08/09/09

Not so good

by LanaP

The first thing I noticed when I walked in the restaurant is very bad smell. The carpet on the floor was very old and very dirty. Also the restroom had very bad moldy smell even though they tried to cover the smell up with the air freshner it didn't seems to help.

First we ordered the heirloom tomato stuffted with crab. It wasn't bad except the tomato wasn't heirloom. Then we had the salad with walnuts and blue cheese. I don't remember the name of that salad but the walnuts were staled tasting and the salad itself we didn't like. We switched to a spinach salad but it didn't taste any better and half of the spinach leaves were yellow. For a fancy restaurant I just expected a better quality food.

The rest of our food wasn't any better. My dish smelled like dirty feet which is not appetizing, I ordered pork tenderloin. The flavor was OK. My husband had filet mignon. I don't know if his steak just wasn't fresh or it's just the way they prepare it in this restaurant. The filet was kinda tough and not juicy also it had some strange flavor like it was going bad.

The chef came out and apologized for the steak he sad that the meat is always fresh and they order it from the same supplier as Costco if I heard it right. I don't know if he was proud of it but I don't buy any meat from Costco so a high quality restaurant shouldn't be buying it either. I felt like I was served a $5 Costco steak for $40.

All I know if you go to Wild Fish restaurant in Newport Beach and try their steak you'll know the difference. They buy their meat from some ranchers I think in Texas or Chicago . The meat is just outstanding. I highly recommend that place. I never had bad food there. Plus places like Mastro's, Oyster's and some others have way better tasting steak. The chef seemed to be very puzzled why we didn't like the meat. He just needs to go out to some other restaurants and try different food may be then he'll see the difference.

I will never go back. Very overpriced poor quality food.

The service was very good but it doesn't help if the food is bad.

• Pros: Great service
• Cons: Old carpet smell, food quality

07/05/09

AMAZING FOOD & THE BEST SERVICE

by IlyaErenburg

I went to dinner with 5 of my friends on Thursday July 2nd for the first time ever and no joke I’m actually getting ready to go there tonight (reservations at 7:30 for 2). I'm honestly speechless! Like a tool we walked in with a t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops, some in shorts. Well we felt like morons when we looked around and everyone was dressed very nicely. I apologized for not dressing up like we should have and the beautiful hostess sat in a very private booth which was perfect for all 6 of us!

The wait staff is remarkable and the owner Ryan is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet! It was a real pleasure and even though we weren't dressed for the occasion he made all of us feel very welcome and happy that we were there...The Cellar was a full house that night!

For starters we ordered and shared a few appetizers. We had Escargots which was amazing (if you like that, if you’ve never had it, brighten your horizon and try it…you’ll love it), Bacon-wrapped scallops were hands down the best out of all the appetizers we ordered, tiger shrimps were sensational along with the Lobster Bisque and French Onion soups (yes we all got to try everything) and it was indescribable!

For our entrées we had a New York Steak (medium rare)…only at a great place can you order a steak medium rare and have it come out melting in your mouth! Tournedo "Lili" (filet of Beef topped with Artichoke), three people ordered that and let’s just say enough said, it’s a must have…period! Sugar-crusted Ahi was a lady’s choice and it was very good, but I’m a steak guy so…oh and by the way, the presentation on all the dishes was phenomenal! I see people complaining below that the food portions were too small, obviously those people have never been to a fine dining restaurant. If you want to stuff yourself like a pig with crappy food, go to Claim Jumper and have at it! There is a reason why they give you so much food lol…need I say more? The portions at The Cellar are perfect and the quality of the food is top notch!

As for the dessert…CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉS! That is all I gotta say! If you’re a dessert person like me, it is to die for!

In the end…the service, the food and the layout of the place is an experience for itself! If you’ve never been there, GO! If you have, you know what I’m talking about! Anyways, I’m late for my reservation writing this review haha…enjoy!

• Pros: Food, Service, Location!
• Cons: What cons?

02/18/09

Great wine and great food

by DavidLawrence99

Its quite a treat to literaly walk down into the cellar and you are always greeted as you come thru the door. Ask for the Grotto near the fireplace if you want a romantic private setting. There food is delicious and the deserts are wonderful. I would always recomend the lobster bisque soup as I have sampled resturants all across this country and only 3 forks in Austin Texas comes close, but doesnt beat them. Their wine list is top of the line and its great to have an old dusty bottle to the table to try.

• Pros: Service deserts, and wine list
• Cons: No windows as you are in a cellar

09/03/08

Stars Were Aligned

by MindScout

This was my first time at The Cellar and I have to say it was a pleasant surprise. I am accustomed to driving to Los Angeles or West LA for fine dining and was surprised to find such an establishment in Fullerton. I can only express utter joy of finding a gem like The Cellar in Orange County. The food and the service equaled that of other 5 Star establishments in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The food was better than Melisse and the JiRaffe as they are extremely overpriced. My family and I had a wonderful time. You must try the French Onion Soup for starters and souffle for desert. The food overall was superb as well as the service. I look forward to revisiting the restaurant.

