Savoy Restaurant & Lounge

Overcooked and over priced for the amount of food you get.

I visited this restaurant in the Crowne Plaza hotel… I decided to drop by for a quick breakfast, as I had to meet up with my co-​workers in the morning.
What can I say about the restaurant… nice décor… you can either order off of the menu, or do the breakfast buffet.
For me, I just wanted something quick & fast, so I took the buffet.
The buffet was not large, but had all the basics for a quick & fast breakfast.
Some of the items that they had, at the breakfast buffet that morning —
1. Scrambled Eggs
2. Eggs Benedict
3. Diced Potatoes with Bell Peppers
4. Bacon & Sausages
5. French Bread
6. Assorted Pastries
7. Dry Cereal & Milk
8. Assorted Fruits — Cantaloup, Honey Dew, & Pineapple slices.
Service was great! Very attentive staff! They brought my coffee in a Mega-​Large cup, and I just grabbed a plate of food, while I enjoyed my USA Today Newspaper.
The breakfast buffet was a little over $ 11.00…not bad at all.

I will confess: one day was simply not enough for my wedding ambitions.
I knew I wanted a «wedding weekend» of sorts and so choosing a cost-​effective host hotel with both the class and amenities to serve my various wedding events was of the utmost importance.
I needed a place that was:
–Cost effective.
–Chic and sophisticated.
–Close proximity to Newport Harbor
–Nice décor to have pre-​wedding photos done.
–A bar that stays open late to host our after party.
–A restaurant that serves delicious breakfast to host our send off brunch.
The Hotel Hanford with The Savoy Restaurant was the winning ticket!
I absolutely love the swanky feel of the décor and the beautiful furniture inside. We actually had our first look in one of the private rooms behind the main dining area and it was beautiful. It oozes champagne taste on sparkling wine budget and it was perfect for all our purposes.
All the staff is so sweet and bartender was especially accommodating and congratulated us over and over throughout the weekend.
We got married on a Friday and our groomsmen enjoyed getting drinks and glasses for toasts from the bar throughout the wedding day (as pictured). When we came back after the wedding for our after party, the bar had a few lovely, classy people (hotel guests I assume) that kept congratulating us and really added to our good time as well. The bar was to close at midnight but the lovely bartender assured me he would stay as long as we wanted. So nice and accommodating!
The one understandable bummer about the savoy was that we didn’t have any control over the music played… I get it, its a hotel bar that must keep it neutral to Michael Buble and Jason Mraz types and it was not the end of the world because I quite enjoy those guys but I wish we could have made it a dance party. Regardless, It was a great time!
The next morning (Saturday), we gathered our out of town guests (about 20 or so) for a brunch in the restaurant. I had called down to the hostess at about 10am to make our reservation for 11:00AM — when we arrived, a great, long table was set up family style so we could all sit together and it was lovely.
They don’t offer a buffet on Saturday but they have some amazing options and the portions are nice and big! I think the final bill ended up being about $ 20pp which is VERY reasonable considering they wanted $ 35pp for their private outdoor patio buffet of eggs, potatoes and sausages… no, thanks. It was practically private in the Savoy anyway — there was maybe ONE other couple having breakfast but in no way did they disturb us. We were too busy basking in the love at recaping our wedding day! hehe
I also preferred having our brunch in the Savoy because guests could choose and get their meal made to their taste instead of a buffet of chaffing dishes. I had the eggs benedict (because its my fav!) and it was absolutely delicious! Most others got omelets and potatoes with fruit which everyone enjoyed and no one left hungry, that’s for sure!
I love the Savoy and now think of it fondly when I think of our wedding day. Choosing this restaurant to help host our wedding weekend was both amazingly enjoyable AND affordable!
Definitely stop in there for a drink or even brunch! You won’t be disappointed.

Been here several times for lunch and found it to be a nice place with good food.
I really like the feel of the restaurant. very modern and chic. It’s a little suprising given the outside of the hotel. I’ve tried a couple different dishes and all were very good… the steak salad and the chicken pasta stand out as memorable.
The service can be hit or miss… had some good servers and some so-​so ones. Evenso, you can usually get in and out for lunch in an hour.
I’ve heard they have a good HH but never been. Parking is ample in the garage and also in front. Also. apparently under new management as of November so not sure how they will proceed or if changes will be implemented in the restaurant.

