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Newport coast restaurant suggestions

dneveu

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We are headed to Newport Coast with friends in early September. There will be 4 adults. We would appreciate any restaurant suggestions as well as local things to see.

If anyone has an email for property /rooms controller we'd appreciate that as well. Thank you.
 

LilyPond

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If you are looking for a formal, elegant dining experience, The Pelican Grill has fantastic views, service, food, overall experience. For the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Ruby's Shake Shack can be fun - going barefoot in your bathing suit is almost too dressy. ;)

For something in-between if you are up for a 30-45 minute drive you could head north and loop back around to the Balboa Pier area and go to Haborside Restaurant. The restaurant is on the bay with lovely views. You can dine in the Saloon before 7pm to take advantage of Happy Hour, they offer lots of appetizers that would be plenty for a meal. The dining room is also nice. It's casual to dressy casual and parking at the meters on the street is free by 6pm. I like to get there early and avoid the crowds, then walk across the street onto Balboa Pier after dinner. There is also parking at the pier if you prefer to park there, and the restaurant does offer valet parking, too.
 

jme

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We love Cheesecake Factory at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, just 3.6 miles up the road. Great menu and fun.
There are also several other great spots near or in Fashion Island.

Restaurant list:
http://www.opentable.com/landmark/restaurants-near-fashion-island?page=1

Map/Directions:
https://goo.gl/maps/4sumgcedhyB2

GREAT RESORT, one of our favorites, with spectacular views. Walk the beach below---it's stunningly beautiful.

We used the great location to visit: Hollywood & Rodeo Drive, tour of stars' homes, San Diego Zoo, Laguna Beach, Disneyland.

Very memorable trip, enjoy!
***************************************

Edit: We had a wonderful dinner at Fleming's.....exceptional in fact.

And yes, Cheesecake Factory is a chain, but a really good one. Most of reviews on Tripadvisor are very positive, and two that were marginal had to do with long wait times on food. All said food was good, however. Not defending them, per se, but we've always enjoyed the huge menu options, the decor and ambiance, and always the food....and it's fun----(can't dine at Fleming's or Ruth's Chris EVERY night, you know). Food has always been consistently good at any location (usually only in larger markets, not everywhere), and it's always packed with people inside and people waiting outside, which says something. No worries, try it.
 
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Luanne

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We love Cheesecake Factory at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, just 3.6 miles up the road. Great menu and fun.
There are also several other great spots near or in Fashion Island.

Cheesecake Factory is a chain, and in my opinion not all that great.

Take a look at TripAdvisor and see what they say. I took a quick look and saw that a couple of my favorites from ages ago are still good. One is Rusty Pelican, the location is wonderful, right on the water. The other is the Crab Cooker, which is fun. You have to wait in line to get in, the fish is great, the sides were just kind of so so.
 

VacationForever

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I second Pelican Grill. Rusty Pelican is also great. We always go to both these restauarants everytime we head to Marriott's Newport Coast.
 

turkel

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Flemings at fashion island on Sunday or Monday night for their prime rib special. We have only been on Sunday though.

For $39.95 a person you get a salad, I love their wedge salad the blue cheese is almost sweet it is so good, a side dish, i.e. Jalapeño potatoes au gratin, or mushrooms, divine, prime rib, and a dessert, my favorite is Creme Brûlée.

Think Ruth Chris or Maestro's but 100% better in my book. Normally everything is a la carte. If you like a good steak house, prime rib, and a great deal you can't go wrong at Fleming's.

You can even get 2 $50.00 gift cards at Costco for $79.99:banana:
 

Luanne

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I second Pelican Grill. Rusty Pelican is also great. We always go to both these restauarants everytime we head to Marriott's Newport Coast.

I was going to the Rusty Pelican back in the 1970's. You used to be able to get a really good prime rib dinner for $7.95. :D And the wait could get nuts, up to two hours. They had/have a great upstairs bar and sometimes we'd just end up eating appetizers and forget dinner completely.
 

turkel

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P.S. The Costco in Irvine were you can get the gift cards is practically on route to the Marriott Newport Coast. 5 freeway off at Alton Parkway.
 

Big Matt

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Go the other direction and grab a meal at Dana Point Harbor. View is great.
 

markbernstein

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We were at Newport Coast in May.

We took the shuttle down to The Beachcomber twice, once for breakfast and once for dinner. The resort grill isn't bad, but this is a much better choice.

We had excellent meals at Fig & Olive (found a Groupon, which made it even better), Javier's (best of the week), Basilic, and at Brussels Bistro in Laguna Beach.

For local sights, not a lot. We did take the ferry over to Balboa Island, and enjoyed walking around there for a while. Otherwise, we tended to alternate days between relaxing at the resort and walking along the beach, and making road trips to Los Angeles (Universal Hollywood one day, Griffith Park and Observatory another) and San Diego (the Zoo). While we enjoyed the places we went, the worst part of the week was the traffic in an out of L.A.
 

VacationForever

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We were at Newport Coast in May.

We took the shuttle down to The Beachcomber twice, once for breakfast and once for dinner. The resort grill isn't bad, but this is a much better choice.

I forgot about Beachcomber. Good food too. It is outdoors and it can be a bit chilly with the wind although they do provide blankets at each table... we were there this past May too. :)
 

ricki999

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$2 Taco Tuesday at Bearflag Fish company. There's one in the Crystal Cove Promenade down the hill. Gets crowded and small, but worth it Imo. Guess it qualifies as a chain too cause they also are located at Newport And Huntington Beach.
http://bearflagfishco.com

Also like Rusty Pelican which i think is owned by Landrys, who owns Claimjumper and Bubbagump, Mortons chain franchises.
 

