La Cave
1695 Irvine Ave, Costa Mesa, CA, 92627
La Cave Menu
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Main
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Appetizers
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Dessert
Healthy Meal suggestions for La Cave
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Main
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Appetizers
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Dessert
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Address :
1695 Irvine Ave
Costa Mesa, CA, 92627 - Phone (949) 646-7944
- Website https://lacaverestaurant.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:30 pm - 11:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Victoria A.
REVIEW FOR LATE NIGHT: I have been to La Cave a handful of times over the years and every time I journey down the stairs I ask myself why? First I come here because it's close to where I live and I can literally crawl home if needed. The bartenders are fairly nice and have always given me great service. The pros end there. On Wednesdays they charge girls a cover because they have a dj, or whatever that was was, on some nights. The dance floor is disgusting. Tiny, dark, humid and full of nasties and their trolls. Your best bet is to go on a quieter night to sit and relax.
(3)Aaron B.
Awww yea! Love this place. The steak = super tasty! The restaurant itself is fun as well. Low-key downstairs vibes are so cool. Check it out if you're in Costa Mesa. Great dinner spot.
(5)Cathleen F.
La Cave was a blast from the past, in a good way of course! We arrived early for our reservations and seated right away. I had been to La Cave many years ago, they have keep things the same. We ordered Moscow Mules, mine was a bit strong (said no one ever). We had the garlic bread delivered, it was good. Our waitress showed us the display of steaks and sea food options. I was somewhat uncomfortable not seeing a menu, and no pricing was offered. My husband ordered the porter house steak w/twice baked potato and I ordered the 12oz lobster tail. We both went with the blue cheese salad and a side of mushrooms. The meal was cooked perfectly, the mushrooms had so much flavor! My husband said it was the best twice baked potato he has ever had! Total with lobster, Steak, mushrooms and cocktails came to $130.00 before tip. Not bad. La Cave didn't disappoint. Enjoy
(4)Kelli K.
Dining at this restaurant was quite an experience the outer appearance of this building has a more younger hipper feel making me ponder rather I would experience a true feeling of a traditional steak house but after deciding to give it a try What do you know "I loved it!!" When you walk into the restaurant the feel changes you feel that old traditional familiar steak house luv.. Dining here was comfortable and just easy to do! The lingering smell of steak being grilled while sipping on a glass of red wine just did it for me awesome staff as well. Great experience!
(4)Jim D.
Pretty dark in here. Wonder what it would look like with the lights on. Ribeye was kind of tough, how does that happen? Twice baked potato kind of dried out too! Blue cheese salad dressing had little taste. Whole night was very underwhelming. La Cave does seem to have its regulars so maybe I just ordered the wrong things........might give it another try some day but there is a lot of competition out there.
(2)Jenny W.
Ugh. Nice, little, dark vibe... dank, but that's expected. Very nice waiters. Not fine dining by any means. Everyone loves the cheese bread, and while it's good, it's something that Claim Jumper would serve. Just cheap, thin white bread soaked in butter and cheese. They don't have a menu nor hardly any appetizers, they offered us shrimp scampi, which was large shrimp a bit overcooked, swimming in garlic butter sauce with mushrooms. Mushrooms were good, but again, nothing to write home about! I could make this stuff in my sleep at home. Where's the fancy touch? So far I feel like I'm at Sizzler. Filet was not great, I asked for medium rare, got medium well plus. Just a steak. Saw the huge beautiful crab legs in their display case, ordered one with our steaks, and it was about 1/3 of the size of the display case one, and not sweet at all, bland, whatever. Carrot cake was decent. Cosmo and lemon drop martini were syrup-ridden, fresh ingredients were not used Really disappointing. I really wanted to find another steakhouse in OC, but still, Mastros and Bungalow are the only standouts.
(1)Ferdinand T.
If someone told me to take an elevator 2 floors down to the bomb shelter and have a nice steak and a few rounds at the well stock bar, I'd laugh. But this place has an interesting cool vibe to hang out and hide (heck you are under 30-50 feet of dirt). Food is decently good. Love the steak and scampi. and you can dance after 1030pm at the small dance floor
(5)Akiko I.
- Locale Destination - It's on Irvine Ave and E 17th St in Costa Mesa. It's in the big shopping plaza, at the corner, right by "my fit food". It's in a big building, has a sign for "La Cave". Once you see the sign, get into the building and take an elevat
(4)Theirry C.
Hanging out with some friends... Our favorite bartender Tommy is here... We ordered the steak tips and shrimp. The best!
(4)Danielle D.
Since I can walk to this place, we tend to frequently visit this place. The atmosphere is super casual and welcoming and it is literally in a 'cave'. You take the elevator down to the basement and our favorite thing to do here is sit at the bar for dinner. They have entertainment and are one of the few steakhouses in Newport that let you walk in as you are, ie; flipflops and shorts without a stuck up attitude. The food is decent enough but if you want a filet that is out of this world you will go down to A Restaurant instead but it's a very different experience down there. La Cave is a perfect place to drop in for a nice, casual dinner.
(4)Snow C.
Go for the ambiance, not the food... We liked the Frank Sinatra tribute! Food had much to be desired. Shrimp cocktail was the best I've ever had and the highlight of the night - huge tender prawns, spicy horseradish sauce - perfect. Then came the garlic bread fresh from the oven - so bizarre...it was sliced bread like from a loaf you would buy at the grocery store, thinner than Wonder bread. The garlic topping was good but thin sliced white bread? Very strange! Salad was fine. They were out of prime rib at 6:30...bummer because that's specifically why we came. Anyhoo - ambiance nice, food just okay.
(2)Randy I.
This place is a roller coaster. It seems to have its ups and downs. It definitely makes for an interesting night to say the least. My friends and I came here this past weekend for a birthday celebration. There were supposed to be 10 of us so we made a reservation a day ahead of time. As always, I was a little early and the first one to arrive so I asked the hostess about our reservation. The first thing she starts to do was apologizing to me...not a good sign. Apparently, a party of 15 which had a reservation 2 hours before us, came 1 hour late and took up the large table which our party was supposed to use. In any case, luckily for us and for the restaurant, 4 of our party cancelled last minute so 10 turned into 6. Anyhow, we still had to wait about 15 minutes to get a table even though we had a reservation. We mad? Not at all. As a matter of fact, we got front row seats to a fight. It wasn't a physical fight but boy, was a customer IRATE! I don't know what the heck went down but he was asked to leave. The waitress who was serving his table said he was being extremely rude and they had a tiffy and the guy asked to see the owner and wanted all his money back. I wish I had some popcorn to watch this explosion. Well, after that little altercation, my friends and I were happily greeted and seated by Briana and our waitress Jennifer came to our table as if nothing happened! That's great waitressing right there. As the saying in show biz goes, "The show must go on." Since our table was taken by a tardy group of 15, we were given a smaller table that was meant for 4 but squeezed in 6 place settings. They don't have a menu, nor pricing. They have a roller cart filled with 10 different cuts of meat from filet mignon to rib eye, new york strip, lobster tail, halibut and a few others. The waitress explained it all and to our amusement, my friends and I all ordered the same thing, the 16oz. ribeye. We were 3 couples, 6 total, and we all split the dish. The rib eye was huge and even though we split it up, we were all satisfied by the end of the night. We also ordered some XYZ wine as well as an appetizer of mushrooms. Both were pretty fantastic. Jennifer, the waitress, recommended that we dip our complimentary cheese bread into the mushroom sauce and we did. I was disappointed at the quality of their complimentary bread. It wasn't all that. I didn't even mind that they didn't replenish it after my friends and I asked THREE times to replace it before they finally did. Anyway, aside from that, the rib eye was fantastic. It was very tender and tasted superb. Oh! Also, we ordered the twice baked potato which was a hit with me. I loved it. Imagine a crispy-on-the-outside potato but mashed potato on the inside. Yummy. Total COST for each person for wines, steaks, and appetizer was $35. All in all, it was a fair deal It was not a great experience but it was definitely a memorable one. Great company with friends makes any night a fantastic night, but the restaurant dropped the ball many times on their end. Oh, my compliments to the waitress who was a real trooper though! Jennifer, she was cool. She even gave my homie a free chocolate cake for his birthday. Much thanks for that! Will we be back? Who knows.
(3)Marybeth S.
I've been here 4 times... Always get the beef medallions and twice baked potato and have never been disappointed! Oh, and the complimentary bread, YUMMMMMM!!!! They make the best lemon drop martinis ;)
(5)Elizabeth A.
This is one of the best kept secrets in Orange County. I just really dig the whole atmosphere of this place. You walk down the stairs into this wonderful, dark room that is a total throwback to the Rat-Pack days. There is even a Frank Sinatra entertainer. The food is delicious! The presentation of the different choices is really neat- they wheel over a glass case with the different meats to choose from. I usually come on the prime rib nights because good prime rib is hard to find! Sometimes it is discounted even. The garlic bread is amazing- seriously hands down the best garlic bread ever. The mushroom appetizer is delicious..I've tried to mimic the mushrooms at home but yeah..I'm just not meant to cook. The staff is very friendly and attentive. This small, intimate restaurant is a true treasure of Orange County that you should definitely experience.
(5)Christine L.
The service was soooooo bad here, our server forgot literally everything that we ordered. I'd give the food 3 stars, nothing spectacular!
(1)Melissa W.
Service is excellent. Maybe it was the time of night, we came early on a Saturday- but everyone was really attentive. Started with their famous cheese bread - I loved it, hubby wasn't impressed. Interesting how you don't get a menu - so knowing prices of items is difficult. I originally ordered rib eye , it was so chewing I couldn't eat it. I rarely send things back, as I am afraid of what else I may get! But I am glad I did because NY strip was excellent!! Tasty cooked perfect. Twice baked potato was very good. (Salad reminded me of my grandmothers favorite place) prime rib hubby had was little over cooked, and just average in taste. The music was all 60's which I didn't mind - hubby loves it (better then the techno we were forced to listen to Last weekend) Overall I would probably give it another shot.
(3)Cat H.
Welp, I guess I've been here before. This holiday season, my brother invited my bf and I to dine with he and my nephews. To save a long story, I got food poisoning and had the worst 18 hours. That night, I ate the mushrooms and the halibut with asparagus. I only had one glass of wine. I ended up so sick. Skip the food here and just drink if you go!
(1)Justin S.
This was my first time here and I must say I was very impressed with this place. We came to celebrate my boys bachelor party. We were attended to by two of the best servers Lorri and Taylor who did not miss a beat. The food was a little on the high end but i have no complaints. Everything from the food to the drinks to the service was great. I highly recommend checking out the La Cave.
(5)Brenda S.
This place is classic! Best meat in town, but not a huge fan of the sides. However, their cocktails make up for it as well as their amazing service! We often drop in simply for a French Martini - best in town. Pricey, but unique ambiance.
(4)Christine J.
This was my first experience here and I loved it. The food is awesome. The staff supper fun and friendly. The atmosphere is just what I want at a steak house. It was a wonderful evening. Martinis are tasty too. Jen is a great server with a wonderful personality.
(5)Adam J.
I came here on a Tuesday night looking for a romantic dinner date with my wife. I found everything I was looking for and some more. The manager Jennifer greeted us as we arrived and found us a table despite that we arrived a half hour before our reservation. Our server Debbie was so professional and warm and offered a great presentation of all the meats when she rolled them out for us to look at. My wife ordered the halibut while I couldn't pass up the 16 oz. ribeye. The garlic bread and soup was a perfect way to pass the time while we waited for the main course, and Miguel our busser kept the refills flowing and took care of all of our needs until Debbie brought out our main course. The ribeye tasted even better than it looked! I couldn't believe it. I asked for steak sauce but didn't end up needing it, the ribeye was seasoned so well it didn't require any sauce. My wife shared her halibut with me and although I'm not a huge seafood fan, with the lemon and seasoning, it was fantastic. Between the professional and warm staff, the fantastic steak and seafood, and the wonderful ambience of "LA Cave", this is a must visit place! I look forward to coming back and trying some of the other cuts the next time we need a romantic night out.
(5)Herbert P.
What a dissapointment. For years the wife and I celebrated at La Cave when an expensive dinner was worth paying for high quality beef. We went back this week. Same display of cuts to order - I ordered sirloin steak. It was half the size of prior orders, and the quality did not seem to be prime beef. An average meal at above average cost. I am guessing that management has cut quality to maintain profit in light of fewer customers. Whatever, this is not the same restaurant I was used to.
(2)GP S.
Food & service was great but they had so many people standing everywhere that you couldn't move at their Saturday 8pm show. Even before the rush of people, it was so loud I couldn't carry on a conversation I felt very unsafe it there had been a fire or other emergency people would have been trampled to death. I won't come back to there 8pm show but may come back on the nights they have a 6pm show.
(1)Matthew M.
Very dark and very strange set up...but i like it! You walk in and either go down the elevator or take the stairs down to the basement. Once there you see a bar and a steak bar where all the searing and protein cooking goes down. Great set up I like unique things. Ordered: Mushrooms in butter sauce - Wow that butter sauce was just clarified butter with garlic and it was great. Dipped everything in it and now my heart hurts but it's so good. Prime rib - Best thing in the entire place. Don't order anything else. Porterhouse - It was cooked to perfection based on color but it just didn't taste that good. Costs twice as much as the prime rib too so the prime is the way to go. Twice baked mashed potatoe - Do yourself a favor and make sure you order this. Seriously! Great overall place with good drinks too!
(4)Christy O.
Went out with a large group for NYE and ordered without a menu as they bring a cart of the offerings to your table. When we received the bill it wasn't itemized so we had no idea what we were paying for as some of us ordered drinks and some did not and some couples in my group shared one entree. My husband asked our server in advance, if we were going to receive separate bills and she told us No. We DID NOT however, expect to get a bill without any detail of what we were paying for. The next day, my friends and I reviewed our bill against what we were told by the manager before booking our reservation and found out that we were charged in excess of 50% of what we should have paid for. My friend that booked the reservation followed up with the owner who was a complete lunatic to her on the phone. I'm sure she'll provide more detail of the exchange she had directly with him in her review but overall I wanted to share my experience of the incident as I don't typically dine in establishments where the owner fails to treat guests in such a way as to reveal such a low-life and poor character about himself!
(1)Chuck Z.
I went to La Cave for a birthday celebration and was very disappointed with the quality of the food. I ordered the crab legs and it was tasteless. The salad was bland, I will not be going back anytime soon. I felt like I was dining at Denny's but paying Ruth Chris prices.
(1)Chris W.
This place is absolutely amazing! The service and the food bring an unprecedented amount of care and attention to detail and attention to the guests and community. The concierge stopped by 3 times to check on us and ensure the highest level of satisfaction. I am completely thrilled with my experience. Worth the money...truly a hidden gem! Janine our server was a doll and recommended us with the finest dishes #localgem #betterthenmastros
(5)Derek M.
Thank you Laura and Mike for your wonderful hospitality. Janine was amazing. You're all a wonderful presence in the Newport community. I will be back for sure
(5)Jimmy R.
Laura was my favorite hostess ever!! She was not only beautiful but so sweet I only wish she would be my wife. I would absolutely come back to see her again. Sooooo cutesie!!! #swingers
(5)Garrett F.
Ate here on a Tuesday night, which is obviously not a weekend, but it was still fun. First, a lot to like: it's very un-OC, being downstairs, dark and old, with some character. Great steak, good drinks and sides, and good service. There was a guy singing some Sinatra era songs which was fun, and the crowd seemed to be having a good time. Didn't sample the desserts, but they looked pretty good. I've heard it turns into a scene after 11 on weekends but can't comment on that. Definitely recommend for a great steak dinner.
(5)J G.
Pros -Excellent Service - Good food (not great but still enjoyable). I had the Alaskan King crab legs and my bf had the ribeye. My crab was definitely better than his ribeye which I found surprising since this is supposed to be a steakhouse but the crab was delicious. -Wine was pretty reasonably priced. -Nice romantic ambience Cons - Not necessarily a con but there is a limited offering of dishes and no menu. I personally liked the presentation but I was a little surprised that you could not see a menu or prices. -Parking lot is pretty small and there was no valet. We had a little trouble finding parking in the area but it was a Friday night. -Again, steak was good but not great. I think there are better steak houses around (A's, Mastros, etc.) but I liked that this was different and romantic. Overall, a great dining experience. This might not be my regular place to go but would definitely come back again.
(4)Carole C.
Went to La Cave last night for dinner and the Frank Sinatra Show. The steaks melted in our mouths. The chocolate dessert was to die for. We were so entertained. The night flew by-and the drinks were very strong. Not to mention that the bar tender, the wait staff and cooks were phenomenal! A pleasure to visit La Cave!
(5)Julian D.
I can't comment on the food since I have only come here at night when it strictly functions as a bar/lounge. It has pretty cool ambiance and they have fun stuff like Karaoke night and live music.
(4)Vanessa G.
You walk down into a cave like area, dimly lit to set the mood ;D, then you are presented with a tray of raw meat to choose which meat you prefer to order, after they bring you baked cheese bread full of savory goodness, and the meat is cooked to your perfection along with a delicious fancy baked potato. I absolutely love this place.
(5)Brent W.
About 30-40 years ago, they used to have hundreds of these types of establishments around So Cal. Now unfortunately 90% of them are gone. Not La Cave. t's literally a throwback to the old school steak houses - dark wood, dimly lit, red leather booths & generous & very strong drinks. The only thing missing is the cigarette smoke and the haze that used to envelop these establishments (but I'm sure most would agree that is a good thing). Just to manage expectations, it does get fairly loud but that only enhances the experience.
(5)Kayla Q.
2.5 stars. Appropriately named, 'La Cave' is kinda like a dungeon. It reminds me of a place where old people go to have affairs. Wednesday nights bring out a younger crowd, usually a bunch of goobers. The drinks are always really strong though, and the food is really good, but pretty pricey.
(2)Sara W.
Came here for Restaurant Week. I feel like this was one of the cheaper and better deals you get from all the restaurants. Even though this place seemed pretty casual it is best to make a reservation since the place is pretty small. Also there are some people who come pretty dressed up and some who are very dressed down so somehwere in the middle seems best. PARKING: The restaurant has it's own parking lot and more spaces in the back. The spaces are pretty small though so be careful. ATMOSPHERE: The restaurant is downstairs in a cave like atmosphere so it is pretty dark inside. It's also a bit hot in there becuase of the open grilling area that you can see at one side of the restaurant. There are a lot of booth table seats where you and your other can sit on the same side but they have to pull the table out for you to get in. It's a really good date spot for couples. PRICE: The restaurant week deal was $30 for prime rib, a side dish, a soup or salad, and a shared dessert. FOOD: Cheese bread for starters and it was pretty good since I love cheese. Then the meal followed with clam chowder and it was ok. Not super creamy and not very hot when it came out. The prime rib was the main dish and overall it was good but a bit too much fat and a little undercooked for my liking. Still it was delicious and really huge. Twice baked potato was really good and the cheese flavor made it so good. Ended with chocolate and raspberry dessert and that was pretty good as well. I do not think I would come back here for the food but the experience was fun. I would recommend others to try for a nice date night but for me it's a try once type of deal. Reminds me of oc mining company with an opposite gimmick, underground instead of on top of a mountain. I do go back to oc mining company though becuase the gimmick is slightly more interesting. Price wise I think other steak and meat places nearby are much higher quality.
(4)Beth E.
Stay away! The owner "Mike" appears to be in need of psychiatric help or some kind of drug rehab or at the very least anger management courses! Ate there on NYE with 14 in our party. No menu and my friend who set up the reservation 2 weeks in advance inquired if there was a special menu for that night and was told "no." When the bill came it was $1100 and some change. The waitress was unable to provide us with an itemized bill, only a total, despite not bringing us menus when asked. It was complete chaos! 2 days later went back to try to rectify the bill, because we estimated our party was overcharged by almost $300. After pulling teeth trying to get anyone from that place to help us, the owner called my friend back the next day screaming at her. She was unable to deescalate this Mike guy who was ranting and on some kind of narcissistic rage or in a manic episode. He yelled things like "No one has ever complained about my restaurant!" "Do you know how well known I am around here!" "I'll fire that waitress who lied to you and comp your check, but do you want that on your conscience?!" "There's an up charge of $15 per item, everyone knows that!" He then proceeded to call back and leave a lengthy ranting message about how "restaurants work" and proceeded to explain in specific detail how much revenue he lost at on NYE, that the DJ costs $3000 and so and so forth and how dare us ask for any money back, as though we are his accountants. Needless to say I have never encountered anyone so inappropriate or egotistical I my life. The sad thing was that we all had a good time that night, food was nothing to rave about, but it was fun. Sadly we'll never go there again and deter anyone who wants to. Considering posting the long voicemail he left on YouTube so stay tuned...
(1)Gary R.
When I mentioned to my parents that I was going to be running a marathon in Orange County, their eyes lit up. They then proceeded to implore me to make reservations at La Cave. Apparently, La Cave was one of their favorite date spots when they were younger (before they were married). I was intrigued that it was still in business after all these years and, fascinated at the notion of dining in a restaurant that had so much family history, I booked reservations for dinner at 8:45pm on a Friday night. La Cave is located in Costa Mesa, just a stone's throw away from Newport Beach where I was staying. The building is situated in a spacious parking lot right off of Irvine Avenue, and it's hard to miss because the restaurant sports a large sign out front. When walking to what you believe to be the entrance, you confront, instead, a tacky-looking, old, burgundy-colored elevator door. The elevator shuttles you downwards, opening to a dimly-lit space that makes you feel as if you've been transported back in time to the tune of 40 or so years. After disembarking, you immediately confront the hostess stand where she will confirm your reservation by paging through a large, old school, handwritten reservation book. No fancy, computerized reservations systems can be found at La Cave. Again, the dining room is dark, and the dim lighting creates a loungy ambiance that is absolutely endearing. The main focal points of the space are the bar, an area that is positively bustling with activity, and the chef's station where you can watch a true professional, adorned in a classic white chef's smock and top hat, cook scores of steaks as if it's child's play. No menus will be provided to you at La Cave, aside from a cocktail listing. I decided to start with a lovely glass of zinfandel. While waiting, a generous serving of cheese toast was provided -- bliss in every bite! After noshing on toast and taking the waitress up on her suggestion for the mushroom appetizer, a side that is packed with rich flavor, she proceeded to wheel to me the display of their daily meat offerings of steak and seafood. The meals come with salad and your choice of potato: twice-baked or regular. I selected the rib-eye, and so that my Dad would be on speaking terms with me when I reported back to him, I chose the twice-baked potato, one of his favorite's at La Cave. The steak was delicious, cooked to my specification, and was rather tender. To be honest, I've had better twice-baked potatoes, but I still loved the cheesy goodness it provided. With all the bread, mushrooms, salad, steak and potato, I was stuffed to the gills by the time I was done. Needless to say, La Cave delivered, and it did so at an extremely reasonable price. My rib-eye was only around $30 or so. Unheard of these days for a steakhouse worth its salt. Upon exiting, I took the staircase, in lieu of the elevator, to return upwards to the parking lot. The stairwell is graced by a number of old photographs depicting Hollywood celebrities and figureheads. Loved it. The entire building is just teeming with history and charm. While La Cave is an old steakhouse, it would be a gross misunderstanding if it was assumed that it only appealed to older demographics. During my visit, it was a younger crowd that was buzzing around, some of whom were obvious douchebags. Yes, I picked up on that vibe, but it wasn't out of control, thankfully. In addition to the dining room, there is a back lounge area with a live band. Indeed, there's something for everyone at La Cave. What a special place.
