Beachcomber Cafe - Crystal CoveGreat breakfast placeMy guests didn't even know this place existed AND were not from Southern California, so it was fun for me to show them what the beach was like in my life growing up in So. California. I love the place and can relate to the period that it represents.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is our go-to place forThis is our go-to place for out-of-town visitors. However, if you are making reservations, make them weeks in advance. You can always request a table in person and enjoy your wait time along the beach. It can get crowded though. I wouldn't bring a party of more than 6 I don't think.
The food is good. It is a little pricey, but the atmosphere makes up for it. We love breakfast there.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMYou can't get closer to the ocean..My sister was visiting from Missouri and I wanted to go to a fun, not too expensive, place on the beach for lunch. The Beachcomber in Crystal Cove was just that place. I made a reservation a week before and was able to get a good time and good table on the patio to enjoy the coast and have good food.
We both had the Mahi tacos and they were very good. It came with fries, but we should've asked for fruit or veggies because we don't eat fries too much. The fish tasted fresh and flavorful. It was a busy day and the service was a little slow, but with a view of the ocean and lots of laughs between sisters, we hardly noticed. We were celebrating my early birthday and the server brought us a big ice cream sundae to share. We had fun!!6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMBeachcomberWe love the Beachcomber. When family is in town it is always a must. We have never had a bad experience...this past visit wasn't as fabulous as our previous visits mainly because the weather was a bummer...Also it was little chilly outside - they should of made the executive decision to put up the tent and put on the heaters. Food was and always is excellent.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellentWe ate two dinners a lunch and breakfast at the Beach Comber. Each meal was delicious and a lot of food. We so enjoyed the ambiance of the Ocean. We had friends with us who also enjoyed the food and atmosphere.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMBreakfast on the Beach!This place was a great place to bring my wife to for a birthday breakfast to start our day. The outside dining was on a deck and literally on the beach. We were listen to and watching the waves break on the shore about 100 yards away. The service was wonderful, the food was delicious and at the end of our meal they brought my wife a special treat to help us to celebrate her birthday.
I have all ready made another reservation for when my brother visits on the week of the Fourth of July.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was a very romantic spot...It was a very romantic spot... Great food with decent prices!6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful for an on the beachWonderful for an on the beach birthday breakfast celebration.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat locationAwesome view and scenery. Great menu and food - be sure to save room for dessert.
Friendly and attentive service. A magical day for my guests who have never been there before.
One especially enjoyed the clam chowder - another the artichokes. I loved the Turkey Club sandwich.6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food in a great viewWe're vacationing from Colorado and came to the Beachcomber last year. t was so good e came back this year for breakfast. The French Toast was fabulous and the view -- right on the ocean -- couldn't be beat. We've already recommended The Beachcomber to friends and relatives.6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMSpecial EventGreat ambience on the water's edge with a fun bar and outdoor patio dining restaurant!6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMcasual elegance, innovativecasual elegance, innovative menu, perfect location6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMA Must Do...I always take first-time SoCal visitors to The Beachcomber for breakfast, and it never fails to WOW them with the food and beach.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it!Always a treat. Great food, ocean views, great servers. Will be back!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMTentThe Beachcomber is an outdoor restaurant. I do not like the new tent they put up. It takes away the entire ambiance of what it is suppose to be "OUTDOORS". The tent also traps in the noise and got very hot and stuffy when the plastic curtains were drawn, Plus you can not see the most important aspect...."THE MARTINI FLAG". This will not prevent me from patronizing the restaurant. I still love it.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMHealthful FoodI appreciate the availability of WHOLE GRAIN bread at Beachcomber Cafe and fruit as a substitue for potato. Nice that patronizing the cafe credits against the $15 car parking fee. Tip to diners - come on a week-day to avoid the large week-end crowd.
