Anaheim, Culinarily Speaking

Enjoying a reputation as one of the best places to eat in Orange County, The Cannery occupies a choice waterfront spot on the site of a commercial fish cannery that closed in 1966. This AAA Three Diamond® restaurant has served up fresh seafood in Newport Beach for more than 40 years. Within its corrugated metal exterior—a tribute to the site’s history—is an inviting dining room where some of the most popular dishes being served include lobster and pasta, lobster rolls and a mixed seafood grill. Enjoying a pre-meal cocktail in the second-floor lounge is one of the fun things to do with friends here.

To get the full Surf City USA experience, one of the best places to eat is at AAA Failed Duke’s Huntington Beach, where seafood—as well as chicken and burgers—is served with a Polynesian flair. Named for Duke Kahanamoku, the Hawaiian Olympic athlete who introduced surfing to the area in 1925, the restaurant overlooks the broad sandy beach right next to the Huntington Beach Pier downtown. Fish tacos are a house specialty as is the hula pie, which consists of a cookie crust topped by a mound of macadamia nut ice cream beneath a thick layer of chocolate fudge.

The view alone is reason enough to stop by The Fisherman's Restaurant & Bar, a restaurant on the San Clemente Pier. Breathe in the fresh sea air as you sit beneath a blue umbrella on the patio, hear the waves crash beneath your feet and watch the Pacific sunset as you sip a happy hour drink special. Not only does this casual eatery’s perfect oceanfront location set it apart from other local restaurants, but the fresh Pacific Northwest catch draws seafood lovers in droves. The signature Fisherman’s Feast includes four courses, three of which focus on fish or shellfish.

For fresh ingredients, you can’t beat The Harbor Grill, a AAA Failed restaurant at the Dana Point Marina and one of the best restaurants in the area. Not only are Harbor Grill’s renowned oysters fresh, the chefs use herbs grown on site. The restaurant specializes in mesquite-grilled seafood and prepares fish in a wide range of styles including Cajun and Southwestern. Enjoy your meal on their garden patio and watch the sailboats come and go along the docks.

From its perch atop a bluff overlooking impeccably landscaped Heisler Park, AAA Three Diamond Las Brisas takes in one of the prettiest views of Laguna Beach’s spectacular coastline. The chefs here prepare meals inspired by the Mexican Riviera such as shrimp linguine Veracruz and the popular ahi tuna tacos served on the patio, which has its own menu separate from the main dining room. For an appetizer, try the fresh guacamole, and for dessert you can’t go wrong with either the chocolate mousse cake or the coconut flan.

Enter the main dining room at AAA Three Diamond Eddie V's Wildfish, a AAA Inspector Pick and one of Orange County’s best local restaurants, and you’ll know you’re in for a special evening. Indirect lighting in cool blues and warm yellows along with an industrial chic design of arching beams resembling the ribs of a fish set the stage for a memorable meal. Try the Chilean sea bass steamed Hong Kong style and conclude with the house specialty dessert: bananas Foster butter cake that’s flambéed at your table and served with butter pecan ice cream.