(5)Bree B.
For our first Valentines day my valentine booked weeks in advance for La Cave. About 5 minutes after sitting down for our reservation in the secondary dining room I was appalled and increasingly agitated that a group of singles in shorts and t-shirts decided that La Cave's small intimate bar was the place they wanted to get hammered, throw high-fives, be disrespectful and obnoxious in the sight of all the other well dressed & well mannered Valentines Day couples. I know my Significant Other was probably spending a great deal of money, we had bought a nice red wine from the wine list, chose our dinners and had gotten dressed up, only to be slapped in the face that La Cave doesn't appear to have the same respect or standards for it's customers behavior. Management seemed to turn a blind eye to the loud group, wait-staff seemed to notice but did not remedy the situation.. I reached out for an explanation and got an email that "LaCave opened Valentines Day 1962 therefore the night you dined with us we were celebrating our 52nd year! We are sorry to hear you were disturbed by other patrons that night. We are hopeful you will be back to dine again soon with us. " I am a bit saddened that our valentines day got stomped on by a rowdy and disrespectful group of drinkers and think our next romantic experience will be celebrated elsewhere. Thanks but no thanks.
(2)J K.
Great basic steaks apps etc fun atmosphere and super good bar tenders. Love this place. Lots of fun times.
(5)Francisco S.
Great food, great ambiance and great service. The place seems to be intact to its first days what gives it a lot of character. Love the fact that it is in a basement giving (at least me) the impression of one scene of Il Padrino. Food wise I was pretty satisfied with what I had. The New York Steak Strip bites as an appetizer were super tender and very flavorful. As an entree I had the Restaurant Week special consisting of medallions of beef with a mushroom bordelaise and a double baked potato... Just perfect. Beef was very tender, sauce was flavorful but not overpowering and the double baked potato was just the perfect side. Very very good. Finally they brought us the dessert consisting of a warm chocolate bundt cake just to die for... Cant wait to go back for one of their "Sunset Specials"
(4)Louis B. M.
This is a fun time warp, it was Sinatra Monday and He Wasn't Ol' Blue Eyes he was just old and he made it fun and the codger sang his lungs out and had a blast doing it! The food is good and fresh, the staff is friendly and professional, the place has been around for 50 years and there is a reason why, its GREAT! In a town where everyone wants to look and eat like the the Douche Bag Wives of the OC, and pretend that they are millionaires, and their car is getting repo'd and the house is in short sale....... this is the polar opposite THANK YOU, LORD! There are the blue hairs in there if you get in early but after 7pm there are some good looking girls and fun people not being pretentious....go have a great time they have good food and bands there and the cocktails are not all watered down.
(5)Lori J.
I normally love this place, but Valentines Day here was a disaster! We had 9pm reservations and waited until 10:15 for a table, we were seated in the separate bar room next to the band and couldn't even hear each other. By 10:45 we asked if they were going to take our order to which our server said, "Oh, we only thought you wanted drinks." and took our order. 11:15 only having prisoner rations (bread and water) we were being crushed by the crowd there to see the band and still hadn't received out food so we asked for it to go. We had ordered 1 dinner (we weren't going to press our luck and besides our waitress couldn't hear us so when she said are you going to split that, we just nodded) 2 beers and were charged $67 that's $80 after tip. That just seemed way too high for one meal, so I called the following Monday and inquired about the prices. I was told that our meal was $10 more because of Valentines Day. This was NEVER mentioned prior!!! When I called to make the reservations I even asked if there was a special menu for Valentines Day and I was told,"No, it's the same as every other day." I don't know if we will ever come back, certainly not on a Holiday!!!
(1)Danielle L.
I eat out ALOT, and this has got to be one of the worst places Ive been, super expensive for food that was not good at all. The twice baked potato was dry, the steak was covered in gross gravy...just eewwwww......I would never go back. It looked like a cool old lounge but that was the only good thing about the place.
(1)Julie L.
Decent drinks, nice atmosphere and the best chocolate mousse I've had in possibly my life? :o It comes in a chocolate bowl and there's raspberry sauce and a thin chocolate cake at the base. Be nice and share though, its huge and very rich. Only part I didn't like was trying to hear the menu and having the waitress yelling in my ear. Its as loud as a bar but it looks like a dim lit steakhouse. Oh, and asking to hear the dessert menu and her forgetting...although in her defense there were more than 20 of us. (This place: not good for crowds unless you get the back room) I'll be back another time to try the menu. Food & desserts around us looked pretty good.
(3)Shana R.
My first visit to La Cave was a very good one. The ambiance was relaxing and comfortable with friendly wait staff. The menu is in a rolling cart and everything looked delicious. They don't offer green vegetables, but when we asked our server, she gave us a choice of broccoli or asparagus. I ended up with the filet, twice baked potato and asparagus, which were prepared perfectly. All in all, I will be back again.
(4)Edward P.
There is no anticipatory thrill quite like taking that rickety elevator down to La Cave and stepping into 1964. Martinis and red wine. Perfect steaks and seafood served with garlic cheese toast, twice baked potatoes and Caesar salad. For a special thrill, come on Mondays and listen to David Kinwald slay Frank Sinatra. Where else in Orange County can you get dinner and a show? Unabashed fan of La Cave. I have been eating here for 25 years and it has never disappointed.
(5)Justin Y.
Who would have thunk it that I would ever be in COSTA MESSSSSSSSSA?????????????????????? But yeah it happened....... Got dragged out for my boy's welcome back party. Though, I have to agree with Oswald W. It totally reminds me of Swingers....... Though, it's like Part Swingers/ Part Shakys/ Part "The room"..... The room is Santa Monica............ Cover: None Bouncers: Cool as hell...... Complimented me on my Spiderman shirt. Location: In some parkin' lot across from the Blockbuster Entrance: It's like an underground entrance. Watch your skip Crowd: White people...... With your occasional sprinkle of Polish, Bosnian, Asian, and whatever might yander it's way into this place Drinks: The Shirley Temple I had was pretty strong actually. So I would imagine the rest of the drinks are the same. It's either guy put too much syrup or something but it had an interestin' taste to it Music: I was surprised. They were playin' a bunch of hip-hop....... Though, their dance floor is super tiny. If you want to see a bunch of white girls dancin' and some awkward white guys dancin' then head to the dance floor. Though, I actually like the music. I just thought the dance floor was a bit small *For some strange reason the entire time I was there I really wanted to eat like Spaghetti and meatballs, or eat a pizza pie. Don't get me wrong. I like this place. I really do. It's super cool. Good crowd.... Large boothes but it kept on makin' me hungry..... If there was a fat Italian with a mustache with pizza dough throwin' it up going "LAH DA HA" I would have dieeeeeeeeeeeeed.................... Good venue choice. I would come back here again.
(4)Rita K.
THIS IS NOT BASED OFF THE RESTAURANT! I went to La Cave's Wednesday night which plays electro music. There are two rooms: a dancing room and a bar room. There's also a patio. The night started off well enough with Kedd Cook playing some fun funky remixes. It was a good mix of guys and girls and there were definitely lots of good looking people. That's where the good part ends. Around 11pm is when the crowd starting getting bigger and La Cave is not exactly a big place. The dancing room was very poorly ventilated and it was STIFLING in there! We had to leave because it was hard to breathe and the crowd was super douchey.
(3)rene r.
Decent. I truly didn't know what to expect with all the reviews and having driven past La Cave for years. Elevator was under repair so I took the stairs. I don't weigh 2 tons but I felt like I did walking down them; they seemed fragile. Dark cavernous bar/restaurant- hence the name. Cheese bread is good, similar to Quiet Woman. There's no menu, nor pricing. Meat/fish are wheeled around on a cart and described by server; you have to ask the cost. I had a NY strip which, theme for the review, was decent, not great. Prices seemed high for the quality and atmosphere.
(3)Girl O.
I'm a fan, La Cave is two places in one. It is a great steakhouse and a great bar with music on select nights. Great place to have a good piece of meet and hang.
(4)Brittany B.
Live jazz? I'm a musician and live jazz isn't a guy singing to karaoke tracks. That my friends is karaoke. Let's bring back real live music! If iPods didn't exist you would have to actually Learn how to play an instrument.
(1)Brent A.
Went here a few weeks back....THIS PLACE ABSOLUTELY SUCKS!!! With a capital S!!! Went there for what I thought was going to be a romantic date and amazing night of food. The highly highly highly overpriced steak and lobster. They had to redo the steak 3 times and we finally just gave up. The lobster was so small I thought it was a crawdad and so so so dry. When we brought it to the managers attention, she took half off, after charging us to split the plate not even telling us there was almost a $20 charge to do that. This place is the worst. Worst $70 I ever spent on food and that's saying a lot. BOO LA CAVE!
(1)Brooks J.
Over Priced, poorly run, limited menu with side dishes that are clearly lacking freshness. It's okay to meet someone for a drink and cheese bread but everything else isn't worth mentioning. If you're a die hard Newport local that used to come to this place in its hay day, you will be very disappointed. Don't show up expecting something other than run of the mill mediocrity. Oh, and there is a $30 corkage to compliment their very minimal wine list. Cheers.
(1)Nathan M.
Overpriced! Payed over $100 for two people, food only. Disgusting bathrooms. You can get a better steak and service at Mastro's, Morton's, or Ruth's Chris. Live music was awful.
(1)Jami R.
I went to the restaurant portion tonight and WILL be going back. First off, I don't know why people are whining about the elevator smelling. It smelled just fine. In fact, it smelled like it had been recently cleaned. As for the outside part - yes, I will admit there was a smell. All I can say is the way it's designed out there, I'm sure when it's closed that there's probably a homeless person or two who choose to stay there to get out of the wind. Unless someone can fix the economy that's not about to change. The service was excellent. A tiny bit slow but that's because the place was incredibly busy - and it was only 6:30. The hostess and waitress were both very nice and professional. No male realtors at the bar cruising for chicks. A little disappointed there. I've never had a guy buy me a drink or try a cheesy line on me. I guess that's a part of being a woman that will go on unexperienced by me. *chuckles* Actually, in all seriousness, except for one slob in plaid, everyone at the bar area was there with someone. I like the old fashion decor. Yes, it's dark but that just adds to it's charm. The steak was so good and so tender you could practically cut it with a dull butter knife. It's normally hard for me to eat beef, but I have low blood iron and the doctor said I need at least 4 ounces once a week. If I could have a steak like that every week I'd have no problem getting my beef. I shouldn't have but I went ahead and had desert. Chocolate cake. You know how at even the fanciest restaurants cake tends to be dry? Not at La Cave. Only cake moister than their's is cake made by my mom. Absolutely delicious. They were playing REAL music - Tommy Dorsey, Billie Holiday, Bobby Darin, Nat King Cole, etc. None of that crap that passes for music now adays. It's just too bad that people were talking so loudly you can barely hear it. I think if there was anything I'd change - the bathrooms. They're incredibly small. And I'm not just saying that as a fat woman. Calista Flockhart would find them a tight fit. Seriously, they need to take some time to expand the bathrooms. Or make another set down the hall just for handicapped people like my mom. I'll be honest. If I was actually dating someone and he wanted to marry me, I would be hard pressed to say no if he had the good taste to take me to La Cave to propose.
(5)Andy D.
I came here only hearing what others have told me about this place and everything was completely true! You take an elevator down into a basement type dining area that is very intimate and old school, but awesome all at the same time. I had the 10oz filet with the twice baked potato and I don't regret breaking my eating plan at the slightest. The waitress was awesome! The food wasn't expensive and I believe all the drinks were doubles without being charged as doubles. Haha. Win. Win. Win. The only thing I would let people know, is that it's pretty dark down there. I know my grandparents would have had to have the menu read and meat cut for them. Other than that, definitely a top notch place to dine in a place that has a very unique ambiance.
(5)Brian M.
Well I came to see a band.......There is a lot to say about this place. Cons: First thing I see is the decor is very outdated, it starts at the front door leading down into the staircase. There are so many pros and cons. I am sure someone has covered it. I feel as if the place does not have an idea of its clientele. They have a fine dinning crowd overlapping into a hipster crowd with a band setting up. 100% ok with places changing for the clientele they wish to attract. But I was looking at the people watching the hipsters come in and the looks of disdain says these people will not be back or will have dinner earlier. Watch Restaurant impossible's flood tide episode and you will see the similarities, about decor and outdated practices. I really feel that the person who made this place great has moved or passed on and whomever is running now does not know what they are doing or they simply does not care. The wait staff is sloppy looking, especially in their personal attire, and general hygiene. I really hesitate when I see a woman with frizzy hair everywhere and thought I sure as hell didn't want any of it in my dinner. Since im on the staff subject, the staff looked like it has been there as long as the decor, which may actually be a Pro, having veterans. I also think you need some young blood to keep this place on its toes. Next, I picked up a menu and when I saw the prices, after a chuckle I came to the conclusion about their former glory, no place charging this much could stay in business this long if they didn't get it all right at one time. Pros: I looked at the dinners going by and I wanted to eat it, and it all looked great. A little too much throw it on the plate presentation wise. This one may surprise you: there is very little cell phone signal ( being that the place is located in a basement) I think its great for a classy restaurant to be able to keep cell phones quiet. you could probably get a text out and that fine just to say im here. no 3G so nobody is sitting there on Facebook. THE BAR WAS WELL STOCKED! Great Bourbon, Scotch and whisky selection. It drives me crazy to go to some bars and find a million different flavors of Stoli but not even covering the basics with more than one choice for a bourbon, whisky or scotch. The weirdest place was a sports bar? go figure. I was very happy to find that bartenders knew their stuff, I also don't like when someone stares at you like you got three heads when you ask for neat. There is as much wrong with this place as much as there is right. For the price I would pay here, why would I not go to Lawry's? That's this restaurants million dollar ? why would someone come here when there are so many great places on the water front , figure that out and this place could get back to its former glory.
(2)Tammie W.
Love La Cave! Great food at reasonable prices. Atmosphere is totally 60's and I love it. The Cesar Salad is made with the original Cesar Salad dressing. Steaks and seafood is delicious and fresh. Thank you for adding Side Cars to your martini list. Do not pass the Carrot Cake. I enjoy Monday night date night with my honey. Great singer Monday nights singing Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and Tony Bennett songs from the past. Thank you for great food and memories.
(5)Cristy M.
Came in for restaurant week. Service is mediocre. We got the 3 course dinner for the $25.13 and you definitely get what you pay for. Our food was nothing spectacular. It was my first time here so I didn't realize how dark it was. I would not come back. I can get a better steak in a well lit restaurant.
(3)Caroline E.
I've heard great things about La Cave, so decided to check it out. I ordered the Halibut, and within a few hours after eating it, felt horrible. The following day, I was stuck in bed/bathroom with food poisoning. Two days later, I'm still not feeling back to normal. Truly unfortunate, since I really enjoyed the atmosphere!
(1)D N.
This place is terrible. They try to make it exclusive by putting a fake bouncer in a cheap suit who is less than intelligent regulate a lame institution. They think they are in Newport Beach but they might as well be in the hooters off of 405. The people running this place and working here are full of themselves and need to grow up.
(1)Jennifer M.
Drinks are strong and reasonably priced. Good ambiance. Good entertainment. Excellent cheese bread and twice baked potatoes. Probably the best cesar salad i have ever had. Unfortunately the steaks themselves are just fair. Maybe less than fair. Went about a month ago , mine was a bit flavorless and some gristle.
(3)Michelle T.
Costa Mesa Restaurant Week Review! One of the best prix fixe deals i have seen in a while! For $24.11, they had an awesome deal that came with their famous cheese bread, choice of salad or soup, ny strip or boneless rib eye, and chocolate cake! Came here for a girls night out, and it was great timing that we ended up here during restaurant week. All of us got the deal and agreed they give you alot of food for the price and enjoyed our dinner! Girls night out for me usually means alot of estrogen filled conversations. Me- being unmarried without kids, a good manly steak usually helps to balance things out for me. I was a little sad that they were serving a "boneless" ribeye, as bone-in med rare rib eye is my go to cut of steak. However, the boneless ribeye was surprisingly very flavorful and tender and they gave a huge piece! yelp.com/biz_photos/PHQx… Starter cheese bread was super yummy. I forgot to say "twice baked" and ended up with a regular baked potato, but it was still a hefty yum potato. I tasted the twice baked and it was good. Salad was ok- i did enjoy the one slice of beet on top. Dessert was super cute : a mini bundt chocolate cake with chocolate chips inside. It didn't taste or look "fancy" but i enjoyed it very much. I was the only girl at the table who finished her cake...!! For the regular menu, instead of a physical menu- your server will bring around a cart of meats and go over your choices. yelp.com/biz_photos/PHQx… This place is a real trip too. It looks like a strip mall outside and it's next to a blockbuster. You take an elevator down and end up in this very old school joint. I think we were the youngest there. It's VERY DARK. Personally i dislike not being able to clearly see the food i eat, but the ambiance with the red lighting was pretty cool. Not sure if it was a ventilation problem cuz it is indeed an underground "cave", but the whole time i was eating, there was a musky, smoky air that u couldn't help taste. And I'm convinced Greg T lives here.
(4)Chris C.
If you're tired of OC chain restaurants and strip malls, and want a steak place that is completely different, then La Cave is the place for you. Atmosphere - Don't be turned off by the fact that you are pulling into the Blockbuster Video parking lot. Once you walk downstairs you are transported into a strange, dark, cave-like (go figure) world. La Cave has a long bar in the main dining room, and to the left is the room with the music - featuring Phil Shane or various other local acts. It feels like the place hasn't changed - maybe it hasn't even been vacuumed - since it opened. But in a good way. The bartenders are good, and work quickly even with a big crowd. Food - The garlic cheese bread is to die for. Not in a - this is the height of food - way, but in a - this is stellar grub - way. The salad and starch - I usually opt for the twice baked potato - are decent but unspectacular. The steak is cooked just right and very flavorful, but a little more fatty or gristly than at more high end steakhouses. One downer is that they don't have a bone-in ribeye, only a boneless ribeye. Prices - Spectacular value. Your dish comes with garlic cheese bread, soup or salad, and a starch. Something similar is going to cost you two to four times as much at Mastro's or other OC steakhouses.
(4)Michelle B.
One of our favorite places for a lovely night out. Ambiance is fantastic and the food is always top notch. Servers always take great care of us and give us a great experience.
(5)Taylor W.
The steak is always cooked to perfection, the cheese bread and the astmostphere is awsome one of the best steakhouses in OC and one of the coolest cause you have to take a elevator to get to the bottom . Will be going back forsure!
(4)Brian S.
We love La Cave. Read about it in a newspaper review about 18 years ago and decided to take my wife. It was great. The outside isn't much to look at but once you are down stairs in the restaurant you are immediately intrigued by the old style look. the chef cooks your meal on one side of the room where everyone can see. The steaks are great and the price isn't to bad for what you get. We go back every couple of years when we are in town and we have never had a bad meal. We will keep going back and recommending this place to people.
(4)Ms. L.
My husband and I went here for our anniversary. They are always so accommodating! I love the live music they play and their simplified menu is great! Their prime rib is delicious and all of their food is very very fresh! We had a lovely dimly lit dinner with dirty martinis, cheese bread (soooo good!) and great steaks! Unfortunately when we went for our anniversary they were out of the prime rib but the other runner up steaks are just as good. I had the mushroom sauce and it was a bit salty but other than that, everything was divine! :)
(5)John S.
First time as this place and I have to say, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT WORTH A REPEAT! The gimmick of this place being underground wears off about 10 minutes into seeing it. The dimly lit atmosphere, low ceilings and the 70's decor really needs a makeover. We had reservations, but still ended up waiting 20 minutes to get seated. When we got seated we waited an additional 20 minutes until someone in our party of 5 got up and alerted the staff that we were ready to order. Our waitress was horrible, seemed like she either started drinking early or just woke up. She forgot orders, didn't pitch her specials very well, seemed like she was just trying to get through the night. If she were smart, she would have realized that a group of 5 guys trying to have a good time- ie. ordering shots, drinks, and inquiring about recommendations, came to spend some cash. She didn't seem to care though. We ordered a round of tequila shots and they watered the shots down because they ran out of the particular tequila we wanted and tried to stretch it out to 5 shots. Very classy. The steaks we ordered medium or medium rare got to us well done. There was a 3 minute conversation with an order that was written down wrong and instead of taking the wrong order away and getting it right, the waitress talked about it until one of my friends elected to eat the wrong order. Just leaves a very bad taste in my mouth, literally, regarding the service of the waitress. The only reason this place gets 2 stars is for the entertainment. The old guy singing neil diamond and van morrison was into it! and pretty good too! and had a pretty big following....but everything else just stinks.
(2)Kate K.
Okay, so someone left me a super rude "compliment" about how my previous review was not helpful, and I disagreed. However, in the interest of appeasing the masses, I would like to point out the obvious clarity of the prior review: when someone is saying "hey, where should we go tonight? Let's see if La Cave is it" they then see my review of "no, just no" and avoid disaster. There's not even good people watching! It's like, washed up Newport Beach snobs, Real Estate agents with alcohol problems and the people that like them are the only ones in attendance (unless it's a live band night, then you can include "super fans" in the mix) Sometimes it smells like fish, if that was the special earlier in the day The bartenders are about the only good part of this place Go somewhere else FAST. Is that better, you mindless troll that goes around telling people that their obviously spot-on reviews are "useless" :D
(1)Goki B.
This would be the 2nd time to visit La Cave. It was exactly how I remembered it. The rib eye steak was YUMMY! Semi-upscale, dim lighting with a jazz bar feel. Very retro. The service was pleasant. The waitress was kind and patient enough to repeat the menu, since the menu isn't on anything printed that you can read. Instead, they present the "menu" on a cart where the waitress points with a flashlight (remember, very dim lighting) and explains what each item is. Overall, the food was great, the service was great. A real treat for anyone who hasn't been here yet.
(4)Kate R.
