Sol Cocina

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Address:
251 East Coast Highway
Newport Beach, CA 92663

Neighborhood:
Newport Beach

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Cuisine:
Mexican

Price: $30 and under

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Sol Cocina Details

Dining Style: Casual Dining
Website: http://www.solcocina.com
Email: newport@solcocina.com
Phone: (949) 675-9800
Hours of Operation: Lunch (11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.), Dinner (Sun-Wed 4:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.; Thurs-Sat 4:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.), Happy Hour (4 p.m. – 7 p.m. daily in the bar and patio), and Weekend Brunch (10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday & Sunday).
Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Mexican, Tapas / Small Plates
Executive Chef: Deborah Schneider
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Counter Seating, Fireplace, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Catering: Full catering services as well as Dockside Catering options! http://www.solcocina.com/
Private Party Facilities: We have a private downstairs dining room lit with a beautiful candle wall secluded from the noise of the public dining room. Music is on it's own volume control and we can host events from 20-55 guests (35 seated, 55 standing) depending on the style of menu selected. A private bar is also available upon request for this room. We also have a patio looking out onto the Balboa marina that can accommodate 20-50 guests (35 seated, 50 standing) depending on the style of menu selected. Parties looking to book for more than 50 guests can talk with the Events Coordinator about partial and full buyouts of the restaurant.
Private Party Contact: Paige Wylie (520) 834-3748
Entertainment: We offer live music every Tuesday night from 6:30 to 10:30 pm, Saturday night from 8:00 to 11:00 pm, and Sunday Brunch from Noon to 3:00 pm.

Getting there

Cross Street: PCH and Bayside Dr.
Parking: Valet
Parking Details: We offer both self parking adjacent to the restaurant and complimentary valet parking as you arrive.

A word from Sol Cocina

The Best of Baja in the heart of Newport, SOL Cocina offers an upscale, yet inviting dining experience on the water in Newport Harbor. Executive Chef Deborah Schneider, a 2009 James Beard Foundation Book Award Nominee, has created a menu of contemporary and gourmet interpretations of Baja street… cuisine,
inlcuding antojitos, street tacos, cocktels de mariscos and main dishes made with fresh seafood, wood grilled meats, local produce and salsas that are all made fresh daily.Continued

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerMexican
Diners' Choice WinnerHot Spot

