The Bungalow Restaurant

Very enjoyable evening with friends at the Bungalow. Caesar salad was crispy and first rate. Scallops with risotto small plate was perfect as a main course for me (I find the entrees a bit too much and quite a bit more $$). Poke appetizer was super delish. Prices here are in the higher strata but probably just about worth it since the food is first rate. The atmosphere is very lively; most everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun. Park in back with the valet for $ 5. I read someone say they had a problem with the valet but we found them very professional and accommodating. Overall this is a great Newport Beach experience complete with that casual rich vibe which you can’t help but enjoy.

This place is great! Cozy, intimate, and the staff were super friendly.
Ask for Kevin or Eric!

Celebrated my birthday with my wife and father.
Had amazing food.
Marty our waiter was super cool and friendly.
we will be returning for more amazingness :)

Amazing food. I love it here. And golden spoon is next door. You got to dine here. Coming back and ordering more next time

Went here for Mothers Day brunch in 2015. We enjoyed our brunch. I don’t want to forget that day and am writing this memo on Unilocal

Had Mother’s Day brunch. We were a party of 8. Very slow service getting drinks and the muffins. These were supposedly home made. They came after 45 minutes after we were at the table and were small and appeared store bought. Two types and not good. Several of us did not have proper silverware. The meals came and none of us are complainers. 3 of the 8 meals were returned to the kitchen. The eggs Benedict was very overdone another plate was not properly done and my prime rib was so dry with no moisture at all. The waitress acknowledged all the issues and got replacements quickly. This is supposed to be a quality restaurant and the atmosphere inside or outside eating is nice. When you look at my other ratings I just don’t have this kind of thing happen. It was just a very bad experience for $ 38 brunch that had automatic 20% gratuity.

Very torn on how to rate this restaurant, whether 3 or 4 stars, but here you go:
Service– A+, we had come here for our anniversary, the hostess greeted us with an anniversary greeting, led us to our table. The waiter was very attentive, and other wait staff also made sure our waters were always filled and the table was always clean.
Food– B, it was good, just not GREAT, and for a $ 300 meal, (including two drinks and a half bottle of wine), I would have expected a little better. We ordered:
Cocktail Prawns– they were HUGE and the sauce also very tasty
Crab Cakes– nothing to write home about, they were totally void of flavor, we even dredged it in the sauce, but still no flavor
Bone in Filet w/​truffle butter– was the chefs special, it was also OK, the steak was cooked well, just not the best steak I’ve ever eaten
Creamed Corn– BEST THING WE ATE– I wish I could drink it!
Bone-​in Rib-​eye– also cooked properly, just not great
Chocolate Soufle– well prepared
If we came back to this restaurant it would be for the creamed corn, the prawns, and the good service, but my Husband says although he doesn’t have any bad feelings about the restaurant, he would not re-​visit, basically, it was not a memorable experience.

Very rude female bartender. She gave me an attitude when I returned my drink because something odd was floating in my drink. Too many other restaurants near by with polite staff to waste time here.

Came here for Valentines Day with my GF and this was how it went down:
First off:
I made reservations with them through Open Table for 8 o’clock. I really liked how they stayed committed to their guests that have reservations. We got there at 7:55 and they had our table already waiting :) Made me feel like I was an important person. Smiles all around.
Décor:
I really like how the patio looked. Very romantic and relaxed environment. It was exactly what I was hoping for. Inside was nice too, but request patio when possible.
Food:
They offered a 3 course meal for Vday so we went with that. We both had the Lobster Soup and we loved it! I took the dinner rolls they gave us and dipped it into the soup cause I have no boundaries. For the main course, I ordered steak and my GF ordered prime rib. When we got the food, they actually gave my GF the wrong thing. However, we are humble people and we didn’t say anything and she just ate the food. Halfway through her meal they came to us with the plate she actually ordered after realizing they had made a mistake. They took her half eaten plate and gave her a whole new correct one. That was awesome service if you ask me!!! Definitely will come back here when I have a more financially successful career.

Dined on Newport Beach restaurant week. Dinner was fixe prixe $ 40 for appetizer, main dish and dessert. Parking sucks if you don’t want to pay $ 5 for valet. The place was packed and buzzing on a Wednesday night at 6:45. We were seated right away and was handed the restaurant week menu. Corn chowder was ok– nothing great to report there. My friend truly enjoyed her seabass. She said it’s very tasty, fresh and tender. My rib eye was a tad overcooked (requested medium well) but it came with burnt portions. Crème brûlée was just ok as was the choco soufflé. Ordered lemon drop Martini ($ 11) also. Nothing really stood out as excellent nor unique; will probably check out more restaurants in the area before returning to this one.

I love the happy hour here… such a fun place and great food.
We have eaten dinner here several times and is amazing. Service is fantastic and they are very attentive.
My husband loved the filet, which was served on a bed of mashed potatoes.
We were here this past week for restaurant week. It was fantastic.