My friend and I were looking for some live music and a small bite on a Monday night. Bit tough to accomplish in Orange County but we thought we'd check out La Cave. We were sat in the very back of the restaurant and the busboy promptly brought us water and fresh place settings. Then we were ignored for 15 minutes while servers visited every table around us. When the busboy came back with a bread basket, we asked if he could send a server over. He was apologetic and sent someone over. The server took our drink orders and headed off. When she brought the beer back, she poured half of mine in my glass, a third of my friend's and ran off again without finishing pouring either drink. Finally she came back, shared the app menu and took our order. When we got our app it was tough and gristly but flavorful. Definitely not the best steak I've ever had, especially for the price. Based on the food and service, we decided we were done with La Cave for the evening. Based on the bill, we decided we were done with La Cave for good. How do you charge a 20% gratuity on two beers and an app for two people when you ignored them for the first 15 minutes????? Terrible service, mediocre food, ridiculous prices. No thank you.
(1)Chris T.
Best steaks in Orange County! The Ribeye is amazing! Not only can I enjoy one of the best steaks I've ever had but I can visit an atmosphere that no one else can provide. An underground candle lit dinning experience that my date fell in love with. Score! Thanks la cave!
(5)Jen S.
Dear men of La Cave, Please stop handing out your business cards to the ladies that you try to hit on. It is the biggest turn-off ever. If you want to prove to us that you're an M.D. or a C.E.O, buy us drinks instead!
(1)Amanda N.
* Nighttime review for the club, not restaurant I came here on a Wednesday night and it was very much alive and very packed. I like the underground concept and there was sufficient parking but I'm not sure how it is on the weekends. The entire place is underground and you enter by taking a narrow staircase or by the elevator. The women's restroom was REALLY small with only two stalls and the door actually blocks one of the stalls when you open it so keep that in mind. The line often goes out the door and everyone is standing very close to each other trying to avoid the doors hitting them. La Cave has two bars, one in the first room where you enter and one in a darker dancing room. They spin house music here which isn't my thing so I didn't have a great time even with all the alcohol I consumed but it was still an OK time. This place was very packed and everyone is shoulder to shoulder and it's hard to navigate around especially since it's dark and everyone's drunk. The dancing room had a living room feel to it with a few booths on the sides for seating. There was some confusion as to whether they took cards or not because the bartender told my boyfriend they didn't but I saw a credit card machine and asked again and they took it the second time, so there may be a minimum fee or maybe they didn't like us. We were pretty much the only Asians there. It's definitely a hipster crowd and there were a lot of creepy old men there. If you like house music and are into the hipster scene then this place is for you. The people there looked as if they migrated straight from The Lab. If you are like me and are more into hearing hip hop and top 40's, then don't come here haha.
(3)Brian K.
My review is for La Cave as a bar/club, not a restaurant. I went here Wednesday night, June 8th with some friends who had been there before. The idea was to hear the dj, enjoy the music, and dance. First reaction to the place was not a great one. There was a line on a wednesday night, and when you're waiting in line all the smoke from the 20 people lighting up cigs on the patio blows right into the line. I reeked of cigarette smoke all night because of it. I was told beforehand that this was hipsterland. Skinny jeans, layered clothes, vintage, whatever. I'm used to that, my gf lives in LA, but the dude on stage with the DJ wearing a burka, that was a little over the top. I thought he was a she for the first hour. The bartenders were fine, no problem gretting drinks/water. But on this particular Wednesday, THE DJ SUCKED! Horribly. The music was incredibly boring, and barely had a beat to dance to. I'm not sure who he was, but I hope the people booking DJ's for La Cave read this and never book that guy again. I'll be back, because my friends were stoked to go there and then sorely disappointed with the DJ. But for now...meh, I've experienced better.
(2)Mark M.
I must start by saying that the hostess on the evening of 3/29/13 ruined our birthday celebration. It was my 40th birthday and after paying $40.00 to have them uncork 2 bottles of wine for our friends and us in addition to $40 or more so dollars for drinks from the bar which was literally 5 feet from our table and loud. ITS A BAR! ITS SUPPOSED TO BE LOUD! this was taken from a post below " We were greeted warmly and promptly seated in the far end corner, beside the bar area. What seemed like a cozy spot eventually turned into a straight-up sports bar atmosphere. There was hootin' and hollerin', along with a few obscenities thrown in for good measure. Hey, that's the bar for ya." Here lies our problem. EVERYONE KNOWS THIS PLACE IS LOUD AND EMPTY OF CHILDREN!!!! YOU DO NOT COME HERE FOR A CHURCH LIKE ATMOSHPHERE ESPECIALLY AT 10.00 P.M.!!! The hostess or woman who controls dining room was offended by our language and loudness. Her outrage was conveniently placed on us at the time our $250.00 check came. She then brings a big individual worker over to harass us to leave who says that " IM ACTING LIKE A DICK AND NEED TO LEAVE!". the moral of the story is its o.k. for the workers and some to participate in this bar atmosphere, but not for others. He can say DICK, but you will be asked to leave if you accidentally let out an f-bomb after paying $250.00 for dinner. This place has changed! THANK YOU LADY FOR RUINING MY 40TH BIRTHDAY PARTY! the steaks are brined or marinated just like applebees. this is common for low quality meat as it could not stand on its own. the quality is not there. the service is hit or miss. last time we had to wait an hour to get a table and then another half hour to order, so i know the drill on the service. this will be my last visit there as there are much better alternatives with much higher quality of food and service. They have a good steak oven, but applebees has a steak comparable to this place. you will get better service and food at black angus then here! this place used to be a landmark and i dont know if its new ownership or just poor management, but the soul of la cave is not there!
(2)Craig L.
Was turned on to this place by a friend and went here ages ago....just now getting the review. First off, if you like meat and potatoes, this is your place. The location is odd...feels like a 1970's underground porn club as you walk down the stairs. When you get inside, it feels like an old English pub to an extent. The atmosphere is quaint without being cliche or distracting. The Prime Rib caught my eye and like Ruth Chris', you immediately sense that you're going to enjoy the slab of beef placed in front of you. The food was simply amazing. As good as or better than any steakhouse in Orange County. Problem is, few people know about this place. Seek it out. Slither into La Cave and bring your appetite.
(5)Kim L.
First let address the widely differing reviews on this restaurant. If you are in the 45+ demographic you'll have a good time. If you're a 20-something look for someplace else. The restaurant is so 60's it is almost hip again. This restaurant has been around for 50 years and the menu hasn't changed. That should tell you something. As a matter of fact, you don't look at a menu, you look at the cuts of meat or sea food. There were 8 of us together, so the main dishes varied from shrimp scampi to swordfish, filet medallions.to a full size steak. ALL 8 of us thought our entrees were cooked properly to temperature and were delicious! Other reviewers have mentioned the cheese bread and twice-baked potatoes (they were good). If you're looking for a romantic restaurant, this ain't it. Or maybe it is. You'd have to sit on each others laps to be heard. The noise level is quite high. If you want to see something while you are there, install the flashlight app to your phone. All of us in our party said we would return. When you can get 8 people to agree about a restaurant, it must be a pretty good place.
(4)Frank C.
I haven't had the food here, so this review is about La Cave's late night scene and its booze. The crowd, music, and scenery: Leather jackets, tattoos, plaids, scenster. Hints of suits, ties, and sport coats sprinkled around in the non-DJ room. The majority of guys here are what girls would call "douche" (which I think is the term girls use for guys who heed them too little attention and play it a little too cool). 21 year old sorority girls. 40 year old ex-sorority girls. Lots of make-up, boots, and again, leather jackets and plaids. Also, plenty of 80's wear (leggings, big shirts). The girls are, generally, more drunk than guys. They are also flirtatious (yay!). Lots of boobs and butts brush up against you. Maybe it's just too crowded in this joint. On Wednesdays it's trance and electronica or some similar synthesized beats. There are blue neon lights in the otherwise completely dark dance room. People dance, but they aren't exactly coordinated. The booze: No watering down! You get what you paid for, but sometimes you pay different prices for the same booze. I've ordered a Gin & Tonic and Jack & Coke four times here and all four times, the bartenders have charged me different prices ($16.00, $14.00, $15.00, $16.50). I think the bartender who charged me $14.00 liked me. Told you they were the flirting type here. Overall, a little pricey, but hey, these are the prices you pay to hang around cool and hip people with leather jackets. So this place gets three stars. It's cool, but not spectacular. I don't get blown away by the prices or the set up here. It looks like any other bar/lounge/club/late night hangout, with the same OC peeps.
(3)Lana U.
Wednesdays at la cave are insane! Great house dj with a wide range of music selection. Photography is spot on too. Drinks are very stiff. I'm a vegetarian so I can't eat much there but everyone loves the quality and generous portions.
(5)mommmom m.
Super chill, cool red booths, strong drinks, no bros, good bands. In my single years, this was the only place I didn't mind being chatted up by strangers. I think it's funny so many people mention it's "underground" -- it's not a lair or anything. It's just one floor below ground floor! I guess basement businesses are rare in O.C.
(4)Marissa C.
I have never eaten here (well except for the delicious Garlic Cheesebread)- I just go for the entertainment. Thursday is Rock Star Karaoke night....where you sing Karaoke with a band backing you up. Its pretty fun to watch! I love all their live music options, drinks are good and its usually a pretty interesting scene..... *Tip-Friday nights they have a Neil Diamond Impersonator. He is a riot (about 5'2" with a full on elvis do and mutton chops)! Does a lot of Rod Stewart, Van Morrison, and stuff like that. Everyone sings along and he takes requests-Gotta Love It!
(4)Joella S.
I LOVE this place. It really is like a cool little cave under the ground with great food and friendly staff. The crowd that goes there is pretty fun and there is always something fun going on. La Cave is the "Cheers" of Costa Mesa. Oh yeah...and its haunted..for real.
(4)Jamie H.
Unique ambiance, fun times, awesome music, red meat and stiff drinks. What more do you need in Southern California? On the Costa Mesa/Newport Beach city line, quietly nestled under a Blockbuster Video store is La Cave. Arguably one of the greatest steakhouses I have ever been too in my life. The steaks are thick, tender, juicy and absolutely delicious. The shrimp cocktail is huge, sweet and succulent. Now let's talk about the scene. La Cave is a great place for steaks, everyone knows that, but when the last of the diners leave, the partiers start to file in. The music is bumping, drinks are stiff and the action is hot. Wednesdays are the best. There usually is a great jazz/funk quartet playing. If you're lucky, you can catch a Phil Shane show. If an Elvis impersonator and a Neil Diamond impersonator spawned a child, it would be Phil Shane. In the hoity-toity lounges of the Orange Coast where drinks are expensive and light, La Cave bucks the trend by serving inexpensive, heavy pours. Pro: when the women come, they come in packs. The girls are pleasant and beautiful. Con: sometimes it can be a dude ranch.
(5)Lisa I.
I heard good reviews so decided to give it a try. I wanted to take my husband, daughter and her boyfriend out for a nice dinner. Boy was I fooled. It felt dingy and dark. I waited to make a opinion after the food was served. We all agreed this was possibly the worst meal we have ever had. The twice baked potatoes were dry and flavorless. All three had steaks which also had no flavor. The worst was my Halibul which tasted like a mushy pile of old socks with garlic poured over the top. I could not even eat it. Salad were not even good. We all very dissapointed and with a huge dent in my wallet $179.00. I would have been happier at the Olive Garden.
(1)Cynthia B.
This is one of the WORST places I've been to in ages! First off, they don't tell you the price of the entrees. They bring over a covered platter of meats/fish. The place looks SO outdated! Funky (in a bad way). The salad was boring! Just regular lettuce, and perhaps a tomato. The steak was average. The cheese toast they served tasted like they got it from the frozen department at the local supermarket. NOTHING good to say about this place. Don't waste your money!
(1)Reggie I.
My first review and my first time to the legendary La Cave. I've heard about it for years and have always wanted to try it. The occasion came tonight when I saw that the also legendary Phil Shane was playing there. If you have never been, the entrance is alittle odd. After walking the red carpet, you arrive at an elevator door and a corridor. If you go down the corridor, look for the door on the left because that's the only way out. The door opens to a small stairway which leads down to a basement speakeasy that looks like it's out of a Sinatra film. My first mistake was underestimating the crowd on a Friday night, especially with Phil Shane playing the lounge later that evening. We arrived at 8:30 and the wait would have been an hour and a half. Luckily, you can sit at the well stocked bar and enjoy the full menu. My second and last mistake was ordering the Ravenswood Zinfandel, a good wine but I really like the Vintner's Reserve which is fuller bodied, slightly spicier and great with a steak. I ordered the rib eye, my date got the petite filet. Both came perfectly cooked and seasoned. Served with soup or salad choice of baked potato, twice baked potato or rice pilaf, and cheesy garlic bread, it's a full meal. I opted for the salad with ceasar dressing--which was wonderful. The dressing was amazing. You can taste the freshness of the ingredients with hints of anchovy and garlic. The twice baked potato was great and you've got to love cheesy garlic bread. And La Cave's is really good. A couple of dirty Ketel One martinis for dessert and you have quite a meal.
(4)Khalid N.
I can't speak for the food, but it's a great place to have a drink with a date or old friend during happy hour. Good wine choices and want to come back for grub during happy hour
(4)Chad R.
I used to live down the road from La Cave and spent at least 3 days a week in the place. Joe, former bar keep, hooked me on the great drinks and vintage cars. I actually met my wife at La Cave and proposed to her after a perfect as always steak and lobster meal a few years later. You may not get as lucky as I did with my visits to La Cave, but you will get treated to an experience that you will not forget. Love the food, style, people, and by the way, take the elevator or back tunnel!
(5)Ann R.
Great atmosphere! Fun entertainment. Especially Wednesday night when there's a great DJ and it gets pretty crazy...beautiful interior - underground, red lighting...
(4)Darren T.
This place was recomended to us over a year ago, and since it is in the entertainment book my wife took us for our two year anniversary. It is a great meal, and friendly service. The whole meal was great, including the cheese bread. The ambiance is right out of the sixties, and I loved it. The red lights, Sinatra playing in the background, and the two people booths add to the romance. There is always a few customers who have been coming since the sixties. Great wine list as well for a small restaurant. We enjoyed it, but even with the coupon it is expensive. Overall I would recomend you give it a try, they even gave us a free anniversary cake with two candles. We will be back when the new Entertainment book comes out. If they were still with us, Frank Dean and Sammy would love this place.
(4)Lysa C.
Long before cell phones or the silicone Taliban ruled Orange County, there was La Cave. The doors first opened on Valentines Day in 1962 and La Cave has maintained its reign as a premiere dinner club ever since. La Cave is charming. I'm fairly sure the interior and some of the staff haven't changed since the restaurant first opened. A modest entrance literally leads you downstairs where you will be transported back in time. A dark, cave-like room with over sized red booths around the perimeter and a nostalgic bar is the main dining room. If you venture back you'll find another room with a smaller bar, stage and tables. This is the club. Don't be fooled, La Cave has excellent food! If you're looking for a vegan or vegetarian plate, run. It's all about meat, potatoes and delicious sea food. All of the dinners include their famous garlic cheese bread which is a meal in itself. Prices for dinner are on the high side. If you're on a budget, skip the food and come for the drinks and entertainment. Check the concert calendar on-line to see what's up. Not to be missed is Phil Shane who's indisputably the best lounge act EVER. La Cave is an absolute classic but even more so it's a great restaurant and cool venue, love it!
(5)Cheyne N.
cheesy bread twice baked potato surf & turf with the petit filet (medium) & halibut 7&7 to drink good times..... PS stay late on Wednesday for sexy party time..
(3)Michelle F.
I've eaten here a number of times. Love the atmosphere and the food can't be beat. The steaks are always cooked perfectly and the service if first rate. Last time I had the jumbo prawns and they were certainly jumbo! Love the garlic cheesy bread! You can't go wrong with this place.
(5)Tom h.
Hmmm. This place needs two review sections. One for the restaurant part and one for the night club. First the restaurant. Boo. This sucks for food. It is way overpriced. There are no menus, they come out with the meats and you picks what you want, not knowing the price. We had a large group and the service was pathetic. They also screwed up our reservation. The shrimp appetizer was way overcooked. And when the bill came, they added the 18% tip (large group) after the tax was added in. So she was giving herself a tip on the tax. Now the night club. This is a great place to go. Great music and and drinks. I usually will get a bottle of wine (Sterling Cab) and can just chill with live music. And never a cover.
(3)j s.
Best of both worlds here. Great dinner, the crowd averages 50+ years old. They wheel a cart around with steaks, seafood, and other selections of the day. Add in the cheese bread and the twice baked potato, and you're set. Then, depending on which night you dine, get up and mingle with the late 20's crowd. The bartenders are good and friendly (ask Mike any movie trivia!),and the drinks are reasonable. The cabs seem to gravitate here at the end of the night also, so you won't wait for hours to get a cab. It's not pretentious, and the dark environment keeps everyone chill.
(5)Nissan S.
Seems more like a dive bar. Depends on what you're looking for. It's sort of loud in there so if you are looking for a place to hang with friends, I'm not sure if htis is the venue for you.
(3)David H.
It's been just over a year since I've been to La Cave. And I wonder why I haven't been back sooner. It's dark. It's slightly run down. But its cool at the same time. The service is always friendly and prompt. I've only had a couple of items from the menu, but they've always been quite good. Last night I had a shrimp cocktail--4 of the biggest shrimp (almost the size of small lobster tails) I have ever seen hanging from a martini glass filled with spicy cocktail sauce. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the cocktail sauce tasted homemade. My friends ordered sauteed mushrooms and garlic bread. The mushrooms were awash in garlic butter and cooked just right. The garlic bread was a little overcooked but still tasty. The bartenders make a stiff drink. I had a couple Mandarin and sodas that were the way I make them at home....almost 1/2 vodka and 1/2 soda. The Todd Oliver Quartet was playing in the lounge. I'm a friend of Todd's, but it was just a coincidence that we wound up at La Cave on Wednesday night when he plays. Once dinner service died down, the music started and the late night crowd rolled in. The crowd was a mix of young hipsters, the newport white powder crowd, and a few senior citizens on the prowl. In fact, there was this one guy that must have been pushing 60 in a white suit and turquoise t-shirt. He kept pushing up his sleeves Miami Vice style--hilarious. So, for a fun night out, some good food, stiff drinks, and a memorable people watching experience go to La Cave.
(5)ankur v.
Man, I had a blast @ this place. We went on a night with a Campy - vegas type singer, and he rocked. La Cave is in the basement of a small building, so remember this place is SMALL. Not the place to bring small children or boring folk who love the atmosphere of your local....olive garden or the like. I cannot comment of the food - as its a Steak house. But all the tables were packed so I'm going to assume the carnivores were happy. I will come again on a jazz night - as that is what they are known for. Drinks were again strong and I cant comment on the density of cougars that night. :)
(5)Kevin H.
Well, I'm here to talk about the food, not the entertainment so if that is what you are looking for just skip this one! I had heard so many rave reviews of this place that a friend of mine and I just had to go check it out for dinner. We took the stairs down into the tiny dining room and were seated pretty quickly. The service was not bad, maybe just a little hands off and slow. The bar was obviously more hoppin than the restaurant so it was a little loud, and a whole lot dark. Hardly any lighting in this place folks. Anyways, I ordered Filet and Lobster expecting the best, but 45 minutes later, receiving the worst. I figure they must have cooked the lobster tail for that full 45 minutes judging by the rubberiness of what I was told was my dinner. The drawn butter unfortunately did not remedy that situation either. The filet was nice and juicy, but for my tastes very under seasoned and over seared. Really the only flavor profile I got was straight charcoal. It reminded me of the terrible family bbqs we had when I was a kid with my dad severely blackening everything, and unsuccessfully trying to convince us all that it wasn't burnt it was just barbecued. At least he didn't charge me 50 bucks for it though. A very popular spot for the older crowd to eat, and maybe their tastes are a bit different than my own, but I don't think La Cave deserves its reputation at all as a good steak spot.
(2)Jane K.
I used to come here for dinner or drinks. I really love the bar scene, its reminiscent of the Regal Beagle ...really mellow andcozy, unlike the rest of the wannabe LA and Vegas joints that keep popping up around OC. Now to the food, its pretty much a prix fixed menu..you just choose your meat of choice. Personally, I would only recommend the filet. If you are a beef lover, like me, you'll notice they don't use prime cuts which probably is why the other cuts aren't as good...NY strip looks like something i could've just thrown on the grill and they serve Tbone instead of Porterhouse (unusual for any good steakhouse) Getting back to the food, all dinners are served cheesy bread. I can write a review just on the bread alone...its that GOOD. Its just a simple slice of white bread smeared with butter and cheddar cheese, topped off with sprinkles of crack. Now, if i haven't gorged myself on 2 baskets of the bread i sometimes leave a little room for the steak and their signature potato. The same cheesy goodness as the bread only it comes in the form of a twice baked potato.....MMMM. . I really like the filet mignon but not any where near comparable to Mastros. Cheesy Bread+ Cheesy twice baked potato packs a one, two punch..Pow Pow!!!
(4)J O.
BF was craving meat so we tried this place out. As you descend the elevator which absolutely looks like it came out of 1967, you journey back in time and emerge to a Rat Pack world with the red banquettes, the dark wood, the candles all over. Also, your fellow diners will likely have been alive during the swingin' era. We sat down immediately at 7 on a Saturday night w/o reservations, which was a bonus. The garlic bread is saturated with butter and is heavy and garlic-y but is decent. We were just given a wine menu which was confusing at first and then the waitress explained that they roll over a cart with the available proteins and then you choose. Everything is more than $30, so expect to shell out quite a bit.. BF went with the roast beef special while I opted for the shrimp. It comes with soup/salad, I tried the New England Clam chowder which was rather tasteless. When the mains came, BF was dying over how good his roast beef was, while I remained much more disappointed with the shrimp. They steam the shrimp apparently without any type of flavoring, herb, marinade, etc. Even dipping them into the butter sauce didn't help add any flavor. They came with some tasteless mushrooms as well. The twice baked potatoes that came with were charred on the top. Seriously? I'm only giving 3 stars b/c BF was so over-the-top happy with his roast beef. I would have given 2 if it was up to me. He would go back, I wouldn't.
(3)suzie g.
5 stars, La Cave, for your place is actually exactly like its name: a cave. A French Cave. Everyone else who's reviewed this has done a great job talking about this place. Standouts for me include the fact that you actually have to go downstairs to get in the place; so your options are a narrow carpeted staircase which always smells dank, or a teeny tiny elevator that you keep thinking you might get stuck in. Music is usually always loud but good. There are steaks being wheeled around on a tray and that's fun too. But the best part for me is the French martini. Specifically, when Heather makes 'em. (It's the type of a martini that Carrie Bradshaw would like...not James Bond.) You may just enjoy yourself so much that you'll start laughing, run like mad for the tiny bathroom, knock into a Cougar, and then have to excuse yourself via the creepy elevator. Better times could not be found in the OC, kids.