Diner Reviews

"The food here is great and they have a great taco Tuesday... but in my experience their servers are not very attentive or polite."
Dined on 3/4/2014
"This is our go-to spot for a special brunch. Like every other time, it was absolutely wonderful!"
Dined on 3/2/2014
"...was very personable. Left an unusually large tip"
Dined on 2/28/2014
"On my first visit to Sol Cocina I was beyond pleasantly surprised with the food, service and ambiance. Definitely going back!! The staff was very helpful and accommodating. Reservations are an absolute MUST but definitely worth the effort!"
Dined on 3/1/2014
"Had a 5:30 Friday dinner reservation hoping to beat any crowd. Sat at the window booth next to kitchen entrance. Originally had waitress ask for drink order but she never returned. A second waiter took food order but was not to be seen for over an our. Food was brought out by other waitstaff. Food was ok. Disappointing experience. Must bank on location for appeal.."
Dined on 2/28/2014
"We had the street tacos, an appetizer, and a dessert (the chocolate-covered bananas were delicious). Every thing was delicious and with a twist to traditional preparations that surprised our palettes. We ordered a bottle of wine, and the service was so quick and efficient, we felt that we had to rush to finish it! However, our server was friendly and we didn't feel rushed to finish our meal. Overall a good experience."
Dined on 2/23/2014
"We had a great time. The food was really good and the margaritas were the real deal. Try the Jalapeno Margarita. I made reservations one day prior and the time slots were pretty picked over (had to chose between 5 and 9), which makes sense because it was a really good restaurant. I definitely recommend Sol to a friend. If you are making reservations get on it early."
Dined on 2/22/2014
"There's no question that Sol has the best Mexican food this side of the border. There is no comparison to any other restaurant I have visited in SoCal. All of the foods are seasoned to perfection. From the Appetizers to the main courses, everything is top notch. My wife and I continue to have an amazing experience each time we visit. The presentation of the food is awesome all the way to the portion size. You can tell everything has been meticulously thought out and it shows. There's no question in my mind that I will continue to visit with my wife and recommend this restaurant to all my friends and family."
Dined on 2/22/2014
"My family took me here for a Birthday dinner and what a great choice. I enjoyed the whole experience. The Jalapeño cucumber margarita was excellent. A little to noisy for my liking, but it was tolerable."
Dined on 2/22/2014
"I know my Mexican food quite well, and this is some of the best I have ever had. Great, friendly service, reasonable prices, great food. I will be back."
Dined on 2/21/2014
"Great food, service and atmosphere! The jalapeño cucumber margarita are amazing and the Taco VAMPIRO is a must try! Can't wait to go back!"
Dined on 2/21/2014
"I reserved a table for my date and I, but we showed up an hour early. The hostess was able to seat us right away and accommodate us for our early arrival. Our waiter made excellent recommendations on the menu and we had an enjoyable experience. This place hada great atmosphere and I would definitely come back to try the rest of the menu. Thank you Sol Cocina!"
Dined on 2/14/2014
"I live in North Orange County with one friend in South County and one from the San Diego Area. I thought Sol would be a nice mid place to meet. I was right. The staff was very accommodating and friendly. The day provided a beautiful view of the harbor. It was my friends' and my first visit. We really enjoyed ourselves and the food. Each of the dishes we ordered was very tasty. We were able to enjoy each other and would definitely come again."
Dined on 2/17/2014
"being that It was Valentine's... no places had open reservations... so I settled for this place and WOW.. What a treat! they sat us next to a marvelous view of ships on Balboa Cove. It was great ambiance... loved id and my date was happy so thats what matters... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!"
Dined on 2/14/2014
"The food is really good, but if if the restaurant is busy it is so loud that you can't barely taste it. Most of the noise comes from the bar where the music is so loud that the patrons have to scream at each other to be heard. Sadly the noise blankets the dining room as well. If this type of atmosphere is what you are looking for this is the place for you.If not try to go when things are less busy."
Dined on 2/16/2014
"The restaurant was recommended by a friend. Definitely was a big hit with the family. The food was very flavorful and was excellent. Definitely will be going back in the near future."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"Got there for an early dinner, 6pm. Bar was packed but we got a bar table and ordered a drink. Took a while as servers were very busy. We checked on our table and were led to a tiny 2 chair table in the middle of the room. Shoulda stayed in the the bar! Servers again over whelmed due to a couple large parties. Make reservations and request a booth or look for one of the tables in the bar!"
Dined on 2/15/2014
"Great standard menu with killer tacos and drinks. Our waiter was excellent and the staff was willing to accommodate us with our table request. The only disappointment was that they ran out of scallops on their appetizer list. We were there early before the evening rush and couldn't believe it...especially given that it was Valentine's day. There have been very few times where a restaurant has run out of an appetizer on their main menu (note this wasn't on their special vday menu), therefore I'm thinking the manager doesn't take this too seriously since the waiter didn't even know until after he had put in our order! What a joke. Besides this, the restaurant was good and I would give it another try."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"Disappointed that OpenTable requests were not honored (table not ready, did not get seated at booth with view as requested and server not notified of birthday occasion). Given that it was taco Tuesday, I forgave them. Service was attentive, specialty margaritas not special in comparison to the ones on special at half price. Festive crowd as there was live music on Tuesdays. Still could carry on conversation ok in dining area."
Dined on 2/11/2014
"The food wasnt that great. Everything seemed to be a little too much on the salty side. I wouldn't be coming back here for the food but i will visit the bar on happy hour. It beats your regular buffalo wild wing happy hour. Truthfuly im kinda disappointed"