Oh, b-​Jesus! Why have I always driven past this place that I should be calling home? Newport Beach Restaurant Week put them on my radar – with that rib eye steak. We made a reservation and I am so glad we did.
Valet is a joke, as the parking structure is right next door. Now we know. The patio seems to be a lovely place to dine – when it’s not cold. But note to self to come again in the summer. We entered the narrow hallway (between the fro-​yo shop and steakhouse) for entrance to a tightly-​fitted hostess stand.
We were seated after a small wait, and promptly attended to by the server with a smile and her merry colleagues. :) She had recommedations, and all sounded good – and reasonable. I had the rib-​eye; my friend had the crab cakes. We both fully enjoyed our meal. The food was so filling – yet so good, that I ate the whole thing.
This is definitely worth doing again.

We went for Restaurant Week, which gives us a chance to sample Newport Beach restaurants because it’s always a delight to eat next to loudmouth old parrots who talk about how Trump is going to make America great again. Anyway, the place was packed, so it was very noisy, which is very unsettling for me, to the point I wanted to stick the bread in my ears. My wife got the first booth downstairs, a big nice yellow one that felt like we were eating in a seashell, and I can’t imagine eating anywhere else there… the entire upstairs area feels like Grand Union Station and the tables below seemed almost «in the way».
Service and drink pour were good. As for the food, $ 40 got me a salad, entrée, and dessert. I got the Bungalow Salad (which was alright, a bit subtle, not huge or especially hearty, but fresh), the perfectly-​cooked 8 oz.(?) cut of Filet Mignon on par with Morton’s and Ruth Chris and mashed potatoes, and the Chocolate Soufflé, which without the vanilla ice cream would have been much too dry, but delicious nonetheless. A better dessert, no joke, would be their coconut rice, which I stole from my wife’s plate.

Went on a Saturday night and it was packed! I could barely get a drink at the bar while I waited for my table. I got a cucumer martini and it was pretty good. I made reservations and requested a booth. Very glad I did. It was lovely. We were here during restaurant week. Pre fix meal of appetizer, entrée and dessert for $ 40. I got the ceaser salad which was very good. Light on the dressing. I liked the dinner rolls they served. My wine was also pretty good. For my entrée I ordered the Chilean sea bass with coconut rice and it was awesome! My husband was stealing my rice he loved it so much. For dessert I ordered the vanilla ice cream with berries. Delicious as well. Service was ok. Could have been a little better but they were really packed so I understand. Overall I really loved it! I would definitely be back if I was back in the area.

It’s Newport Beach Restaurant Week and my first stop was The Bungalow. I always pick places I’ve never been before and this was a great choice. Took a friend so we could get different meals and share. We went with the Bungalow Salad and a Caesar salad to start. The Bungalow had good-​sized bay shrimp and a tangy dressing, the Caesar had huge pieces of shaved cheese and a really tasty dressing. Not sure which one I’d get next time as they were both good. Our main courses were the Chilean Sea Bass and the Filet Mignon. The Filet Mignon was done to perfection and served atop a bed of mashed potatoes. One of the best steaks I’ve had at a restaurant in a while. The Sea Bass was flaky with a spicy sauce on top of jasmine rice. Both were excellent. Dessert was Crème Brulee and Chocolate Cake. I don’t like Crème Brulee, but my friend loved her choice. The chocolate cake was to die for! I’d go again just for this! Warm, gooey cake topped with vanilla ice cream and a raspberry sauce. Excellent! I also had a glass of vino: a syrah blend called Saved. I liked the name, and it was good. I’m going to look for it at BevMo. The service was beyond perfect. We never had to ask for anything – they were on top of it. Vey cute place, too. I’d like to go in the summer and sit on their patio – looked like a fun spot – but it was too cold to sit outside this time. Restaurant Week lasts until January 31^st – and I’d definitely recommend The Bungalow.

I’m a super fan of their Happy Hour. GREAT prices for what you get. Cocktails, beer and wine all come at a discount. Moscow Mule is always my go-​to.
Food is also something special. Lobster corn fritters are my favorite. I’d also recommend the popcorn shrimp. Throw in a specialty flatbread or grilled artichoke if you’d like!
This place fills up pretty darn fast, so if you want a good seat by the window, get there close to 5PM. My only issue with this place is it gets super loud once it’s crowded, so time to get cozy with your company!

I can not believe I have not been here before! The word from friends was this was a great place to people meet in the bar and since I am not much of a bar type person, I just never had the interest. Big Mistake! This was a 5 star experience from the moment I stepped out of my car from valet. As I entered the back of restaurant where there was outdoor dining, the host accompanied me to the main entrance, opened my door and lead me in. I waited for my friend to arrive and a reservation had been made. We were seated, in my opinion the best booth in the house. The service was incredible. The attentiveness was superior and there was always someone on the floor to make sure that customers needs were met. We were served delicious warm buns with parmesan cheese on top and soft butter, drinks (I opted fro water) and then ordered the shrimp Scampi for starters. Wow that was the best Scampi I ever had, the sauce was so good and the shrimp was excellent. We ordered the lobster and the server removed the tail and we started right in enjoying a 10 oz big fat scrumptious lobster tail with melted butter and baby potatoes. Best lobster tail ever! I was blown away at how well we were treated and not a heart beat in waiting. The restaurant was very busy yet the service was outstanding. Food was beyond. This was a perfect dining experience and I highly recommend for great food and perfect service.