08/11/08

Incredible

by lemongrl

I recently visited The Cellar restaurant for the first time. The first thing I noticed was the decor. AMAZING! It turns out the people who did Pirates of the Carribean at Disney Land also did The Cellar! The food was perfect. Very creative. The scallops are a must have. Thank you to the owner (Ryan I believe) for being so gracious. We didn't have a reservation and he was more than accomodating. I'll be back for sure!!

• Pros: Incredible atmosphere, lots to look at. Great food and great wine!
• Cons: It may be a little difficult to get down there if you are disabled.

08/10/08

This is what fine dining should be

by socaldiner

I've been coming to this restaurant for years now and it never disappoints. I was recently there again and they brought back table side service which I love. Maybe its because the first thing I learned to cook was banana flambe but I thought that table side service was a dyeing art and here the cellar is keeping it alive. They have a sommelier on staff which is a welcome help considering how large the wine list is. Most of the staff has been there for a decade or more so its always comforting seeing familiar faces who actually remember me and often times know what I'm going to want to order for food and wine before I know myself. I look forward to returning sooner rather than later

• Pros: Romantic, Wine list
• Cons: Sign is hard to see

08/05/08

Over priced, overrated.

by gapxguy

I took my girlfriend here for her birthday after reading the reviews. At first we couldn't find the place since it's underground. When we finally found the restaurant, it was in a small alley with steps leading to a small door. There was a fowl smell once we entered. Even with reservations, we had to wait 20 mins. The place was more like a cave in the middle of down town Fullerton than a "cellar" of romantic dining described. The food did not match it's price. You're better off going to Orange Hill restaurant for the price you're paying.

• Pros: Wine List
• Cons: Food, ambience, parking.

07/10/08

Simply, perfect.

by roary32

Food was amazing. Service was great. Incredible wine list. It was a perfect night out and I can't wait to go back.

• Pros: beautiful restaurant, very nice staff

07/10/08

Amazing. I'll be back again....and again...and again!!!!!

by diner531

I was shocked to read the review below. I was there that night and had an absolutely amazing time. The owner was very attentive to us. When having a tough time trying to figure out which wine would go best with our meals he was spot on when he recommended us an excellent bottle of wine. We took a little tour of the restaurant by ourselves. We walked through the grotto, a very private and intimate set of booths. Very romantic. You can even close curtains around your booth for an extra private evening! I've been to The Cellar numerous times and have always had my expectations blown out of the water. The owner is very polite and goes out of his way to make his guests happy. The hostess is so warm and wonderful, I often just sit at the bar and chat it up with her.

So in my opinion if you are looking for a nice night out with exquisite wine and amazing food, go to The Cellar.

• Pros: Beautiful restaurant, great portions, wonderful service
• Cons: No sure if I should bring my kids.

07/05/08

the cellar is where it belongs

by ketosz

My companion and I were seated in a very private, yet VERY noisy private booth (wedding reception upstairs, and very obnoxious, VERY loud group in the adjoining booth). The owner seated us and stated that he was available for anything that we might desire...yet he never returned to our table....odd to make that statement and then disappear for the next few hours. We ordered a few items from the menu and it was certainly good and bad. My lobster and arugula salad with vanilla vinaigrette was outstanding, yet tiny. My companion ordered the French onion soup and we both agreed that it rather poor and tasteless.For the main course, my companion ordered the salmon tournedo, and it was outstanding. I ordered the "prime" New York steak, in what sounded like a fabulous sauce. I doubt that it was a prime cut, and the sauce was sparse and forgettable. For a prime New York steak, go elsewhere. If this was prime beef, they ruined it in the preparation (broiled rather than grilled). Rather tough and lacking the taste and texture of true prime beef. The sauce was insignificent and very sparse (perhaps a teaspoon-ful thinly spread over the meat). The steak was served with about 2 tablespoons of mashed potatoes piped into a tiny tower with an extremely shriveled sprig of rosemary stuck in the top of it. I wondered: why even bother?

We ordered a Grand Marnier souffle for desert and it was the best I have had.

the service was outstanding.The food, however, was certainly not. Good food (the salmon, salad), but definitely not worth the price. if I want a great steak and fabulous service, I will stick with Morton's. Pricing is similar and the food is far superior.

The Cellar is a nice romantic place for a good meal. it is far from exceptional, however. And at the prices that they charge, the quality falls far short

After 20 plus years locally and never dining at The Cellar, I will not return. A good meal, but very, very far from being worth the money, nor the reputation

• Pros: some menu items faboulous
• Cons: some menu items terrible, very noisy, owner's statement unfulfilled