Stonehill Tavern
Dana Point, CA 92629-4246
Phone: (949) 234-3318
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Pacific Coast Highway
- Hours:
- Wed-Sun 5:30pm-10pm
Editorial Review for Stonehill Tavern – by Martha Burr
In Short
The celebrated beachside resort has replaced flagship restaurant Aqua with this upscale California cuisine destination dining spot redesigned with neutral tones and bold accents. The menu offers modern cooking, highlighted by Mina's signature style of small-plate trios of dishes such as duck, tuna or scallops plated together in three very different preparations. Other specialties include salt-baked Maine lobster, suckling pig with truffle sauce, and skate wing with crayfish broth, braised chicory and urchin toast.
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Insider Tips
What to DrinkThe expansive wine list consists of mostly domestic bottles, while the bar focuses on classic cocktails like dry martinis and sidecars.
User Reviews for Stonehill Tavern
02/11/2007 Posted by dotsize
Had dinner last night for the first time at Stonehill Tavern. First and foremost, the food is awesome! No nitpicking or exceptions, just excellent food. However, when I spend $300+ on dinner for 2, I expect a more complete experience than just good food. So here are my nits; The long row of tables for two. If you're seated anywhere along the row other than at the very end, every waiter, busboy, server and customer that comes into and out of the room is brushing along your backside as they come in/out of the place. It's a long narrow room so there's not a lot of options, but the present layout is not comfortable for tables of 2. It's waaay too noisy. Yes, I know the word "tavern" is in the name, but come on, at $300+ for dinner this is no more a tavern than I am a restaurant reviewer. Turn down the music, lower the ceiling and put some art on the walls so we can hear each other talk. Speaking of tables for 2, the tables have very wide pedestals, which is great for table balance. But, if you're 6'2" there is nowwhere to put your feet execpt on top of the pedestal. It's too wide to straddle and put your feet on the floor. Would I go back? Yes, but next time I will request one of the "semi-private" booths that are off to the side of the bar. There's only 4 of them, so make your reservation early. JH
06/22/2006 Posted by kris_wynn
This is the FIRST amazing restaurant in OC (second is Bluefin) in which I'm proud to send my foody friends to! The food is clean, and delish'; the presentation is fabulous; and cocktails and martinis are ridiculously good! The ambience has that cool LA vibe and the interior is sleek, modern, and clean--how refreshing after the influx of typical OC chain-restaurants with no originality and no international flare. The service is straight-forward and impeccable without the pretense. The seafood stew is sick! It's as though they had just reeled in the seafood--so good, so clean, so flavorful.
