Diners' Choice: Best Food restaurants in South Orange County

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall cuisine in South Orange County? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Bricco Cucina and Wine Bar

4.9

4.9 (64)

$30 and under

Italian

Aliso Viejo / Laguna Niguel

About the restaurant

Owners Jordan and Creig Mullikin love to eat delicious food, drink great wine and be treated like family. They want every bite, every sip, every visit to be delicious and a treat. Our goal is to serve you fresh, homemade, and thoughtful dishes focused on our family's heritage and our customers' needs to make everyone feel like family at our neighborhood spot which sports a modern yet vintage vibe. We have a large outdoor patio that is both heated and covered. One of the more popular things here at Bricco is our live music Friday's and Saturday's with very talented singers and performers.

Top review

Javier

Dined 1 day ago

Good food. Good service. Live music Friday and Saturday nights.

Nirvana by Chef Lindsay

4.9

4.9 (1728)

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Laguna Beach

About the restaurant

We are a neighborhood independent restaurant owned by Laguna Beach Native, Executive Chef Lindsay Smith with Wine Country Inspired California Coastal Cuisine in the heart of Downtown Laguna Beach, between Main Beach & the Historic Festival of Arts. Her main focus is to feed our guests the way she chooses for her our own family. In a warm and inviting atmosphere, the hope is that each guests leaves as if she were welcoming friends and family into her home. We take pride in sourcing the freshest ingredients available when creating our menus with Free Range & Organic Poultry, Sustainable Seafood, Antibiotic & Hormone Free Meats, Seasonal, Local and/or Organic Produce. We are conscious about the food we serve, the impact of our waste in lessoning our environmental footprint & supporting the local community we are within. Named one of the Top 10 Chef's in Orange County and Top 5 Chef's in Laguna Beach, Chef prides herself on quality food, friendly service and an experience to return for.

Top review

Stevenvip

Dined 4 days ago

We had our usual delicious meal and come back every time we visit Laguna Beach

Miki Sushi & Sake

5.0

5 (47)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Laguna Beach

About the restaurant

Honoring Chef Miki Izumisawa, the female, award-winning sushi artist, originally trained by the one and only Nobu Matsuhisa. Miki was inspired by nature to create unique nigiri, cut rolls and hand rolls that blur the line between art and fusion sushi. Miki's recipes transform elements of the natural world with names such as Lava Flow, Moon and Sun, Feather in the Sky, and Prairie. Before her passing, Miki carefully coached outstanding female-only sushi chefs to execute her masterpieces. Her legacy continues in this romantic styled coastal, intimate sushi bar and cozy 18 window seats with views of Laguna's main beach. Owners Chris Olsen and Greg Washer are longtime locals who appreciate what Miki did for this community with an outstanding Japanese experience pushing the boundaries of tradition. Reservations recommended!

Top review

Chad

Dined 2 days ago

Our old favorite sushi spot is now our new favorite! The new owners have done exactly what they needed to, same menu but upgraded decor, ambiance etc. great job!!

Rebel Omakase

4.9

4.9 (226)

$50 and over

Sushi

Laguna Beach

About the restaurant

PLEASE READ BEFORE BOOKING
We put all our heart and soul into a creative and unique experience. Our Omakase is a pre-fixed menu based on raw fish and shellfish. All ingredients come from Japan, prepared with Japanese techniques and elements. Our Omakase is a fine dining, intimate experience, prepared in front of our guests to highlight the integrity of our dishes.
CANCELLATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS are allowed 72 hours in advance. Less than 72 hours will be charged for the full price of Omakase per guest plus tax
TEXT MESSAGE with full information (949) 664-3186
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS must be informed in advance, we CANNOT accommodate no shellfish, no gluten, no dairy, or no meat requests
NO outside food or wine
THE SUSHI BAR AND TABLE SERVICE are the same menu; our servers will explain the intricacy of every dish
BE ON TIME Service starts in unison at the time of reservation if you are late, you will miss some courses
CHILDREN age 5+ are welcome, but they must order the full menu

Top review

Mae

Dined on Dec 5, 2024

We've been to R/O multiple times since their opening in August of 2021. We are so happy that R/O was awarded their Michelin one star. We've been to many sushi restaurants in NorCal and SoCal during our lifetime and without any hesitation, R/O has it all with the ambience, service, presentation and chef Jordan's amazing creations.

Discover more

Experience

5:00pm & 7:30pm Omakase Experience

Experience

12:30pm - Lunch Omakase

Experience

12:30pm - Sunday Nigiri Omakase

The Dock

5.0

5 (2039)

$50 and over

Seafood

Newport Beach

About the restaurant

THE DOCK located in NEWPORT BEACH CALIFORNIA requires a valid credit card to book reservations online via OpenTable or call 949-673-3625 to provide your credit card. 24 hr cancellation fee policy. The Dock reserves the right to cancel your reservation if reservation is not CC guaranteed. VOTED TOP 10 RESTAURANTS IN ORANGE COUNTY 2022 and TOP 100 in the US in 2019 and 2023 BY OPENTABLE. Our waterfront covered patio dining and every seat has a bay view, with an infused contemporary American menu. Outstanding wine list and custom craft cocktails.
Reservations are recommended.

