Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Rusty Pelican Restaurant, Newport Beach, CA

Rusty Pelican Restaurant

4.7 (6518)
$30 and under
Seafood
2735 W Coast Highway, Newport Beach, CA 92663

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 58 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for scenic views
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for outdoor dining
With spectacular waterfront views and an eclectic menu of fresh seafood and tender steaks, it's no wonder Rusty Pelican has become a Newport Beach dining destination. We are proud to be a recipient of Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence for 2011-2020 – a distinction bestowed upon only the nation's premier restaurants.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak, American
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 11:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    We welcome you to explore our Private Dining options, perfect for any occasion.
  • Private party contact
    our Private Event Coordinator: (949) 642-3431
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Newport Beach
  • Cross street
    Riverside Dr
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Entertainment
    Enjoy live music in our upstairs lounge on Friday and Saturday nights.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card

Private dining

What 6,518 people are saying

Rusty Pelican Restaurant 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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • South Orange County

    Great for scenic views

  • South Orange County

    Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Rusty Pelican Restaurant offers "wonderful service and great food" with standout seafood dishes like calamari and clam chowder. Guests appreciate the "great views" and "lovely ambiance" with a scenic harbor setting. While some service issues exist, many praise the "exceptional" staff and atmosphere, making it a "highly recommended" dining spot.
6,518 Reviews
  1. Jamie VIP

    Phoenix / Arizona4 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    I dine out quite often, everything from casual to fine dining. This was honestly the worst dining experience I have ever had from start to finish. Being greeted, well lack of from our server. Our first interaction was,”do you want drink menus,” no hi, nothing. Then it took a while to take our order, then our food. The worst was it took 35 minutes from the time we were finished eating to get our check. When we did receive the check I gave her my card and she did not bring it back for another 15 minutes and I watched her come back to the table next to us, box up all of their things, ask what they wanted for dessert, brought back a dessert menu, took the dessert order, then went to run my card.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Diane VIP

    Phoenix / Arizona11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a great place ! It started with the host telling me about the Landry club when I inquired about a corkage fee. We Started up at the bar with Eric who made us delicious craft cocktails. We enjoyed the view so much we asked him if he could transfer our reservation to dine upstairs. Sylvia our server was perfect. Great recommendations and food was great. Now that I’m a member , The 4 of us will definitely be back.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Dora VIP

    Palm Springs / Palm Desert Cities20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely beautiful location! The food was delicious and the staff are so polite and helpful.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Susan

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Rusty Pelican was an outstanding choice for our birthday celebration. We enjoyed the tempura calamari appetizer. It was different and delicious. I chose the salmon with jumbo shrimp, jasmine rice, and outstanding lobster sauce. My hubby, the birthday boy, ordered the seafood pasta and could have licked the plate clean it was so delicious and full of seafood. The serving sizes were perfectly acceptable, leaving room for a celebration piece of cheesecake with fresh berries and a birthday candle to blow out! Our server was prompt with soda and water refills. Dinner was not rushed and we enjoyed seeing the yachts in marina out the window. It was a great night!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Michelle VIP

    Los Angeles8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Rusty Pelican is always a wonderful experience. A small vacation packaged into a dinner!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Pam

    Chicago / Illinois9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful service and great food. Ran into traffic going to restaurant and I called and they said no issue and they would bold our reservations.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Richard VIP

    Las Vegas6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything good! Prices were commensurate with the upscale location, ambiance, etc. Very friendly and attentive service. Highly recommended.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Cathy VIP

    Los Angeles3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    Terrible service! Waitress needs customer service training. Drink service very slow, waitress rarely returned to our table. Food was just ok.

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Shawn VIP

    Utah2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Of our 3 meals in Newport this trip, it was our favorite! Food was delicious and the ambience was wonderful.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Vincent

    Los Angeles4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The overall experience was awesome! Reservations made courtesy of Open Table were smooth, even needed to adjust the time w/no problems. Arrived early to request outside seating and was met by a lovely hostess who arranged that perfectly. The ambiance, food and service were all exceptional-will definitely be back soon!!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Rusty Pelican Restaurant offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Rusty Pelican Restaurant also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (949) 642-3431.

Rusty Pelican Restaurant is rated 4.7 stars by 6518 OpenTable diners.

Rusty Pelican Restaurant does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

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. Newport Beach

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 58 times today
Google Map for Rusty Pelican Restaurant

2735 W Coast Highway, Newport Beach, CA 92663

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Riverside Dr
  • Neighborhood
    Newport Beach
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 11:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak, American
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Entertainment
    Enjoy live music in our upstairs lounge on Friday and Saturday nights.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    We welcome you to explore our Private Dining options, perfect for any occasion.
  • Private party contact
    our Private Event Coordinator: (949) 642-3431
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Businesses
  • Restaurant Management Solutions
  • Restaurant Reservation Software
  • Restaurant Marketing Software
  • Restaurant Event Software
  • OpenTable For Restaurants
  • OpenTable For Restaurant Groups
  • Restaurant Resources
  • OpenTable Pricing & Plans
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo