Restaurants in San Clemente

“The best açaí I’ve ever had. And I’m from Brazil and know what a good and authentic açaí is! And the service at this place is outstanding! Our attendant Bryan was very kind and attentive with our order! Loved it! Thank you!”

“We were visiting friends in San Clemente and had dinner at Vine Restaurant & Bar. The service was outstanding and the food was delish. Great experience”

“We had. not been here in years and our recent visit did not disappoint. Our server Cole was excellent. The food was superb. Highly recommended.”

“Just had a fantastic lunch at HotnChili! The garlic naan was so yummy. We also had the chicken tiki masala & the tandoori chicken. It was all delicious & served quickly. We will be back! 💯💞💞💞💞”

“It was fantastic! Amazing craft cocktails I've never had anything like before. Food was also fantastic. Local fish, local produce, how can you go wrong. Get the Tessie for a drink, amazing cocktail ?”

“Anyone who comes to San Clemente should check out this coffee shop .An incredible combination and synergy of top notch customer service , robust / organic coffee ,and atmosphere make it Rapport.”

“Perfect setting and atmosphere! The food and pastries were delicious. I ordered the Chicken Pesto Sandwich, and it was absolutely yummy! The cappuccino was also perfectly made.

I loved sitting outside, enjoying my breakfast while watching the town come alive with movement. A perfect spot for solo travelers or large groups alike.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a less than 5 star In-N-Out experience. This was no different. California’s best chain by a mile and just so incredibly consistent.”

“Best place to enjoy the best coffee and the place has the best workers”

“I can’t believe I have never reviewed this place before. They always have fun bands, great food, drinks and service! Probably the most fun spot to hang out on Del Mar 🌊
TRY THESE:
ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS
SALMON SALAD
POKE BOWL
BEET SALAD”

“This place is amazing. Could possibly be the best cookie I've ever had, and it was just the chocolate chip. Beyond that the staff is absolutely amazing. So kind, so sweet and just the epitome of what customer service should be. I would give more stars if it were possible. THANK YOU MARRIN, SOFIA AND SARAH, you three made my day.🩷”

“Quality food at fair prices! Can't wait to come back & actually sit down in the nice dining area. 👍🏼”

“Fantastic comedy night, been three times now and each night was awesome! Especially hilarious set by Robert Duchaine.”

“Came for lunch with my gran about a month after my grandfather passed. It was my gran's first outing since the funeral and i was worried but our server was this adorable silver haired woman named Rebecca. She had my Gran laughing the whole time. We ordered combos and the suggested jalapeño watermelon margaritas, which were spicy and refreshing. We needed a nap afterwards because we were too stuffed! My gran won't stop asking when we can go back. Thank you South of Nicks for lovely meal, and Thank you Rebecca, for helping a family member feel normal after tragedy. You are in our prayers”

“My wife and I go there about once a week. The ice cream is so good that there can be a line out the door on a cold day. The girls that work there are mostly friendly until it gets close to closing time. However Sunny is friendly at all times and has the greatest smile. South Swell also caters and its a favorite at wedding receptions. I highly recommend!”

“If you live in the south end of town and looking for a cold beer and some fun conversation this is the place. Great drink specials and it’s like a party every time i am there.”

“Seriously delicious breakfast burritos and killer deal. Our favorite breakfast food in the world but it makes us sad to spend more than $10 so this place hit the mark! Fillings were perfect with avocado and bacon and grilled to crispy chewy perfection. Thx Billy for starting the day off right! (Can’t believe I didn’t snap a pic)”

“delicious breakfast best hashbrowns ever!”

“We enjoyed a lovely dinner & dessert! The vibe was great; definitely could use a fan for airflow though! lol

Staff was friendly and hepful! Alex, our waitress, was absolutely wonderful! Knowledgeable, kind, and professional! :)”

“I love this place, the vibes are amazing, and the workers are so sweet. Food and coffee is always wonderful, never an off day! I love this place so much highly recommend.”

“The food here is amazing, but Christine makes the experience even better! She is so friendly, keeps a great check on you, and provides wonderful service. Five stars all around.”

