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230 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, CA

230 Forest Avenue

4.8 (2914)
$30 and under
Californian
230 Forest Ave, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 35 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Charming
Don't be fooled by the crowds and the noise; they are all part of the scene here at Laguna Beach's sexy and intense 230 Forest Avenue. The lean deep room seduces you to the open kitchen, bustling bar, and concrete floors, creating a space that is part modern bistro, part martini bar, and part art gallery. It's the perfect spot to see and be seen, laid back Laguna-style. Executive Chef Marc Cohen is consistently recognized as one of The OC's top chefs. You'll be ready to award him a medal, too, after tasting his flashy-to-the-eye, tickle-the-taste- buds fusion appetizers and entrees. His dishes are often so stunning that they compete with the artwork on the walls, making for a thoroughly satisfying "artistic" experience.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, American, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Daily 11:00 am–3:30 pm Dinner Daily 3:30 pm–8:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (949) 494-2545
  • Website
    http://www.230Forestavenue.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Marc Cohen
  • Location
    230 Forest Ave, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
  • Neighborhood
    Laguna Beach
  • Cross street
    PCH
  • Parking details
    There is metered parking all along Forest Avenue as well as several "pay" lots near by.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,914 people are saying

230 Forest Avenue reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Orange County

    Californian

  • South Orange County

    Californian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
230 Forest Avenue in Laguna Beach is a consistently outstanding choice, offering "great food and fun cocktails" in a cozy, elegant setting. With "fantastic service" and a menu featuring delightful dishes like hazelnut-crusted halibut and calamari, it remains a favorite for both locals and visitors. Highly recommended!
2,914 Reviews

  1. David

    Orange County1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent food and service always. It was a bit chaotic on the patio - I will sit inside next visit. Ver much enjoy this restaurant and am a repeat customer.

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  2. Evan VIP

    Phoenix / Arizona28 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    If you dine out often (and we do) you begin to notice certain “food patterns.” There’s “not good,” “good,” and “very good.” And “beyond good” is where 230 Forest Avenue in Laguna Beach, California, comes into play. This downtown Laguna location on Forest Avenue only a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean is a very inspired experience indeed. And lucky us, we also had “Carlos” at our table. He cares about his customers, and it shows. I mean, when is the last time your server stopped to talk to you about other subjects besides the food? He works perfectly paced and fun, which is always a good thing. I keep harping on this in my reviews: You can’t train people to “like” customers. It’s a “behavior,” and not something you can “learn.” “Carlos” is the real deal. Indeed he’s so good we booked another reservation at 230 Forest a few days later and requested him to be at our table. FOOD & AMBIANCE: So, here we go: Genuine, fresh food with sharable portions. We had the Crusted Alaskan Halibut, which was fabulously crusted on the surface yet delicate and sumptuous on the inside. It was served on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, paired with an excellent Caesar Salad with freshly baked croutons. Both entrées were magnificent. The Vesper cocktail (very James Bond) and a buttery Chardonnay were delicious and “great pours” (full to the top of the glass). And since it was our anniversary we also shared a scrumptious pistachio crème brûlée. Very good! Then there’s also the subtle, casual, semi-elegant ambiance (indoors or outside)and the hustling, ultra friendly vibe. Very nice! It’s an easy menu to navigate and everything on it looks tasty (and it probably is based on what we saw and heard from neighboring tables). PRICES: About $100 for the two of us, but this included two well-made drinks. I’ll stop here. I could go on and on. We’ll be returning for sure! Thanks “Carlos” for an outstanding evening!

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  3. Candy VIP

    Orange County10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Yummy ! 😋 tasty and pretty… GO ! You will love it ! Ask for Carlos . He takes good care of his people .

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  4. Rob VIP

    Los Angeles20 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service. Cocktails were top notch. We'll be back!

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  5. Diane

    Orange County1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always excellent! Love 230 Forest!!! Great food and fun cocktails.

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  6. LT VIP

    Tampa / Central Florida West44 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Always a wonderful dinner! Top on our list when in Laguna .

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  7. Gene VIP

    Virginia56 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was great. We had fish and chips. It was fresh and the fries were hot and delicious. We also had steak, i substituted fries. Everything was cooked perfectly and our server was attentive. They even surprised me with a complimentary birthday dessert. We will go back again!

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  8. John

    Orange County1 review

    1.0

    Dined on May 30, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Paid usd 50 for a filet and asked for it to be cooked medium rare. Came out well done. Did not have time to send back as on tight schedule. Disappointing as this have been a favorite place for a long time.

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  9. Steve VIP

    Orange County45 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 25, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good experience as always. Management seems to be cutting back on sides/accompaniments on entrees despite higher prices

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  10. Eileen VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area64 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is our favorite beach restaurant. The food and service is always exceptional. So many fabulous food and drink options. We bring out of town company here all the time.

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FAQs

230 Forest Avenue is rated 4.8 stars by 2914 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Orange County
  4. South Orange County
  5. Laguna Beach

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 35 times today
Google Map for 230 Forest Avenue

230 Forest Ave, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Additional information

  • Cross street
    PCH
  • Neighborhood
    Laguna Beach
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Daily 11:00 am–3:30 pm Dinner Daily 3:30 pm–8:30 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, American, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    There is metered parking all along Forest Avenue as well as several "pay" lots near by.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Marc Cohen
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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