Studio at Montage Laguna BeachThis was out third visit andThis was out third visit and it was just as great as the other two!!!5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMEarly Mothers DayGreat evening at Studio...early mothers day celebration out on the patio...tasting menue with added beet salad and dungie crab appey..paired with Krug/09 Coche Meursault and 08 Kapcsandy grand vin/03 d'yquem for dessert!...superb meal... scallop and duck dishes amazing, rest quite good..service impeccable and cordial... atmosphere breathtaking...5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing. Not enough room to write.Had high expectations but this was probably the most impressive dinning experience I have ever had. The food was exceptional and the service even better. Everyone was warm & friendly, and each course was delivered with perfect timing in addition to the normal things you would expect at 4/5 star. At the end of the meal, our waiter Joe asked about evening and once we shared we were there celebrating our engagement, he offered after dinner liqueur, dessert, and a tour of the kitchen where we met and talked to the head chef Craig Strong, and as we were leaving, he brought us a loaf of banana chocolate chip bread with brown sugar crust as "something for the morning complements of Studio". All because he "wanted to make our night more special".5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMthe total dining experiencethe total dining experience was outstanding except for a couple of minor bumps in the service. Although the style of service is meant to be top level, when a server splashes water on the table while refilling glasses or a bread server drops a roll on the floor while offering them to you as well as a waitress tripping over your table leg. You have to think the training of staff leaves much to be desired.
The food and presentation was outstanding. Enjoyed meeting the chef who visited after the meal. If they could only find trained staff to equal the food and decor they would rival any Michelin starred spot in the US.
I recommend the restaurant for certain just be prepared for a few glithces along the way.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything was excellent exceptEverything was excellent except for the food. My friend and I had totally different
dishes and switched after a while. We both agreed that they left off the seasoning completely. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best) I gave the food a 6 and
my friend (a chef) gave it a 5.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMAn amazing, intimate experience!An amazing, intimate experience! The food was unbelievable, the service attentive and unpretentious, the setting is beyond gorgeous! Very special place indeed.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMWe splurged with the tastingWe splurged with the tasting menu paired with wine. It was a special celebration, so this very expensive experience will not be a routine event.
However, the food variety, wine matching, quality and quantity was perfect. The service, attention to detail and overall experience made this event one of the best we had. Highly recomend it! Be proper ad to pay the price.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing. Exceeded all expectations.Amazing. Exceeded all expectations. We ordered the tasting menu paired with wine. Bravo.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMOrange County's BestIt doesn't get any better then this! Studio is, hands down the best of the best in Orange County! The food is perfection and the service is impeccable. We had the risotto appetizer followed by the melt in your mouth duck breast. I had the veal ribeye which was incredible. Have dessert. You'll be glad you did.3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMQuality isn't CheapStunning view, impeccable service, extensive wine list. Beautiful location at the Montage in Laguna Beach.
We all know quality is not cheap. That being said, Dinner for our family of five exceeded $700. A $58. entree does not include soup or salad- expect to pay an additional $28. per. I appreciate fine dining, but found myself thinking my daughter would rather be spending the money at nearby South Coast Plaza, than on a few bites of Tenderloin-delicious as it was.
For a special occasion, the quiet ambiance and superb service would most likely be worth the investment.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat an amazing dinner experienceWhat an amazing dinner experience my boyfriend and I had for his Birthday. The place is beautiful. I wish I could have seen the view during the day.
The service is the best that I have ever had anywhere. Every single person is where they should be and when they should be. They are polite and wait for the right moments to serve and ask anything.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service, too average foodGreat view, great service but food is very average for the price. Good presentation, but a bit disappointing for that class of restaurant. Was expecting much better.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our 2nd time to theThis was our 2nd time to the Studio, and the 2nd time to have the Chef's Tasting menu, paired with wines. The first time we went we had an absolutely outstanding meal. All the preparations were complete with very complementary flavors. However, this time, we were disappointed. The flavor and textures just didn't seem to go together well, and the preparations were comparatively generic. For example, the tuna tartare, paired with spaghetti squash, all blended together into a bit of a mush. Disappointing. We enjoy everything else about this restaurant. We were just disappointed that for the price (expensive), we would get much more.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMTRANSCENDENT dining experience.TRANSCENDENT dining experience. Every single detail was perfect. This is not a restaurant, this is a work of art. The service is attentive, unobtrusive, friendly, just perfect. The tasting menu is delightful from start to finish. The sommeliers have created a wine pairing that bestows the exact right interplay between each course and the wine.
Troy Smith, one of the 3 brilliant sommeliers, has done what I thought was impossible- to present both a Chardonnay and a Malbec that puts all of my pre-conceived biases to rest.
The price is very reasonable considering the incredible quality and high-cost ingredients. Once in a lifetime dining experience- take someone you love here.3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMMy husband and I had beenMy husband and I had been to Montage before, but never for dinner. We knew we wanted to go to the Studio for my mother's 85th birthday celebration. And I cannot say enough about everything! from beginning to end, it was beautiful, delicious and service delightful. My late father always said "every once in a while you have to go first class", and thanks to the Montage we did again for my mother! Thank you...3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMMy wife and I had a marvelousMy wife and I had a marvelous Saturday evening at Studio. It was an aniversary of sorts for us and we were looking for a special time as we are fine dining enthusiasts. We were seated promptly at a nice romantic corner table with the Pacific in the background. We chose to order off the ala carte menu, but noted the tasting looked superb (and a good deal) given the prices of the menu selections. Each course was superb, the flavors were balanced and highly nuanced. The word that came to mind was seductive, no flavor jumped out at us aggressively, it just got better and better as we made our way through the meal. We finished with a really tasty cheese course paired with a 40 year old tawny. Just wow!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AM'way overpriced for what you'way overpriced for what you get. Innovative, but the connections between ingredients can get lost in their cutting-edge creativity.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMStudio keeps getting Better!It doesn't get ANY better than this! Expensive (very) but definitely worth every penny! I always say...I would rather go to the STUDIO once rather than 3 times to a regular dining establishment. I have been going here since they opened and it keeps getting better. If you went a few years back you will notice is is NOW more casual and relaxed. Craig Strong, Chef, is amazing and also a wonderful ambassador for the Montage.
This sounds like and infomercial...but it's the truth.11/24/2012 12:00:00 AM