“Excellent experience! Excellent food! Excellent service! Fantastic little owner owned/operated Northern Italian cuisine restaurant. We will return!”

“The owner/chef is a nice dude with portions as big as his personality. For those unfamiliar- think home cooked “el pollo loco” if you will. His wife is the other chef and prep cook. I like simple food and the Half chicken with rice and beans is my go to since 2018. Local tip: this is a couple who’s been running the joint for over 40yrs, the husband is the only cook and sometimes his wife hopes over to help turn out meals. Sometimes the chicken is underdone when they’re super busy, but in almost 10 years I’ve maybe gotten 3 under cooked meats and when I bring it up, he cooks it more, sometimes throws in a free leg or wing and some extra guac or beans. This is as close to hole in the wall/family as it gets. For what this place is, I hope it stays Open until they retire or a son/daughter takes over. Think el pollo loco before it became mainstream, for a day I’m not feeling burgers, I love coming here and sitting on the. Lot of good fish on the menu too, makes me think Baja or south gulf. Very refreshing eats”

“The best restaurant with mussels in South Cali. Highly recommend!”

“Always have had a great experience here, and I have going here for over 40 years!!!”

“We've come here twice. First time we stumbled accros Antoine's because it was close to our hotel. The 2nd time we came to the same hotel because it was close to Antoine's! Excellent food. Excellent Service. Enjoyed having breakfast and listening to all the locals visiting with each other. Dave can cook a STEAK!!! Perfect! Thank you Dave!”

“Super Bowl Express has been one of my go-to spots in San Clemente for years and after today I had to leave a review.

Not only is the food consistently amazing, but the people there genuinely care about their customers. Joo, the owner, is one of the kindest business owners I’ve met and went completely above and beyond for us today. Martha was also incredibly welcoming and took amazing care of us.

The spam musubi is hands down the best in town, the beef bowls are unreal, and the Korean ribs are always a must order. Everything is fresh, flavorful, and consistent every single time.

Highly recommend supporting them if you haven’t been already.”

“Such a cute place! Amazing bowls and flavors. also gave free extra smoothies to my kiddos ❤️ Staff is very nice and welcoming 10/10”

“Dark Magic Sushi was D-freaking-licious. Ashton and I recently stopped in for dinner, and the food was immaculate. Everything came out quickly, tasted incredibly fresh, and was clearly prepared with a lot of care. Once we were seated, we were able to enjoy a full sushi meal in less than 45 minutes.

The wait to be seated was longer than expected, and the service was a little slow at times because the restaurant was completely full. Our server could have checked in with us more often, but those were relatively minor issues compared to how good the food was.

Overall, Dark Magic Sushi delivered an excellent meal and easily earned five stars. We will be back and would strongly recommend it to anyone looking for high-quality sushi in San Clemente.”

“good service food it's so delicious 😋 atmosphere everything is incredible”

“Excellent service and the food is incredible. Highly recommended if you enjoy a good steak and incredible drinks.”

“We came because we saw it is a relatively new place and had good reviews. Unfortunately, we did not find the food to be very good. I would say for price to quality, it was pretty average at best. In my opinion, the pizza was below average. It was a strange combination of the pretty good cheese and chicken combined with a horrendous crust. The shrimp pasta was alright while the carbonara was probably the best thing the table got. Additionally, while our server was great, they were spread so thin across all the tables in the front and back that it was tough to really ask for anything. I will come back another day and chalk it all up to just being an off day for the restaurant.”

“I've been here a few times now and have never been dissatisfied. Great food and friendly service, good for family dinners or romantic dinners. Sunday brunch Seafood omelettes are very good, I've had them a few times 😋”

“Great wines and knowledgable plus friendly staff!”

“Such a great place. Nice addition to San Clemente.”

“Love the cellar!!! And it is walking distance so it’s perfect”

“great food!!!! reasonable pricing!!! please experience their food!! nice people fast service!! love this place!!!”

“Wow! Super yum to say the least. It’s always great when the new local restaurant hits it out of the park! My wife & I started with the bacon & meatballs appetizer. She then had the fried green tomatoes & French onion soup while I had the ribeye. Delicious!”