Top review

Tom

Dined on Dec 5, 2024

My wife took me there for dinner for my 50th birthday. The service was outstanding. The staff were very interactive, chatty and friendly. The food was amazing, I had the lamb, best I've ever had, and my wife had the lobster, it was also delicious. We will definitely be going back.

Hannas Prime Steak

4.9

4.9 (3496)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Mission Viejo / Rancho Santa Margarita

About the restaurant

Hanna’s Restaurant & Bar was established in 2005 and has quickly become one of Orange County’s premiere dining establishments. Named one of the U.S. top 100 restaurants, Hanna's Restaurant & Bar offers modern American Steakhouse cuisine prepared with classic, traditional flair. Our appetite for an exceptional dining experience is rooted deep in our passion for extraordinary culinary creations and exemplified in our award-wining service and ambiance. From our friendly bartenders, vibrant ambiance, outgoing wait staff, and incredible menu, our guests are always embraced in a comforting fashion. And on any given night you can always find owner David Hanna mingling among guests and ensuring that every detail of their experience at Hanna’s is nothing short of extraordinary.

Top review

Shelley

Dined 4 days ago

Awesome food, great service, cutest holiday decor!

Discover more

4.8

4.8 (1206)

$50 and over

Japanese

Newport Beach

About the restaurant

Classic and creative sushi, sashimi and other Japanese dishes, many showing international influences, in a stylish contemporary setting, from Nobu Matsuhisa alumnus Takashi Abe.

Top review

SherwoodCox@me.com

Dined 2 days ago

For my wife's birthday dinner I chose Bluefin and we both enjoyed both the menu choices, our food and the service. I chose the Bluefin omakase and she chose the shabu shabu. We had an appetizer of ankimo which was superb. Our server was attentive without being overwhelming or hovering. The portions were better than expected . My choice of omakase did not disappoint and appealed to the eye as well as my palate. Delicious! I would recommend Bluefin to anyone who wants a special Japanese sushi experience.

Discover more

Nick's - San Clemente

4.9

4.9 (3025)

$30 and under

American

San Clemente

About the restaurant

Classic American comfort food, crave-able bar snacks, plus unique cocktails & an extensive wine list in an upscale yet casual environment. Our intimate restaurant features a chic island bar, walls of glass and a spacious covered patio, perfect for people watching. Our exhibition kitchen highlights the talents of our passionate culinary team.

Nick’s is dedicated to perfecting the dining experience through continuous innovation, offering the highest quality food and beverage, and executing impeccable standards of hospitality. The deeply instilled Nick’s culture is personified by its Ladies and Gentlemen – professionals who share a single focus and are inspired and committed to offering great service and creating positive memorable experiences.

Top review

Doug

Dined 4 days ago

Kale quinoa salad excellent,3 of us had regular one added excellent salmon

O Fine Japanese Cuisine - Laguna Beach

4.9

4.9 (325)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Laguna Beach

About the restaurant

Welcome to O Fine Japanese Cuisine, the restaurant serves contemporary Japanese cuisine and traditional sushi in an elegant and comfortable setting. Explore beyond the sushi and sashimi such wonderful dishes as Chillean Sea Bass Misoyaki, Boneless Short Rib or Baked Lobster Tail. A must try is our signature Sashimi Sampler which has Halibut with truffle oil, Salmon with garlic ponzu, Albacore with crispy garlic, Peach Scallp, Tuna with sesame dressing and crispy onion, and Yellowtail with jalapeno. There is something for everyone from our one item entree to a variety of sushi, sashimi and fusion cuisines. We are conveniently located inside the Albertson shopping center with plenty of parking spaces for local residents or visitors. Please join us for the wonderful, exciting, O experience. We look forward to serving you soon!

Top review

Patty

Dined 3 days ago

We had a lovely dinner with our friends. Enjoyed the food, the company and the service. We will be back again!

Discover more

Popular dish

Sushi C

Truly Pizza

4.8

4.8 (351)

$30 and under

Pizzeria

Dana Point / Monarch Beach

About the restaurant

Located in the heart of the Lantern District in Dana Point, Truly Pizza is an artisanal neighborhood pizzeria where friends and family can relax and enjoy the fellowship of sharing pizza - the world's greatest communal food.
Our outdoor garden design, rooftop wine experience and nurturing service style promote a welcoming sense of community by offering friends and neighbors a casual dining environment filled with personal touch points every step of the way.

*We are an outdoor restaurant with patio & rooftop dining only. We provide blankets and heaters for guests*

Please note 20% gratuity is added for parties of 8 or larger.

Top review

Tomvip

Dined 3 days ago

Best pizza I've had in California and New York. Square pizza is fantastic.

Discover more

Explore Diners' Choice best of South Orange County