35 Best Seafood Restaurants near Rancho Santa Margarita

“I’ve always loved the food. I’ve enjoyed Spikes for years. I visited a few weeks ago…? Not sure. This review is overdue, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how great my experience was with Tyger. I was in a hurry, I feel like I needed special attention due to the very recent deaths of my mother and my mother-in-laws death this passed year. I didn’t say anything about that, but this young gentleman completely took care of me. He helped me order, he was kind, attentive, helpful, intuitive… I can’t say enough. He was most definitely the most accommodating and “go-to” young man I’ve encountered in recent years!! Again, he knew nothing of my circumstances. Stacey deserves a shout out as well. I’ve told all my friends how remarkable the service and quality of food you provide. Tyger is the only reason I wanted to write this review. Thank you!!“

“Very awesome place!!! I visited all of sudden with curiosity to try poke. The ingredients were variable and so fresh and tasty!! The services were awesome with good pay attention.I strongly recommend this place !!! Please try this yummy food!!!“

“We love poke bowls!!! Just had it for dinner last night. Love the addition of the combo to the menu. Service is always great!“

“Went here for lunch, (they have amazing lunch specials on weekdays) and got my food quickly. Highly recommend trying this on your lunch break or whenever you get a chance. Food is high quality with great taste. Definitely going to be a regular here now!“

“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.“

“The staff here is excellent!!!! These guys are always running around doing their best to serve people. I FORGOT you okay it the front so bring cash for a tip. I felt I didnt5 leave as much as I sgould have, I'm sorry. Really awesome and welcoming. Haven't been here since I was a kid. Totally fun for the nostaliga love. The salad bar was awesome, glad to see it open again. Good prices for everything as well. Life you get tons of healthy options here! They still have the cheese toast! That was my treat with the salad. The food is good and simple. Perfect spot for picky eaters, I saw plenty of kids getting food and actually eating it.“

“So many good things. Soba noodle salad. yum! My favorite is the healthy fish and chips. The cajun whitefish was unbelievable! Everything is that I’ve had there.“

“Food was delicious, especially the Chilean seabass. Service was fast and friendly. Lost my wallet. Went back and the manager Brian Dogotch had it saved for me. Thanks for a great experience!“

“Great service, great food!!👏“

“Very good stuff! Being picky and in the same type of business, it's difficult to find. Great job guys. will be back next time I'm in town“

“Wonderful food and great service!“

“I recently stopped by here to grab lunch and I was surprised with the quality of food and everything else. I haven’t dined here in years and I used to love CFG it has always been my favorite healthy casual food that doesn’t break the bank. However, in the recent years I noticed the quality of food dropped significantly so I stopped going there but now I hope they keep it this way. Service is good but more communication is needed and perhaps more employees as they seemed to be short staffed.“

“Had a wonderful evening out with my wife at Ironwood Cellars in Laguna Hills. We had reservations for 5:30 p.m. and arrived early. We were greeted by Joe, the manager on duty, who was very kind, professional, and welcoming. Art was our server and is amazingly gifted in customer service professionalism and overall people skills. Yes, showing the love. We started with tequilla drinks from the bar, and we each had a wedge salad. Joe sent us over a wonderful Agnolotti appetizer as well, which was more than kind. The ambiance was positive and upbeat, perfect for the evening. Sergio was also quite attentive in making sure our table was serviced properly. We ordered our entrees with my wife having the halibut dinner, and I had the famous giant meatball dish. Both meals were hot & tasty and presented well. We had a terrific time, and Art surprised us with a complimentary dessert 🍨 with berries. The restaurant is so nice and offers an outdoor patio and bar seating as well. The wine list is extensive, as are the craft beers. Highly recommended.“

“This is my 4th time coming here. Their food is sooo good 😊
Every I came here, I wrote a review but they seemed to have disappeared so I’m writing a new one. I ordered the chicken biryani because my server Amid recommended it. Amid was very courteous and attentive. If you like Indian food, this is one of the best 😋“

“I stumbled upon this delightful Italian restaurant while visiting the area, and I’m so glad I did! It can be a challenge to find a truly great Italian spot in the Valley or I.E., but this place exceeded my expectations. From the moment I walked in, the service was outstanding. The maître d, manager, head waiter (all in one)—was attentive and engaging, checking in on us throughout our meal. It felt more like a warm, family-run establishment than a typical restaurant, with staff and regular patrons sharing hugs and laughter.
The complimentary salsa served with the bread was an interesting twist—I appreciated the cucumber base, but being a traditionalist, I usually prefer simply good olive oil and balsamic vinegar. At first, I thought it was pesto, but it had a unique flavor that prompted us to inquire about its ingredients.
While the food was delicious, I did feel that the portions could have been a bit larger for the price, and the salsa accompaniment with the calamari didn’t quite hit the mark for me. However, the true star of the meal was the sauce—it was absolutely fantastic, with no complaints whatsoever.
Overall, I had a lovely experience with great service, a warm ambiance, and delicious food. I would definitely recommend giving this place a try if you’re in town!“

“Great vibes and crew. Food has great variety (large or small portions) and service is quick and efficient. I bring friends and family days and nights when we want frssh Italian meals away from home.“

“Best Mexican food period! Tasty carne asada, mouth watering blackened fish, fresh tortillas, pinto beans & white rice that'll make you sing, plus a Verde sauce that is unsurpassed. Add it to your white rice and carne asada taco, and the magic parades across your taste buds.