“My daily simple lunch for remote work offers many options for a pescatarian/vegetarian. Clean, organic, and delicious!!! 🙌🏾👏🏾👍🏾”

“Great location, excellent food and drink! Bring your friend ms for a great time!”

“SARAH IS THE BEST IS THE WEST. after we got kick out of goodies. bc they thought our nevada id was fake (which btw turned out to be real bc we called the police and they scan it) sarah listened it our sob story even thought she didn’t have to. and everyone was so kind and accommodating. this place is a greatness for a chill vibe, if you’re looking to turn up. it’s not really the spot but to chill and drink and again have a chill cool night it’s totally fine. it would be cooler if they just offer a touch tunes to kinda set the vibe of the people
coming in. but again SARAH WAS THE BEST request her. <3”

“We celebrated an early Mother’s Day Saturday evening. Outstanding👏😎flavors, presentation, dessert, cocktails/ vibes..And our waiter(Luca) was personable , fun.”

“Great music venue! We had a blast playing here Mother's Day for Kim and her outstanding team. Thanks, Barnoa!”

“Pretty good experience. Their gyro bowl was a bit of a different take on the classic lamb. Not quite what I expected, but still pretty decent overall. I'd definitely go back, though next time I'll probably order it a little differently to switch things up.”

“Beautiful vibe! I love sitting outside, sipping my iced coffee, and watching the liveliness of the town. The only downside was that they charged extra for oat milk, which is something I’m not used to in Florida.”

“Wow! I had the best coffee and my husband a delicious smoothie prepared by Ethan!!! Congratulations! Awesome atmosphere!!!! We loved it and will recommend this place a 100%! Keep up with the good job!! Thank you Ethan!!!!!”

“Outstanding Burgers, Salads, Carnitas sandwiches, hot dogs! I’ve had them all.. Best place to enjoy with family and friends.”

“Amazing pizza and atmosphere! Can’t wait to come back again!”

“This has become a regular dinner spot for my family when I come to visit my hometown of San Clemente. I love their food! The Mixed Plate is my new favorite…so much yummy meat and you get to choose three sides. I don’t know why there isn’t always a line out the door!”

“delicious gelato, family friendly and the people are so nice there! they answered all my questions regarding allergies, from nut allergies to gluten free options, we're very happy to have found this gem ❤️”

“Best Ice Cream around, so many great flavors. I can't wait to try them all”

“Great Food. Creative interior design. Wonderful staff. Unique comfort food. My favorite is the Smoked Meatloaf Breakfast Sandwich. Very cozy. Only 12 tables, that are always full. Lots of “Regular” customers. This is a place that you want to return to, time and time again.”

“Good people good times good beer. A+”

“Great place and pretty authentic food and top margaritas.”

“Docent is Decent. Got me a Mouthful of Church on Time, 8.2 DIPA. Lisa has a Peel Top.”

“It was something different and fun to try. We ordered both the vegetarian and chicken versions. The vegetarian one wasn’t really for me, but the chicken was amazing. And the mochi ice cream afterward was the perfect sweet ending to the meal!”

“I spent years in Japan and for an hour I forgot I was in California! The food is outstanding and authentic. ありがとうございました!”

“The employees are very friendly and accommodating. I recommend this place to anyone who loves coffee.”

“One of my favorite local dive bars. The crowd is always friendly, and it’s easy to strike up a conversation with people. Liz behind the bar is the best—super welcoming and makes killer margaritas and lemon drops. They also serve pizza from Sonny’s, a local Italian spot, and it’s honestly some of the best bar food around. Definitely worth stopping in if you’re in the area.”

“Sur Coffee on El Camino Real is one of those spots that immediately communicates the quality of life San Clemente offers. Brought clients here after a morning of showings near the pier area — the coffee was excellent, the minimalist space was thoughtfully designed, and the overall vibe was exactly right for a seaside town that attracts discerning buyers. The espresso program is serious and well-executed. When I'm helping clients envision their daily routines in a new community, a place like Sur Coffee does a lot of the heavy lifting. It's the kind of neighborhood anchor that tells buyers they've made the right choice.”

