Diners' Choice: Best Service restaurants in Orange County

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best service in Orange County? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Il Dolce

5.0

5 (461)

$31 to $50

Italian

Costa Mesa

About the restaurant

Known for using only natural, fresh ingredients, Il Dolce specializes in Italian cuisine. Along with a variety of pastas, salads, patrons can select from a number of pizza menu options. Inspired by authentic pies made in Naples, each pizza at Il Dolce is prepared in a wood-fire oven, giving it an authentic, smoky flavor.Family owned and operated, this award-winning restaurant provides a cozy, comfortable environment where pizza enthusiasts can watch their pies being prepared. Guests dining at Il Dolce can also enjoy a glass of wine, beer or a cocktail. Dessert items along with a special gluten-free menu are also available.

Top review

JamesVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Great find! Wonderful food and service . We will be back for sure!

TAIKUN Omakase - The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel

5.0

5 (15)

$50 and over

Japanese

Dana Point / Monarch Beach

About the restaurant

New York City’s Taikun Sushi has returned to the resort, and Chef Yasu Iwai is delivering a new culinary experience sure to impress. This intimate and immersive 16-course culinary journey sources only the finest ingredients, and a meticulously crafted menu will rotate to showcase the incredible diversity of seasons and textures.

All seats are at the Omakase counter. Two seatings are offered 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm

Top review

AnneVIP

Dined on Jun 8, 2025

This is our favorite sushi restaurant of all time! We have been fortunate enough to dine all over the world and we can’t say enough wonderful things about our experience at Taikun. The host and chef are incredible and the food is out of this world!

Miki Sushi & Sake

5.0

5 (92)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Laguna Beach

About the restaurant

Honoring Chef Miki Izumisawa, the female, award-winning sushi artist, originally trained by the one and only Nobu Matsuhisa. Miki was inspired by nature to create unique nigiri, cut rolls and hand rolls that blur the line between art and fusion sushi. Miki's recipes transform elements of the natural world with names such as Lava Flow, Moon and Sun, Feather in the Sky, and Prairie. Before her passing, Miki carefully coached outstanding female-only sushi chefs to execute her masterpieces. Her legacy continues in this romantic styled coastal, intimate sushi bar and cozy 18 window seats with views of Laguna's main beach. Owners Chris Olsen and Greg Washer are longtime locals who appreciate what Miki did for this community with an outstanding Japanese experience pushing the boundaries of tradition. Reservations recommended!

Top review

MonicaVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Such an amazing place! Staff and service are great. Food is amazing!! So many awesome flavors and the creativity is fabulous.

Strong Water

4.9

4.9 (82)

$30 and under

Asian

Anaheim

About the restaurant

Strong Water is a nautical-themed tiki bar in Anaheim, California, that immerses guests in the ambiance of a sunken treasure ship. The dimly lit interior, featuring dark wood and rich burgundy décor, feels like a ship's cabin. Enjoy tropical music while sipping drinks served in tiki mugs with umbrella straws. The menu offers Polynesian-inspired dishes and an extensive selection of rum, from spiced to aged. More than just a bar, Strong Water provides an unforgettable experience. Every detail, from the décor to the music and menu, is crafted to transport you to another world. With delicious food, creative drinks, and a captivating atmosphere, Strong Water is perfect for tiki culture enthusiasts or anyone seeking a unique dining experience. Don't miss out on this extraordinary destination.

Top review

AlexandraVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Strong Water has been a consistent favorite of ours for years and they keep getting better. The service, ambience, food, qnd drinks are all amazing! Truly a gem!

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Experience

Tiki Brunch - Weekend

Experience

Reservation for Dinner and/or Cocktails

Experience

Large Party Reservation - 7-12 Guests

Lemon & Thyme

4.9

4.9 (124)

$31 to $50

American

Costa Mesa

About the restaurant

Lemon & Thyme Costa Mesa Is proud to bring you an exceptional dining experience that celebrates the rich tapestry of flavors around the world.

Top review

HollyVIP

Dined 1 day ago

The absolute best neighborhood gem! You are treated like family when you dine her. Every single menu item is amazing. It’s my fav caeser salad EVER. Steak tartare is bomb!!! Mushroom risotto sends your taste buds to a new world… it’s rich and delicious. Branzino, bone marrow, salmon, roasted mushrooms and market vegetables are also must orders. Don’t skip flourless chocolate tart, house made ice creams, lemon sorbet, and the baklava cheesecake.