(5)Andrew G.
hell yeah La Cave, I love your wednesday nights. I'm the type where weekdays are my nights to go out, My brother and I own a restaurant and dont go out thursday through sunday. So if we find a spot thats hoppin on a Mon, Tues, or Wed we're there. 95% of people have a bad case of the Muuundaysss, but we have a great case of the mundayss. Came here for the first time about 2 months ago with some friends after an angel game on wed. ***Go Haloss*** got here and was thrown back at how many people were here. it was PACKED. headed downstairs and smelt that smell and thought "ohh god, where have my friends taklen me". As i come around the corner i see hot women, guys, and hear an amazing DJ spinning. Walked in, and the place was packed to the gills. Sweeetttt!! After a while i though it was a friday or saturday night. This place was hoppin. Arrived at the bar and saw that they have a good mix of good lookin girls and guys. I'm a kettle and tonic guy, got my drink and when they told me it was 8.50 i was a lil stunned, regardless I paided and went about my business, squeezed my lime a bit more stirred it and was blow away by how strong this drink was, almost all vodka, Maybe a mistake by the bartender I thought. So after i finish my drink i get another one at they're second bar in the dancing room. BAMM I cough up another 8.50 and this time it was much stronger. ok ok ok, now i know why there drinks are a bit on the pricey side. Well to kep things short i ended up having an amazing time and have come back 4 wed in a row. Strong drinks, Nice eye candy, and good tunes makes for a great fridayyyy errr i mean wed night.. hahaah Thanks La cave!!
(5)Carrie h.
Fun little place to see some live music, strong drinks and a cute little lounge that is great, especially if you get there early enough to grab a table.
(4)Destijl S.
HAHHA.. oh damn memories.. I moved up to this area in 2005 and lived across the street in the Coronado Apartments.. and man it's dangerous living in walking distance to this bar... I became friends w/ the bartenders here and they are some damn cool people.. Kevin, Josh, Mike.. man these guys hooked up some good ass drinks... there were plenty of times i went to work hungover because of this place... anything you order is always a double.. The food here is good too.. the restaurant is dope.. everybody that's been there always says, "whoa it reminds me of Swingers!" The live jazz and funk/soul bands get down here!!! Dunno if they still do the live karaoke w/ a band anymore.. but damn those nights were so fun.. nothing but fine ladies.. and some dudes.. but it's OC.. what ya expect?.. there are times when after the the band would stop and just play music off their laptops.. my friends and I would get down and break.. Ahh one of the only places I miss in OC... I wonder if I could still walk in this bar and be at home.. haha
(5)Mitchell F.
I went to check out Todd Oliver Quartet, a jazz band. They're pretty good definitely worth checking out. Of course, please don't be go if you're just gonna be one those people who talk over the music or decided to hold a cell phone conversation while the band plays. Thats was really grinding my gears. Enjoy the band and they rotate with little solos around which is pretty cool. I got there pretty early and it was still empty so I'd say if you show up around 9:45 that'd be a good time to still be able to get a table in the lounge. The drinks are pretty stiff and reasonably priced. The well drinks were around 5 i believe.
(4)Nickie N.
Went to La Cave for the first time to celebrate my big 30 with some friends and family. Heard the steaks were awesome so the Fifi set it up there. THE PLACE: As you walk in, you take an elevator (or stairs) down into the restaurant. That's pretty cool. The restaurant itself is not big at all. Saw the max cap. sign. It said 45 so that should tell you enough. It's very dim in the restaurant so watch your step. And I'm not sure if it's like that all the time but it was LOUD. Perhaps because it's a small place but it was very hard to hear anyone at our table. We had a total of 13 people in our party. Although the reservation was only made for 12 they were NOT able to accommodate for ONE extra person we had in our party so the couple had to sit at the bar away from the table. To me, that's ridiculous. So minus MAJOR points for that. THE HELP: Our waitress was a TOTAL *female dog*. She was rude, not nice and and was not accommodating one bit. I understand working with a bigger party can be overwhelming or frustrating at times because not everyone is paying attention or may not be ready all at once...but come on...it comes with the territory. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Minus MAJOR points for that. THE FOOD: We ordered sauteed mushrooms, shrimp scampi and of course had their infamous garlic toast as appetizers. All were delicious. Totally recommend getting all of that.. Entree selection is presented to you at the table. If you've ever been to Morton's Steak House....it's pretty much the same style. They had a good array of selections. Both in steaks and seafood. I opted for the Shrimp Entree with the double baked potato and salad. Fifi got the Rib eye with rice pilaf and clam chowder. First course, which was soup or salad. I had the salad with their vinaigrette dressing. It was good. I would ask for the dressing on the side next time because the salad gets DRENCHED in dressing. Fifi had their clam chowder. It was also very tasty. Entree course. My plate consisted of 6 jumbo shrimp cooked in butter and garlic. It was yummy. The double baked potato is awesome. It was sooo good. The mushrooms on the other hand was not good. They were cold in the center and had no flavor to them at all. It tasted like they were just thawed and stuck on the plate. I also had a taste of Fifi's steak. I'll give it to them their steak was pretty darn good. He LOVED it. BUT, not everyone did. Two people had to send their steaks back because one was over cooked and one was under cooked. All in all the experience was not great. I couldn't believe they couldn't get ONE more chair for our table. The service was HORRIBLE and the food, although good, but not consistent. Unfortunately, I will not be returning to this place. My determining factor? Service.
(2)Angela B.
This is a review of the restaurant: As others have noted, they roll out the meat on a cart, which is worth the ticket price alone. Then they flash a light on it because it's so damn dark in there. Sounds disgusting. But it's worth it. I ordered the 10 oz. Filet Mignon medium rare, and I just about died when I bit into its soft, buttery, well-seasoned flesh. Mmm mm good! And the cheese bread! C'est magnifique! 20 times better than the Red Lobster cheese biscuit I still pine after to this day, and 40 times better than that wretched cheese toast they whip out at Sizzler. But the quality is spotty. I've had a less than stellar steak here more than once. The service can be absolutely wretched and as slow as watching grass grow. It's too loud in there to have a nice conversation, too dark to see people's facial expressions, and too crowded with clubgoers to really settle back and relax. But when that steak is good, it's good!
(4)C S.
A pretty cool hip trendy place with nice stiff drinks. Good date place, good dj, and musical acts during the week. Phill Shane was the best, I wonder if he still performs, the cross between Neil Diamond and Elvis or something. The food is OK, but is pricey. Great atmosphere, its dark, but perfectly lit, after all it is "LA CAVE". The only way this place could get better if it was less yuppy-fied and a little more diverse. But unfortunately a lot of my non-diverse friends think diversity is ghetto?
(4)Kimberly K.
Brought Mom here for her birthday dinner (second time), purchased a gift certificate over the phone and everyone was really professional. They always get an A+++ for ambiance there is really nothing like getting in an elevator, hitting the 'B', going underground and having your menu presented to you on a cart and being surrounded by twinkle lights. We brought 2 bottles of our own wine and went to town. But I come here mostly for the experience. The ceasar salad was extremely FISHY (spit out) and the best thing about my dinner was the cheese bread... rice pilaf was a little overcooked and the steak had little/ no flavor (everyone was passing around salt and steak sauce). Don't get me wrong this is a very special place and would come back in a second. It's more of a date place... a party of more than 2 can expect to pay a small fortune. They do have live music but it doesn't start until 10pm, and the server had all the charm of an IRS agent. I was surprised when we ordered steak and lobster she didn't ask to see our tax return.
(3)Tara M.
I just love La Cave. You go into the elevator in 2010 in a parking lot, and you open up the elevator in a 1940's speakeasy. It's dark and cozy. I love to go early and order a vodka martini dirty, the bf gets a gin martini with olives, and they make a mean martini. The food is delicious, great bread, nice salad, well cooked steak and lobster. I just love the environment. Definitely one of the best steakhouses in OC. Last time we went though, our waitress was WASTED! Definitely funny and fun to watch the drama of all the waitresses fighting for a bartenders attention. That didn't take away from our delicious dinner in any way.
(5)chris b.
A place named La Cave in the basement under a Blockbuster, next to a 7 Eleven should be dark inside with red filtered lights. I just went for drinks after dinner and found the people nice, the drinks cheap and stiff. Some band was playing that night that almost all of the patrons knew. The night was kind of shot when I noticed all the cute girls knew all of the words to all the songs of this band that no one has ever heard of. So much for that, but I had a good time with the company I arrived with and definitely would go again, but most likely only with the assurance that it would be a jazz music night.
(3)Gabriel A.
It's simply different and expensive. The food is phenomenal. The atmosphere is something I haven't experienced in the OC before. It's quite intimate for a date setting. It reminded me a bit of Morton's with an artsy vibe. I'd definitely go again--their shrimp cocktail was unreal. My visit to La Cave remains a vivid memory in my date history which has to say something :)
(4)Jen L.
Came here on a Friday night with a hungry stomach, high hopes and anticipation for a great steak. I am a steak LOVER. I have heard of La Cave and how it was like a cave inside and was on the basement level of a plaza. We took an elevator down into the restaurant and was nicely greeted and led to our table. The place is really small, DARK and cramped. We had to sit between two other tables and I could basically eat off of the table next to me with little to no effort. The "kitchen" is this little open booth on one end of the restaurant where you can see the chefs cooking. The only light this guy had to cook with was a dim red light. Back to that later... This place is pricey, but I don't mind paying for a good steak so I was all for it. We ordered the filet mignon (medium rare) and some type of new york steak (medium well) with sides. Our food came out and looked great! Too bad it really wasn't. I cut into my steak and red bloody juice came oozing out. I couldn't really see clearly as this place is as dark as a cave mind you (hence the name). I bit into it and it was RARE. My boyfriend's steak was a tad bit more cooked than mines and I was the one that ordered medium well! Although he did order medium rare, his came out to be less than medium rare. We told our waitress, who was apologetic and offered to either re-cook the steaks or refund us back for a plate. We decided to return my plate and just finish the other steak. I still think about the taste of the raw meat and shudder. The service here is great, the price is not worth the quality of food or the ambiance. I really think they need better lighting in here and cut out that whole "dark cave" crap because I'm sure that our steaks came out raw because the chef couldn't see a damn thing and thought he cooked them.
(2)M M.
Once again we had another great evening. We have been going to La Cave for 25 years or so and last night was Linda's Birthday. Great food and drink. "The Cave" is in a dimly lit cellar. Sure it's dark, no price menu (unless you ask), meat and seafood under glass shown to you with a flash light. Very friendly staff that been around longer than we have been going. The food is impeccable as well as the service. Good wine list, bar, music and so on...They have been doing it right...Since 1962... Busy place, make reservations! We like it! That's why we will keep going back.
(5)Alison R.
What in God's name are these people so excited about? I came here the night before Thanksgiving, and it was packed with people. Excited, screaming, loud, shrill ass people. I don't think the upcoming holiday was the cause for celebration, as most of the female patrons looked like they don't really eat all that often. This "bar" setup makes it plainly obvious that you are standing inside a restaurant. This is mostly because they don't move any tables out of the way. Its awkward, and makes the standing areas too crowded. The decor is alright. They have a back area with another bar, and a dance floor. The people are a strange mix. There is still some of that die hard OC fake blond/boobs/tan-ness going on, which is more entertaining now that everyone has jumped on the indie bandwagon. The problem is, these people wear indie clothes that give off a certain vibe. This vibe says "I read vonnegut and the fountainhead and am generally pissed off". In actuality, these people are super stoked to chug beers and yell spring break and dance to beyonce. Deception at its finest. The dudes here give off a rich guy vibe, but its safe to say they were probably not all rich. If you come here, get a table and participate is some mockery.
(2)N M.
I liked this place, different than other Orange County stuck up and boring places. Great atmosphere and good food. A very warm and cozy romantic restaurant and on the back has Live music, mostly Jazz but changes each night. But I have to say i've only been here on a Thursday night with my sister and haven't experienced the extremely crowded night, but I can see that happening. I actually love to take my boyfriend and friends here but now I'm a little nervous to do that on a weekend night..
(4)GRACE L.
Food: Great. The steaks are awesome. The garlic cheese bread is to die for. It is made from slices of white bread and I don't know how they do it, but it tastes so good. You can't just have one piece. Each entree comes with your choice of soup or salad, your choice of potato (the twice baked is my favorite) and a basket of the garlic bread. There are no prices on the menu for the entrees, so do not be surprised when you get the check. The menu is short and simple, there are maybe 10 items on the list and that's it. When we walked in, they were slicing up the prime rib and it looked soooo good! When we ordered it, they had run out, so I got NY steak instead and it was awesome. We also ordered the mushrooms. They were good, but nothing you have to die for. Service: The service was great. It was a crowded night and we were waiting for a table a little longer than expected (it was Frank Sinatra night so the place was packed), but we ended up sitting at the bar and ordering there. It was great, the bartender was fun, the food came out fairly quickly after we ordered, and we were watching the NBA semifinals. The staff is very friendly. There is an open kitchen so you are able to see everything that is going on in the kitchen. The meat cooking area is like a little nook out in the open so all the customers can see what is coming out of the oven. Decor: Very old school. The restaurant is located in the basement and when you get down there, it is dark and dim. There is a romantic feel to the restaurant. But it is a mixed crowd of people. When we got there, the early crowd I would guess has probably been going to this restaurant for ages. After 9pm, the crowd gets more lively. We stayed until closing time and there are some interesting folks later in the evening. Location: Next door to blockbuster. It's an interesting building. At first I thought I was going into the Blockbuster, but there is a separate entrance into the restaurant. Not where you expect it to be, but the food is really great.
(4)Desiree P.
I'm a big fan of La cave- good ambiance and good drinks with hot people on Thursdays. It's totally underground and very dark on the inside but it's pretty nice and they usually have jazz bands or cover bands that play there.
(5)Tim R.
If you are looking for a great steak, and some very fun entertainment for not a lot of dough, this is it. From the moment we got off the elevator and smelled the beef sizzling, and the garlic cheese bread coming out of the oven I was in heaven. Yes, this place screams 1962, but that is what makes it so KWEUEL. As one who is sick to death of chain restaurants, this place oozes "rat pack charm". With the tufted red naughahide booths, the classic bar, it has lots of character. The drinks are man sized, not puny glasses. We had a great steak, but they have a wide variety of fish, halibut, lobster, salmon, swordfish etc.. The service from our super friendly waitress (Jessie Lee) and her collegues was terrific, attentive but not obtrusive. When you consider the three of us, had a drink, two bottles of wine, the dinner which included a delicious salad, an order of sauteed mushrooms (yummy), tax, tip, out the door for $76per person. Given that this included the performance of David Kinwald with a tribute to Frank Sinatra, I thought this was a bargain. This guy looks and sounds like Frank. Yes, the bathroom could stand a redo, but it was clean, and geeez, how much time do you spend in the bathroom?? I highly recommend this place both for the food & drink, and the entertainment. No, I don't have stock in the place, but I wish I did. How many OC restaurants have survived for 50 years? TR, Santa Ana, CA
(5)Christina S.
08/13/08... So, I originally started the night out at my friends b-day get together at Kitsch but left around 1200 to meet up with my friends at La Cave. La Cave has a new night here on Wednesday's now. Don' know who the DJ was. However he was spinning good stuff. I can recall dancing to MGMT, Glass Candy and some old school hip hop and some funk.. It was fun.. Not fun that my glass of wine was everywhere. Like the floor, my friends on me.. I can't dance and drink... So... Yeah... Wednesday nights is fun at La Cave... The place was crowded.... One bad thing was that it stank like gnarly fish in here... (i showered it was not me)
(4)Stacey L.
so i've heard of la cave on so many different occasions and have never been until one saturday night that kitsch was closed. walking down the twisted staircase into the lounge was quite an experience. and i have to say... i think the place has some charm, but it is like cougar city. it feels like it's for a much older crowd or for established couples who want to get an early drink on 'date night.' don't know if the scene was really my thing. it was a perfect setting for the birthday party group event i was attending, but i partly think it was just because the company was good. people watching was fun, though.. watched a friend strike out on a party of stuck-up girls. on the plus side: tons of tables and booths where big parties can hang out in a corner, live band in the back room which is always fun, dark old-school ambiance with candles and leather booths and the bartendar-i'll-have-a-scotch-on-the-rocks-single-Âmalt feel. the cons: the older crowd, the steak smell, and people eating dinner and staring up at you with disdain when you get there too early.
(3)Michelle S.
The second you walk in this place, your mouth waters for a juicy steak! (I like ordering onions and shrooms on mine!!) A great night to go is the first Friday of the month. Iodine 69 serves up tasty latin/jazz/funk tunes to sip your martini to.
(5)Tracy B.
I went on a Wednesday night on a whim.......good DJ, stiff drinks, and fast bartenders......BUT it gets hot, so don't bring a jacket :)
(4)John F.
Met a group of friends after dinner for a few drinks. Dark cool atmosphere, could use some updating. Sat at the bar waiting for service while bartender tended to his friend while both discussed their need to stop drinking. Another couple showed up five to ten minutes later, and the tender knew them also. They also recieved service before me. Wine selection just OK. I'm sure lack of service is not typical. After group of twelve showed, we took a table and service improved.
(2)Josh H.
First of all, if you are visiting from out of town this is the only bar in Orange County worth going to. If you are looking for a place to wet your whistle behind the orange curtain, this is the place! Go no further and forget the food no one worth their salt eats here, you've come here to drink liquor, listen to jazz and hopefully get laide. Its dark because its supposed to be and when you ask for a double Scotch neat, you better tip well because one double is all you're gonna need, unless of course like me you're a lush. When I lived in the OC I called this place home and now that I live in another part of the country well, it is the only thing I miss about Orange County. And I can't wait to go back...to La Cave that is.
(5)Kimberly L.
I was not terribly impressed with this bar. I have heard great things about it, so I will probably give it another try before I make my decision, but it just seemed depressing. Granted, I went there for last call, but the clientele just seemed depressed overall and the amount of cougars there was overwhelming. The bartenders were nice and poured good drinks but seemed generally bored with the place and the clientele as well.
(2)ileen c.
kitsch is closed for a private party... where to go for a friend's birthday??!! we went to La Cave... going down the stairs i was a little hesitant because i felt like i just walking into a restaurant with one tiny bar at the end. but then there was another room with live music, so that part was like a little lounge. just want until 11 and the restaurant closes and you can sit in all the booths. the crowd was different. it was either couples or men and women ready to be hit on. Or girls who think they are from LA but are really trying to hard because they are from the OC. great place for people watching men hit on ladies. you get great views from sitting at a booth. drinks were good too. as long as you have a place to sit, it's great.
(3)P C.
If batman had a restaurant, this would be the place. It's a subterranean restaurant with fine cuts of seafood and meats. Call ahead for reservations and enjoy this cozy cave.
(4)Angela Z.
This place reminds me of a speak easy kinda of place. I never would have know this place was here by driving by it if it weren't for my obsession with finding the perfect steak . This place is like a basement setting, has dark lighting it is a little small during dinner hour when the tables are all set out. There is a Frank Sinatra night great music. and the drinks are STIFF watch out 2 mix drinks will creep up on ya right quick. Dinner time i suggest the stuffed mushrooms DELISH and when your ready to pick your meat substance the trolley comes by and the mouth watering meats are presented to you for your selection. This is a great place for a anniversary and or intimate bday dinner. The prices are high but for top notch everything it comes with the territory. Next time im in The OC i will def hit this place up again and again and again.
(4)James R.
Amazing food, amazing entertainment, in a literal underground/basement bar/cocktail lounge/restaurant, and, well, Phil Shane! Phil Shane, a cross between late years Elvis, Neil Diamond, and Danny DeVito, sings all sorts of covers that you'd expect to hear from a man of his stimulus value. One of the many unique things about this underground nestled in the same parking lot as a Blockbuster Video (don't be mislead - it is through the stark contrast of inland Newport Beach/Blockbuster minimallness, and the slow decent down the elevator, into the black and red 60's-esque darkness, that one begins to feel as if they've been transported back to a time when lung cancer was in it's infancy and heart attacks the norm, given the amazing animal based meals. Next, you'll notice the clientelle - when I say eclectic, I'm not saying that one is hanging out with a crowd made up mostly of indie-rock kids, but with a few ravers mixing it up on the dancefloor - it's eclectic in that you've got folks from their 70's all the way down to celebrating their 21st birthday... and when Phil Shane comes on, one begins to feel where the fulcrum point lies - the place begins to feel like the 80's show Cheers if it was a musical - everybody singing along with the songs, cougars dancing with calves, wolves dancing with sheep, his eager minions awaiting their chance to steal a dance or duet with their imperious musical overlord. Did I mention the food's good? Oh yeah, and the martinis... oh, the martinis. Regarding dress, come as you are - dressed up, dressed down, not dressed at all... well, wear something, at least a hat. A well chosen hat is never wasted.
(4)FoodGir L.
Definitely a cool vibe. You just dont expect it in this location nor can you find places similar to it in SoCal. Outside is not impressive and honestly sketchy situated next to a Blockbuster and strip mall. Hidden beneath the obstacles is a deep hidden treasure. The steak is phenomenial and the sevice was great. Just to let you know it is extremely dark down there even when you are eating but the atmosphere is friendly and energetic. Worth it.
(4)Lydia C.
La Cave is soo sesssy yes with an s. :) It literally ...a cave...dark, ultra moody, maroons and red decor around sets a romantic, mature ambiance. Live jazz, all types of wines, plenty of plush seating usually equals a good time :) If you're claustrophobic BEWARE as don't believe there are any windows. o_O..but that's OK! Have a few, and you'll forget all about that.
(4)Jon B.
Stiff drinks and a Neil Diamond impersonator. Nice and dark so no need for your shades. Food is pretty good also if you haven't eaten yet.
(4)Eric H.
La Cave serves the greatest shrimp cocktail I have ever had in my entire life! I just had one there last night, along with a Level Martini, and still feel nice from it. Come by on Sinatra night, or on the weekends when the music is live, the steaks are sizzling and the cocktails come across the bar to friendly, smiling faces. Do La Cave!!!
(5)Steve S.
The challenge here is to get around people & avoid landing in somebody's drink. The seating & the amount of people they let in makes this place difficult to appreciate... another thing, if you don't smoke, this palce will unravel you -- I've taken a few friends here to see some top-notch bands, and it can really put you off, like it did to them.
(2)Marcy O.
The ambience is the best part of LaCave...located underground, lowlit, and cozy. The menu is a roll-out cart of the cuts of meat and fish available that evening. Excellent food preparation and service. Of course, you can just go and hang out for a drink in the bar - and I agree with Jamie H - they pour a stiff one! *Update 11/24/06 - First Friday's of the month the band Iodine 69 (groove-funk-jazz) plays some gnarly sets - you definitely need to check it out!
(5)Gary B.