“Fantastic atmosphere. Felt like sitting in the hull of a pirate ship. Best selection of rums I've ever seen (more than 100). All that and surprisingly reasonable prices on expertly crafted drinks!”

“This is very much a classic diner the food is quick to arrive delicious and well prepared and almost so beautiful to look at but you feel bad eating it… You stop feeling bad after the first bite then you start to feel wonderful thinking that there’s no possible way you could ever put an end to this joy. I ordered the cheeseburger with fries and let me tell you each bite welcome the next they have wonderful parking outdoor dining and like I said before a classic feel. This is definitely one of those places you wanna come back to.”

“Watching TV and saw Pad Thai and had to have some. Wanted chix/shrimp and couldn't get any of the platforms to give me that option. Pad thai near me got me to Thai Dara 2 and my order had lots of both perfectly cooked shrimp and big white meat chicken pieces. The order left me with enough for dinner. I will definitely be back.”

“This is a simple, clean, and efficient setup. Serving staff were knowledgeable and able to help us with our choices. The food was fabulous. Go early, we understand that the line goes out the door after 5.”

“Fun and unique flavors like tarot, cucumber & elderflower, pineapple & ginger. They also offer dairy free and vegan ice creams as well! So delicious and their staff is super friendly too!”

“Great selection of flavors, high quality ingredients and so delicious! You won't miss the dairy 😉”

“Amazing venue, Great beers and pizza! A must do if you are in the area!”

“Wonderful, Fresh Fish!! Best Macaroni Salad & Sesame Slaw!! Great Vibe!!! San Clemente!!”

“Pretty happy with this place after grabbing it to go order for the family. Fried rice had all the right flavors and wasn't too greasy, spring rolls made the kids happy, and the yellow curry was just great. We will be back again and will bring the extended family.”

“Tracy and her team have exceeded my expectations both times I've ordered custom cakes. Not only do they look amazing they taste amazing too!”

“Amazing taco 🌮 experience”

“everything was excellent!! the rolls were freshly made and the attention was great, i loved everything, the service and the quality food were amazing!!
the red dragon roll was soooo good”

“WOW - proper French bakery, just like its Paris France. DELISH! Fine, developed flavors in every dish! I’d give this place 10 starts if I could. THANK YOU for the fine experience today!”

“Food was good, went around brunch time. I was tempted for the smash taco, but opted for the FF combo. I'd say skip the combo and go with the tacos themselves.”

“Stopped in for lunch on a Friday. Delicious food, great service and a fun atmosphere. The grown ups enjoyed a beer and a margarita. The food was great!

My daughter’s favorite part was the reel alligator skin on the wall!

Will definitely be back!”

“Great place & Beer list. Smokehouse & plenty of room. Very friendly place”

“The foxx is the best If you want a good place This is it”

“The staff are always courteous and welcoming. The sandwiches are always tasty too!”

“Great food and service. Was very impressed to see all workers wearing gloves and masks. Other restaurants need to follow your example. These are uncertain times and every precaution is necessary. I want to help support local businesses but if they don't protect both staff and workers, I won't be back. Kudos to you Guichos!❤”

“One of the last great dive bars in the US with a great selection of local craft beers on tap. Awesome bartenders, great live music and an amazing hidden wine store and lounge in the back.”

“I will say this place is amazing I’ve been very happy with every bite of my Baja beef wrap I had the spinach tortilla as my wrap and the secret sauce as my condiment and I can’t recommend it enough the outdoor seating area was perfect for socializing and enjoying the weather. The flavor is perfect with portion and I ordered the small size drink which for my weight loss goals was ideal!!”

“I love Juice My Heart in San Clemente! It is my go-to place for fresh carrot juice and good sunshiney vibes. See Diana for your shot of wheat grass and vegetable juice chaser. I highly recommend! 💛 ☀️ 🥤”

“The food and service was amazing”

“It would be nice if management would give your employees good tools to work with employee was very nice efficient, but he can only be as good as the tools like gloves you give him to work with. Step it up management!!!”

