Best Restaurants for Foodies in Aliso Viejo / Laguna Niguel

We were so excited to visit Splashes since the remodel and we were pleasantly impressed! We started with a cocktail in the new lobby lounge that overlooks the ocean. What an outstanding use of this location that use to be hotel suites. Next it was on to Splashes where we were met by Julian (from Paris) who found us a marvelous table overlooking the picturesque sunset. Julian is a great ambassador for the hotel and Splashes. Our Waiter was Patrick from Buenos Aires, Patrick and his server Jose have been with the hotel for years and were very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. We started with the lobster bisque, this is a must have when visiting Splashes, it was outstanding! Our dinner was beautifully presented and delicious. I had the sea bass special for the evening, it was tender and buttery and it melted in my mouth. My wife had the halibut which was also outstanding. We ended the evening with a shared Baked Alaska, it was the perfect sweet treat to complete this great evening. We can’t say enough about how much we enjoyed our experience at Surf and Sands Splashes. We will be back very soon!

This was our first time at Bloom. I found it on Open table, so I thought we’d give it a try. I chose Valentine’s Day dinner and Bloom didn’t disappoint in the least. It was easy to get to and plenty of parking available. I had made reservations of course and we only had to wait a few minutes for them to ready our table. Once seated our waiter Darin greeted us. The restaurant was very nice and not to noise. They have a great menu selection and drinks to go along with dinner. The food came piping hot in very generous portions and very delicious. The service was excellent. The dessert was very good. Overall it was and excellent dinning experience. I would highly recommend that you Give Bloom a try. Also meal pricing is competitive and fare.

Our first time visiting this restaurant. We went there after looking over the menu on line. It is an extensive menu with a lot of good choices to try. We had a fried artichoke starter that was fantastic. The garlic bread provided for the table was also a big hit. Our server was fantastic and prices are reasonable as far as restaurants go these days. There is a lot of good seating unlike so many Italian restaurants that are so limited. Our main course (51) was delicious and serving size was over the top. A second meal to bring home. Overall it's a great local restaurant. Noise level was over the top however maybe that''s because it was Valentine's Day. We will no doubt go back and try different menu selections.

The Drake has live music so it will not be quiet but we sat in the bar so we could enjoy the music but could still have conversation. We enjoyed both of our meals, the halibut and the venison. The art deco decor enhanced the experience as well.

In spite of a dismal, rainy day, I was delighted the minute that we walked in the door. The hostess had obviously read my comments when I made our reservation, and greeted us warmly. All of my requests had been met, we were served by a charming, knowledgeable server, and we enjoyed a delicious lunch and a carafe of excellent Cabernet Sauvignon. Topping that off with a luscious dark chocolate torte and fresh- brewed coffee, our time there could not have been better. My thanks to the wonderful, caring staff and your excellent chef!