This place is great. Take the time machine elevator from a 1990's Blockbuster video strip mall, underground to a mid 60's Nixon era OC steakhouse. Very dark, red vinyl booths, red bricks, dark wood, candle light, Bring a flash light to see the wine list!. Strong cocktails, good selection of wines, The dinner selections samples are wheeled to your table on a iced cart with a plexiglass lid with a brief description by your server via flashlight. Choice of several cuts of meats, chicken and seafood. Their signature cheesy garlic bread is very addicting. Traditional dinner salads with choice of basic dressings. Twice baked potatoes are tasty. Everything in our party's order was cooked to perfection. Staff is very friendly and efficient. No stuffy Morton's or Ruth Chris's overpriced a la carte attitude. Just your basic no frills quality steakhouse. The Rat Pack or a Mad Men cast party would feel right at home here. A refreshing change in the plastic cookie cutter modern day chain restaurants of Orange County.
(5)Justin W.
Wednesday night is great for a night of light jazz. The decor is different than anything you can really find in central/south OC and yet isn't populated by the same croud as Sutra. It is more of an OC dive bar crowd with a lot of extremely attractive ladies on most nights. The drinks are reasonable and very strong. They usually only have two bartenders and a small bar so ordering a drink on a busy Wednesday/Thursday (the nights when all of us cool people go out, the weekend is very much overrated) can be a challenge around midnight. Treat the bartenders nice though and they will take care of you.
(4)Linda N.
After hearing all the good things on yelp, I decided to have my birthday party there but it was somewhat of a disappointment. The service was great and they have a friendly staff. It's a great place to sociallize among friends but the food was not that great. My food didn't taste great, the RI was somewhat burnt.
(2)Bill Z.
My favorite steakhouse around. The cook is not only friendly, but GOOOOOD!! The cheesey bread and potatoes are EXCELLENT!!! Great drinks...great place!!!
(5)Vanessa G.
I was searching on urbancougar.com (there is a legitimate reason) and came across La Cave as a Cougar Den of Newport Beach. I started cracking up because when you think about it, the entire city of Newport Beach is a Cougar Den (please see Island Hotel). Anyway, this place is kind of cool. There's this obscure door in the middle of a strip mall that leads you down a staircase underground and into a restaurant/nightclub (one star for cell phones actually working underground). It is very dark in here, which is probably an advantage for cougars. Around 9 p.m. or so they turn this restaurant into a bar and bring out the band and the dance floor. I'd say this place has a good nightlife, stiff drinks, on-the-prowl women, and hearty food (sort of Ruth's Chris style).
(4)S L.
Since when does a restaurant close on a Sunday night. Damn you owners of La Cave for your wack hours. My friend and I kept calling to make reservations but no one picked up. Someone needs to let them know that having a voicemail message with restaurant hours would alleviate a lot of headaches for other diners.
(1)H D.
We heard about this place from a friend that used to live in Newport. Went on a Monday, brought our own wine, had great food and a great Frank Sinatra tribute show. We will be back on a Monday next year when we rent our beach house so we can enjoy the food and see the show again. Make sure that you make reservations, we almost had to eat outside the show room.
(5)Evan L.
I wouldn't change a thing in this place. The low ceiling, dim lighting, the menu is a cart, live music, bartenders wear long sleeve white collared shirts with black vests and the place is downstairs. It's not often that we Orange Countians... Orange Countites... Orange Count..ians.. HAVE the opportunity to descend down a flight of stairs into such an interesting environment for a meal or drink. Seeing Phil Shane perform there is something every human should experience before they kick the bucket.
(5)M M.
Very cozy atmosphere. Cool place for a date. Looks like a wine cellar turned restaurant. Decent food. A bit pricey.
(4)monique s.
This is my favorite steak in OC. Dark, buzzing, and hard to find, it is great for dinner dates or to go for drinks and live music. Jazz nights are awesome. When I go for dinner I usually bring a nice bottle of wine (corkage isn't bad) and have the filet w/ the twice baked potato (YUM). I know people who have loved the lobster and shrimp, as well. The cheese bread is totally dangerous, and their cocktails are well made. I've gone with friends for drinks and ordered the New York strip apetizer which is little steak strips done perfectly- it makes you want a whole meal :) It is a little pricey, but nothing you wouldn't expect from a great steak place. Make sure you get reservations!
(4)evan m.
I used to live real close to this place so it was my local watering hole. The music is random and generally good. The drinks are stiff and classy, the service is friendly and generous. I give this place four stars as a bar and music venue on week nights. The food is very good but sadly over priced (think past its prime). 2 stars on the food. If its a week night and you're looking for a stiff cocktail in a relaxing environment, i recommend. Just make sure you go after 10/10:30 or else its still in restaurant mode and filled with newport's blue hair crowd.
(4)Tiffany W.
I don't think this is my scene. I had to tell some guy that looked like a construction worker to stop following my friend and me. We hung out for a bit, but didn't stay for long. People seemed like they were having a good time, but not my style. It was pretty chill, and didn't seem too high maintenance.
(2)katie j.
i was a little confused on how to go down but once i figured it out it was dark and roomie and left me satisfied until i was told to go home. (thats what she said)
(4)Jason H.
La Cave has been special to me and my fiancee for a few years, and tonight reinforced our love of this place. We reserved a specific table but due to a busy night, we had to wait 40 minutes and the table was passed off to another couple. Hostess Jessie took care of us and accomodated us the best she could. A wonderful meal (as always) made us forget the wait. We recommend La Cave to all those looking for a romantic and memorable evening.
(5)matt c.
When the jazz is good it's pretty good there. used could smoke in there, and nurse a long time some good cognac!
(4)Kat N.
I have a lukewarm (but mostly love) relationship with La Cave, easily my go-to watering hole. Obvious reasons why I love La Cave: I can get my buzz on and not have to worry about getting pulled over because it takes me 5 minutes to walk home. Also, the vibe is always chill, I love that it feels totally un-OC with what its underground location, dark red lighting and that the bartenders pour the stiffest drinks in town at v. reasonable prices. Thursday's karaoke nights are especially festive thanks to a live band and it's a laid-back crowd, even if it can be a little on the hipster side. Someone else below described this place as seedy, but I'd like to think of it as rustic charm and between the atmosphere, the cozy backdrop and the live jazz, this ol' gal is a find in OC. The best part is no cover ever!! Oh also, there's a sorta-secret closet to hang your jackets right as you come down the stairs, on your right, before you hit the dining/bar area. My only gripe about this place ... is.the.god.awful.stank. The smell of dead carcass. And I loves me a good steak every now and then but this ain't a pleasant, off-the-grill aroma. It's more like the unmistakable stench of dead animal hitting you. The odor can't seem to go anywhere either. It's trapped in the main dining/bar area and just lingers the whole time. Best bet is to head to the back room where the ventilation seems to be better and the smell is less acrid. And of course, nothing like a few drinks to remedy the sitch. **Update 6/10: Went there with a girlfriend last night for dinner and this time, the smell wasn't so bad, maybe because we actually wanted to come here to eat and not just drink, heh. As others have stated, no menus here, the waitress rolled out a tray of meats and seafood for us to order from. You'll have to ask for prices (which startled our waitress that we asked, ha) but they range from $25 to $40. We opted for the ribeye, medium. Ladies, the red lighting in here makes your skin look flawless! (Why do you think there's red lights in all the strip clubs?!?) I was telling my friend that if I ever break out with a giant pimple but have to go on a date, I'd definitely come to La Cave. Steak was seared to perfection so it was slightly blackened on the outside but totally juicy, tender and flavorful on the inside. The twice-baked potato was delish, as was the two baskets of cheese bread we gobbled up. Bring lots of gum unless you want your mouth to smell like dead animal the whole night.
(4)Tanny Y.
After taking the elevator down, you are brought to a dark cave. It's very romantic and intimate. There are brick walls surrounding you. I didn't really have a good experience here. I was on a date with Button and mind you this was one of our first nice restaurant and I suggested this place, after hearing about it. So, we waited for our table for 40 minutes and we had reservation. When come to ordering we couldn't find our Waiter. After ten minutes she came to our table and introduce herself and the food, which is presented on a cart. I had the rib eye and button had the lobster. I actually didn't really like my steak it was bland, but i had a stuff potato which helped out. Now, I liked the lobster more than my dish, but button thought it was a nit rubbery. Not to mention it was such a lively crowd. There were so many people yelling. This is not a good place for a date, unless you don't want to talk to your date, but other than that the food wasn't that bad, and I believe in second chances, so I am planning to go some time in the near future. Until then enjoy...
(3)Drew W.
Let just get this out of the way... this place smells like a lobster's cunt. Not so fresh fish, cramped interior, plus poor underground ventilation don't mesh too well. But just so you know, I can't judge this place based on the food. I'm not co-signer rich, so the idea of paying $60 for a burnt to shit New York strip steak is foreign to me. But I understand, it's close to Newport Beach (Technically in Costa Mesa)... so I guess that's the norm, right? You pay top dollar for the atmosphere and experience of dining in a high end beach side community. Well, have a look around you before you make that infamous trip down the twisting smelly staircase and take into consideration that you're basically eating in a smelly basement sandwiched between a Blockbuster and a fucking 7-11. SUCH AMBIANCE! If you want to get on my ass for not giving it a chance based on the dinner options, well go fucking choke on a $10 a piece undercooked scallop. Now that we got that taken care of let's take a look at this place based strictly on the off hours nightlife scene. Well... feel like rubbing elbows with all the Newport Harbor/Corona Del Mar alumni who are back in town after dropping out of junior college? They're back! and they're here in their finest print and or pressed button up shirt tarding it up here Wednesday and Thursday nights. The price of the filet is probably higher than the average bar patron's IQ. I give the place credit for the karaoke, jazz, and and Phil Shane, and the staff is pretty attentive and nice as well. Everything else is avoidable at best. I don't want to sound like one of those "well, back in my day!" types but the nightlife here used to be much more tolerable before the young hipster and bro-ish local crowd rediscovered it. I could justify spending a couple extra bucks to have a decent cocktail and handle the smell if I could get away from that type of crowd for a night. Now it's just like everywhere else around here. 3 years ago it would have been a 4, now it gets half that. What a shame.
(2)Chris j.
Our server who I was not happy with did not put our cheese bread in crispy enough after asking over and over again. The crab legs were fish and id had better at the captain jacks. Our server was 80 years old and didnt speak clear english and ended up charging me double cause she had glacoma.
(2)Jeff O.
Great atmosphere, strong drinks, excellent friendly servers, and well-above-average decent steaks. Along with La Fondue, it provides the most unique and intimate atmosphere and is the best date-night or romantic restaurant in OC. Be seated by 8p or before and you're in a very intimate restaurant setting and then after 9p and later it becomes more crowded, a little louder, and kind of clubby.
(4)Elle C.
Thank goodness there is La Cave in the area for some decent music. Live performance here is usually jazz and the bar scene is hopping. I like the retro vibe (think smaller Dresden). Steaks are good, but a bit pricey for the quality.
(3)brandon h.
i really like the vibe of this place. being underground is cool. it feels like you're hanging out in an old "speak-easy" place from way-back-when. the bartenders are usually pretty friendly, and the live jazz bands are typically pretty awesome.
(4)Eric X.
Ok guys, yes it is underground, yeee haw! Now get over it! Some might say it's in a basement. Which explains the food. Why people or even the staff consider this a high end steak house, and charge as such, is beyond me. The meat choices are rolled out like a cadaver on a little cart with a plastic lid and a little flashlight taped to it so you can see it. It's kinda gross seeing raw meat and fish next to each other through a grungy little plastic lid under the yellowy glare of a little mini flash light. I hear people rave about the cheesy bread, which has been burnt more times than not when I've ordered it, and once I ordered a rum and coke, and got a rum and soda water, apparently the bargirl hit the wrong button, but I can say it was definitely strong. I used to live across the street from the place and have watch the place decend into mediocrity. You used to get good service, were able to sip a well made drink and smoke while watching some very good jazz bands play. Now it's loud, overcrowded with the OC snotty self ordained elite (haven't we seen enough of this a$$holes on reality TV?) and they're drunk as hell because they completely way over pour the drinks to keep you anesthetized enough to think you're having a good time. I actually watched a guy one night throw up on the bar, and some how it was so busy I was the only one that saw it, he then proceeded to just wipe his mouth, order another round, and turn around to give his little snotty OC girl a kiss (who apparently also missed the puke episode). I had to call over the bartender and let him know what had happened or everyone else would have been swimming around in this guys $#!+. The place looks like it never gets wiped down which is why they keep it so dark I guess (I dare you to go run your hand over one of the walls), and I happened to find out through a friend that they have a rat problem. I guess you can hear them bumping around and screeching in the walls after hours when the place has quieted down. But hey it's okay we're all completely drunk and underground! Yaaaaay! I would recommend this place if you want to get insanely $#!+faced and save a trip to Tiajauna. Although you may still get hassled by federales, but at least there are no kids outside selling gum (yet). (tip:there's a reason the place looks like a portal to hell.)
(1)jen G.
This bar is awesome! There is always a good crowd and great music.. But they do need to hire faster bartenders... You need to be drunk before you go, otherwise you will be sober all night.
(4)Maximillian M.
(Review for drinks + jazz) Weird location, cool underground-ness (literally), and good music. Just get there early to score a table 'cause the live music part is pretty small.
(4)Riblet ..
I have only eaten here once only because I didnt have to pay. The food is pretty pricey. I had the steak, shrimp, tried the lobster, and had a bite of twice baked potato and it was all good. The drinks are decent. I like the dim and cozy vibe of the place. The after work crowd is pretty cool. Never been here on jazz night but hopefully can do that soon. What I really like about La Cave is watching old people eat while I'm chillin at the bar. I'm not being weird or anything, just observing. The old couples are so cute especially when they're all dressed up and then you have the loud young drunkies at the bar in their jeans. The mix just trips me out. A nice place to chill.
(4)Tammy B.
This is my favorite place to grab drinks late at night. The bartenders rule and since I go quite often, I find myself never waiting for a refill. I have only eaten here once as I am a vegetarian and only occasionally eat seafood products...but it was memorable. St. Patrick's Day 2 years ago. I split an entree with my friend, she got half a steak and I got half a lobster tail. Then we got our own salads and bread. We also got a free shot of whiskey or bailey's after dinner since it was st. patty's day. It was such a great day! One of the most fun nights to come to la cave is at the end of the month when Phil Shane shows up. Always a good time, but dress cool...it gets hotter than hell down there.
(5)Marilu R.
i'm 5'2 if i stand up straight 5'3. i'm usually 5'2 because i have terrible posture. if i was walking around in the Sunset District of San Franciso i would feel tall. if i was walking around in Paris, France i would be average. but then you go somewhere like La Cave and realize how petite you really are because everyone is wearing high heels and a 6'7 guy is harassing you because he thinks it's omfg hilarious! so i walk to the bar and feel someone breathing behind me. what the hell? is darth vader in the house? i turn around only to see a white mass of t-shirt and belly who know's what in my face. so i'm thinking ohk this is not happening right now. i move. then feel this presence behind me again. this guys knees are seriously on my back. what the hell dude?! i turn to see his friends giggling hysterically. they're all pretty drunk. pissed off i slide around the bar and this jerk follows me again! these girls witness my discomfort and i hear them yell at him, "leave her alone! yr creeping her out!" thank you ladies but i can take care of this. i turn around and glare at him. well i have to look up. he proceeds to lean over and say "hi my name is blah blah blah" "really, blah blah blah what the hell are you doing!!!" i must have said some horrible things to him because he walked away and his friends were still laughing hysterically. thanks douche, i mean dude. way to ruin my night. so that's my La Cave story. besides jerks like these, which you will probably encounter on Rock n' Roll Karaoke night, i really like this place. i'm a fan of underground dungeons that have bars and entertainment. it's dark. red. jazzy. the bartenders are good to you. the only thing i don't like is how crowded it can get. if there was an earthquake we would all die. still a good time nonetheless. especially when you get yr sister drunk enough she sings 'i'm just a girl' and everyone is going crazy. even the guys who aren't girls, or maybe they are just a little.
(4)Tim S.
This place is great for an old-timey steak house. Go for the Sinatra show, or Jazz night. The steak is great and the twice baked potatoes you can live on. mmm La Cave. It's tucked in the lower level of an office building and feels cozy. It's a great first date spot.
(4)Annmarie L.
walk down the stairs to enter this place. upon entering there is a tray with the selection of cut beef you can order. i find this menu to be over priced and a little to dark for my liking. they having karaoke on tuesday night but it doesn't start until 10:30 and it is with a live band. good luck.....
(3)june l.
man, it gets crowded in here, hence you wait longer for a drink. karaoke on thursdays...COVER ME BADD!!!! used to be able to listen to jazz and get second hand smoke but, that all got traded in for some live band karaoke. good drinks, tasty champagne splits, younger crowd.
(3)John S.
With a CLOSED BlockBuster storefront, as a backdrop,you enter through an elevator located in the VACANT Blockbuster entry. Above the entry area is a vintage neon sign in script -- " La Cave". You press the DOWN button and are time-warped back to the 60"s as the elevator opens into this underground Bistro. As the elevator doors open, you are submerged into low red lighting and Sinatra music -- not your typical restaurant in suburbia. You know you are in for an adventure. Give yourself a few seconds for your eyes to adjust to the low light. We were a party of 8 with reservations for a booth - which I would suggest. The hostess took us to our table and began our culinary adventure. There are no Menus. There are no price lists. We started with Sauteed Mushrooms and toasted cheese bread, which sounds unimpressive. Yes, until you taste them. With one taste, you understand why the place is packed!! The steaks were equally surprising - simple but addictive. We brought wine with us. With a nominal ($20) corkage charge, it does help on keeping the final check down. I would suggest the 10 oz filet with the twice- baked potatoes and beets - amazingly good! It is no cheap - about $60 per person including salad, desert and corkage. All in all, a great experience.
(5)Pim L.
My experience of this place as it turns into a night bar/dancefloor experience The music was bumpin with a Dj spinin I could see this as a hipster bar. Fancy mustaches galore! I went on a Wednesday night for my friends B-day and it was PACKED after 11pm. It went from 3 girls dancing on the dance floor with creepers drinking and watching in the background to alot of girls dancing in there tight wolf pack circle with guys on the outside tryin to creep. It was hot and crowded and then we bounced, prolly better if plan to eat here earlier, then its late night bar/club atmosphere
(3)Geoff R.
I've only been here a handful of times: once to eat, and a few other times to see bands play. It's seriously over-rated. I'm not saying it's not a decent place...but the way people talk about it, they make it sound like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. I mean, the food it pretty good, but a bit expensive. And, as a venue, it's crowded and sweltering HOT! Overall, a fun night out...but nothing to write home about.
(3)Halley G.
My girlfriend took me here for a post Valentine's Day dinner. La Cave was recommended to us by a friend, neither of us had ever heard of the place. When we arrived we weren't sure what we had gotten ourselves into. The building was next to a Blockbuster and it looked old and dingy. When we went inside, both of us giggled to ourselves. The atmosphere wasn't at all what we were expecting. It looked like an old school Italian joint where mobsters would hide out, drink wine, and handle their "business". It was interesting. The place is very dark and red backlighting and the tables are close together. We were pleasantly greeted by the hostess who then showed us to our table. We sat down and our server ordered our drinks. I got a Kettle and Cran and my girlfriend ordered a Blue Moon. After we sat down we were given a basket of warm cheese bread. I didn't think it was anything special but my girlfriend loved it. We never received a menu and we were dumbfounded on how we were to order. The drinks came and they were strong, which is always a plus. Then the waitress informed us that there ISN'T a menu, but a cart that comes by with the meat/seafood selections so you can see what you're ordering. The waitress brought over the cart that had a large variety of cuts of red meat as well as Australian lobster tail, crab legs, and shrimp. She informed us that we could choose whatever we liked or make a combination of whatever we wanted. (*The prices of the meats are never shown due to the fact that there is no menu. This may be a drawback for some, but we didn't mind.) My girlfriend ordered the 8oz Filet Mignon with a half lobster tail with a twice baked potato. The meals also include a choice of soup or salad, she ordered the Clam Chowder. I ordered the 10oz Filet Mignon with shrimp, a twice baked potato, and a salad. Our soup and salad came out quickly. The Clam Chowder was amazing, I wish I would've gotten that instead of the generic salad. Then our meals came out. It was hard to see, due to the red backlighting, if the steaks were cooked correctly, but I know they were do to the tenderness. The steaks were melt in you mouth good, perfectly seasoned, and juicy. The twice baked potatoes were amazing as well. The seafood we ordered was juicy, tender, and delicious. I could've done without the mushrooms used as garnish on my shrimp, but oh well. We devoured almost all of our food and needed a box to take some home. We ordered a cheesecake slice to take home (which was pretty damn good too). The check wasn't as expensive as we thought and we left pleasantly surprised and vowed to go back again. For me, the atmosphere was a bit weird and not my style but the food spoke for itself. I think it's built for an older crowd and I hear they have live Jazz music there sometimes... All in all, the food was good and that's all I care about!
(4)Susan G.
Went here for our 33rd anniversary because of the reviews. Was I disappointed. We were sat in a very small booth which had no room for my pocketbook. The waitstaff was very nice. But the food was a disappointment. I ordered the small filet and the lobster tail. I thought I was getting the full tail, instead what arrived was the tiniest portion of lobster. It did not resemble the tail that was the model. The prices were way too expensive. I spent as much as high priced well known steak houses that had much more comfortable seating. My husband complained that there were no vegetables with the entree. It was very noisy.
(3)Macey M.
lets just say, that this was the best steak i have ever had. the twice baked potato was delicious, the steamed mushrooms were oh sooooo tasty! the wine selection was nice as well. It was so romantic. i will be back there often! it was $120 for me and my date. ;) but so worth every cent. we have decided to go back monthly. cant wait to go back for Sinatra monday! i heart la cave!
(5)Lilmissb B.
I am not impressed with this place. While the ambience is kind of cool, I expected more. It is overpriced and not that tasty. Ever since I moved to the OC, I have heard many good things about this place....But, I have had better and would not go back.
(2)Cherie M.
Mind you, I've been waxing nostalgic about my college hangouts (circa 2000-2003) and I remember La Cave being one of those low key and dark places to go see some great local jazz on the cheap. One of the first of many CD's I bought was merch from the band Fotet, which I still have today. I'd never eaten there but boozed it up plenty of times, and for a college student looking for an alternative to the OC beach bar scene, La Cave totally hit the spot. It's been awhile, but one day I'm gonna head back and do my favorites of OC restaurant/bar crawls. La Cave, I'm comin for you!
