Restaurants with Good Food and a Simple Atmosphere

Aliso Viejo

1. Mediterranean food restaurant just to the left of the movie theaters in Aliso Viejo, enterprise and Alisa Creek Road. Ambience is not much not a very pretty restaurant and the food smells really amazing.

Dana Point

1. Duplicate in picnic category.180blu lounge – door still open at 9:46pm Wednesday night, lights off. No one outside because it’s dark but it’s got a beautiful view overlooking the crashing waves of the ocean and there’s plenty of room to sit at a table and talk and stare at the ocean. It probably closes at sometime but I don’t know when. go to the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point go in the main lobby go all the way to the end where there’s a bar and then go left for 200ft or so, and you walk by Automatic glass double doors on the right this is the lounge Very limited menu mostly fish. There is also a hamburger, truffle fries and a couple of salads. But the view is amazing both day and night.

2. Stella’s Italian restaurant pch and crown valley, Dana Point. Guy said pizza was the best

3. Carmelita’s fast casual, Mexican food, a little pricey, but good looks and smells really good on PCH in Dana point next to McDonald’s. It seems very popular.

4. OK, this is from memory. But I believe if you go to the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point, there is a bar area with a great view of the ocean in the day time. Go there in the daytime for the view. However, as a bonus order some food off the bar menu. This is because the bar menu food is prepared in their very high end kitchens that serve food for the fancy restaurants in the Hotel.

Costa Mesa

1. Taco Mesa 647 W. 19th St Costa Mesa https://www.tacomesa.com/

Irvine

1. Nice place in Irvine to have lunch and get a view overlooking the Irvine lake. Restaurant is called sessions West Coast deli. 4736 Branca in Irvine.

2. Taco Rosa 13792 Jamboree Road, Irvine https://www.tacorosa.com

Ladera Ranch

1. Taco Mesa 27702 Crown Valley Parkway Ladera Ranch https://www.tacomesa.com/

Mission Viejo

1. Domenico’s on the Lake. Fancy a restaurant with some seats overlooking the lake. 27782 Vista Del Lago, Ste C-26, Mission Viejo, CA 92692. There are actually four or five restaurants right here that overlook the lakes.

2. PICCLLINO restaurant an Italian restaurant a little pricey but has great reviews. 28719 Los Alisos Blvd, Mission Viejo, CA 92692

3. Taco Mesa Los Alisos and Trabuco, 22922 Los Alisos, Mission Viejo. https://www.tacomesa.com/

Newport Beach

1. Inexpensive sit down Mexican restaurant with outside seating in a residential community. Todos Santos restaurant in Newport Beach on Balboa Island. Salsa is yummy be warned. It’s very hot. Does have a happy hour menu and full bar. They serve you chips and salsa with each meal. Inside and outside seating. Some Outside seating is right next to the sidewalk, but it’s still a cute residential neighborhood. Meals are in the $22-$32 range with most below $20-30. No the appetizers are yummy and big enough for m a meal Parking may be a challenge, depending on the time of day the two parking spots in an alley and the rest is on the street first come first serve. A block away from the ferry you can see it from the outside seating area. The pico de gallo has a little more lime than most pico de gallo. However, the sweet taste it taste pretty good. For you extra water bottle. The beef or crispy and yummy with a very flavorable sauce on top. Cloth napkins

2. Taco Rosa 2632 San Miguel Road, Newport Beach https://www.tacorosa.com

Pomona

1. Pomona Valley mine company restaurant. Has a great view of the valley. In Pomona, it looks like a copy of the Orange County mining company restaurant.

San Clemente

1. Chelas Mexican Kitchen 1011 Avenida Pico, Unit C, San Clemente ( Pico & La Pata) https://chelasmexkitchen.com/

Trabuco Canyon

1. I’m about a half mile from O’Neill regional Park on the left is a little street call Trabuco Oaks Drive. There’s a general store and a steakhouse call Trabuco Oaks steakhouse and the sign says this is downtown Trabuco Canyon. Yelp says that it has 3 1/2 stars and that it has a cute interior adorned with trees There was also a taco truck parked on this corner. Don’t know if they’re all the time. I met a guy who has been to the steakhouse and he says that it’s average maybe good he said they serve you a good steak doesn’t sound like much more than that but he says there’s two trees that they built the restaurant around growing inside the restaurant.

2. A few blocks from the steakhouse is a Mexican restaurant which the guy I met has been to and he says it’s average not exactly sure where it’s at but it’s down a couple of streets called Rose Canyon, Cantina & grill. Rose canyon is the next street after Trabuco Oaks Dr. off of Trabuco Canyon. The restaurant is the located about a block down rose Canyon at the next road which is Flanigan Road. Closed on Monday open 4 PM to 9 PM Monday through Thursday, 4 PM to 10 PM Friday, 11 AM to 10 PM Saturday and 11 AM to 9 PM Sunday rosecanyoncantina.com 3 1/2 stars on yelp

    

****** OUTSIDE OF ORANGE COUNTY ********

1. La Jolla

   1. Marine room La Jolla waves crashing on glass reserve high tide reservation well ahead of time. https://www.marineroom.com/

   2. George's at the Cove. Stunning views of the ocean. Very high end place. Now offering special reservations at one of our coveted tables along the glass with a front-row seat overlooking the Pacific. Choose our Premium Seating option when booking. Note: We only accept a limited amount of online reservations. Give us a call at (858) 454-4244, walk-in, or check availability at our other levels.