Dined on 2/13/2014
"This was a fantastic meal, great ambience and friendly and fun service from the knowledgable and cheery Juan Carols. Absolutely would recommend their brunch to friends!"
Dined on 2/9/2014
"We've been on vacation for several days in Laguna Beach and until going to Sol Cocina the food had been bad. The food here was pretty good. Interesting turns on Mexican cuisine."
Dined on 2/6/2014
"whenever we have out of town guests, we take them to Sol Cocina for a unique dining experience. It doesn't matter where in the world our guests have dined, everyone enjoyed their meals at Sol. Quite an accomplishment."
Dined on 1/31/2014
"We love Sol Cocina and try to make a reservation every time we make it down to Orange County. Deliciously inventive Mexican cuisine with unique and fresh ingredients, great margaritas and a lively bar scene! I especially love the hot & raw ceviche, the goat cheese with peanuts and chipotle and the sweet potato tacos. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!"
Dined on 1/28/2014
"We really like the food at Sol Cocina so I met a friend there on Tuesday night after work for dinner and conversation. Much to my surprise, the bar was a whirlwind of activity (is this the new Javiers?). Food was great, service was incredible, but I'm not sure I'd go here for another business meeting on a weeknight. It was a bit difficult to talk….of course, the food made up for it!"
Dined on 1/28/2014
"This restaurant was awesome! Took my mom here for brunch for her birthday. I had the grilled shrimp in chile sauce over arugula salad. It was just the perfect amount of spice and so refreshing with lemon juice dressing. My husband had the vampiro taco. He only ordered one & it was filling and super spicy. Absolutely Delicious! My daughter got the carne asada quesadilla and said it was the best quesadilla she had ever eaten (and she's eaten a lot of quesadillas). She did make us swear that we would never tell Abuela she said it, but they were better than Abuela's quesadillas. My mom had the shrimp cocktail and an appetizer that was just okay. She enjoyed the shrimp cocktail a lot! Service was awesome - felt like a 5 star dining experience."
Dined on 1/26/2014
"we went there for the first time,the lunch we had was very good,from the chips and salsa to the main dish.the chicken tortille soup was great,so was the chicken fajita torta,and fish tacos.when they bring you the chips and salsa they also give you a warm black bean dip,which i loved.the chips are large and very warm and you have to break them apart,delicious.i liked this place better than red 0 for lunch.anxious to go back for diner.also the ocean view was very nice.very reasonably priced for the area."
Dined on 1/27/2014
"We would only go back for lunch during the week since the noise level was too high during Sunday brunch."
Dined on 1/26/2014
"The food was great. The view of the harbor was very nice. Fun atmosphere and great service."
Dined on 1/24/2014
"First visit to SOL Cocina and we were extremely pleased with the experience. The atmosphere was friendly and the service was exceptional. We ordered from the Restaurant Week menu and enjoyed the adobe chicken, the pepitos salad with shrimp and the blonde dessert. We will definitely return to SOL in the near future."
Dined on 1/25/2014
"This was our second visit to Sol Cocina, our waitress was very courteous and attentive. Both times we had the same person bringing us waters, chips, salsa, and both times the waiter was unprofessional. He threw the chip basket, did not say "pardon me" while picking up our plates or delivering ou plates. He even said "hey, give me that plate", when picking them up. The rest of our meal was delicious. We love the variety of food offered as well as the delicious cocktails we've tried. Ambiance is fun but not overly stimulating."
Dined on 1/24/2014
"Great food and atmosphere. Tony from El Salvador was our server did a top notch job with recommendations and attention. Shrimp app was killer and my vampiro and yellowtail tacos rocked. Great scenery with a healthy mix of cougars and 20 something's"
Dined on 1/23/2014
"The chips and salsa are very good. This is our second time at the restaurant. This time I had the Puerto Nuevo Lobster tacos, they were good but very messy, and the slaw that was suppose to be spicy wasn't. Husband and son had burrito and taco's both very good. Next time I will go back to the salad."
Dined on 1/16/2014
"We love going to Sol Cocina - but this visit was out of the ordinary. We had reservations, and we were seated out on the patio. We were at the farthest table - it seemed as if we were ignored or forgotten. The service was pretty slow. The food was ok - my meal had a hard object in the taco so I could not finish it. We told the waiter and nothing was done. We didn't "fight" the issue as we enjoy coming to the restaurant. We will return - maybe just order a different item."
Dined on 1/19/2014
"We have been driving past this place often, finally had dinner. Very good food. Lively atmosphere so don't expect quiet conversation. (We were seated near bar.) Naked guacamole good, comes with large round "chips" to break up. Quesadilla good; burritos, shrimp and chicken, good, but burritos have lots of black beans so our waiter asked if we would like to sub another side. Glad he did, the slaw was delicious, not creamy but vinegary, yum. We will be back."
Dined on 1/18/2014
"Sol Cocina is one of my favorite spots for Mexican food. I like seating next to the cooks and watching them. The food is always delicious and the drinks are amazing too. It is pricey but totally worth it and you can always go to taco Tuesday and have the same service and same great food for a reasonable price plus live music."
Dined on 1/14/2014
"I have been here for Sunday Brunch and have been itching to make it to their Taco Tuesday. I was not disappointed. The wait staff was very attentive, informative, and speedy with our drinks and food. Will definitely be coming back with more friends!"
Dined on 1/14/2014
"The food and service were great, again. Somehow, they knew us before we told them who we were. They welcomed us by the name of our party. Very nice! We'll go back again and again. Nice view of the water."
Dined on 1/13/2014
"I love the atmosphere with views of the boats, the food is very good and the staff is great. And wow ask them about their hottest salsa's - they have some hotttt ones."
Dined on 7/29/2013
"The food was very mediocre and disappointing. The ambience was very fun and energetic."
Dined on 6/1/2013

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