The Harbor Grill - Dana Point

We visited during happy hour, and the restaurant is conveniently located right by the marina, just a five-minute stroll from our hotel. We enjoyed a couple of martinis and ordered the crab cakes, which were absolutely delicious! The patio is lovely, and the atmosphere is fantastic. We were informed that the restaurant is set to close in September 2022. It has been a longstanding favorite in the marina, so if it's on your list of places to try, make sure to visit before it closes!

RIP HARBOR GRILL: We have lost a fantastic restaurant in South OC. Thank you for many years of outstanding service and fresh, perfectly seasoned meals, along with delightful cocktails and desserts. It's the end of a legendary experience.

What an amazing discovery for us as first-time visitors! Conveniently located by the harbor, it was just a short walk from our hotel. We had two mango martinis, warm bread with butter, and their delicious crab cake appetizer, and we were thrilled with everything! The mango martinis were fruity without being overly sweet, and the crusty bread paired perfectly with salted butter. The crab cakes were the best I've ever tasted—packed with crab, perfectly crispy, and accompanied by a mild red roasted pepper sauce. The entrees on the menu also sounded fantastic, and the prices were very reasonable. It’s a shame we couldn't return for dinner! The patio seating is dog-friendly, and while the interior feels a bit dated, it's cozy. Unfortunately, they are closing in September, so we'll make every effort to return before they shut their doors.

Came here for brunch and enjoyed our food, drinks, and the live music! There was no wait around 10am for brunch which was nice. I was feeling fancy and ordered a martini, but quickly realized that I'm not a martini kind of guy. The Fried Crispy Calamari and Oysters on the Half Shell were good, except for a few bits of oyster shell : The Dungeness Crab Louie Salad was loaded with crab! Pan Seared Cajun Blackened Seabass was a little under seasoned for me but overall everything was pretty decent.

2 stars below average. Won 't be coming back. This place was just meh . I was intrigued with their rather larger seafood selection on the menu, but learned from this experience that larger doesn 't necessarily mean better . I got the Australian lobster with the petite filet combo, and was rather disappointed with the lobster. Perhaps I 'm just not an Australian lobster fan, but eating this meal definitely confirmed that I won 't be ordering Australian lobster anywhere again. The filet was cooked nicely and it was the best part of the meal. The service was pleasant. Our waitress was kind, respectful and the food came out fairly quickly. This restaurant is located by the marina of Dana Point, and parking was very easy. Fairly standard restaurant, but waaaaaay too expensive for the experience.