Remarks from Sheldon, 4 June 2013.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMFunAlways great in every! Only comment is that the wine list could be improved, but everything was wonderful!5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMIconic Piece of CA Past with FOODIncomparable location and view, delicious and interesting food--what more could you want? Have eaten there numerous times and will continue to return. Have never been disappointed even in January when it was chilly! (Blankets provided helped a lot.) Our out of state visitors loved it and we enjoyed it as much as they did. The weather was perfect this last time, but the fact that it promises to be different every time you visit only adds to the charm.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMOcean GemTerrific Breakfast. So much fun to be here. Hope they open the walk up, take away counter because its great to have somewhere to go eat that you don't have to even wear shoes to be appropriate. Great beignets with a beach ambience.Wonderful service. Terrific food.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMBeach Front GemThe Beachcomber Cafe is one of my favorite spots to take out-of-town guests. Everyone loves the beach views, and the staff even alerts you when dolphins are swimming by. Food is consistently good and reasonably priced; and the service is efficient and friendly. Beignets and coffee are the perfect way to start any day. I highly recommend reservations on weekends and holidays as they are always busy.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGood experience -My guests and I very much enjoyed our meal and time at the Beachcomber!5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMBest restaurant I have everBest restaurant I have ever found. Hate to review it as I'd like to keep this place a secret.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous restaurant on the sandThe Beachcomber is a fabulous restaurant. It is right on the sand at Crystal Cove. The ahi tuna tacos were so good we had to go back and get them again the next day. The beignets were so incredible that we had them as dessert for dinner and then part of breakfast the next morning. Friendly service, amazing food!5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMFABULOUS!!!FABULOUS...FABULOUS...FABULOUS!!! Not much else to say. We love everything about it and I don't say that often!!!5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe restaurant is locatedThe restaurant is located on the sand at Crystal Cove in Newport Beach. The location and view cannot be beat. The food is very good too. Great for taking out of town guests or a leisurely breakfast or lunch. The parking lot is a ways from the restaurant. So, allow time to take the shuttle or make the 10 minute walk. There is at least two miles of beach upon which you can walk after you're done with your meal.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMSteps in the SandBeachcomber Cafe's staircase is in the beach sand. Crystal Cove is a tranquil, beautiful cove, and the Beachcomber Cafe' is nestled in the sand, steps from the sea. They make painstaking efforts to serve fresh, delicious food, using amazing, pleasing recipes. A rare and picturesque treat, both esthetically and as a dining delight.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMNew favoriteWonderful dinner with the wifey, celebrating our Anniversary. Mentioned Anniversary as a special occasion when booking through Open Table but felt awkward mentioning again to our server - thought there would be a special treat but just got the bill and too late to bring it up. Hint - on Open Table, don't ask if it's a special occasion if it will not mean anything. All in all, thanks for letting us book through you - had a great time anyway.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMnot for foodiesCan you imagine what this restaurant would be like if the food were decent??? Instead of weeks for reservations it would be months!5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMEast coasters!Friends were visiting from the east coast...took them to the beachcomber and they loved it. Food was good, service good and we all had a great time. And, of course, the amazing sunset!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Best Pacific Ocean CafeOur brunch at the Beachcomber was fabulous. All the servers were excellent and attentive. The frittatas and cottage potatoes were wonderfully seasoned. The bread and preserves were too tasty to resist. Plus the organic coffee and tea was flavorful and plentiful. If that were not enough the fresh ocean breezes and views were refreshing in the perfect California way. We were even entertained by a pod of dolphins enjoying their morning! It doesn't get any better than this. I can hardly wait to go back!5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMjust rightI tend to over eat so for me the portions were on the light side, but having said that for once I did not feel stuffed when leaving the restaurant. The food was very good. I would have liked the Caesar salad to be a tad larger, but the swordfish was to die for.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMUnique Gemone of a kind if you enjoy eating at the beach and enjoy a return to the past. Food is good drinks are over priced5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a treat to come toAlways a treat to come to this restaurant. You can't beat the location and the burgers are fabulous!5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulousMy favorite place to come to, especially with out-of-town guests!5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat!This restaurant is always a wonderful place to take out of town guests! Consistently great servicem ambiance and food.