Coastal Orange County can fool you: you come for a day at the beach and end up eating and shopping instead! And any visitor who wants to try every the coastal restaurant will simply have to move here. There are hundreds of restaurants in the county, and the ones along the coast reflect the scope of the whole area: name an ethnic cuisine or type of food and you're sure to be able to find it somewhere in OC!
Anyone can find popular national chains, so this column will focus primarily on a handful of local specialties.
The retro look is popular today, and can be found in casual dining at the likes of Walt's Wharf seafood in Seal Beach, the Sugar Shack in Huntington Beach and '50s burger-themed Ruby's, a local chain with restaurants all along the coast. At Newport Pier, Charlie's Chili is an old-time local favorite (especially for late-night eats).
For other casual dining, try Zak's Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach, where you can grab some pizza or rent beach equipment. Duke's brought its classic Hawaiian restaurant right to Huntington Beach Pier, and gives you a taste of the surfing lifestyle. In Dana Point, the Harbor House is one of just a few places open 24 hours a day-but breakfast is what it does best, and you may find a bit of a line waiting for a table on weekends.
Mexican eateries are plentiful along the coast, with local chain Wahoo's Fish Tacos a particular favorite. In South Laguna Beach, try Coyote Grill for a real small-town feel. Or head south to Capistrano Beach where Lucy's El Patio is short on décor but has been feeding locals big portions of tasty traditional fare for 50 years. And the original Olamendi's in Capistrano Beach near Doheny State Beach is a classic, old-fashioned patio place right on Pacific Coast Highway.
More upscale Mexican fare can be found at Las Brisas in Laguna Beach, which has magnificent views of Main Beach and the picturesque seaside town, or at newcomer Javier's, a favorite with the local crowd. Chimayo at the Beach in Huntington Beach has drawn rave reviews since day one.
After a day at the beach, you might want to dress up (a little) and head for a leisurely dinner at a more upscale restaurant.
Head for Dana Point marina and you can pick from seafood places like the Chart House, Wind & Sea or Harpoon Henry's. Or try the funky Ribjoint on Coast Highway.
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