Hana Re Sushi

4.7

4.7 (20)

$50 and over

Japanese

Costa Mesa

About the restaurant

Hana re only offers chef omakase course $250 per person.
10 courses from appetizers to dessert . Hana re offers same courses at chef’s counter(bar seating )and table seating. Please check website to see more details .

Top review

mostafaVIP

Dined on May 18, 2025

Best omakase experience, chef was perfect, very clean and the food was beyond perfect.

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Experience

Omakase Menu

Cappy's Cafe

4.9

4.9 (322)

$30 and under

Breakfast

Newport Beach

About the restaurant

Ask any Newport local: If you want great meals prepared with fresh ingredients and served in generous portions, Cappy's is the place. For over the past 40 years, we've been a celebrity hideout, a second home to countless friends and family, and the friendly spot for good conversation and even better food. Bring your favorite furry friend as we have an outdoor patio and canopy seating.

Top review

RobertVIP

Dined 1 day ago

We’ve been to Cappy’s Cafe hundreds of times over the years but had a nice lunch on the 4th of July. We made a reservation on Open Table and we sat when we got there. Not too crowded and food and service were great. We love Cappy’s for lunch but breakfast is their specialty!

Momoyama

5.0

5 (31)

$50 and over

Sushi

Fountain Valley

About the restaurant

Welcome to Momoyama, a Michelin rated esteemed omakase restaurant nestled in the heart of Fountain Valley, California. Renowned for its exceptional culinary artistry and dedication to authentic Japanese cuisine. Our restaurant offers an intimate and refined dining experience that showcases the finest ingredients and the meticulous craft of our Executive Chef, who brings over 20 years of industry expertise to every dish.

At Momoyama, we believe in the art of omakase, a traditional Japanese dining style where guests entrust the chef to create a bespoke meal that reflects the freshest seasonal ingredients and the chef's creative vision. Our omakase offerings are available for both lunch with options for a la carte and dinner, providing a unique culinary journey that is tailored to delight your senses.

Top review

Victor

Dined on Jun 22, 2025

We were pretty unfortunate to get a VERY annoying and disrespectful customer during our dinner, however, I can’t grade the restaurant lower since the food and service was amazing. Shoutout to chefs Edie and Yoshi for making the best sushi and making the experience as good as it could be. We’re looking forward to coming back soon and try the new menu!

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Filomena's Italian Kitchen

4.7

4.7 (128)

$30 and under

Italian

Costa Mesa

About the restaurant

Filomena's Italian Kitchen serves old-world cuisine in a cozy setting in Costa Mesa. The restaurant is a labor of love for owner and chef Linda Johnsen, who has translated her Italian heritage and family recipes into a flavorful comfort food menu. From her grandmother's Sunday sauce gracing the chicken, veal and eggplant parmesan to the classic sauce in the pappardelle bolognese, traditional ingredients stand out at Filomena's Italian Kitchen. Johnsen has put her own stamp on the menu with creations like champagne chicken and agro dolce calamari (shrimp and calamari tossed in a sweet tangy glaze with pine nuts, raisins and sweet peppers).In addition to traditional first-course options like caprese angel hair pasta, entree and seafood specialties, Filomena's also serves a selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian pizzas and calzones. End your meal at Filomena's Italian Kitchen on a sweet note with tiramisu, cannoli or flourless chocolate cake.

Top review

Jill

Dined on Jun 16, 2025

Tried calling to increase number from 2 to 4. Voicemail not set up. Once open I called and talked with someone about going from 2 to 4. Couldn’t find my reservation. Said she’d leave a note. Arrived to find no note left and our original reservation was in system…for 2. Thank goodness not busy. And that $50 per person cancellation fee??? Wow I know 3 couples who’ve quit going at all. What about illness?

Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse - Irvine

4.9

4.9 (61)

$50 and over

Brazilian Steakhouse

Irvine

About the restaurant

Galpão Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse delivers an exquisite dining experience inspired by the rich Gaucho culture and culinary traditions of Southern Brazil. Galpão Gaucho’s rodizio experience offers an unparalleled dining experience, featuring 18 unlimited selections from the grill, including the new 24-karat Golden Steak™, paired with unlimited visits to an extensive 45-item gourmet salad bar.

Galpão Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse, an authentic Brazilian dining experience.

Top review

FernandoVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Really good ! Excellent Service and delicious food! Highly recommend!

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