“Stopped here yesterday with a bunch of hungry Harley riders the staff was super cool & friendly my hamburger was out of this world now that’s what I call a hamburger & fast service we all left a good tip for the hardworking staff I gotta hit this spot again soon”

“Just popped in and ate here for the first time tonight. I ordered the shawarma chicken bowl. It was soooo good!!! Like hands down! So good 😊”

“While on my morning walk I found this cute lil cafe that sits directly on the beach by the San Clemente Pier. My son got the bagel breakfast sandwich & coffee, my daughter got the nutella toast & I got the acai bowl. We all thought our food was good. We will def be back on our next visit there!”

“fantastic place to work for a day! comfortable seats, places to plug laptop in, including the outdoor area. coffee is lighter roast than i prefer but still good; also enjoyed a strawberry matcha!”

“I just picked up my curbside groceries. The lettuce and spinach was fresh and beautiful. My peppers, tomatoes etc looked fresher than the market. I bought flour and yeast which is so difficult to find and eggs and milk. I will definitely order again. I would very highly recommend them. Thank you for providing this service!”

“We love their breakfast burger? It’s actually the only breakfast my son likes. We went in and they told us they no longer serve the breakfast burger all day. Today I went to San Juan and Eddie said they actually do serve them all day and the San Juan Carl’s Jr got it done for our family. I’m not sure why San Clemente is no longer doing it all day. Armando and Alex are always very helpful at San Clemente but they were not there the day I was told they don’t make them.”

“Came for lunch with my gran about a month after my grandfather passed. It was my gran's first outing since the funeral and i was worried but our server was this adorable silver haired woman named Rebecca. She had my Gran laughing the whole time. We ordered combos and the suggested jalapeño watermelon margaritas, which were spicy and refreshing. We needed a nap afterwards because we were too stuffed! My gran won't stop asking when we can go back. Thank you South of Nicks for lovely meal, and Thank you Rebecca, for helping a family member feel normal after tragedy. You are in our prayers”

“I have to rate The Mediterranean Rim on Del Mar 5Stars. Their food is Always consistent, and always consistently delicious. Such a cute and cozy place. Its our favorite “date night” restaurant in town. I personally Love the goat cheese salad, Squash Soup, Skirt Steak, Fish, ?Wine sections are great, and the sauces they create are fantastic. Must add the best homemade cheesecake for desert. Thank you.”

“Watching TV and saw Pad Thai and had to have some. Wanted chix/shrimp and couldn't get any of the platforms to give me that option. Pad thai near me got me to Thai Dara 2 and my order had lots of both perfectly cooked shrimp and big white meat chicken pieces. The order left me with enough for dinner. I will definitely be back.”

“Best Tomo fried rice, smothered fries, and Ramen I've had since moving to south OC. And the staff is super friendly! I drive 15 to 20 minutes just to get their food.”

“It was fantastic! Amazing craft cocktails I've never had anything like before. Food was also fantastic. Local fish, local produce, how can you go wrong. Get the Tessie for a drink, amazing cocktail ?”

“Just popped in and ate here for the first time tonight. I ordered the shawarma chicken bowl. It was soooo good!!! Like hands down! So good 😊”

“Excellent food. Some of the best around. I highly recommend it.”

“The best açaí I’ve ever had. And I’m from Brazil and know what a good and authentic açaí is! And the service at this place is outstanding! Our attendant Bryan was very kind and attentive with our order! Loved it! Thank you!”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a less than 5 star In-N-Out experience. This was no different. California’s best chain by a mile and just so incredibly consistent.”

“Amazing venue, Great beers and pizza! A must do if you are in the area!”

“Great place to get some classics. Great service, awesome vintage Dennys sign off the interstate”

“Very pleasing atmosphere calm peaceful elegant great peace of mind I enjoyed my food there and drinks are great as well”

“We celebrated an early Mother’s Day Saturday evening. Outstanding👏😎flavors, presentation, dessert, cocktails/ vibes..And our waiter(Luca) was personable , fun.”

“Awesome food!! Been visiting (I’m from Chicago) since my daughters family moved to CA and discovered in 2008. I love the Mama Avila soup, very hearty and so delicious. There’s nothing that I’ve tried that I didn’t like. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed!!”

