Restaurants near Dana Point Marine Life Refuge

Absolutely incredible lunch experience! We were sat at one of the tables by the window, and we had such a spectacular view of the iconic California coastline, with surfers enjoying the breaks of the Pacific Ocean and plenty of wildlife to be seen. Service was wonderful as well, very attentive but not overbearing. Our cocktails were delicious, as was our starter, the swordfish dip. We loved our entrees as well, the seafood enchilada + lobster chowder. We ended with the lemon cake and salted caramel ice cream. We absolutely loved our meal and are already making plans to go back.

You have to try the Chart House for the holidays! Their special holiday menu offered many selections- there was something for everyone! I had the New York Strip steak medium rare and it was cooked to perfection. Others in our party had the Chilean sea bass with lobster risotto and raved about it! The service was excellent and well paced! Our experience at The Chart House made a great Christmas memory! And you can’t beat the view of the Dana Point Harbor! Merry Christmas everyone!

My husband and I visited Luciana at her B&B in Italy in 1995 and have always wanted to go to her restaurant in Dana Point. Fast forward 30 years and we went for dinner finally on 12/23/2024! Our experience was amazing. We loved the coziness of the restaurant. Our waiter, Francisco (sp?) was super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Two of us had the Surf and Turf which was a filet minion and lobster for the unbelievable price of $50! The dish was plated beautifully and the steak cooked perfectly. All was excellent. The third diner with us had Lobster Ravioli and he was very pleased. Two of us had a nice red wine from Italy. The wine list is vast and many selections are priced reasonably. We ended with the Italian flourless chocolate cake. It was a fun and very enjoyable evening. We will be back and sooner than 30 years!

Very happy I chose Coastal Kitchen to bring my son and his family for our Christmas celebration. They had never been here and raved about the food! Entrees ordered were the ahi salad, the ahi entree, pork chop (it was huge!), ribs, and my personal favorite, the salmon. All were delicious! And, of course, we had to order the key lime pie--better than Tommy Bahamas; the crust is amazing!

Food is excellent as always. Truly pizza may truly have the best pizza in OC if not SoCal. Service is great. All the servers are so nice and accommodating. The price point is also fairly decent. Cocktails are good, and the ambience is very cozy.