Rusty Pelican

Pete Rem

6 months ago

This review is solely for their Boat Parade dinner service. Make your reservations in advance. The busiest time of year and one of Newport Beach's most popular events spells disaster for last minute planners. We observed quite a few persons get turned away while waiting for our reservation.

Teresa Tims

10 months ago

I cannot believe this is my first time here after all of these years. Let me tell you about all the things I love I love the upstairs bar area and being able to look out over the harbor and the sunset was so beautiful today. I love the bartender and his vibe And I really enjoyed sitting at the upstairs bar. I thought they had a pretty good wine list, but it was mostly like all the basic things that you would expect a fine dining restaurant on the water to have so there wasn’t anything super unexpected there. And I did like the food. I probably wouldn’t want to go here again and eat the food though lol like it wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t like oh my God I have to come here again and have this particular dish. But I really like the vibe upstairs at the bar. I would definitely come back to this bar and hopefully Joel is working again because he was super cool to hang out with.!!

Scott Alan Hardy

6 months ago

As usual when we go to the wealthy parts of Southern California it’s always less expensive Some of the least expensive gas is in La Jolla, California and some of the best restaurant dining for the least expensive experience is in Newport Beach oddly enough The Rusty pelican has incredible food but stick with their main menu. They’re foray into Turkey dinner for Thanksgiving was a little dry, but my wife ordered off their traditional menu. It was incredible and by the way tipping aggressively valet parking drinks, coffee, and too much food. It was like $150. I’m used to $400 for the experience in quality and location. We were right on the water.

T Stoey

2 weeks ago

Had an incredible dinner at the Rusty Pelican! We came here to celebrate a birthday with a large group (10). Making a reservation was a breeze and we even got seated early! It was everyone's first time here. The view of the Harbour is incredible. Worth coming here just for that! The service was exceptional throughout the entire meal. Eric was attentive, personable, and made our meal even better. Great menu for both food and drinks! Plenty of seafood and land options for entrees. We started with the calamari and coconut shrimp. So good! Dinner wise, I tried the Seafood Pasta - fantastic! Would get again! Everything we ordered was delicious during the course of the meal. They even surprised us with a birthday treat at the end of the meal. Rusty Pelican is a must try! Great service, food, and of course views. Can't wait to come back again!

lila boche

5 months ago

Had the most amazing lunch today at the Rusty Pelican, Newport Beach today. Our server Eric was extremely knowledgeable and guided us through what i would say the best food experience we’ve had in quite some time. Eric went so far as to bring us a sample of a sauce of another entry we were thinking of trying on our next visit. We trusted Eric’s recommendations and he ordered for us. I had the Blackened Seared Scallops and my husband had the Black Cod Flagship….both amazing!!! For dessert we had the Cream Brûlées. Thank You, ERIC!!!! We will see you again Lila & Dave

Mallory Reese

3 months ago

This is a great restaurant for date night. The restaurant was quirky and upscale at the same time. It was like eating in a fishing shack, but fancy. There's also a gorgeous view indoors and from the balcony. My boyfriend and I have sat in both places and really enjoyed the view. Some food items are definitely better than others, but they have some really good dishes. Their zero-proof cocktail is absolutely excellent. Also, the staff was very accommodating and friendly.

Adventures with Rusty

2 months ago

Located on the Lower New Port Bay the scenery is beautiful from every table in the restaurant. This is in my families top 2 places we have to eat when we go to So Cal! Everything I have eaten here over multiple visits have been excellent. Not a single bad experience with any part of my visits. Try that Key Lime Pie!

Martin Roberts

9 months ago

A very nice restaurant on the waterfront in Newport Beach. Excellent selection of seafood on the menu, with a couple of steaks too. I had a 12oz NY Strip which was nice. Jumbo shrimp cocktail was good too. Nice ambience but tables were quite tightly crammed in spoiling the ambience slightly. Had to wait 20 minutes for our table for two, despite having a reservation. Parking was valet only.

Linda Castillo

2 months ago

We had a wonderful dining experience at the Rusty Pelican. We sat at the bar and had a beautiful view of the Harbor. The bartender was wonderful...so friendly and made awesome cocktails. The GM came by to see how we are doing. We really enjoyed talking to her. Everyone was so friendly and helped make the entire dining experience special. And the food was delicious. We had the seabass and the salmon. We highly recommend the Rusty Pelican for a wonderful dining experience. We will definitely go back!!

Billy Wilikinson

5 months ago

Every Dish we tried was outstanding and thoughtfully prepared. The salad was a pleasant surprise, with a subtle smoky note that added depth and made it especially enjoyable. The setting elevated the entire experience—sitting by the window with a view of the water created a calm and beautiful atmosphere. It was the perfect backdrop for a relaxed and Seafood, Fish, Jumbo Shrimp memorable meal. Between the excellent food and the scenic surroundings, everything came together seamlessly. This is the kind of place that makes you want to linger a little longer and truly savor the moment.