Driftwood Kitchen
Seafood restaurant · Laguna Beach ·
Oceanfront dining with steaks, seafood & New American cuisine
Oceanfront dining with steaks, seafood & New American cuisine
"A true Laguna Beach institution, Driftwood Kitchen offers front-row ocean views and a seafood-forward menu that changes with the seasons. Mornings bring a lively brunch crowd, while evenings slow down into a more intimate, candlelit setting. The Skinny Cadillac Margarita with Astral Blanco is a smooth, citrusy complement to the salty breeze." - McConnell Quinn
"If you’re dead set on dining so close to the ocean you can see sand crabs, Driftwood Kitchen is the best option in town for a sit-down meal with beachfront views. The bright, vaguely Cape Cod-ish dining room is quite literally perched over the sand (“Any closer and you’d have to swim” is the restaurant’s tagline) and the food meets the assignment: upscale but not ridiculously overpriced, and interesting without being pretentious. You can certainly splurge on a surf-and-turf dinner at sunset, but we prefer the house burger and a Bloody Mary during their daily brunch. Reservations are a must on weekends." - garrett snyder, jess basser sanders
"If you’re dead set on dining so close to the ocean you can see sand crabs, Driftwood Kitchen is the best option in town for a sit-down meal with beachfront views. The bright, vaguely Cape Cod-ish dining room is quite literally perched over the sand (“Any closer and you’d have to swim” is the restaurant’s tagline) and the food meets the assignment: upscale but not ridiculously overpriced, and interesting without being pretentious. You can certainly splurge on a surf-and-turf dinner at sunset, but we prefer the house burger and a Bloody Mary during their daily brunch. Reservations are a must on weekends." - Garrett Snyder
"As one of few places in Laguna where you can dine seaside, a table at Driftwood Kitchen is highly coveted. The brunch menu ranges from freshly shucked oysters with classic mignonette to organic granola to an egg-white omelet with blistered tomatoes, creamy kale, and avocado. From this perch, toast to the weekend with a mimosa or bloody mary." - Jenn Tanaka
"This casual, open-air restaurant sits above an untouched stretch of Laguna Beach—and capitalizes on that beautifully. Floor-to-ceiling windows encircle the dining room so it appears to be floating above the ocean, all the better to watch the sunset while eating hand-shucked oysters and sipping Rum for Your Life cocktails. Chef Rainer Schwarz’s menu centers around seafood, prepared with a range of international influences—Spanish octopus is grilled with chickpea puree and zahtar, and lobster stars in a spaghetti carbonara. The spot draws a stylish crowd not just for dinner but also weekend brunch, with a must-try version of eggs Benedict (made with Berkshire ham and blood-orange hollandaise, plus steak or crab). While waiting for a table, sidle up to the Stateroom Bar, the former home library of Old Hollywood actor Slim Summerville, for artisan libations heavy on fine bourbon and whiskey. Pro tip: Locals know best, and they can’t get enough of the whole fried branzino, served with roasted shishitos and ponzu sauce."