(3)Jennifer I.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO that pretty much sums it up. Took my boyfriend here last night for his birthday dinner. We're tired of all the chain restaurants so we were hoping this would be a nice change. I knew it was gonna be pricey but I was ok with that as long as the food was good. The ambiance was cool just because it was quite dark with red lighting but not really as cool as I expected from reading the other reviews. The only way this place could be described as "sexy" would be if I was 60+ years old. Definitely not hip or sexy for 20-mid 30s. We're 27/28 and felt like we were dining at Carrows. The plates and soup/salad also immediately made both my boyfriend and I think of Norm's. I really didn't like that we couldn't look at a menu, just pieces of meat on a cart. We ordered the NY steak (for me) and the ribeye plus lobster for my boyfriend. None of the cuts were great. Meat was decent quality but no flavor at all. Made me wish I was at Ruth's Chris. The twice baked potato was yummy as was the cheesy bread, but definitely not worth what I paid. $28 for two cadillac margaritas and 1 cosmo $60 for ribeye and half a lobster (not sure how they did the math on this one since ribeye was supposedly the special for $19.99 and the market price for a WHOLE lobster was $56) $35 for NY steak Total bill was $133 (minus tip), to which I said WHAT THE FRICK?!?!?!?! Won't be going back ever. Next time, Mastro's or Morton's.
(2)Dano G.
La Cave? It sure felt like a cave. An effing sauna. It wasn't even summer yet and that bottom floor bar area was muggy as hell. Well, it should be muggy since it is technically closer to hell. The clientele was a bunch of douchebag dudes and their pompus girlfriends anyways. If I want to lose water weight, next time I will come here wearing nothing but a towel.
(1)Meathead I.
Total hipster 'wanna be' scene.. a few plusses, but mostly minuses; Restaurant only. Flashback to 1972.... in every way imaginable. Now, i lived through it the fist time and have no illusions that it was awesome... unlike most of the crowd here. I also believe every aspect of a dining experience needs to play up to par. Good: 1. steak. yeah, NY strip.. looked prime, or at least very well marbled; The piece under the tacky plastic tray was easily 25% larger than what we were served (and no, steak doesn't shrink that much during cooking). Very flavorful.. almost sweet smoky. Nicely done. 2. Side of veg - which we had do pay for as they don't serve veg with the 'meal'. billed as broccoli, it was actually broccoli rabe.. or brocollini... whatever you wish to call it; Looked horrible.. grayish, limp, served on a too big cheap white plate. Tasted darn good though.. in a very old school way; butter and maybe garlic. Not so good to pure BAD 1. Cheese bread; and by that i mean a slice of sandwich sourdough bread doused in butter and some unidentifiable cheese flavor. retro like what mom used to make with sunday spaghetti dinner. fail. 2. Potato. well, not much to say here; Plain, butter served in foil wrapped single serving slabs (f***ing kidding me??). Sour creme and chives only options. sad. 3. Salad. I wont waste too many words on this.. think high school cafeteria. limp lettuce, a few slices of canned beets, cucumbers and a few olives. the salads at McDonald's blow this away. Now all the details... glassware a throwback to the 1970s.... call me a snob, but good glasses, at an expensive restaurant, are a must. same goes down the list for every other element. The club may be hipster cool, but ill never, ever eat here again; as good as the steak itself was, everything single other aspect was so subpar its not worth repeating again.
(2)Nic L.
Best steak in town. Fish is fresh too. Fabulous bread, tasty potatoes, awesome vibes. Old school basement with full bar and stage. Romantic lighting.
(5)Lani G.
La Cave is a hidden gem and a local favorite! Its in a very odd location, but gives you vibes of a swanky underground club.... that just happens to have delicious food. The steaks here are great; their prices are actually pretty good for a classy/nice place ... especially for a last minute date night. During Restaurant Week they have prix fix menus which are VERY economical. The bar is dark, but has a great vibe. Definitely make reservations though because the bar area is not very roomy and you may be awkwardly standing over people waiting for a table... not much of a waiting area.
(3)Maluna O.
This place is next to blockbusters and in the basement. I'm not going to hype up the decor of the place, because I don't really think it deserves it. It's small, has candles, a bar, and somehow all I can think of is the color red. No menu, just a food cart, bring your credit card just in case. :) Lobster tail was $54 and looked huge on the fake platter. Filet minon was yummy and flavorful. You get 4 huge shrimps for the shrimp cocktail.
(4)M. N.
-My experience was with a group of 5. Pros: -Food tasted good Cons: -Room is too dark -Music --- Not sure if I heard music ... just the bass coming from another room --- "thump-thump-thump" ... TERRIBLE! -Service was blah -- Server did not crack a smile o
(2)Kayla M.
Isn't it funny how some places always sound like a good time, but you always leave disappointed, and other places when someone mentions a place it sounds NOT FUN at all but you always have an amazing time?? Weird... Anyways- this is one if those places that always seems like a good idea- but it's always SOOOO annoying!! Overcrowded, everyone trying HARD to hook up... Ugh!!
(2)Timothy B.
First I must state that I have never eaten here so this is not a food review. This is a review of La Cave as a "venue" for seeing bands. I don't enjoy this place at all. The best thing they have going for it is a spacious smoking area outside that never gets too crowded. Of course as soon as you go in (if a band is worth seeing) the place is overly cramped with people and obstacles coming from all directions, whether it be a table here or a support beam there. It's really just not a place to see a band. Whenever I've been there I have seen a lot of the same dead eyed hipsters pushing thirty and redefining aimlessness. So, yeah I guess its not my crowd but I do give it a star for being relatively bro-free whenever I have gone. Overall, if you're looking to see a local ("indie")band and have a beer you can do better right down the road at Detroit Bar... the bands are just as bad and maybe the people are too, but the layout is much MUCH more enjoyable.
(2)Jess B.
I will give La Cave 3 whole stars because their filet was pretty darn yummy. Not the best I've ever had but yummy. The halibut, however, was lacking. When I say lacking I mean tasting like fishy fish. It was cooked well, it seemed, and the lemon and sauce they served with it made things a bit better...but overall...I'd never get it again. I think I would have been better off with the shrimp or terriyaki chicken or something. The salad was AWESOME....thousand island coated on every piece...garlic bread and potatoe kicked ass....and the drinks were strong. Super dark, but I bet you already know that...and service was pretty great. xo
(3)Just M.
I've been coming to La Cave over the years on and off and I have always enjoyed it. This last time I came everything but the food was good, and when we got the check I was a little shocked over what they had charged for what they brought, definitely dissapointed. The entertainment was the best but Phil Shane was performing.
(2)Rob S.
Marginal. That describes the food and the service. Shrimp Scampi appetizer was good size portion, steaming hot, poorly seasoned and $20. Filet mignon was cooked properly medium rare, yet why do they dip it in soy sauce before grilling? Accompanying baked potato was barely warm and the side salad was comprised of lettuce and one slice of a beet. As for the service, it was utilitarian bordering on surly. Just enough to earn the tip and nothing more. And when $22 was left on a $98 bill (that's 22% last time I checked) there was not even a "thank you for coming in". La Cave is 3 minutes from home and no longer on our radar...
(2)Greg T.
"Tar-zhay" (Target), "eau de toilette" (toilet water), and "La Cah-ve" (the Cave). Three lackluster names/words, but due to the awesomestupendousness (one word) of the French language they now have an aire of French so-phisto-mo-cation. Just don't let the classy foo foo'ness put you off because here's 10 (dix) gosh dern reasons why you should spend a night out in the Cave: 1. Since 1962 - I'm assuming and hoping it's been the same owners. 2. They have some "seasoned" waitresses, and not a bunch of noobies that don't know a thing or two about their trade. 3. Better than most larger steak franchises that I've tried, but without the price, or I would assume so because I have no idea how much anything was that we ordered. The menu was recited off by our server, and she didn't mention how much it was going to cost us (almost like a conversation I'd have with my parents back 'n' the day). 4. I also like the fact that I could drink all I want and stumble my way back to my place which is only a block away. If you're a hot drunk chick, feel free to do the same.... knock twice and let yourself in. 5. The service was extremely friendly, quick, and attentive. Christina our server kept attributing it to good timing, but whatever the reason, I was just happy to get drinks, appetizer, and main course served up in two shakes of lambs tail (that's fast). 6. The cheese bread was good and we had no problem devouring all of it. I think this is the same stuff that they have over at Clearmans North Woods Inn in West Covina. I guess they have the same 1960's recipe book. 7. The mushrooms were served hot in a gratin baking dish, and they weren't just your plain mushrooms. They were actually in a mighty tasty light sauce. Kind of like some sort of garlic and worcestershire based sauce. 8. Tender, melt in your mouth prime rib and rib-eye steaks were cooked to perfection which is a rare thing because I usually have to send my steak back for being over cooked at most other high-end steak places. Luckily I didn't go through that process at La Cave, but than again it was really dimly lit, so it made it really hard to make out whether or not it was cooked to the appropriate doneness. Fortunately, it wasn't as tough as a shoe, so I was content. For the record, from the leftovers it was cooked medium rare, like how I asked which is something only Pinnacle in San Dimas can do - cook a steak right the first time around (I give it up to my San Dimas peepz). 9. I'm going to have to hit this place up on a Wednesday night which always has a line running out the front because of the bar. If you're a hot chick, and want to get drunk, hit me up (not joking, haha). 10. I love how this place reminded me of the Cellar in Appleton, WI. stonecellarbrewpub.com One slight negative, is If you need to "oui oui" (yea, I know that's not what it means, but I'm being classy). They have a super small funky old bathroom which has the urinal combined with the toilet in the only stall. I suppose this isn't supposed to be an issue with guys because we're usually expected to be able to take a dump'e even with another dude taking a oui oui directly in front of you. Total bill for three people was about $144. With tip about $175. Drink tab was another $60 which was almost entirely my tab. Overall, it was a really good night out, and I'm looking forward to another night out in the Cave (yea, I said it the good ole American English way)...c'est magnifique!
(4)Jamie S.
I went here for dinner with my boyfriend on a recommendation of a friend. The entire experience left me feeling a little disappointed. The good: Our server was sweet and funny. The ambiance is pretty cool. It really does feel like you are in a cave. No corkage on Monday & Tuesday. The bussers were really on top of water refills and clearing plates. The confusing: it was our first time and after we had already gotten an appetizer, we were puzzled that we still didn't have menus. Then our server rolled a cart of uncooked meat and highlighted each selection with a flashlight. The bad: The food was blah. Nothing outstanding at all, okay the mushrooms were good. The rest of the staff stood around looking bored. I wouldn't take the initiative to go back here.
(3)Matt B.
Pretty good steaks, not great but not very much better than good. Atmosphere and location is great. Excellent room/ space. Wine list was sparse on selections but managed to find something that worked. Just a quick note to any and all wait staff. When you bring out 2 of the 4 plates incorrect don't blame it on the patrons. And don't tell them it's not your fault because you repeat everything...Christine. Furthermore, don't tell the people who you gave the incorrect food to that they don't want the ribeye because the filet is so much better. It's a personal preference and not your place to pawn your fuck up on the customers...Christine.
(2)Frank B.
Great little place for a Monday night. Friendly people and a couple of unexpected performances by a couple of rappers (including Mr. P) and a group of four chicks (Crew la Femme). The crowd gathered by 11p. Hip-hop was the music of the night, good playlist to get the crowd going.
(4)Sharona R.
We dined here on Saturday with another couple for the first time. The ambiance is intersting and old school, but very dark. I wasn't all that impressed with the meat. Yes, it was fresh and you selected your meat choice on a chart....which was your menu with no price....lol. I didn't find the food any special or steak exceptionally delicious over another. I tasted more grill marks and one of our friends ended up getting rid of more fat around his rib eye than anything. The room being dark helped in hiding the fat all around....lol. The price I thought was reasonable and the dish came with a side and salad so I wasn't upset with the price overall. I just don't think it was exceptional that's all. To be honest we still love Ruth Christ Steak House and nothing comes close to their steaks. They do have live music but it starts late around 9:30ish in another room, so plan accordingly if you are planning on listening to live band.
(3)Laura S.
I can safely say that our first time to La Cave will most DEFINITELY not be our last. My boyfriend and I ordered the shrimp scampi appetizer followed by a porterhouse with Australian lobster tail and a filet with crab legs, and let me just say....wow. Not to mention, we were served by one of the sweetest servers we had ever had. Our experience was the highlight of our weekend. The feel is romantic, and there's a different event going on every night which kept us entertained after we finished our dinner. Hands down, you have to try this unique restaurant if you've never been!
(5)Michelle A.
Went here on a wednesday night with some friends after being reprimanded for my seemingly lackluster social life. (awesome) This place is...interesting. I don't know about other nights but on wednesdays it is young/college night and they have a dj and what not. Envision the following situation: Douchey OC kids with too much hair gel and breast implanty girlfriends all dancing in an underground sweat dungeon to top 40s hits. Add really expensive beverages and lack of fresh air and there is your night.. It was actually kind of fun but you really kind of just have to accept it for what it is in order to enjoy it thoroughly.
(3)Bettie W.
Heard a lot about La Cave and tried it Tuesday night. Really lived up to it's reputation, the steak was exteremly tender and juicy and the lobster was great. Highly recommend it. The bartenders friendly, knowledgable, and make a stiff drink.
(5)Nikki P.
When I first arrived at the restaurant I thought to myself "ew this is it?" the place is a lot nicer inside and you wouldn't expect it due to the area. It's a nice suprise. The parking lot is tiny. The restaurant itself is pretty small and packed. I made reservations so I didn't have to wait. I love the dark atmosphere. The tables are very close together so there is no privacy. After being seated our waitress comes over with a cart filled with different cuts of steak, lobster tail, fish, and crab legs. There are no prices so I suggest you ask. The place is very pricey. Then again it is afterall steak and lobster. I ordered the lobster which was $50. The service was ok. I think our waitress could have came by more to check up on us. Also took a while to get the check. I went there for a friend's birthday and she brought out a chocolate cake. I've had better desserts. But it was complimentary so I can't complain. Overall I had a nice experience here however when it came time to pay we were really shocked. Boy that stuff really does add up. Oh and the potatoes r super garlicy! Bring a toothbrush or gum if you don't plan on going straight home after. The cheese bread rocks! ^_^ Oh and also FYI the crowd is a little older and the younger crowd were um let's just say different.
(4)Amanda H.
The only thing good about La Cave is their garlic bread. I might be biased here, because the only time I visited La Cave at night happened to be the night a terrible metal band played. The crowd was less than stellar and everyone was looking for a fight. Not the kind of bar I want to spend my Saturday night at! I will give them some credit for having an amazing happy hour! 2 drinks here and I am buzzed for the remainder of the evening.
(2)Morelle R.
This is always my first stop whenever I come into town (O.C.). The food is fan-fucking-tas-tic (I'm salivating as we speak), the drinks are superb, as are the bartenders. The is THE best of Orange County. Best food, drinks, service, and live bands. GO NOW. I command you. Plus, La Cave is divey in the best way. Oh, did I mention how hot the bartenders are? Well, they are. Go Go Go And, they serve lunch, but dinner is better!
(4)Melissa W.
As the other reviews say, this place is all about the atmosphere. The host, bartenders and servers are all really friendly and helpful. They dont have a menu like most other places and instead bring a tray of all the meat that is on their menu to your table and show you the options with a flashlight (its pretty dark inside). Our table had the medallions covered in a mushroom sauce and they were pretty good. It was a little expensive but not bad at all for a steak house. All meals come with some form of potato and soup or salad.
(4)Joseph L.
does not dissapoint...
(5)Don M.
*La Cave on 8/26/11* I had never been to La Cave before but it's downstairs in what looks like an old office building/strip mall from the 60s. The atmosphere reminds me of the Regal Beagle from the show "Three's Company" back in the 80s. It has the main dining room which is very small with low ceiling (hence the name "the cave") and a bar/dance floor in the back room. The crowd was mixed-age but more on the side of late 30s to mid 40s. So, I guess you could consider it a cougar lounge. Moving on to why I'm giving it 2 stars... First, we (group of 5 guys) were seated about 20 minutes after arriving even though we had a reservation. Our server, Syd (skinny white gal, mid-30s), finally came to our table about 20 minutes *after* we were seated. She seemed a bit off, like either she had just been awoken from a nap or like it was her first day working there or maybe she was surprised that we were one of her tables that evening. She seemed confused all night which was odd. In any event, waiting 20 minutes to sit and then another 20 to be greeted kind of leaks the helium out of the balloon; you know what I mean? Anyway, I thought to myself, it's all about the food so eff the rest of it. Turns out the food and drinks sucked too. First, drinks. We ordered a round of Tequila. They literally brought us Tequila that was watered down. Next, we ordered 5 steaks (2 rib eye, 1 prime rib, 2 NY strip) and all were ordered medium or medium rare. The prices aren't cheap at La Cave (about $25 and up depending on the cut of meat) so I was expecting something great. When we finally got our steaks, they were all well-done and tough. The consensus around the table was the same - disappointing. Lastly, after dinner, we went to bar area in the backroom to watch this older guy perform mostly 60s classic rock hits. He was pretty good actually but it was basically karaoke, not a live band. So, La Cave gets 2 stars. 1 for their sauteed mushrooms and cheese bread and 1 star for the wait-staff (excluding Syd) as they were pretty attentive to the table (refilling water glasses, etc) but that's not good enough to earn a return trip. So, it's one and done for La Cave.
(2)Ian W.
I will never go here again for the rest of my life.
(1)Ricky F.
I actually liked this little restaurant. Interesting place to eat, but I am all for those weird hole in the walls. La Cave, is pronounced, La C-ah-ve, but is kinda like a cave. This place is actually under the massive Blockbuster above it, and you can either take the stairs down or the elevator down to the restaurant entrance. Inside, it is a darker ambiance, perfect for that slightly quiet dinner. Just the viber here was good, the service was friendly, and not in a butt kissing way, just good people! They have a fixed menu, which is actually sitting on top of a rolling cart, and brought out on ice. They have lobster, prime rib, different steaks, and crab legs. One your order, your food arrive about 10-15 minutes later, so you are not waiting forever to eat. The bread I really like, from what I could tell, it was regular sliced bread with butter, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese on top, then broiled. Simple but pleasing! 3 stars for the low selection of food you order. With each order you get either a soup or salad, potato, and main meal. For around 30 bucks a plate, I would have thought, they would at least have some veggies thrown on the plate as well... A bit pricey, the food is really good, but it seems as though you are not getting all you can for the price. Good place to eat, I would probably eat there again, simply for the environment and the good food.
(3)Robert M.
Love this place - funky, crowded, old school. Nobody parties in Frank Sinatra's lost basement like the La Cave crowd does. Some nights Phil Shane performs here - sweating to Elvis and Neil Diamond with all 5 foot 3 of his frame. The crowd loves it. I went early for dinner thinking that would entitle me to earlier admission, a better view of the stage, etc. -- no such luck. I had to elbow and sweat it out (and it does get sweaty in that basement, depending on how many people are packed in there and how much dancing is going on) with the rest of them. They have a strange 1950s vibe to the dinners here - they bring out a big cart of raw, bleeding, red meat (with some seafood and raw chicken), and point to each cut of steak, etc., and describe the menu not in writing, not in pictures, but by pointing to each piece of raw food. (They do have menus in writing, but the cart is brought to each table). My only question - does the health department know about this? Don't be surprised to see an inspector dancing in the crowd with everyone else!
(4)Amy G.
If you don't appreciate a good, stiff drink, trying to wiggle your way through a crowd of people to get to the bar and some drunkards attempting to sing 'Don't Stop Beliveing' with the live band during Karaoke (I happen to appreciate all of these things), then this place definitely is not the place for you on Thursdays! What I love about the bar: - No cover! - Cheap (for the area), stiff Gin and Tonics (HUGE plus!) - Free parking - Atmosphere What I don't love: - After a few cocktails, having to walk up the what seems to be endless flight of stairs to go have a cigarette. That being said, if you plan on beating the bar crowd and coming here for a meal, the dinner here is fantastic. They bring a cart to your table to show you their meat/seafood selection for the evening. Very old school type feel. Personally, I don't think you can ever go wrong ordering the Filet Mignon, although I have heard good things about the N.Y Strip as well. Enjoy!
(4)Laura K.
Came here for karaoke night. Was not impressed. All I could think about was how much it smelled like barf. I definitely wouldn't eat at this place.
(2)Eric B.
5 stars for a llittle piece of totally cool in Costa Mesa. Step off the elevator and into the leather banqueted lounge in a scene right out of an old time Chicago speakeasy. The brightest light is cast from the grill as giant steaks char to perfection in the open kitchen. Grab a drink at the 3 sided bar, or slide right into your booth and start out with some garlic cheese bread or sauteed mushrooms. Point out the meat you want from the travelling menu-tray and settle in for a luxurious experience you probably don't deserve...
(5)Phillip O.
Too many hipster sock heads hanging out at this joint.
(1)Kelly T.
Love this place for cocktails with friends. Admittedly have never eaten here, but the atmosphere is amazing. It's like walking into a Martin Scorcese movie set in the 60s or 70s. Like the scene in Mean Streets when Robert Dinero walks in slow-motion through the bar with girls on either side of him set to "Jumpin' Jack Flash". Perfect. I hope they never "update" that place! youtube.com/watch?v=izcZ…
(5)Audra R.
I agree with other yelpers- I've always had a great time here, hard to pinpoint, it just has a certain panache. Schedule it so you get to see Phil Shane, such a must to complete the whole experience... Get here a lil early to secure a seat at the comfy bar if you come to drink, if you come to eat, eat early or get a booth, because you will have lots of annoying bar people crowded around you if not... I think the menu is a bit pricey, but overall good. It reeks of red meat when you walk in the door, its a comforting feeling, lol The standout was the shrimp cocktail, better than the showy maestros... Drinks are strong here! Love it! Fairytale like environment, serious you're-in-a-movie vibes and feel Um people who say they should update the place and the bathroom are soooo fricking oc lame...what do you want everything stuccoed, and granited to death? The bathroom sucks, some things are little shabby, but um has anyone ever heard of CHARACTER OR HISTORY??? So few places in OC got any of that, LA CAVE does, and they should be proud!
(4)Jennifer Y.
I almost didn't review this because there are already SO MANY reviews. La Cave is an old local joint off 17th and Irvine Ave in the same building of the Blockbuster. The food is always pretty good... great steaks and seafood. Awesome wine list! And they have a yummy cheese bread that is good ol skool yum! It's small and can get cramped but I never have an issue with someone in my space or poor service. They have a bar off to the back that gets very crowded but its fun! Just come casual and know that it's a local scene...Wednesdays are currently a hot night to be in the bar...
(4)Marian B.
I used to go to La Cave (pronounced La "Cav" not Cave that rhymes with Dave... I didn't know that before and felt like an idiot calling it La Caaaave so many times and having everyone correct me) a LOT back in college. Wednesdays was the day to go... I guess college students needed to find another excuse to drink and party in between Taco Tuesdays and College Night Thursdays so La Cave on Wednesdays it is. There were pretty good bands that performed Wednesdays and the drinks were always nice and strong. The bartenders were all very nice and friendly. La Cave really feels like a cave because from the outside you can't even tell there's a restaurant there... You get admitted by the bouncer (after a certain time) and you go through a door then down these winding steps then through another door until you are in the restaurant itself. Pretty cool. I like the concept. It's very dark and you feel like you've just stepped into a secret society underground location. It wasn't until last year that I actually went to La Cave for dinner. Sad to say... I was disappointed. Our table was slanted and so very cramped. I was afraid to move in fear of knocking over our table. Ridiculous seating arrangement! The food was not that great. The lobster tail and filet lacked flavor and didn't taste good. However the savior of the night was the garlic bread, which was sooo good! They must have sprinkled some crack on top because I could not stop eating the bread. I didn't eat all of my filet but I kept asking for more and more bread. So good! So I guess what I'm trying to say is that La Cave is a great place if you want to chill, drink, listen to a few bands or eat bomb diggity garlic bread. BUT if you want good fine dining aka steak, lobster tail, etc... go somewhere else.