Nam and I came here awhile back when I had a Groupon for brunch (my favorite meal!). We arrived around 11am with ample parking in the hotel lot. The hotel looked a bit dinky from the outside, but actually had a very contemporary feel on the inside. It almost reminded me of a classy airport lounge.
Anyway, we were sat and ordered the Eggs Benedict and Chicken Fettuccine. The Chicken Fettuccine was rich and creamy, while the Eggs Benedict did little to wow me. I had been craving Eggs Benedict for weeks, but I felt a bit disappointed with Savoy’s rendition. Not bad, but not worth the price either.

The hotel has changed ownership 3 times over the past year and a half. It is now a Crowne Plaza hotel, so hopefully they will stay for a while. The Savoy is the in-​house restaurant and so you can expect the décor to be clean and upscale with the full service bar and LCD TV’s by the lounge area of the space. They have a happy hour from 4 – 7 pm where appetizers and draft beers and drinks are half off, however, I was here for dinner and the executive chef was in the kitchen.
I started with the calamari and it was very good. Thick cut pieces of squid cooked perfectly with a very light batter and a spicy mustard aioli. Continued with a chicken and rice soup which was fresh, but it’s a fairly basic soup, so it was good for what it was. Next, was the caesar salad. This was an incredibly good salad with thick shaved parmesan cheese, homemade croutons and dressing perfectly tossed with the romaine lettuce. Honestly, I would come back just to have this salad again, simply awesome. For the main course, I had the filet mignon and demi-​glacé with shrimp scampi in garlic butter and grilled asparagus and creamed garlic mashed potatoes. This dish was prepared and plated by an experienced and skilled chef and was very good through and through. The large prawns were perfectly cooked and I have to mention because seafood is hard to cook perfectly. The quality of the beef was just okay, but the sauce was so good and potatoes complemented it so well that it elevated the dish higher than than it should. Even though the menu is somewhat limited, it’s clear that they have their dishes mastered, so you are likely to enjoy what you are served. Pricing was a little high, though competitive nonetheless.
Also kudos to my server Eddy, who did a great job and provided outstanding service throughout. I would recommend this place for lunch and happy hour. Come for dinner if you have the extra funds to spend on it.

This place was a pleasant surprise given the so-​so reviews.
We came for breakfast and had a great meal. I had called before to inquire if they let you bring your doggie on the patio and I was told it was fine to do so. «Just don’t feed your dog at the table» they told me. Ummm… sure, no problem.
I walked into the lobby to find out how I should bring the doggie in. The front desk was super nice and friendly. They told me I could bring her in the lobby and into the back gate of the restaurant. The front lobby is very nice I was surprised that this used to be a Holiday Inn.
The restaurant was super empty, we were the only people there for the first half hour we were there. Service was quick and very polite and friendly.
My hubs has a HUGE omelet and potatoes. He told me it was very good. I had the Huevos Rancheros with rice and beans and a ton of sliced avocado… yuimmy!. Again, huge portions of good food.
I can’t think of one negative. I thought the food was tasty, plentiful and the service was quick and helpful. There was pretty music playing out on the patio. I would definitely return here for breakfast.

You will not find a more perfect bite than the buttermilk stuffed dates wrapped in bacon served with a marmalade sauce.
Happy Eating.

Ambiance was very comfortable and spacious lounge.
Came here with my date for a bite and some drinks. Sat down and a waiter came to us immediately. I ordered the strawberry basil cocktail (not the strawberry basil martini) I love places that use real fresh ingredients and fruit for their fruity drinks. I usually don’t order drinks with bourbon infused in them but this one works! It was great!!! I had two of those and had a nice buzzzzzzz.
So I didn’t order until an hour and a half later. The waiter was totally cool with me lagging. I liked the menu. I didn’t want something too heavy so I went with the mushroom flatbread (pizza hehe) I forgot the kind of cheese that came on this flat bread but it totally F’d up the whole thing! I did NOT like this one bit. It was so hard pretending to like this dish but it really sucked. That cheese was not the business! Rubbery and just didn’t work at all. I had to fake eatting one slice. I felt bad since it was a pretty big flatbread and it all had to go to waste on some white govment cheese: D
I will be back because those cocktails are super delish and service was great!

