinks were never empty and our spirits were sky-high. And let’s talk about those high fives—top-tier, A+, the kind that make you believe in humanity again.
And through it all, Ron was at the helm, steering this glorious ship we call the Best Bar on Balboa Island. Whether you're here for bingo, sports, or just to witness the best collection of regulars this side of the Pacific, Village Inn never disappoints. Five stars, two thumbs up, and a standing ovation for this beautiful adventure.
Visiting Balboa we got takeout from the Village Inn. We had the short rib, chili, wedge salad and calamari. Everything tasted great. The service, for as little as I experienced, was very good. The inside of the restaurant is casual, with TVs in every corner and a large bar in the center. The four star review is because of the prices - expensive even for Newport Beach. The wedge salad is $21. There’s no excuse for that pricing, no matter how popular the item is. It’s one of the only nice, sit down restaurants on Balboa, so I guess they get to charge what they want. The food is good, so enjoy!
Stopped in for a drink while touring around. Great service and dinks
Will be back...
We rented out half the restaurant for a gathering for my father's funeral. The food was good and service was excellent. They were great for a large gathering.
Restaurantji Recommends
We came here for Christmas Eve without reservation, and we were able to be seated. The service is great and they have a lot of food selections. I opted for the Braised short ribs. The flavor is good, but it was in a little dry side. It could have used a lot more sauce. However, the crowd here is great, and it's always nice to people watch enjoying the lights all around.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Village Burger, French Dip, Blackened Salmon
Billy our server was excellent! We go to the village inn at lease once a month and always ask for Billy. Kind, professional and caring.
The place to meet on Balboa Island.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Remodeled since last visit. Bright and modern. Good menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We have spent summers at the beach since the sixties. We always stopped in at the Village Inn as kids, through our college years and now bringing our grandchildren here.
Loading...