(2)Gina K.
The food here is actually pretty frickin' awesome. I love that they're "green" with the whole no-printed-menu thing. The waiters/waitresses know the whole thing by memory and they literally bring you a cart with the meats on it to show you what you can get. Every meal is a 3 courser with a salad, meat, potato etc... We also got apps of mushrooms (SO GOOD) and shrimp cocktail. Although the meal was good, I can't say I enjoyed the vibe nor the people there. It was a weird mix of dudes in their d-bag popped polo collars and graphic tees and cougars trying too hard by baring midrifts and the dumb ditzes getting wasted and loud. I went on a Saturday night and this might have been part of the problem. They have live music starting 10PM and that night was not jazz, not folk, not classical but crazy death monster voice screaming. Not really something I want to hear while noshing on a meal. BUT, I hear their Happy Hour is fun and I dig the laid back ambiance. It's too bad I wasn't CDM enough to hang out here and enjoy it like the rest of the crowd.
(3)Kevin M.
Great atmosphere, excellent service and delicious food. At night it turns Into a really fun place
(5)Ryan K.
its still 1967 downstairs in La Cave. Well it would be if all the bros in Flip flops and t-shit were not here... Steak from a Cart. Stiff drinks. I like this. If only they didn't have these local guys milling around the tables looking for someone to... I digress. Check the joint out, order a old fashion pretend your a rat packer, eat a shrimp cocktail. Get a big piece of american beef. Just stop showing up in flip flops and t-shirts have some respect.
(3)Augusta S.
It was 1978... I was wearing my favorite black georgette jumper and silver platform wedges... mah eyes were lined with glitter... mah smile bore cherry flavored gloss... He was wearing a pair of pants that hugged his ass and his shirt was open wide at the collar... we hit the town that night in search of meat... red meat... to be followed by some disco dancing. . . . Ok, I take it back... it's 2008. The evening in question was last Saturday... and while I WAS certainly wearing a pair of platform wedges, sadly they weren't silver. I made reservations at La Cave last Tuesday to insure we would actually be able to Get In. We'd made several attempts sans rez in the past only to be informed of an hour plus wait. Not gonna happen tonight, my friends! We arrived shortly before our reservation to find a full house... Our hostess had her back to us for a good ten minutes... which is bothersome, honestly... but I remained calm and patient because I wanted to have a good evening... Finally, acknowledgment... we were told that it would be another twenty minutes or so... so we decided to make our way to the bar for drinks... the bar was equally a'buzz and it took a few approaches and retreats to find a spot where we would be noticed. I asked for a glass of champagne and the BF, a Crown and Coke. The bartender asked me if their house champagne was ok... I said sure since he didn't elaborate to what an alternate selection might consist of. We received our round... $14, not bad... and wandered to find a place to stand that would be out of the way until our table was ready...which thankfully wasn't long. I was feeling a bit awkward with a champagne flute in one hand and an empty bottle in the other... it would have been nice if the hostess had offered to dispose of it... since she did approach us several times to let us know it "wouldn't be long now" but... whaddya gonna do? We were shown to our table... a sweet little vinyl booth shaped in a semi circle, perfect for an intimate dining experience, which faces the floor of the restaurant and allowed us the opportunity to take in our surroundings... La Cave is dark... I mean opaque, man... I love lighting like this in a restaurant... because my imagination often runs wild... and it is moments like these... I imagine myself a disco queen... about to enjoy a fifty dollar steak before heading out to Hustle it to KC and the Sunshine Band... the décor doesn't seem to have been updated in the last few decades so this adds Technicolor to my imagination... ya dig? Before our waitress came by the table, a hurried bus boy frantically threw silverware onto our table... It is advisable to slow down, mister... you can poke an eye out. I know there are other tables to dress... but more rhythmic breathing is better for everyone. Finally, our server appeared... she was very pleasant and approached with a smile. We both decided to start with salad...and ordered the 10 oz filet mignon...for entrée. Holy cow (literally!)... and Twice Baked Cheesy potato. I ordered my steak medium rare and it was puuuuuuuuuurfect. Soft and unbelievably juicy on the inside but cooked with just a hint of char on the outside. Effing hell, it was good. The potato was aiight. I love twice baked potatoes... but this one was a little too stiff for my liking... (You won't hear me say that often. Ahem.) Since I ate only a third of my steak... and had just the right amount of bubbly floating in mah head... we decided to split the NY Cheesecake. It was pretty good... the BF ate most of it and I'm definitely NOT complaining (my thighs thank his proactive approach to devour anything containing sugar)... I enjoyed just enough to leave a sweet taste in my mouth. La Cave is perfect for Date Night... I wouldn't recommend it as a first, second, or third date spot... unless you're comfortable with spending two bills... but the steak IS good...and the atmosphere yummy... That's the Way...uh huh uh huh... I like it.
(4)Nikki G.
I'm so disappointed to see the reviews for La Cave are generally lackluster...although, now that I think about it, this increases my chances of finding an empty seat at the bar, so carry on! This happens to be one of my favorite spots in Costa Mesa. It can get crowded late at night, but if you get in early enough, the drinks are stiff and you're able to enjoy the perfectly dark (Yes...cave-like...it's underground, I'm not really sure what else one would expect what with the name and the whole walking downstairs thing), old school steakhouse ambience. Similar to The Arches in Newport but not as snooty. Hands down, as everyone else has stated, the garlic bread is ridiculous. I would also recommend either the scampi appetizer or the mushrooms. The menu is on a cart, the wine list extensive, and there's lots of people watching to be done. The only reason I did not give this 5 stars is because I prefer the steaks and chocolate souffle at 555, but that's a whole other story.
(4)Mary S.
I can say honestly that I really enjoyed my experience at La Cave. I really want to eat here for dinner, but I went for their Wednesday night DJ, who is a friend of a friend, Ian, and he was quite good. Funky, dancey house music mixed with a good crowd of people. Expensive drinks, but I'm awesome and brought a flask of JD with me, so it was alright. Because it's downstairs and underground, it's quite hot and gets very crowded. Once the DJ got more drunk, the music turned into a trance and I had to get out of there. But there weren't many d-bags like one would find at Sutra, and the music was decent. So go early in the night, and bring a flask. You won't be disappointed!
(4)Josh S.
2 words, PHIL SHANE. This guy rocks. He's a 5 foot Neil Diamond impersonator that just rocks out! If you're ever lucky enough to be here on a night he's here, stay and watch or make an effort to see him somewhere. The guy is the bomb. La Cave is pretty crazy because it is a cave. You take an elevator UNDERGROUND and have dinner in this dark, romantic setting. It tries to be a lot like Morton's and similar steakhouses in how they bring all the meat around on a cart for you to see and the grill is very visible. BUT when your wine glasses look like they are from target and your garlic bread is basically store bought sandwich loaves, you aren't trying hard enough. All in all, the food is pretty decent and the prices are ok. The place is SMALL though so make a reservation. I hear the bar is a lot of fun for just hanging out on a nightly basis but when someone is performing, its even better. Say it with me again, PHIL SHANE. "Sweet Caroline......."
(4)Chris S.
This place is underneath a building, it's very darkly lit setting up a fairly intimate atmosphere, and the smell from the kitchen is absolutely intoxicating; and it permeates the entire resteraunt. It is a unique experience for sure, it almost feel like a place Sinatra would have hung out in before hitting it big time. First and foremost Do you like awesome steak&seafood (emphasis of specialty seems to be on beef)? 4.5 stars. I've only been in the are a few years, but I've found no other non-Ruth Chris resteraunt on par with the quality here. If you are not going to this resteraunt for food, then you can start to knock back the 4.5 stars for every level of anxiety you may have because you are worried you don't fit in, or people wear to much gel, or some other non-food related BS like half these reviews. The fact is, it's so intimate, and the smell is so prevalent, that I rarely even notice who is sitting around me much after the first few seconds. The place is a little cramped, but well worth it.
(4)Krisztina V.
The people: *OC rich kids that just found out about American Apparel and Urban Outfitters and cant wait to show off their new look! *Sharp, Shrieking, Shouting, Shrill women/men *The people here are too much, people need to practice a bit of self control and subtlety. Its like the LA "hip"---(and i use that word loosely as always) scene took a painful fiery dump and La Cave is the result. The place: Not bad lighting but this place has a major flaw the tables. Too many awkward random dinner tables all in the bar area, so when your sitting many many diesel wearing asses are in your face....And now when your standing you had wished you ate those black beans to show all these people sitting a lesson. But I will have to say the tunes where okay and the drinks were crazy strong and reasonably priced. I did enjoy people watching even though my eyes bled half the time.
(2)Kristina G.
Btw if you come here on a Thursday night, they have a great Rock and Roll Karaoke night! They also have ample drinks! If you are looking for drink, please look for Brent, he is a great bartender!! :)
(5)Jenny H.
This one's for the bar, friend. I got ass sweat on my shoulder from some guy dancing up on me while I was in a seated position, but that's not La Cave's fault, right? Right? You can't beat the decor of this place--part Spanish inn, part Pirates of the Caribbean ride--and the low low lighting makes you look good, girl. Fresh. Alluring. Not at all sweaty from whooping it up in the second room with the dance floor. We went on a Wednesday and it was a) crowded, b) a scene, c) Underground Lounge DJ night, which I personally couldn't get into, but maybe that's just because Ace of Base and aforementioned shoulder humping by some dude eight? ten? years my junior is not my bag. But you should go!
(3)Merle F.
GREAT food, good service, super drinks and good prices--you can't beat it!!
(4)Deron R.
Nothing I'm saying hasn't already been said in the 82 previous reviews, however I would like to focus on a few points. This place used to be more old school when it was just full of old people and rummies. The oldsters and rummies are still here but now this is a hip place to go to so the younger crowd has set in and that's fine. I had a business dinner here on a Tuesday night and they we're very accommodating. We had 13 and they placed our tables smack in the middle of the bar area . I appreciated this as we could take in the crowd as the place filled up.. Other Highlights: Service was efficient, the pretty hostess assisted with the drinks and didn't miss an order. Menu is still tight with a heavy slant towards meatatarian. Chef in his little kitchen in the dining room banging out the hash right in front of you. Beets on the salad Twice baked potato The dark and dank lives on Good times!
(3)Jane A.
Great food! Great service! Live band karaoke on Thursday nights are great too except because its a band you don't get the wide range of songs you would with a kj (karaoke DJ). For the 2 pages of songs they do, they do a great job.
(4)Yuki M.
I had completely forgotten about this place. Came here a little while back and at first glance, I thought my date was taking me to a sh*thole. Going down the steps into the cramped little dining area, I found out that it WAS a sh*thole. Sorry to all the people who like this place. I know that negative reviews on places people like can sting, but with all due respect, this is just my opinion and I am not a fan of cramped rooms, low ceilings, or cramped rooms with low ceilings. Aside from those aspects, it was dark, stuffy, noisy, and the patrons weren't exactly desirable. Prices were not worth what you got and the service wasn't remotely close to acceptable. I ordered the rib eye medium rare. It came out well. WTF? Wine list was very limited. Most of the drink emphasis was placed on the harder pours. Not my thing. Uncomfortable. Bad service. Bad atmosphere. Loud people. Stuffy. Dark. Over-priced. Inconvenient parking. Ugly exterior. Vagrants at the entrance. No thanks.
(1)Ana S.
great steaks and seafood
(5)Holly W.
Back in the day, I loved the dimly lit La Cave for the live Jazz and plenty of seating. I used to be a weekly regular there when the Todd Oliver quartet played every Wednesday night, but as that time slowly passed on, I stopped going and younger Newport Beach hipsters started up. Hell, maybe we were all Newport Beach hipsters when we were 21, but they sure grow 'em differently these days. La Cave has all my criteria for a good bar, minus the hipsters and the fake ID teenagers (or what appears to be them). The place has certainly gotten a lot more popular over the years with the barely legal crowd. What I still love about the place is its sheer darkness, the cool 70's-style tavern vibe (this place has been around since then), live music, and drinks that stiff as hell. The environment is laid back that we always seem to strike up conversation with others in the bar, or with the bartender on a more mellow night. Overall, La Cave is a nice spot for a stiff drink. The kitchen closes at 9:00pm, and that cheese bread is excellent if you can manage to get down there in time.
(4)Chandra W.
I came here for my birthday dinner last night. Cheesy bread was very good, the salad was delicious acompanied by beets which is fitting for this place. I had the king crab legs and the chef split them open for me so it was super easy to dig in. The crab was so delicious, honestly. My boyfriends filet was probably the best few bites I've ever had. He also ordered the lobster which was amazing. Oh, we had shrimp cocktail as an appetizer and this was the best cocktail sauce I've had. Just as before, the martini's knocked my socks off. Yes, it's pricey. I do not plan to eat here more than once a year. At the end of this mouth watering meal, my bf got down on one knee and proposed. So that was a fun night!
(5)Nicole P.
Growing up in Newport Heights, La Cave was a staple in the "celebratory dinner out" days. 20 years later, it still is. Words? Who needs words or a menu? Not La Cave! The catch of the day speaks for itself. Usually my catch is a Lobster, baked potatie and salad with extra blue cheese. All your surf and turf is cooked to order on that little grill you pass as you walk to your table. Its a great place to grab a drink, check out Newport's nouveau riche crowd (usually stumbling over from Cokewood- excuse me, "Corondao") and hear live music. Say hi to Leilani, she's a damn fine waitress...
(5)Katie F.
Had dinner at La Cave tonight. It was excellent. The steak was cooked perfect and seasoned to perfection. Judy was our server, providing excellent, friendly professional service. I will be back and highly recommend this restaurant to all my friends and family. It was an awesome experience.
(5)Charles O.
This place is dope. What's not to like about a dive bar that serves stiff drinks, has a laid back vibe, and entertainment throughout the week...o yeah...the dinner rocks. Premium steaks and great cheese bread. Love the Thursday night karaoke and Phil Spektor is old school OC. Must catch the guy for a silly night.
(5)Identity M.
Outstanding straight to the point menu... Highly recommend Shrimp Cocktail and Filet. Intimate venue...very lively late night scene on Wednesdays.
(5)Newton P.
People come here more for the experience than for the food. The restaurant is located underground and the dining area resembles a cave (hence the name) with its brick walls and dark ambiance. It's a great date place due to the atmosphere and live music. The food is ok, I've had much better steak, but the prices are reasonable. Be careful you don't miss it...it is located under a Blockbuster Video
(4)Kay D.
This place is alright. The only thing that keeps me going back are the live bands. Every so often they'll have a gem show up. Karaoke nights (thursdays?) are awesome with Color Me Bad, a live karaoke band. They are crude in all the right ways, it's awesome! Other than the bands they host, this place is not spectacular in any way. Just a dumpy little overly cramped bar that caters to the OC faux bad-ass genre.
(3)Jorkin W.
Dark. Loud. Crowded. If you were planning on having a nice relaxing evening this is not to be on your list. When I say dark I mean dark... imagine a cave (hence the name) lit by campfire. There is no menu supplied to peruse as they wouldn't want anyone straining their eyes in the darkness. Instead your waiter will wheel a cart to your table holding various sample cuts of meat and seafood waiving a flashlight over each of the items while explaining preparations and menu specials. The food is enjoyable but I feel the steaks are rather overrated. If the same dishes had been served above ground, with the breathtaking view of 17th and Irvine (har-har), I'd image less "Top 9 Steakhouse" nominations for La Cave. Live entertainment, mostly in the form of local bands, begins at 10pm Monday through Saturday. However, the stage is setup in the rear dining area of the restaurant which provides horrible acoustics, high temperatures, and mild claustrophobia. Not the best live music venue in the neighborhood. Being small and dungeon-esque, La Cave does not lend itself well to dinner conversation either - especially on a busy night. On my last visit my date and I, while waiting for our food, were swarmed with 60 year old ass mere inches from our heads as people were gathering for a birthday party... I can still remember the smell. One of the old bats even had the gall to suggest I move my chair so they might have room to dance next to their dinner table. If you don't mind cramped quarters, dim light, and wait staff yelling over the crowds to take your order you may actually like La Cave quite a bit. For me, getting there early for appetizers and drinks is about all I can stand for.
(3)alan s.
I have never been disappointed!!!!! Great service and fantastic food!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much for another great dinner La Cave!!!
(5)Keven V.
I always have a fantastic time in the cave. They pour a very good martini, that in itself is a reason to go... Add some ratpack tunes, serious meat, dark "speakeasy" surroundings and this place is swank. They just need to redo the bathroom...
(4)Abe F.
The place was very very dark which makes sense as its below ground. Felt like I was in a prohibition lounge in the 1920s . The dress was a dapper look all around. Food....The steak was a very small filet and perfectly done. The potato was one of those twice baked frozen one you get from vons for 1.99 and I'm not kidding I was shocked. Had an absolute martini which was good . I'll give it 3 stars as it was pretty pricy for what you get, but if you got a good steak then everything else is nit- picking.
(3)Chris B.
One of my favorite restaurants! Been coming here for 30 years (and I'm only 48!) One of the ONLY two restaurants I'll order the lobster at outside of Mexico. The other is Captain Jacks in Sunset Beach. The twice stuffed baked potato is excellent and the cheese bread is to die for. At one time I used to eat here about twice a month...these days I'm down to 3-4 times a year...but only because I'm on more of a budget than I used to be. Halibut is always good as is the Swordfish and Filet Mignon, Prime rib on special on Mon nights is a bargain....when making reservations...ask to be placed in the MAIN room. Or even better...one of Patti's tables. You won't be sorry!
(5)Benjamin C.
I came back for Costa Mesa Restaurant week. As always best cheesy garlic bread. Band sucked, but food was good.
(5)J C.
Decided to go here on a Wednesday Night. Yelp Reviewers were right about the Atmosphere. Everybody in here looked amazing! Guys you want your Barbie their There, Girls you want your Ken, you'll find them too. Everyone looked so HoT I thought they would turn into Vampires at midnight. Someone should also mention that there should be a height requirement as it seemed like it was Volleyball night. The music was repetitive, but kept the crowd going. Really packed on a Wednesday night so come early. Kind of reminded me of AC Lounge down in San Diego.
(4)J C.
The steak (filet) was horrible for the price. Tough, dry, and low quality cut. The sides were bad as well. Stay away from the steaks. We didn't stay for desert after finding out how bad the entree's were. The high ratings must be a local thing. This place seems to attract a regular type crowd. We didn't try any drinks. For a steakhouse, this was one of the worst I've been to. It was dark, and pretty small inside.
(1)Noe'lle M.
went here last night on a whim...which turned out to be a wonderful idea. take the elevator going down and the doors open up to a dark red cave like tavern. a chef with a tall white chef hat and knives in hand, orchestrates and prepares 1960's type steaks and double baked potatoes in the middle of the dinning room. you are seated in hidden alcoved red booths for your secret rendezvous [ or just a nice dinner if you want...] martinis and bachelor sounds fit for peter sellers off set. 'finally, in conclusion, let me say just this.' and then the check comes with an andes mint. the chef says 'have a nice evening...' as we wait for the elevator to take us back up into the future. till next time - dark red time machine la cave..
(4)Scott C.
La Cave is celebrating 50 years this year...and so is the carpet. I'd hate to see this place in daylight. What a dump.
(1)Ed K.
This place reminds me of Dresdens in Los Feliz. Older people who remember a Southern California of a different time and a different place (60's and 70's) having dinner here from 7 to 10pm, then a younger crowd here for dinner and live music after 10. Man it's dark in here. Candlelight is the primary light source so you can barely see the food and the drink menu (or the member of the opposite sex you are talking to... which can be a plus sometimes)! Drinks are STIFF, just the way I like 'em! People are super friendly, looks like a more bohemian Costa Mesa / Newport crowd rather than the more "commerical" and yuppie Irvine crowd. The food is very nice here, although a little overpriced. I'd say four stars, but the ambiance makes up for it! However, remember that ambiance is in the eye of the beholder. If you liked Dresden's in Los Feliz, I think you'll like this spot as well.
(5)Pamela L.
La Cave has a special place in my heart. I first found out about this place a couple of years back & when you get there you wouldn't even know it existed. The entrance is right beside a blockbuster & it doesn't seem like anything's really there, but then you realize it's actually underground so you have to go down one level. After taking the windy stairs down you feel like you are entering a whole different era. It's a very dimly lit bar area with deep red cushion booths & small bar tables. You walk into the next room there's more tables & booths with a stage area - that's typically where the live band is playing. None of the decor has been changed since it first opened & it is a bit rundown, but that totally adds to the ambiance, so you definitely feel like you're taking a step back in time. The reason I fell in love with this place is the vibe. My friends & I were regulars on Wednesdays for Jazz Night. Being regulars, the staff (including the bouncer) are super friendly & make sure you're taken care of. Their drinks are strong - my worst hangovers were because of this place. It's a great place to just chill late night with some friends, enjoy some drinks & live music. I hadn't been here in a while but some friends & I met up again there last night & it brought back so many great memories. La Cave will always be one of my special places in OC.
(4)Juice D.
Gross. Terrible service and the lounge area smelled like fart. I wouldn't eat this food for free if I was homeless.
(1)Becca B.
I went here last week, on a wednesday night with a group of friends and had SO much fun! We ordered a few beers and the service was good. It was pretty packed for a wednesday night too! We had such a great time. We danced all night. The music was great! I will definitely be back to La Cave! One of my favorite spots in Costa Mesa, for sure!
(4)Angela D.
I'm undecided whether I'd go back here or not. This place had a cool vibe but a lot of OC scenesters seem to hang out here. We went for my friend's birthday since on Thursday night it was tough to find karaoke. We tried a few other places but ended up here. The live band was really fun to sing with however there is zero chance of singing more than once. Their song list was short but sufficient with Danzig to Jimmy Buffet (gag). The place was set up a little uncomfortably with tables all over the bar to the point that a bunch of empty bottles fell down onto my friend and prompted us to leave. I like the theory behind this place however the crowd wasn't really my style.
(3)Dennis O.