Burrata-​Citrus ‘Caprese’ is local citrus, lemon-​pepper pearls, fennel sand, and citrus infused olive oil. This amuse bouche was creamy, tangy, and balanced. The bright, sweet oranges tamed the slight bitterness of the grapefruit for a beautiful finish. Beautiful presentation and perfectly executed! Thumbs up, way up!
C-​Three is BBQ shrimp, layered cooked ahi, and seared scallops. The shrimp was basted with an Asian-​style BBQ sauce, slightly sweet with a light spicy finish. The flavors of the sweet shrimp and the sauce were perfectly balanced. The seared scallops were cooked to a delicate finish with a sweet, tender interior. The spicy sauce accentuated the sweetness of the scallops flawlessly. The layered ahi topped with masago eggs was the star of this dish. The ahi was lightly seared and subtly matched with the slightly salty masago. The Zolo Malbec 2009 was an excellent pairing for this dish. Each piece of seafood changed the flavor of the wine resulting in three uniquely different flavor experiences. Thumbs up, way up!
Blue Mussels Vandouvan is served with challah crostini, garlic, and bird’s eye chili. The mussels were cooked just right — tender while still retaining the taste of the sea. The garlic broth was to die for! It was garlicky, buttery, and spicy. The crostini was the perfect vehicle to sop up the broth. This dish could have used a whole baguette to sop up all of that broth. I didn’t want to waste a drop. The Barons de Rothchild Bordeaux Blanc was well paired with this dish. The lively, fruity, citrusy flavor enhanced the mussels 10 fold. Thumbs up, way up!
Duroc Pork Tasting is osso bucco, braised cheek, honey onion soubise, charred Crow’s Pass strawberries, and braised rhubarb. This is the best pork osso bucco I have ever tasted! It was tender and fall-​off-​the-​bone delicious! You’ll definitely have an OMG moment or two! The flavor of pork is absolutely represented in this dish. The cheek was braised to perfection. It was like a pork pâté just melting in your mouth. The charred strawberries added a smoky flavor to the mix. The house Pinot Noir matched perfectly with this dish. Thumbs up, way up!
Loch Duart Salmon is served with black pig bacon and preserved lemon piccatta. The salmon was perfectly cooked which is no easy task given that the fillet was a rather thick. But the fish was tender and succulent. What makes this better than ordinary salmon is the preserved lemon piccatta. I normally do not like lemon on fish but this was amazingly well executed. Instead of covering up the flavor of the fish, it complements it. If you could make lemon meringue pie into a sauce, this is exactly what it would taste like — creamy, sweet, and tangy. The accompanying brussels sprouts were given a little char for rich smoky flavor. It was a nice touch. Thumbs up, way up!
The Artisan «Kit Kat» was mind-​blowing. This really tasted like a Kit Kat, but made with real chocolaty fudge and unprocessed ingredients. You even get the wafer crunch that you look for in a Kit Kat. You really have to try this — it’s amazing! Perfectly executed for the kid inside of us all! Thumbs up, way up!

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the Savoy Lounge. From the outside, it’s not much to look at, but once you go in, its very modern and inviting. I’ve been here a few times and both times I left very happy and pleased with the service and the drinks made by our bartender. I wish I remembered his name because he was so nice and accommodating.
On our first visit there, we had just missed the happy hour and the bartender was nice enough to give us the happy hour price, since it was our first time there. He also brought out a little plate of almonds, popcorn and olives, which we enjoyed with our drinks. The bartender recommended the «strawberry smash» and I tried it, wow is all I can say! It has to be one of my top 5 favorite drinks!
The lounge also had live music. Each time I’ve been it’s been a little different, ranging from jazzy to soft rock. If you are looking for a place that isn’t crowded with great drinks and easy parking then this is a place you should try!

Since my last few visits, I noticed the management has done a few changes to liven up the happy hour crowd. They added a live acoustic performer a few nights a week and helps to spice up the energy, and they also offered a wine tasting component for that evening. In my first review, I had initially gave Savoy four stars for happy hour for food and price points as they once offered 40% off house drinks and appetizers, an awesome deal. With recent price changes, I have changed them to a three on happy hour as now it is $ 2 dollars off all appetizers and drinks, which is a signficant price difference, as many of there appertizers are above $ 10. They do offer $ 5 or $ 6 for house drinks.
Things to try if inclined:
*generous basket of truffle oil
*Three-​C — appetizer plate with seared ahi, scallops, and shrimp (not much for the bbq sauce on the shrimp)
*Spiced up popcorn (squeeze lime) and marcona almonds
*venison mac & cheese (a gourmet version of hamburger helper)
The hotel is conveniently located off the 405 and has ample parking for guests.