DEScottzz

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We always like to get gorgonzola burger at Zov's, which is in the same shopping center as the nearby Pavilion supermarket. Zov's gives a 10% discount for Marriott guests, which makes the price of the burger ($15.95 with fries, I think) a bit more bearable.
 

Bill4728

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OK For unusual mexican Sol It is about 3 miles up the coast on the harbor great home made salsa with their own chips. FRESH tasting tacos that are different than most any tacos you ever had.

For the more normal Mexican food Javiers in the shopping mall just a 1/2 south of the resort. Good food and service but just the usual "mexican place". Also in the same mall is a place with the best fish burritos anywhere Bear Flag Not much of a restaurant more of a take out place BUT there is OK seatting. Most of the time DW sends me there and I bring it back to the room and we eat on the deck of the TS

For view alone the Cliff in laguna good food and killer views, most of the seating in on the patio on a cliff overlooking the beach It just the outside is dumpy looking.

For wonderful food but not much of a view Nicks also in Laguna great food, nice service, good prices not much of a view. We often have lunch there.

Then as others have said there is the chain restaurants at Fashion island. PF changs has great food and views that are OK just a little far from the water. cheesecake factory is a comfort place to many people

Lastly you must have breakfast or lunch on the beach in the state park at the Beachcomber We have breakfast there 2/3 of the way thru our morning walk on the beach BUT if you don't want to walk that much you can drive to the parking lot above the restaurant and walk or shuttle down , parking is validated.
 

gregloucks

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+1 on Bear Flag for poke and fish tacos/burritos, or for fresh fish to throw on the grill.

And +1 for lunch at Nick's (the Laguna location), which may not have a great view, but pretty good people watching.

And Basilic - small, quiet and fabulous Swiss/French food.

The best French bakery is Rendevous - on Coast Highway right by Bank of America in CDM. Great pastries, sandwiches, crepes, etc. And the whole family will patiently speak French with you, if you are into that.

Pre-arrival should have contacted you by now. If not, you can call the front desk and they will put you through. Or you can email dalia.onofre@vacationclub.com and she can either help you or direct you to someone else on the pre-arrival team.
 
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dneveu

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Thank you very much to everyone for the wonderful recommendations!
 

dgf15215

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I would have to agree with all the great suggestions you've gotten so far and am noting some I didn't know about for our next trip out there. I would also highly recommend an incredible farmer's market held on at the Mariners Church Complex a few miles up from the resort. Take the Newport Coast Road up to Bonita Canyon and follow the signs. Huge, all local and fresh. On Saturday mornings. The Mariners Church Complex almost looks like a small college campus - plenty of parking with parking guides to direct you.
 

alhanna

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Definitely try the Beachcomber Cafe on the water. Love the macademia nut pancakes for breakfast.

We always have good luck at the Tommy Bahama restaurants. There is one in Laguna Beach and one a few miles north of NC. We also like the Roy's Restaurant at Fashion Island.
 

IuLiKa

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I will say Javiers... and I have to to disagree.. this is not your usual mexican restaurant. I have not been there for couple of years, but it used to be one of the hottest spots in Newport Beach.
 

Bill4728

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I will say Javiers... and I have to to disagree.. this is not your usual mexican restaurant. I have not been there for couple of years, but it used to be one of the hottest spots in Newport Beach.

Sol vs Javiers
Yes Javiers is a very good Mexican restaurant but most all of their menu is the typical mexican food BUT I agree very good mexican food.

Whereas Sol's menu is very different and we needed help from the servers on what was what.

My DW likes Sol much better than Javiers BUT I like the typical mexican food of Javiers better than Sol.
 

SmithOp

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Sol vs Javiers

Yes Javiers is a very good Mexican restaurant but most all of their menu is the typical mexican food BUT I agree very good mexican food.



Whereas Sol's menu is very different and we needed help from the servers on what was what.



My DW likes Sol much better than Javiers BUT I like the typical mexican food of Javiers better than Sol.



Sol is Baja California style items. Either one is a good choice, where else are you going to a Mexican restaurant with valet parking for Ferraris, Lamborghini and Bentleys?

I prefer Mi Ranchita on Placentia in Costa Mesa, good homestyle Mexican food and a lot easier on the wallet. :)


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cp73

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I prefer Mi Ranchita on Placentia in Costa Mesa, good homestyle Mexican food and a lot easier on the wallet. :)

You mean El Ranchito... on Placentia in Costa Mesa.....they have a few restaurants one in Newport Beach and also one in Laguna Beach. Both are closer to Newport Coast. I agree very good Mexican food and the one in Costa Mesa is my favorite.
 

applegirl

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Beachcomber is the way to go!

I love the Beachcomber restaurant located ON the beach at Crystal Cove, right next to the all the historic cottages the parks dept restored and now rent out. The cottage at the very south end is the cottage from the movie "Beaches".

Enjoy your trip, should be great weather!

Janna
 

tegs_1980

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Go to the Pelican Hill resort and all of their restaurants are great. Also lots of amazing places in Laguna Beach. We like C'est La Vie. Not a fan of Cheesecake Factory or Doc's though. Also the Whole Foods market at Fashion Island has a great selection of everything.

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RichardL

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As a local I frequent Blue Water Grill on the water at Lido Penisula. Great seafood and steaks at a reasonable price. If you select Mexican food Avilas on Coast Highway in CDM is close by and there is a fresh corn tortilla cook to the right of the Bar
 
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