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMBelated Mother's Day CelebrationMy son came in after Mother's day to celebrate both his birthday and my day. The dinner at your place made it even more special than the day itself. Food was wonderful, service very personal even though restaurant was full, and back ground sound of waves made it very perfect. Thanks for the memories. My out of town guests were very impressed!5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst timer at BeachcombersIt was my first time to visit this restaurant and took my wife and kids for Mother Day. Great place right on the beach. Let’s just say I got some serious brownie points from my wife on this one. Would highly recommend it for lunch and then kick it at the beach. Food was great and not so expensive5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMothers Day at Crystal CoveTerrific menu for breakfast/brunch at the Beachcomber, Crystal Cove! A bit pricy but extras and expanded menu justified the expense.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat brunchWent there for Mother's Day brunch and it was great. I had kalbi short ribs and eggs which was delicious. And the beignets were delicious. This out of the way restaurant is right on the beach. Parking can be extremely difficult on a nice day as it is a popular beach spot. You can walk down to the restaurant or they have a shuttle. Give yourself extra time for parking as they will hold your reservation for 10 minutes. On a busy day without a reservation wait time can be up to 4 hours. Excellent restaurant, highly recommend. They even have blankets if you get chilly!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMother's Day at the BeachcomberMy husband took me to the Beachcomber for Mother's Day. The ambiance alone is worth the trip. It's such a cute restaurant right on the beach - nestled in Crystal Cove. The food was great, as was the service. I definitely recommend dining there.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMothers Day on Saturday afternoonI love The Beachcomber Restautant in the Historic District at Crystal Cove State Park! The tomato blue cheese soup is a winner, and the Kobe burgers too. However, the chicken skewers were practically burned-AND the edamame and the sauce doesn't work at all with the chicken. They took it off the bill. The baked feta is delicious, but this is my 2nd experience ordering it and its unpleasantly lukewarm. I just don't want to disappoint myself by ever ordering that again. It's such a fabulous appetizer IF only it were HOT.
It's my goal to try everything on the menu here so when I recommend this restaurant to friends I can tell them what to order and what to avoid.
Please bring sugar when you serve tea. We shouldn't have to ask for it.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMDrinks, surf & sandGreat place to hang out, enjoy a sunset and walk in the sand before an amazing burger or appetizer.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat 50th anniversary experienceWe were able to reserve a table for late afternoon on short notice using Open Table, even though the restaurant's own web site said none were available. Food was good and servings huge. Service was just right but the iced tea would have been better if sugar were available. (I didn't ask, and did get a refill). Handicapped parking near the shack is usually full. Making it to the Los Trancos parking lot across PCH can be hard for the elderly and infirm. Beans that came with the salmon were a bit too crispy and undercooked. We'll be back.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMsea sideJust a fun place to enjoy a casual meal - view is great - service always friendly - varied menu5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMHidden GemSo close to home, a hidden Gem that gives a very refreshing and relaxing setting.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMback to the 50'sThis restaurant takes you back to the past, surrounded by the old cottages and beautiful views. This is a must see, then take a walk after thru Crystal Cove State Park after, there are many trails to discover.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMReviewGood food...great views. Being in the beach is what make the experience.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous location, great foodSet amid the historic cottages of Crystal Cove, this wonderful spot allows you to watch the sunset while taking in the nostalgia of the area. The tomato, feta and olive tapanade was wonderful to start. A great light combination for dinner is the wedge salad and the chowder.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMBeachcomber Cafe, Very Enjoyable!The first is to find the place to park, but once you have your first experience, you will learn the parking ropes, and be back again. The computer mapping services will put you about a mile south of where the parking lot is, which is across PCH from the beach, just look for the Crystal Cove Parking sign on the left of the highway while heading south. Parking is $15.00 but validated with a receipt for your meal.
The food was great, and so were the drinks, we had flat iron steak, salmon, clam chowder, and split the wedge (iceberg lettace) with blue cheese dressing, bacon, and tomato. It was so tastey, we ate almost our entire dinner which is super rare for me.
E5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways our go to place forAlways our go to place for out of towers. The view is amazing and the food is always good. Great for breakfast, lunch or cocktails..5/4/2013 12:00:00 AM