“Amazing taco 🌮 experience”

“The food and service was amazing”

“Great selection of gelato 🍨 plus food and desserts 🧁!!!!”

“Perfect setting and atmosphere! The food and pastries were delicious. I ordered the Chicken Pesto Sandwich, and it was absolutely yummy! The cappuccino was also perfectly made.

I loved sitting outside, enjoying my breakfast while watching the town come alive with movement. A perfect spot for solo travelers or large groups alike.”

“THE FISH TACO WAS STELLAR! My wife doesn't care for fish and she took one bite and loved it and as for me I'm getting them every single time. I would say the Tamarindo drink could be an area of improvement but no biggie still good food. I'm going back soon”

“Always the best of everything and the staff is fabulous”

“Wow! I had the best coffee and my husband a delicious smoothie prepared by Ethan!!! Congratulations! Awesome atmosphere!!!! We loved it and will recommend this place a 100%! Keep up with the good job!! Thank you Ethan!!!!!”

“Best place to enjoy the best coffee and the place has the best workers”

“Love how easy it was to walk up, make an order, and walk through the surf shop attached to the coffee shop while we waited for our drinks. Coffee was rich and tasted amazing! No better way to start your day by the beach than with a great coffee.”

“I walked into PITA craving something light, crisp, fresh, and flavorful with a little protein, and it completely hit the spot. The Mediterranean flavors are so good! fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, warm pita, savory protein, creamy sauces, and just the right amount of spice. There’s a really nice balance of bright, fresh flavors and more savory, comforting ones, so the food feels satisfying without being heavy. It’s also such a great option in the Miramar food court when you want something a little fresher and more flavorful than the typical food-court choices. Everything was excellent, and I’ll definitely be back!”

“We enjoyed a wonderful meal up on the rooftop bars. Laurie our server made sure we were well taken care of. The burgers are amazing and don't forget to order the pickle appetizer.”

“Was not having a great day, but from the minute I walked in, Noah took great care of me at the bar. I was able to watch the whole USC game, enjoy some great food he recommended, anda had a killer ice coffee. Thanks again to Noah, for getting though time.

Mark Skip Buccola”

“Delicious goods especially the sourdough bread. Beautiful family business!”

“Such a great place for us on the south side of town.
Great beer and the food has just gotten better and better since day one.
The new detroiter was delicious and their coliflower crust pizza is great.”

“One of the very best in all of Orange County. We love their take on Mexican food. Love this place”

“Absolutely obsessed! This place was incredible! We will be back many times. The drinks are fabulous. We got 3 to try. The lavender matcha was the favorite. The food is fresh and amazing. The ambience was so cute too!! Love love this place.”

“Man, my new favorite burrito spot! They are genius with the portion sizes and prices. Very reasonably priced for what you get. Two portions basically make one FAT burrito if that’s what you’re looking for , but honestly, one leaves you perfectly content. The staff is super friendly, and the place is very clean with a simple San Clemente Spanish-style design. You can tell the business was really well thought out. I’ve already been here twice since they opened, and the quality has been consistent both times. Thanks for coming to San Clemente! Definitely coming back.”

“Transported back in time. Intricate details. Fun experience. We will definitely be coming back. Loved the drinks. They nailed it. This place is definitely underrated on the reviews.”

“Visiting area for weekend and as craving something a little bit light for lunch. Decided to stop by and was greeted by a friendly female staff member all by herself. Walked me through the menu and helped me keep smiling and laughing while she made my smoothie. Kudos to her friendly customer service but also more importantly my acai pistachio smoothie was bomb!”

“Honolulu native here...staying at a nearby resort and I was getting tired of resort food. Google Maps turned me on to this L&L. Honestly, I don't know what all the bad reviews are about. This L&L is better than some of the other franchises I've been to. Taste is on point, portions are generous. I ordered the chicken katsu and short rib mixed plate. Seriously enough to feed two people easily, so I feel the prices are fair. The guy at the counter is super nice and friendly. Will definitely stop by here again whenever I'm town.”