24 Best American Restaurants in San Clemente

“Great experience and lovely stuff good service and food ❤️❤️❤️“

“Everything is over-the-top, amazing and well above expectation. We will definitely be going back there again. Appetizers and service was top notch. This was the best dinner and night we’ve had in a long time. We’re happy to have found a new favorite restaurant.“

“We thought the food was exactly what we were expecting, and the cocktails were very classic. The interesting part was discovering that eggs can be fried, as we saw with the deviled eggs. Additionally, the bread on the prime rib sandwich had a nice, cheesy toasted layer. It was a good meal with standout customer service.“

“Our server, Leah, provided fast, friendly, and exceptional service. The shrimp and lobster (linguini) was incredibly fresh and perfectly cooked. The sauce was creamy and delicious. The chef graciously substituted the fresh vegetables (carrots and asparagus) for the pasta when asked. Of all the restaurants we tried during our weeklong visit, Beachfire was my favorite!Dietary restrictions: Able to substitute low-carb options.Parking: After 6 pm, plenty of nearby street parking.“

“The food was very good and the service was excellent. I'm a glad I gave this place a try!“

“delicious breakfast best hashbrowns ever!“

“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 ?“

“I have to say. My mom has never been out here and I personally live in Phoenix and haven’t been in this area in 9 years. So, we randomly picked this place and wow. I haven’t tasted something so delicious in probably 5 years. Every piece of shrimp was so tasty and juicy. I also got the Black something salmon. 11 out of 10. Every single item I ate was full of flavor and the server was amazing. Best restaurant experience my mom and I both agree. Top shelf. Just to give contrast. I’m 47 and my mom is 73. Pleasantly pleased“

“Excellent service. Large wine list and food was delicious. Enjoyed the live music and lighting giving it a great vibe. A hidden gem.“

“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!“

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

“I have now been here a couple of times on my travels down to southern Orange County. The service is outstanding. My bartenders were very attentive without being pushy. The food is great too. A better value than what I used to in Santa Barbara. I will be back. It had just the right feel for me. A lot of TVs with unobstructed views and it was very casual and comfortable. The crowd was a solid mix of old and young people.“

“This place was such a vibe! I love the lighting the decor the drinks are incredible. I had a goodnight Irene and it was soooo good. Food was tasty not a lot of options on the food menu but what they have is great! The service was good our server was nice and attentive. Will definitely be going again!“

“Rancho Capistrano Winery was a lovely restaurant located in the downtown area of San Clemente. The Brunch menu had many types of different foods for our entire party. Our waiter was very helpful in selecting a bottle of wine for our group and steering us to some of the specialties on the menu. The ambience in the restaurant was very casual, and we enjoyed a lovely Sunday afternoon in downtown San Clemente. We would recommend this restaurant for any type of group, and you can dine inside or outside. It was also nice to be able to walk around the downtown area after we finished this wonderful brunch.“

“Fantastic place to watch football!“

“Dave and Jake are awesome!! Food is wicked good! Real down home neighborhood bar!!“

“The young man working there today, January 7, 2024 did an amazing job saving a little boys day... My son had seen the stuffed shark early in the morning and said he wanted it and me trying to teach a lesson about seeing all of our options before we choose something said let's see what else there is in town and if you still want the shark, we will come back... Hours went by as we explored the area waiting for our train back home and my son still wanted the shark so much that when I said let's go get it, he ran the length of the pair only to see that the shark was gone... His face dropped but he said, that's okay, I guess I can get the dolphin... The young man working said, there should be a shark and I told him it was gone, the young man working said hold on and came out of the back of the shack with a stuffed shark... This made my son's day and meant the world to him and me, because you saved our day... Thank you!“

“Hello – I am a very good friend of Kevin Craig’s. He used to frequent knuckleheads and had lots of good times there. Is it is with the heavy heart to let the management staff and patrons know that Kevin Craig is no longer with us. God bless you, Kevin, God bless your soul. You are so kind and such a good person to everyone. XOXO Ann Murray.“

“I've been going to the sunrise Cafe for years admittedly mainly to just get their bacon and egg breakfast. The food has always been good. The stuff has always been kind and accommodating regardless of what stage of my life I've been in. They have free Wi-Fi and are one of the only breakfast places in town that you can get a normal American breakfast.Prices are a little high.But I've never felt cheated because of the quality of their service and food.“

“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“

“Great place that was just reopened under new ownership...Food is very good, bartenders are great and also have brand new pool tables/sticks(Dollar a game) Also have plenty of TVs for watching sports...Great experience, will definitely be back“

“Best pizza I’ve had since moving to CA from NY. Amazing food, great atmosphere and impeccable service. My go to place!“

“Waitress is always happy we were there late at night or I should say early in the morning always find to be there is really always fairly quiet and the help is great and the food was great as well especially everybody was happy and it was 2:00 in the morning ?“

“Hi, hello, I don't understand the rating for this place because I look forward to eating here every single year my family comes to San Clemente. This spot is basically the "snack shack" on the pier in San Clemente. Our family usually sets up shop on the beach near T-street, but we make the walk over here to grab lunch every day on the beach. The lines sometimes can be a little long, but they go pretty quickly. And ice cream has become such a hot commodity here that they have a separate pickup spot for ice cream. They also have plenty of seating (none in the shade though) so you can either eat your food there or you can take it with you to-go. I always order the cheeseburger and fries. The cheeseburger honestly reminds me of in-n-out and honestly, nothing better than a cheeseburger at the beach! I also LOVE their soft serve ice cream in a cone. I mean, it's $3! And they always stack it. I usually get the chocolate and vanilla swirl. This past time we went, they didn't do the best job in swirling them so I wasn't able to get a photo, but I have gotten good pics of them in the past. Seriously, nothing better than soft serve ice cream on the beach. Like I said, my family and I have been coming here for yeaaaars and it's one of our must-do things.“