Dinned here for their breakfast buffet. Very limited, they served eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, biscuits, and gravy. Included juices and coffee. No fruits, cereals, or healthier options.

Dined where for restaurant week but before I can comment about the food and service, there is one thing that absolutely turned me off about this restaurant… i have to give them 1 star because i realized that they ALTERED the gratuity on my receipt.
and this i discovered accidentally as i was cleaning out my wallet and found my receipt. the total balance was different from what i remember seeing on my bank statement. i left an 18% tip of $ 7.74. When I checked my bank statement, I realized they charged me $ 10.67 cents OVER. this isn’t a big deal and of course I have enough in my account. still, that totaled to leaving close to a 40% tip. they pretty much changed the 7 to a 1, the 7 to an 8 and moved the decimal, and added a 1 after the 4. know what i mean? so instead of leaving 7.74 gratuity, they altered it to to be 17.84. REALLY? would i really leave a 40% tip on a meal where i sat with only 4 other people, in an EMPTY restaurant, and I DRANK WATER???
they can keep their money. id just like an explanation. its a shame because there were some things i wanted to share about the food, service, and ambiance. but i cant do them that favor if they’re going to cheat me.
SHAKING MY HEAD. man, savoy. way to disappoint.

ever since this place remodeled, i’ve driven by this hotel million times and wondered what’s it like inside… i see they are doing bunch of deals everywhere now, Unilocal,Groupon, OC register, and for this week it’s the OC Restaurant week! so we went, and i wasn’t disappointed!
all dishes were prepared well, flavor and taste, presentations were all fantastic. i am not going to list them out because the regular menu probably does not have what they have on the restaurant week menu.
i think they have a deal for happy hour that you spend 15 bucks for all you can drink wines, and 40% off on all appetizers… even with the deals though you could see the place was still pretty empty. it’s a pretty nice place but a little over-​priced? i’d go back again for just happy hour if i am not paying the bills!
overall though a great night, service was nice too.

The world is made for people who aren’t cursed with self awareness — Annie Savoy
Despite my rejection of most Judeo-​Christian ethics, I am, within the framework of the baseball season, monogamous — Annie Savoy
Listen, sweetheart, you shouldn’t listen to what a woman says when she’s in the throes of passion. They say the darndest things — Annie Savoy
When you can use quotes from one of the best written comedies of all time, Bull Durham, you use them :) Now I just need to find a restaurant called crash…
Met my good friend, former co-​worker, and future Unilocal Elitist Nova P. here at the Hotel Hanford for Happy Hour at their Savoy Restaurant & Lounge. Previously a Holiday Inn, the hotel has been remodeled into a wannabe hip boutique. Do not know if the rooms live up to that but the interior was attractive with a lot of dark woods, molding and plush sofas liberally sprinkled throughout the interior.
HH prices here are 40% off which is a fairly good deal considering the quality of the food and selection of wines. Nova had two glasses of New Zealand Pinot and I had a glass of Qupe Santa Barbara Syrah and a glass of a Tempranillo from the Sierra Foothills. Appetizers we ordered included a savory venison mac n cheese, a sampler plate of BBQ seafood items that included scallops and shrimp, the ubiquitous truffle fries and a lovely plate of spanish cheeses and salamis. I love Manchego cheese and this version had an attractive creaminess not usually detected with that hard cheese. Good noshes that I would not order at full price but 40% off is much more palatable (is that a bad pun?). :)
Dessert was not on sale but we did order a salted caramel chocolate cake. All salt & chocolate, very little caramel. Need to up the number of little caramel balls you include with this Pastry Chef… or just call it a Salted Chocolate Ball cake (the huge chocolate drops that encompassed the top layer were to die for).
Service was efficient… the surroundings are lovely it is just too bad those comfy couches in the lobby have views of Bristol Street as Nova and I got caught up on life doings after HH was over with a several hour conversation. For a boutique hotel the guests we spotted coming and going were pretty run of the mill save for the middle-​aged blonde in high heels with her décolletage hanging out of a too small black dress. I thought she was definitely an escort as she climbed in to some random guys Mazda…
Savoy is a recommended Happy Hour…