The cozy bar and connected dining room are teeming with pro. waitstaff, and the bartender is a mixologist. Lightening fast and fun to watch! Most people order up martinis and if you are adventurous, he will suggest one for you and take it back if you hate it! How cool is that? He makes new ones up all the time… 1 star for that.
The menu is for the meat eaters, but thank sweet Jesus they don’t roll out the tacky trolley! 2^nd star for that. Also, they have a great, but pricey, veg. entrée. Sometimes I don’t feel like paying the same price for veg as my husband is paying for his chicken or fish, so I go with an off the menu salad. They will work with you to add big juicy veggies! So exciting! 3^rd star.
Hubby gets the crab cake if he’s in the fish mood, and he says it’s the best in town. And there’s not a bad seat in the house, or on the patio. Also, very important here: great lighting for ladies like me who hate glaring lights that bounce off my plate. 4^th big star for sexy shadow lights. I cannot give a 5^th star as they would need to serve tofu to get the highest rating from moi. But it is a steakhouse, so there’s that.

I’m a bit torn on my rating. My husband and I dined here last night in hopes of having great celebratory dinner in honor of my birthday. This was our first time dining here for both of us. My reasoning on being torn is 5 stars, with no hesitation for the food and wine but only 2 ½ to 3 stars for the service.
My husband made a 7pm reservation, we arrived at 6:55pm to be greeted and seated immediately at a nice table for 2; the host even wished me a Happy Birthday! We were off to a great start but it sort of went down hill from there as far as service. I will admit I am a bit bias when it comes to service as I am a restaurant manager myself and when I go out to dine, I have a hard time turning the manager inside me off. Our waiter wasn’t «bad» he just wasn’t memorable. I joked with my husband our servers name was Mr. Personality, because he lacked any sort of personality. I am not sure if it’s the policy of The Bungalow to NOT interact with the guests or not but our server showed zero interest in interacting with us. My husband and I were dressed appropriately, we are hard working professionals, and I just felt we were left out after being sat.
My husband and I wanted a bottle of wine and it took me quite some time to decide on one (they have many and I was unfamiliar with some of them), our server came over twice and I was not yet ready. Our server never once offered a recommendation or advised as to what a great wine would be. I settled on the Silverado Cab and asked if it was a good one. His response was, «All of our wines are great, the GM hand selects all of them personally.» Ok, I guess we picked a good one (it was actually pretty good).
Moving on to the food:
Me ~ Started with the Caprese Salad, it was delicious, but they usually are no matter where you go, it’s not really easy to screw it up.
Main Dish was the NY Strip, prepared MW and I opted for Bernaise Sauce to go with it. Our server had to go back and get the Bernaise Sauce as it did not come out with my meal, I was expecting it to be drizzled or poured on top but having it on the side was just as good. The steak was phenomenal! One of the most tender, melt in your in mouth, flavorful steaks I have had in quite some time… and it was a perfect MW! The Gratin Potato square the steak came with was ehh. I had to add salt and pepper to it and also added some of my Bernaise to it. All in all I give my meal a solid 5!
Husband ~ Started with French Onion Soup and he really enjoyed it. His main Dish was the Beef Short Ribs. He really enjoyed that as well, he too added a bit of salt to his and we both agreed mine was better! I did try a taste of his and really liked it though.
Through out dinner our server made sure to keep our wine topped off, and I never once had to pour my own wine, that’s a huge plus for me. After dinner he brought out a Chocolate soufflé/​cake with a scoop of vanilla icecream and a candle. As he described it, it’s not a true soufflé but not a cake either, almost more like a brownie. Well what ever it was, it was decadent and lasted about 30 seconds!
One thing I want to point out is that I did not finish my steak and when the busser came to take my plate he asked me if I was still ENJOYING my meal or if I was finished. I thanked him for that. As a guest who is out to dine and enjoy myself, I’ve always disliked when I’m asked if I am still «Working» on my meal. If I wanted to work on my meal I would have stayed home and prepared it myself! Kudos to the busser! As a restaurant manager myself I really appreciate that!
All in all we had a great time and the food was fantastic; I just wish our server was more personable, it would have made the night exceptional. I will probably be back, but will more than likely sit in the bar next time.

Last minute choice to stop in. I have not been there in 7 years. Hostess was very nice and the bar was packed. We were seated in the dinning room. Very cute and relaxing.
Picky on Martinis and the bartender made a perfect French Pear. You could smell the crab cake appetizer before it arrived at the table and we sent them back immediately. Our server seemed a bit upset so we proceeded to try the soups. One soup was corn chowder with bacon, it truly was delicious and French Onion a bit salty. We asked for bread twice and the server ignored us. When the soup was delivered we asked the food expediter for some. Are server walked right to the table to inform us that bread is to be served with the main meal. I’m sorry what? It was actually good sourdough rolls with cheese on top.
Main course chicken breast over mashed potatoes and short ribs over mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes were great! Everything else was over cooked. Butter cake for dessert was a nice ending to this odd meal. Not a warm fuzzy from the server at all but might go back for soup and rolls.