Craft House

Bob R

We went here with friends from out of state on Sunday, June 12. The staff is motivated, friendly, and efficient. They listen. The wine list is quite limited, which is one reason for the 4 stars instead of 5. The food is excellent and delivered at the proper temperature; but if you eat outside, which is a covered patio adjacent to Pacific Coast Highway, the food temp will drop with the wind coming from the nearby ocean. This is expected, of course, but suggests you may wish to sit inside. Traffic noise is also a big negative for outside dining. I had the sea scallops with risotto. The risotto was gummy. My wife had the Halibut, and it was delicious (we share). One guest had the pork chop, which he quite enjoyed and shared a bit with his wife. That pork chop was 16 oz with bone in and looked like it could feed a platoon! Our other guest had Duck Breast, which she loved, and which I will try on our next visit - sitting inside. The bar served a fine Old Fashion in a smoked glass. My wife enjoyed it, and she opined that it was certainly an "honest" pour. I say try it for the food and excellent service; but sit inside and expect a limited wine list.

M planetmike

This is a nouveau Americana restaurant where the items on the menu sound familiar but the restaurant adds it's special touch to make it anew. In some cases, this restaurant maybe trying too hard or too much. Did not like the fried chicken dish. I found it's crust salty then a sauce was placed over it compromising it's crispiness. If you are undecided, the must tries are the snap peas and shrimp dishes. Ample choices for vegetarians. They have a small but tasteful selection of wine and beers. This is NOT a microbrewery. The name "Craft" seems to imply a microbrewery. Service was friendly and helpful. It is a bit expensive, with entrees ranging between $25 to $30 each at this writing. Parking is limited, with about 10 spaces.

Chris Holiman

My wife and I dined here two nights in a row, just so we could try different drinks and dishes, since the first night was so enjoyable. The second night did not disappoint. The cocktail selection is pretty extensive, and I really enjoyed the four different ones that I tried. It's not that often that you find Fernet Branca on the menu at all, and deftly used at that. Be sure to get the birria egg rolls appetizer, even if you have to skip an entrée. They are that good. On the first night, I had the poke salad, which was very good, but the kimchi pasta on the second night was exceptional. My wife loved the Santa Ana chicken caesar. We live 1-1/2 hours away, but will very likely drive up just for dinner again.

Googler Gal

I had dinner here on a Friday night. It was my first time at this restaurant and chose it because it was close to the beach we were at and I followed them on Instagram. It's a great looking restaurant with a large outdoor dining space. I sat outside although indoor dining was available. They're dog friendly so it was fun to see all the adorable pooches. The service was great. Our server was attentive and our drinks were refilled frequently. The parts of my experience that were underwhelming were the presentation of the food and the portion size. Specifically, I had the beet salad and was thinking I should have ordered something else. We also ordered fries to share but it looked more like a side of fries that would come with a meal rather than a shareable with several pieces burned at the end. But, the flavors of the meals were delicious so I don't want to take away from that. If you plan to go on a weekend, I do recommend making reservations as the restaurant did fill up quickly.