We decided to come up from San Diego again for a late lunch and ordered three of their famous burgers with truffle fries. My kids are very picky as one ordered his bacon cheeseburger ‘plain’ with only the patty, cheddar cheese, smoked applewood bacon, and the bun. The other ordered his cheeseburger ‘plain’ with only the patty, cheddar cheese, and the bun. My wife & I split a bacon cheeseburger with american cheese, no tomato, and had it ‘Rory’ style for those familiar with the Corvette Diner in San Diego, a Rory burger has peanut butter spread onto the bun. DELICIOUS!!! This $ 13 burger will rival any burger you’ve ever had! Best of all, it does taste like a premium burger like a great steak would taste at Ruth Chris, Morton’s, Fleming’s, Cowboy Star, etc… It definitely tastes like a gourmet burger but not like ones you’ve tried at other places where you forget you’re eating a burger as the restaurant tried to blow your taste buds away by creating this ‘awesome trendy burger’ but you forgot you had a burger in the first place. I would find it hard to believe any burger aficionados would have any complaints after sampling this fine burger offering by the Savoy Restaurant culinary team.
If you thought it couldn’t get better than this, you’ll be quite surprised that the dessert which followed actually up’d the ante and blew our taste buds away!!! If there are any candy lovers of the Snickers and Kit-​Kat variety, the Savoy Restaurant usually has ‘homemade’ Snickers and Kit-​Kat desserts on hand… If they do, you cannot leave the Savoy Restaurant without trying them! The pastry chef who creates these should get an award! I can’t explain how great these offerings taste! You’ll have to try them to believe it for yourself. Trust me, if you’re dieting, you may want to stay away because you will not be able to taste a bite without devouring more. I didn’t have a favorite between the two, but if I could only have one, my older son and I favored the Snickers dessert while my younger son and wife preferred the Kit-​Kat dessert. You can’t go wrong with either one as they’re both award winners in my book.

At was invited back for another event at the Savoy Restaurant by management and although management had a much more visable presence then on previous visits, no one sought me out to say hello. I was happy to see two bartenders, which meant that drinks very easy to obtain, and that food was prepared and delivered promptly. They even had a live guitarist and singer for entertainment.
I was inspired by this new level of service to try the food and was pleasantly surprised. They have a Venison Mac and Cheese that was both savory and sweet. The Mediterranean plate was just what you would expect, but I really enjoyed the mozzarella marinated in some sort of tangy vingarette. The only downside I see to the food is the price. $ 6 for edamame, anyone?
All in all, my last experience here was enjoyable, but pricey. $ 60, two cocktails, and three appetizers later I was happy to see that The Savoy and Hotel Hanford management are listening and striving for better customer experience.

My cousin and I went here for the Costa Mesa Restaurant Week. For Appetizer we had the Maryland Crab Cake. It was very well prepared. The garnish was very earthy that complemented the taste of the crab cake. My cousin was not a fan of the flowers that they put as a garnish. We werent sure if it was an edible garnish so she tried it and it tasted awful. But the rest was perfect.
The main course was the Braised Short Rib. It was a small portion but given the fact that we ate the crab cakes prior, we didnt mind the size. I have tried a lot of short ribs but I must say this one is the best. It wasnt salty and it wasnt bland, it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It was easily pulled apart (fell right out of the bone).
The best part: The desert. It was the Lavender Crème Brulee served with strawberry on top. My first thought when I read «Lavender» I would be tasting a lot of flowery flavor. But the Crème Brulee was very good. It had a perfect silky texture and the Lavender was very subtle. I loved the desert. Perfect way to end the dinner.
The whole meal cost $ 23.11, but if you want wine with that it would be $ 32.11. I would say that it was worth it. My cousin and I were very full after the dinner. They may need to update or add more things on their menu but their food is definitely better than what I expected.

Savoy Lounge is a shocker. You’ve passed by this hotel and thought to yourself a million times «I wonder how it is in there. I remember when it was a Holiday Inn. Looks way better now.» Well, stop your wonderin’ and stop on in.
The first thing you notice is the décor. This place is chic and a half. Seriously beautiful furniture. I had myself a spinach salad, it wasn’t too bad, but not the best thing on earth. I mean, it was rather «hotel restaurant.» Here’s what does look kickass about this place though: the bar.
They have happy hour M-​F 5pm — 7pm with half price drinks. And I’ve gotta say, this is a surprisingly swank place to snag an after-​work bev. Can’t wait til my next happy hour!