Rusty Pelican - Newport Beach

The food and the location are great, but the service is terrible. The interior is beautiful, rich, the design is great, the seating is comfortable, and the view of the marina is amazing. The food we ordered was delicious, except for the Kaprese, because we tried a million times better. Risotto with shrimps and scallops was fabulous and the swordfish was very well baked. What was menu-wise is that they were out of oysters, for the first time we put such a problem in a fish restaurant. The biggest problem in this restaurant is that the service is unprofessional. It is the reason why our experience is not rated 5 stars. Above all, the waiter did not come to our table during the visit. We ordered a beer and they didn't bring it for 25 minutes, and when we remembered it we started eating, so we had to cancel this request. We also had only a number of utensils, and we had to take another one from the neighboring table, since nobody was there to ask for it. Besides, we had a dish to go and they brought it first, 20 minutes before the food we wanted to eat at the restaurant. This is the first time that such a thing has occurred, we think that it is quite logical that the togo folder must be brought last. You also don't have a normal parking lot, only Valet, for which we paid $6 even though we parked the car ourselves. Overall, it was a good experience, but the service definitely caused the 4-star rating.

It was our lunch for the first time in Rusty Pelican. Space and atmosphere were great. Our table was outside, the sun and the views were perfect. We were recommended daily specialty, scallops with risotto, grilled asparagus, the scallops were a little salty, but combined with risotto got a better balance, the salad with swordfish was great, the fish was fresh and well seasoned and cooked. The desert was cream brûlée, the cream was great, but the sugar coating was somewhat too thick compared to the underlying cream layer. But we will definitely come back for more.

The food and ambience are amazing and the service is fast and perfect. We have both soups that were delicious – Clam Chowder was near New England and the lobster Bisque had some lobsters. A note: It would have been nice to see some drops of sherry and a little green in the middle or a piece of lobster/cutons. Her Chilean lake bass was amazing. Thai basil vinegar sauce and perfectly cooked fish. The garlic bread was so good that we took a to-go job home. The Calamari was thick and delicate and beautifully baked with a delicious aioli. When you visit, it is a must stop restaurant.

We were just married on the beach and were looking for a nice place for dinner with our children (ages 16, 15, 14, 8). We drove so randomly from the Rusty Pelican and decided to check it. Parking in the area is nuts, so valet parking is a must. We have never used a valet, so we were happy to find out they accept card. When we went up to Valet, we asked if the restaurant could take the 6 of us (it was 8:30 and the restaurant closes at 10:00). One of the brave members ran in the restaurant to check and came back with big news. They could take us. We went in and were immediately greeted and set. We sat upstairs with a window view of the docks. Almost immediately after sitting, our amazing waiter brought us ice water and answered our many questions about the menu. Three of us ordered coconut yarns, two ordered swordfishes, and the youngest ordered a cheeseburger with frits. We also have a crab bite and Clam Chowder. The swordfish was so soft and tasty that it simply melted into the mouth. The coconut shrimps were the best coconut shrimp I ever had. Everyone at the table was happy with their food over the moon! When we just finished, the waiter brought us a free champagne to celebrate our marriage. It was so beautiful! We had a wonderful celebrity dinner as a family! We are so happy that we chose the Rusty Pelican.

I gave 5 stars even though my halibut was a bit over cooked since the waiter quickly took care of it to my satisfaction and everything else was great! I was with 6 other people and everyone loved their meals. The tacos were a hit. Great appetizers too! Also Loved their clam chowder. We sat upstairs and had a beautiful view of the water.