Best Restaurants for Special Occasions in Rancho Palos Verdes / Rolling Hills Estates

Gorgeous setting. Great service. Delicious, well-appointed seafood buffet that contains much more than that that - mouth-watering charcuterie including delicious salads and pickled veg, carving stations with prime rib, leg of lamb, tomahawk steak, turkey, salmon, sushi, and scrumptious gelato. Wines are outstanding as well, and serves were wonderful with our tired and cold 3-year old - bringing her a blanket and extra heaters. Lovely experience and would have expected to pay much more for the Friday night buffet.

We had a fabulous experience as a group of 4 adults and 4 kids. We made our reservation via OpenTable the night before and had no difficulties securing a table for our larger group. I got a text saying that our table was ready and was able to easily communicate ahead of time. We arrived at the resort and were promptly offered a shuttle ride down to the restaurant (as I was on crutches). The shuttle driver even ran inside to snag 2 stuffed whales to give to my young kids. Very thoughtful. We arrived at the restaurant and had wonderful service from Tabitha—-everything from soft blankets to portable heaters. And then the sun came out blazing halfway through our meal and I overheard her offering a nearby table her own personal sunscreen because she overheard them talking about how they were unprepared for the sun and were concerned about exposure. I thought that extra touch was so thoughtful. I don’t even need to waste my space on talking about the view. It’s unbeatable. You won’t find a better view in any other restaurant ever. Period. You can even hear the waves crashing. If you sit on the west patio you will be treated to 180 degree water views that include the Point Vicente lighthouse as well. Food standouts: the hot lobster roll was perfect! Chips and guacamole excellent (and I don’t even usually like guacamole). Shrimp Cobb salad. Burger. Poke bowl. And the kids were all thrilled about their chicken tenders. Enough that they even asked to eat their leftovers the next day—which they usually aren’t willing to do. After lunch our group took a lovely stroll down the ocean path. Because I was on crutches I planted myself on a bench at the top while the rest of my group continued on and everyone was treated to outstanding—we were even lucky enough to see seals frolicking nearby. Because our validation got us $10 parking for the day, we could have explored for as long as we wanted. The path goes all the way to the lighthouse!

I always love coming here! Been going for 2+ years. Chad was a great server, he even brought us a dessert to go for our anniversary. The Brussels and the carbonara are amazing. I also love the Caesar salad!

We left the horrible service at Nelson‘s to find this gem of an Asian restaurant. Highly recommend the garlic noodles, bang bang shrimp and potstickers. Our waiter Tyler was perfectly attentive and had thoughtful suggestions. I do think Nelson‘s needs new management. I’ll just say that here. 

This restaurant is the highlight of any trip to Terranea Resort. It’s a Michelin star experience without Michelin star prices. The cocktail menu is creative, and even the dips served with the bread are unique. The soups go beyond the ordinary with special toppings - be sure to try the butternut squash soup or the lobster potage. Desserts are among the best I’ve ever had - especially the Old Fashioned or the house specialty Pot de Crème. Our server Steven was both attentive and delightful/ we had such a great time. Looking forward to returning in the near future.