Alright, alright Ben B., I'll write a new review (he actually emailed me the other day to give me grief over not writing a review for this site for several months - hey buddy, if you read this, at this moment, in between keystrokes, I'm taking my thumb and my forefinger, shaping said fingers into the shape of an "L" and thinking about you right now. How you like them apples?! Full disclosure: I work with the guy.) Overall, this is really a 4-and-a-half star review. I don't give out fivers to just anybody, but 4-and-a-half is still great, no? The offering which, for me, IS the 5-star item, is their ribeye steak, cooked medium-rare. It is to die for. I've tried little nibbles of what my parents ordered when they would take me here for my birthday (which is the one time of year I eat here because its kind of out of my normal price-range) - my mom usually gets the halibut and my dad usually gets either prime rib and lobster tail or the filet mignon, all of which are excellent, but DAMN....that ribeye is friggin' delicious! It needs absolutely no seasoning (what kind of wonderful fairy dust do they sprinkle on that thing, anyway?) Add to that a twice-baked garlic and cheese potato and that addictive cheese bread they serve and what you have here is a very happy camper! AND my parents always give me their leftovers after eating here, so I get to eat like a king for the next couple of days. Thanks mom and dad! Years ago, I used to go to clubs that they used to host in their back room and it was always a fun scene, with good DJs (props to Scott Solo & Christopher "splitends" H. for their much-missed lounge music nights and to Tim S. for the cool indie-rock nights he used to help host once a month) and live bands taking over after the restaurant closed down for the night. I heard that Phil Shane still does gigs here sometimes. He's always a lot of fun and worth checking out (if you don't know who that is, he's an Elvis-impersonator who sings and plays guitar over pre-recorded music of classic rock and old radio hits from the '60's and '70's - good sing-along-while-getting-drunk music). So, yeah, I like this place.
(4)Amanda T.
Came here last night with some friends after a buddy of mine suggested it. Drinks were solid, inconsistent with the price but pretty good. Karaoke night was pretty fun. Wasn't here for too long so I can't say much else but a few of my friends seem to like this place so I'll be making a return visit soon!
(3)Dennis O.
If you enjoy eating in a musty dark dank basement, this is the place for you. If you appreciate so-so steak quality, this is the place for you. If you don't want to know the price of what you're ordering, or if you want to get there around 6:00 for the special only to find out that they're out of it by that time of the evening (as we experienced), this is the place for you.
(1)Valerie S.
Looking for a nice, romantic venue for steaks with your sweetie? La Cave has such a great vibe! I hadn't been there in years, but last night we enjoyed a delicious dinner there - loved the dark red mood lighting in a romantic curved booth. It was definitely a hit! Probably a little pricey on the regular menu instead of prix fixe, but we really enjoyed the evening.
(4)Taylor S.
Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday. There aren't enough words to describe the atmosphere of this place. After 40 years of doing business I don't think they're done much with the decor or anything in or on the building which is fine by me. You can still smell a hint of smoke soaked furniture because i'm sure there used to be smoking inside. The club is actually underground so it almost feels like you're taking a step out of Orange County and into Narnia or something. Comfy red leather seats, 1 piece wood carved bar, low watt red lights and great sound have really made this place one of my favorite spots in OC. I haven't tried the food yet but judging by the menu, i'm sure it's amazing.
(5)Tita B.
The last time my husband and I were disapointed because he ask for a medium lobster and was just like a little thing for him and i got a well well done beef more than i used to have over there this its not the first time we go of course we were very dissapointed cause we used to like this pace..
(2)Sue Len L.
per my roomie, it's really old school.. there's a room where our server disappeared into, and my thoughts were, " 'guess that's were the mafiosos are"
(3)Jason C.
Good Ol' Cave... I went here first when I was a freshman in college and took a date that was utterly impressed. I came again post graduation and after tasting the likes of Mastros, Porterhouse Bistro, and The Palm was surprised that this didn't live up to what I remembered in 2002. The Old style brick oven and 70's 'back of the nightclub' entrance is a nice touch for new comers not sure of what to expect. You can expect to see your normal upscale steak crowd here, generally over 40yrs old(fits the 70s nightclub era entrance). If you recall the movie Swingers, this place looks like a spot the boys would eat at before hitting the Dresden. I ordered from the push-cart menu which consisted of oversized pieces of raw meat and lobster which ended up being smaller than the actual dish. Ordered the NY Strip and a lobster tail- while waiting for my food to arrive, sipping on a pino noir 2002...I couldn't help but notice the man and women next to us were dousing their steaks with A1 sauce. Now, I know this may be a common site at bob's steak house, (non-existent place ment to clue you into a hic joint) but not a place famous for steaks, and not to mention steaks around 35-40$. Once I tasted the steaks again after not having it for 8 years, I knew I'd wasted my money and shouldve just went to flemmings or Roys. It's funny when places like this ask you if you are there for a special occasion or not- like they think people only go there for their grandmas birthday. I calmly answered the lady.... "yes, for dinner" P.S. I hear the crowd on wednesdays nights is poppin(ppl in their 20s) with live djs.... cheers!
(2)alex v.
This is one of the cooler bars in OC, in my opinion. The people that come here are generally pretty cool and not out of control. Usually good music to find here depending on the night. Lots of open mics to be had here. The vibe here is super cool, very hip. ANd very comfortable. Deep reds and dim lighting. Really, just a good place to hang out and decompress. Their steaks are good, as is the seafood. I think this also good for taking a casual date to.
(4)Dave S.
Again..half a star is missing.. yet again, i'm rounding down. I chose La Cave in a fit of not knowing where to go to eat but knowing that it was close to my friends house. Where do you want to eat she said.. "ummmm.. La Cave?" and it was just that simple. I've come here to drink before, but never to eat, and I've always wanted to try one of their steaks. I called down early to be sure that getting a table wouldn't be a problem. The girl said that they were busy, but they could get me in the back room (or as they call it, the wine cellar) at 7:30. Sounded fine to me, I've been in the back room before, too. We show up on time.. there's another party of two waiting there that didn't have reservations. The hostess did this weird sort of, "ok, well let me help these guys with the reservations out." Then ended up seating the people without reservations before us - in the main dining area. Then she took us - the people with the reservations - into the back room. The completely empty back room. Seriously, no one else was seated in there for the rest of the night aside from a large party of 16 year old girls. Why were they at La Cave? Anyway.. The manager, maybe part owner, saw all this and quickly had a talk with the hostess.. He looked visibly upset and I'm pretty sure he was saying the same thing to her. "umm.. why did you seat them in the back when they had the reservation." And I'm almost sure the hostess was the girl who took my reservation over the phone and was sticking to her guns with the whole, "we're busy and we only will have room for you in the back," but it was all handled so strangely. As it turns out my friend decided she just wanted the shrimp cocktail (prepared with the largest shrimp I have every seen) and a glass of wine. I joined her on the wine and ordered the 12 ounce New York, with the half lobster. They were good.. the steak was excellent.. and at the end of the meal the same manager that gave the hostess the talking to came to the table and apologized for sitting us "at the furthest table from restaurant." That was funny, because he wasn't lying. Not only were we in the back.. we were sat all the way over in the furthest corner of the room. Haha.. weird. The manager also brought me out a free glass of grande marnier to make up for it.. but that didn't stop my bill from being $102. They don't have menu's, they wheel out a cart of raw meat and tell you what the selections are, they don't offer prices, and I didn't ask. Turns out.. this place is expensive.. haha. I knew it was, and I was expecting it, but even expecting it doesn't relieve the initial shock. I probably won't be eating here again. I like La Cave, and the manager did a great job, but I think my one try will be enough. I will absolutely go back for drinks and music, though. Those nights have always been very fun.
(3)Chase A.
This review is only ranking the bar at night not the restaurant. I love how this place is actually underground and you take stairs to get to it below. I have often wonder how many drunks have fallen down these stairs. The atmosphere here is awesome and the look and decor of this whole place is bitchin! It's dark and there is a lot of red lighting. Fun place when there is live music going on only draw back, it's sometimes hard to find a place to sit. I also wish the bar was a little bigger too. But this is just one of those places you got to go to really understand it. Defiantly one of my favorite bars in Orange County.
(5)Maren G.
Great live music! Upcoming artists are always doing residencies and it's awesome. The lighting is low (and red) and it's an intimate little place. I haven't been there for dinner but I hear it's good. Cocktails are reasonably priced and they're open late so it's a good place to go when you want to wrap up your evening on a positive note. :) The only thing I found that's kinda funky about La Cave is that every time I go downstairs I smell fish. It's gross. haha But I guess if you're sticking your nose in a beer it doesn't really matter!
(4)Jared B.
Have yet to eat here but the Bartenders are awesome!
(4)Carrie B.
La Cave is the perfect date night restaurant for a special occasion or girls night out or even happy hour at the bar. The sauteed mushrooms are fabulous and so is the garlic cheese bread and salad with blue cheese dressing, i could eat just that for my meal. Drinks are good and strong and although it can get loud when the bands play in the back room it is fun to people watch in there.. Overall great night out.
(4)Alexis G.
Craving a dining experience from the bygone era of the Rat Pack? This is the place to recapture the magic. Don't let the location fool you. Just follow the stairs down to be transported to a dark hideaway, complete with big red booths and a wait staff that rolls the menu out before you (seriously, they roll out a cart with all the meat choices right there for you to examine). Add the martinis and jazz to the mix and I'm in heaven!!! Great date spot but make a reservation for a booth. Experience is just not the same without the booth.
(5)Tanya S.
My husband and I are frequent flyers here. We love the steaks and seafood. Theres just something about their shrimp cocktail. We love the unique setting. It's a nice date night out. Yeah i guess blockbuster closed next door but im sure something will soon replace it. This area of OC seems pretty well off. People seem to have $$ to spend. We've never really stuck around for the nightlife on the weekends. When we are there Saturday nights there are usually a lot of people packed in the separate bar area. For us we usually spend about $200-250 which includes two dinners, appetizer a bottle of wine and sometimes a dessert. Not bad. We love their steaks and plan to go back very soon.
(5)Lisa B.
An old friend moved into an apartment just down the street from this place so we decided to check it out on a Saturday evening, being too lazy to drive anywhere or in fact consume any goods or services more than a block from said apartment. He had been there before and spoke highly of the steak. I was already feeling pretty unhealthy but thought - why stop here - so we went. La Cave is underground, as the name implies. It literally smells like steak - like cooking meat. This can be good and bad - at first you get really hungry, but later when you smell your hair you're kind of grossed out. We were "greeted" (note the quotation marks for sarcasm) by the hostess, a girl in her early 20's with a very short skirt and a cast on her arm. This has nothing to do with my story, but for some reason the detail interests me. The cast was black. Anyway, she left us standing there without acknowledging us for ages, and then finally gave us major attitude when we said we didn't have a reservation. My friend was immediately embarrassed - neither of us realized that we could possibly need a reservation at a neighborhood restaurant in Newport Beach - but there we were wrong. This place is crazy popular on the weekends. Anyway, she said she had an opening in 3 hours (what is this, D'Orsia? (American Psycho reference)) or we could see if something opened up at the bar. I was very skeptical but actually something opened up immediately and we pounced on it. We were sitting between two older guys, drinking alone...they were having a conversation about something boring and at one point I asked them if they wanted to trade places with us. Anyway, long story short - the service was crap. Again we had to wait for ages until we were acknowledged by the waiter/bartender. Then they gave us the menu, which is literally one small piece of paper in one of those cheesy bar plexiglas holders. There were no prices listed at all. We both ordered the petit filet with the soup and a twice-baked potato, which got a resounding seal of approval from the regulars around us. The food was ok but not great. The cheese toast that comes with the meal is pretty good but almost certainly horribly fattening - not that the restaurant is at fault for this. The prices were a little outrageous - for a 7 oz petit filet they wanted $30 - I really don't think this price is reasonable at all, especially considering the surroundings and the service. If I were incredibly lazy and I lived in the area, I might do take-out sometime, but dining in can definitely be skipped. If I were at all NOT lazy and an ok cook I would go to the yuppie supermarket across the street and buy a nice steak and cook it myself.
(3)Stephanie H.
I'd heard about LA Cave for years before actually venturing there for dinner last November. It was my boyfriend's birthday and this is the spot he chose. I cannot say anything but positive comments for this place. We started out with the shrimp appetizer...delicious! I'm not a huge steak eater but the ribeye that 1 of us order was AMAZING. Tender, cooked perfectly and nearly melted in my mouth. I ordered a dirty martini and I nearly wanted to marry the bar tender!! It was so good and poured very well...I sipped it the entire meal. No, this isn't "the scene to be scene" but for a nice, old school location with great food and the opportunity to enjoy the company you're with...great choice! We'll be back again to enjoy it!
(5)Gstar K.
Dig the subterranean beatnik cross w/James Bondish flare scene. Been here twice. Once for dinner, the other for bar lounge. 1st time w/old gal-pal who made the intro to this secret OC spot. Initially enchanted how uncooked meats are featured in a plexi-glass encased cart. No menu--so worldly! Tastes alright, but plenty other good steakhouses in OC too like Houston's(old fave), Turner's(closed?), or Fleming's(new fave). 2nd time w/another fun-loving gf on a horrendously boring double date. Luckily for the boys' lack of charm, there was a live band & decent drinks. My poor gf apologized for the absurd setup. At least La Cave's chill vibe wasn't the culprit of ditch-worthy dudes. ;-) Wonder if the joint still do Martini-Mondays, Ratpack Style when they play live jazz & Frank Sinatra blues cover? Or am I dreaming this up from some other place? Either or, gotta check it out again.
(4)Tricia S.
Old school joint. Nothing phony about this place. Attracts a pretty hip and down to earth crowd, young and old. I've met some really good people here. Great bar, fun entertainment. Try the NY Strip appetizer....yum.
(5)Justin P.
Great meal, decent prices with a cool atmosphere. Cheesy bread is the bomb!
(4)Oswald W.
LOVE THIS PLACE! every time I find myself describing this place to someone who's never been, I always find myself referencing Swingers. Sort of like The Dresden in its atmosphere, red lighting, stiff drinks, good people! No drama either. I've been frequenting this place for the past 8 SOLID years, and I'm yet to see a fight at this place. It's a place where you go with a group just to shoot the shiiiii, have a good convo and enjoy drinks made properly. Meaning, with plenty of alcohol! hehehe The staff is friendly and attentive. Being a "purist", I remember the good ol' days when no DJ was allowed at La Cave.. No top 40, hip/hop shit.. But oh how the times have changed.. Now Saturdays are DJ nights... at the beginning I was sort of sad, thiking La cave is selling out, losing its soul.. but now I've embraced the whole Sat night DJs... especially after a few stiff greyhounds! besides, how can you hate on old school 2Pac when you're blitzed???!!! hehe In short, If you show up often enough, and are not stingy with your tips, you'll be treated like KING or QUEEN! and the staff will actually take pride in knowing their customers! Special shoutout to Mike! keep those Bushmill shots coming!
(5)Anne M.
Ambiance, ambiance, ambiance. This place oozes ambiance. It lends the question of whether I would choose a restaurant based on the dining experience rather than the taste of the food and the value. Let me explain... I love everything about the experience of dining at La Cave. From the minute you walk into the elevator and arrive into the swanky, dark underground restaurant you feel transported into a different era. I can easily imagine this place 50 years ago, in fact I doubt much has changed since then. This place has been beautifully preserved and is such a refreshing change from the strip mall steakhouses that have become so abundant in our suburban motif. I love that their kitchen is a tiny booth with a chef preparing nothing but meat. I love the simplicity of the menu which is just a few cuts of beef and some seafood items, all accompanied by garlic cheese toast and a yummy twice baked potato. That's it. This is not the place for vegetarians at it's quite simply, meat and potatoes . I love that they present the menu by means of a cart filled with beautiful cuts of meat and seafood. Now when they present the menu they do not mention the prices. If you want to avoid looking like a douche in front of your date you can look at the menu online before you visit to get an idea of the cost. Most entrees seem to be in the $20 to $40 range which brings me back to my original question. Would I choose to pay for ambiance and experience. Truth be told, I can eat a really good steak at one of those strip mall steakhouses for much less than I can get one here. Now If I asked myself where I would like to go for a good steak this would not make the list but If I wanted a dining experience and had some extra cash this place would definitely make the list.
(4)Kristin B.
This review is strictly based upon my experience at La Cave for drinks in the bar on a Wednesday night... the venue itself is pretty awesome since it's underground and it's dimly lit with a deep brown/red theme. there is plenty of seating in the bar/lounge area which was nice and there is a tiny dancefloor to get your groove on. On Wednesday nights, La Cave is an "underground lounge" and they have a Dj spinning house/hip hop music. the real treat about Wednesday nights at La Cave is the entertainment value! our friends and i snagged some tables, got some beer ($5 each), and waited for the show to begin...as soon as the DJ started spinning, the cougars and douche bags came out right on cue! it's hilarious to watch this typical OC crowd trying to dance,stumbling all over the place, and tripping over their own 2 feet while attempting a dance move. oh plus you cant forget the drunk girl who's admiring her own stripper dance moves alone in front of a mirror hahah...let me tell you, if you're looking for a place to chill and be entertained...you need to check out La Cave on a Wednesday night! you will not be disappointed haha
(4)Rebecca D.
I'm honestly perplexed at how to describe La Cave, so I'll try using some descriptive words: - Dark - Dingy - Sexy - Trendy - Incestuous - Mysterious - Incomparable Contrary to popular belief, not every joint in the OC is pretentious. They don't charge a cover (+1) and they pour like a dive going out of business. Oh and have you seen the clientele? Good lord. It's like Zeus & Natalie Portman had children together and sprinkled them all over that place. P.S. Free parking! **Does the Free Parking dance**
(4)Jennifer D.
I like this place b/c: A. Unique B. Sexy ambience C. Has history D. Excellent food E. Full bar
(5)Stephanie F.
La Cave has been one of my husbands and my favorite places for "special occasions" for years....It is truly a unique place, where you can always count on superior food and GREAT drinks for a reasonable price. It is also a great locals place.....and a great place to catch an amazing martini or after dinner drink. I miss the old days, when Blockbuser wasn't there and their wine celler was actually Hi Time Liquors (their original location). If you have never been, you want to make sure you sit in the "original" room (at least for your first time) where the food is cooked in front of you by the chef. I can actually say I have never had a bad or mediocre meal there. Steaks or Seafood - you can't go wrong! ...and their Garlic Cheese Bread ..... oh my gosh! Dress is casual, but do yourself a favor and "dress it up" a bit. It's a real OC Classic and deserves that respect. And if you want to make a evening of it....check out their entertainment, which never disappoints...no matter what your taste! ....and yes, you better have a reservation!
(5)Matt H.
First off, please redo the bathrooms. It's been 50 years, you can splurge a little. Ok, that's out of the way. It is an odd place with a retro vibe and decent steaks at a decent prices. I with there were more options for the sides, but the meat was properly cooked and of good quality, for a lot less than I would expect to spend at a place like Morton's or Ruth Chris. It fits a nice nitche between the family steakhouse like Outback and the very high end places.
(3)Joe G.
People the food sucked. From the frozen defrosted smelly halibut to the over cooked boneless rib eye which I sent back it was crap. Service was great. $180 for three wasted!
(1)Kira B.
How have I not written a review for this place?! Okay, I have never actually eaten here but I have been to many shows in the lounge... the Living Suns, Mississippi Man, Handsome G, Make Moon, Phil Shane... This is definitely one of my favorite places to see a band play. It's free, it's swanky, it's dark & intimate, the bartenders make decent drinks, and if it gets too hot/loud, you can go back upstairs and hang outside. The 7-11 in the same parking lot is a good after show stop.
(5)Steve P.
What is there not to love about La Cave? (for those of you not as well traveled as I, that is Spanish for "The Cave") It's hard for me to calculate the amount of brain cells destroyed and calories consumed in this amazing place. If you are a vegetarian or against smelling like cooked flesh for an evening, then I would recommend going to some juice bar or something because La Cave is for real Americans. The ambiance is somewhere between a old timey English pub and a pirate ship with dark wood and worn carpet that has not changed since around 1968 (this is a good thing) The steaks and seafood are awesome, the cocktails are stiff, and the staff is friendly. They are most famous for their filet mignon and twice baked potato, definitely the way to go if it's your first time there. I have had bad service a few times, but it has always been in big groups so I have to give them a pass on that.
(5)Amelia W.
If La Cave were a person, it would be a mafia boss. I have been coming here all my life for dinner with my dad. La Cave is so cool, old school, and unique - it's a rare find in mainstream Orange County. What makes it even better is it's dingy restrooms and location beneath a dilapidated Blockbuster. La Cave keeps it real, people. There is no place like La Cave. I have never encountered another restaurant so true to its name - you actually feel like you are eating in a cave. The tables lining the walls feel like they're in their own personal caves. The red lighting and dark ambience make La Cave a great place to take a date, someone you're embarrassed to be seen with, or anyone who has never been there before - because they will be impressed. As for the food, I always get the NY strip. And it is delicious. And their garlic bread is to die for.
(5)Audrey N.
Times like this, I wish there was a *negative* star... Wednesday evening, it's my sister's 21st birthday, our waiter at dinner suggest La Cave as a great place to go dancing. So we take his advice, since according to him, it's the "hipster pop-off". You take the elevator or walk down 3 flights of stairs into their basement. (Now, I already have a thing about basements, I get a little nervous in tight spaces so it's not my thing.) But the fact that it's in a basement should not be the only novelty idea going for this place ;-/ The space is small, there are round booths, low ceilings, and red-lighting. There isn't really a "type" of people that go there...I saw a guy in board shorts, tank top and Rainbows...while a man in a collared shirt, tie and slacks standing next to him. The music was electronic (again, not my thing) and the drunks just jump up and down. I don't like that they packed so many people into such a small room, and the staff left most of the dinner candles lit...Okay...drunk people will play with fire, I watched some guy dance around with the candle splashing hot wax everywhere :-/ Overall, the atmosphere was just not ideal...I actually felt really unsafe in our group of 6-7 girls. The men grab and touch, and the bouncers can't watch everybody.
(1)Michael C.
It was my wifes Birthday and she wanted Steak... called Mastros, Mortons, Ruth Chris, Flemmings all booked (forgot about Corona del mar places-duh). La Cave had an opening and 10 min later we were there. I have been eating here for years and have hit good and bad nights. The Waitress asked us if she could dote on us... wow what a change from last time. Service was great. We love the OLD SCHOOL ambience, reminds us of Bob Burns in Fashion Island. We eat out a lot and appreciate simplicity. The Martini and Wine were perfect as usual. We both had Ceasars salad which was ok, I would wish they would still make the cesars at the table in a wood bowl and make the dressiing fresh with the anchovy.. My Wife had the Filet Mignon and I had the Prime Rib. Both were excellents cuts of meats and prepared at the perfect temperature. The horseradish was excellent and cleared my sinus's, I cannot stand the other places which serve crappy horseradish. I had the twice baked potato..YUM! No room for desert this time. I was reading the other reviews and highly disagree about price, it is priced correctly for today. Go to Mastros if you think this is expensive they have $100 steak... whiners go to sizzler. Oh Yeah, pass on the fish! This is a steak house.
(4)