Kid-friendliness: A must to introduce this food to the next generation.“

“Tasty, delicious food every time. They are consistent. I especially like their house salad with ranch dressing, free pizza bread, garlic bread, chicken parmigiana pasta with meat sauce. These are my faves here. I love their pizza too.“

“I have to say, it was an exceptional experience. The kababs were absolutely delicious — perfectly seasoned, tender, and grilled to perfection. Every bite was a burst of flavor. Beyond the food, the service was outstanding. The staff were incredibly attentive, always making sure we had everything we needed without being overbearing. It’s rare to find a place where both the food and service are top-notch, but this restaurant truly nailed both. I highly recommend it to anyone craving authentic Persian cuisine“

“Love this place. I’m surprised I haven’t reviewed it as I’ve been probably 60 times since I found it! I will say here and there sometimes it is inconsistent with the amount of sauce you get based on who is serving you, but otherwise the team is always really friendly and super quick!!!

The fish/ingredients are always fresh and flavorful.

So they earn all five stars.“

“The best service ever. Delicious food. 💯 recommend“

“Always enjoy eating here, been a customer for 18+ years. For us it is worth the hour drive.“

“they go out there way to deliver a beautiful curry, Rice nan, onion bahgee everything beautiful as always..10 out of 10 for everything...Col Carno“

“Absolutely obsessed with this place. They have a great Baja fish bowls there. Cajun seasoning is fantastic and their salsa a second to none. The staff is always super friendly in the atmosphere is great it’s never too loud and the food is always delivered to our tables quickly and the presentation style is beautiful. Love them.“

“Very good food. Many choices on menu. Downside is they are very hard to get on phone. Also the hours they have posted online, even on this page, show “OPEN” Sunday, when we found out the hard way they are indeed NOT open. Please change your online presence to state correct days/hours. Including Yelp. This would be very helpful. Other than that, I give it “2 Thumbs up”.“

“I like Nono's Affordable Mexican food, and a front patio to also eat at. I like there enchiladas, tostados, tacos.“

“Best fish tacos I've had in the inland empire. Place is always crowded but the get your order quickly and your food out fast. They have 3 ways to order your fish taco, blackened and ensenada style are my favorite. Definitely the best white rice ever. So much flavor! Lots of toppings and salsa to choose from in their help yourself condiments bar.
Having their pico de gallo is a must. I eat that stuff with a fork! So good.
They do offer other Mexican food if you're not into fish.
Enchiladas, tacos carne asada and such. You choose the type of beans that you want both are incredibly good I usually go with the black beans with my fish tacos but the pinto beans are amazing too. The presentation of the food looks extremely nice too I wish I took a picture.
They waste no time in cleaning up your table the second you're out the door for more people to sit down.
The place is clean, loud, and has a great atmosphere with many big screen TVS. They serve different types of beer and all you can drink sodas.

Parking: There's only a couple of spots in front of the restaurant but plenty on the side and more in the back. Parking is never an issue and there are two ways to enter in case you park in the back North side .

Kid-friendliness: This place is for everybody some people bring their whole family a lot of times it's just couples. Fire departments are there all the time and police officers are there all the time it's the place to go.“

“Always a good time at Wahoo's! Food is great, and is very healthy for a Mexican option. I always get a combo plate with a taco and an enchilada. Service is always good too.

Parking: Lunch time might be harder to find parking but never impossible.“

“buen ambiente familiar me encanta saludos sra aide“

“Our first time at a Wahoo's.
We were greeted by a nice gentleman named Freddy who helped translate the menu in spanish for my parents and explained everything throughly. The food was really fresh and his service was top notch! Thank you cooks and Freddy, my picky parents left very happy! ?“

“Great service!!! Keep up the good work“

“Very authentic! If you want The taste of authentic Greek food...highly recommended! Don't forget the Greek beer! Ya Mas!“

“always fresh delicious friendly staff.All you can eat Monday and Tuesday 👍“

“The new Smoky Oaxacan Shrimp 🍤 Bowl 🍲 is one their best creations. How can you beat rice and beans, Shrimp, guacamole, tortilla strips, and chipotle sauce. Probably a lot of sodium so you may want to get it to go and save some for later.“