The Cellar

07/10/2008 Posted 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

07/10/2008 Posted 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.

07/05/2008 Posted 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

06/17/2008 Posted by TheBear555

I would like to extend my compliments to the Owner, his staff, and the Executive Chief for creating such an amazing event. I really had a lot of fun, it has only been on rare occasions that I have treated myself to the enjoyment and thrill of fine dining. Which made this event a real special treat for me. I have always enjoyed sitting down to an excellent meal, smoking a good cigar, and sipping on a cocktail/good drink (with dinner or the cigar). To have the opportunity to combine all three of these; Fine Dining, Cigar smoking, and the added experience of Scotch tasting was really cool. The setting, the balcony of the Villa Del Sol, for this event was very relaxing and enjoyable. Plus the four course menu provided for the event was outstanding, I really enjoyed the aromas, visual presentation, and flavors that where created by the Executive Chief. My favorite course was the Third/main course which was a Mixed Grill of Lamb, Beef, and Veal (each one had their own special sauce) . As for the Scotch, prior to this event I had never really tried Scotch before and having a chance to try the four (12 yr, 15 yr, 18 yr, & Cask Strength) different types of Scotches was an exciting new experience. Also the Gentlemen at my table where all really cool and friendly which made the experience even more enjoyable. If you enjoy Fine Dining, Excellent Cigars, and Great Scotch I highly recommend you attend this event in the future. Personally: I am really looking forward to when they host the next "Scotch & Cigar Club" event.

Pros: Ambience, Food, & Services

Cons: None

03/20/2008 Posted by GeorgeDobilas

Remember fine dinning at the Cellar 20 years ago? The new management has brought back all those wounderful memories! Try their wine tasting events.......a steal at $69.95 per person. You get 4-5 courses, lots of great wine and you have the makings of a great evening. If you want a romantic, true 5 star restaurant go to the Cellar!

Pros: great service and just nice people

Cons: did not make reservations and had to wait an hour

03/04/2008 Posted by atourya

Don't expect Claim Jumper portions. If you want a corporate experience, go to Patina (Patina was great when it first arrived, but it has lost its luster a little bit). This is an excellent restaurant. Décor is like nothing else in Orange County. Food is excellent. Staff is EXTREMELY knowledgeable. The wine list has all of my favorites. The food takes some time... but you're not running a race during dinner, are you???? Be patient, open up a bottle of caymus and enjoy the pleasantries of life. The integrity of the menu is world class, and the quality of the food served is top notch. The Soufflé is the best that I have EVER eaten. It is just divine. We have ordered it several times, and it always lives up to the first time I had it. Everytime we visit this place, it reminds me of why I love it so much. The Cellar and Partner's Bistro (Laguna Beach) are my favorite places to enjoy life behind a dinner table. Salut!

02/21/2008 Posted by sunny1432

First let me start by saying..WOW, WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! I visited The Cellar Restaurant over 5 years ago, it was good, but I had no idea what it COULD be. I recently gave it another shot with some girlfriends of mine and was pleasantly surprised. First, I didn't think we would need reservations so we just showed up. They were very busy that night but the Matre de said it would be no problem and sat us within 10 minutes of being there. It was actually nice because it gave us time to enjoy the bar! Seemes a new owner by the name of Ryan Dudley turned this place around in a big way. It's so warm and friendly, and the food was absolutely amazing! My girlfriends and I look forward to heading down to The Cellar again. This time maybe we'll just grab some appetizers and a bottle of wine at the bar!!

Pros: Amazing atmosphere, friendly staff, best food in town,

Cons: I ate waaay too much!

09/26/2007 Posted by blythe1234

I highly recommend The Cellar restaurant. THIS IS AN AMAZING RESTAURANT!!! Food was excellent and our server was great! The owner even came over for a while to chat with us. He was very warm and friendly. We recently attended one of their wine dinners and again expectations were exceeded. I will definetly go to The Cellar restaurant again. CHEERS!!!!

Pros: Unique atmosphere, great food

Cons: not child friendly

05/25/2007 Posted by lori5390

My husband and I have always wanted to eat at The Cellar and when time came to make a reservation I checked citysearch and became worried due to a couple postings regarding poor service. I called the restaurant anyway to make a reservation I figured even great restaurants can have an off night. After speaking with a nice young lady on the phone she assured me that the new owner has been working very hard to correct the issue. I must say our evening was absolutly perfect. Food, wine, and service was incredible. We had a very romantic private booth in what they call the "grotto". I can see why The Cellar is considered one of the most romantic restaurants in Southern California.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

05/24/2007 Posted by bournetowin

My girlfriend, parents and I had a incredle dinner for my birthday. We had incredible waiter who explained the specials and the menu in detail. He had a accent so he was a little hard to understand but he was very proffesional. The owner can by and helped us pick out a bottle of wine. He let us decide on our entrees then he chose a wine that paired with our selections. The lobster bisque is amazing and three of us ordered the lamb. We finished with a chocolate soufle. During the corse of the evening we had waiters cleaning crumbs from our table and attending to our every need. The prices are up there but it is no more expensive then Mr. Stox or The Summit House. The restaurant is a little old but the owner told us that he is installing new carpet this year along with new lighting and paint. All in all this was an amazing experience and we can not wait to return.

Pros: service and wine list

Cons: little to bright