El Galleon

A nice restaurant, great food and friendly/helpful staff, the Tequila and beers were great too. The bar and decor of the restaurant is cool too. Bathrooms are upstairs so be mindful of that

+6

Went as a port excursion as part of carnival cruise. Got to take a part of their happy hour. Got their onion rings and calamari, both excellent. Great prices on drinks and friendly staff. Couldn't ask for more.

The stopped in for a quick bite to eat. The hamburger was delicious. Tasted like it was cooked over an open flame. I'm not positive but boy was it good?

My experience started off poorly, but Manager Selena Morones quickly fixed the issue with care and professionalism. She turned a bad situation into a great one-excellent customer service! Thank you again Selena

Excellent prime ribs. The only thing I wish there was a choice of mushed potatoes and garlic mushrooms as sides.

Best prime rib in months…in our 3 days of stay, we had our lunch and dinner there and will have our dinner there tonight too…anything and everything’s awesome…

The food was good -- I had pulled bison BBQ sandwich 🦬🥪-- but the drinks were even better. I'm a big fan of tiki drinks and this place has one of the best Pain Killers I've ever had 🍹

Great food, fantastic service. Quaint decor. My food was perfectly prepared. Steak and shrimp kabob with veggies and potatoes were stellar, his chicken was perfectly prepared! Reasonable prices, totally worth what we paid. Not at all disappointed.

Loved this place. The vintage original decor gives this place a cozy and charming feeling. The upstairs area was truly unique. We sat outside overlooking at the island while we enjoyed a Pina Colada, fish & chips, and my menu order was yummy. The fish was crispy to perfection, soft and tender. This location is walking distance to everything. Easy walk from the harbor and plaza area. Server was very attentive.

I love a good painkiller in this place has a really good one. The zucchini fries or whatever it is we’re very good. I don’t know how they do it but it’s delicious. And the firecracker shrimp were also tasty.

Love El Gallon! Casual, great food, fast service, full bar, lots of tv’s…what more do you need? This is a great place to eat, grab a drink, and hang for a bit while walking in Avalon!

Came here for a quick stop before our submarine expedition. We only grabbed drinks and a salad. The salad was so good and the serving is big! 🥗🍻 Drinks were so good we grabbed the watermelon redbull margarita - classic from Coachella 🥃😛. Would come back when we are back in the area. Our waitress was so nice and she recommended a few spots because we were in the Island for our honeymoon 💗.

Great service, great food (especially that spinach and artichoke dip!!!), fast service, and large portions for what you’re paying given that it’s on the island.

Service was great , we were seated promptly without a reservation. The firecracker shrimp was delicious! Nicely seasoned with great flavors. The salmon was a great portion size along with the mashed potatoes, would have liked more broccoli but that’s my only negative criticism. The steak was cook really well, juicy ,succulent, and buttery taste. The piña colada had great balance of rum and coconut mix. Also everything was nicely priced for portions and taste.

We had dinner on the beach here on my husband’s birthday and it was a very last minute decision. We arrived about 45 minutes before closing and they seated us and politely informed us that the kitchen was closing soon. Our meals were great and the view from the beach was really nice especially at night. Our waitress only added to our experience because she was just the sweetest! She went above and beyond for my kids and she was super funny.

Kristina Bolt

I love a good painkiller in this place has a really good one. The zucchini fries or whatever it is we’re very good. I don’t know how they do it but it’s delicious. And the firecracker shrimp were also tasty.

Rachel Metz

Great service, great food (especially that spinach and artichoke dip!!!), fast service, and large portions for what you’re paying given that it’s on the island.

Elizabeth Martinez

Came here for a quick stop before our submarine expedition. We only grabbed drinks and a salad. The salad was so good and the serving is big! 🥗🍻 Drinks were so good we grabbed the watermelon redbull margarita - classic from Coachella 🥃😛. Would come back when we are back in the area. Our waitress was so nice and she recommended a few spots because we were in the Island for our honeymoon 💗.

Melanated Misanthrope

Service was great , we were seated promptly without a reservation. The firecracker shrimp was delicious! Nicely seasoned with great flavors. The salmon was a great portion size along with the mashed potatoes, would have liked more broccoli but that’s my only negative criticism. The steak was cook really well, juicy ,succulent, and buttery taste. The piña colada had great balance of rum and coconut mix. Also everything was nicely priced for portions and taste.

Lacey M

We had dinner on the beach here on my husband’s birthday and it was a very last minute decision. We arrived about 45 minutes before closing and they seated us and politely informed us that the kitchen was closing soon. Our meals were great and the view from the beach was really nice especially at night. Our waitress only added to our experience because she was just the sweetest! She went above and beyond for my kids and she was super funny.

Conley Gentry

A nice restaurant, great food and friendly/helpful staff, the Tequila and beers were great too. The bar and decor of the restaurant is cool too. Bathrooms are upstairs so be mindful of that

Garry Aizin

We came during one of the World Cup Games, the place was packed so we seat on the bar. We got bloody marries - very generous portions and really really good, you can feel that it's not the mixer that you buy at the store. Perfect combination of all the ingredients, pickle juice, tomato, and spices. One of us tried the non alcoholic option of the bloody marry which was good as well. The prices for the alcoholic drinks were very affordable. The bartender was friendly and attentive. We also tried the artichoke dip which was super oily (I guess because of the melted cheese) but it was delicious. Served with a hot bread and butter. Didn't try any other foods but everything on the other tables looked great. They have another dinning room upstairs on the second floor which seems to be like for private events. We passed the place again during the evening and they had a karaoke night, and a line outside so we didn't even try to get in.

Charly Hillman

The service was absolutely unparalleled. Ask for Gerry! He took such incredible care of us even during their busiest time - moving us to our ideal table, checking on throughout the meal in addition to all of our servers and giving recommendations not only for the courses throughout our order but other activities, dining and places to explore while on the island. The Spiny Lobster with Shrimp stuffing was the best meal I’ve had in as absolutely long as I can remember. Overall experience was the best on the island. When we asked the hotel or other locals for recommendations they seemed to have a handful with no strong preference but this spot is the absolute must go!

Meghan H

The inside is super outdated BUT our lunch was fantastic and I wasnt here for the decor. I had the grilled shrimp tacos and they were amazing. Best lunch I've had in a long time. I usually dont like tomatillo salsa but it was the star of the show. My husband had the prime rib sandwich and was happy, tons of au jus and gave horseradish upon request. Highly recommend and would absolutely return.

Large servings; limited vegetarian options but the Caesar salad and spinach artichoke dip were standout choices, providing a flavorful start to the meal. Mixed drinks were average, but the generous portions and shareable dishes make it a place worth revisiting for a hearty meal.

Ok....the good, the bad and the ugly... this place is an Avalon legend. The service was not good at all, no smiles and not friendly. The place known for incredible Montana Ranch Steak Burgers, I was told were not available on the dinner menu, just served at lunch. Huge sign outside shows burgers as well as the displayed menu. The overall experience was really disappointing considering I remember this place in its heyday. So why the 4 versus a much lower rating...well, none of us want to be judged on our worse day. The ownership needs to step up the training and observe the staff smiling and being customer oriented. The staff was frequently seen chatting to eachother while empty glasses were on the bar...a recipe for lost revenue. The restaurant was not crowded this night so we all expected better. I was ready to leave when the karaoke started, this changed all. The fun of the place returned and it was a great crowd of friendly locals and folks that rode in on their boats...its worth a try, I haven't given up on a classic. Even with the fun, empty glasses and staff more interested in their own conversations...

Menu with variety including soup, salad, burgers, sandwiches, and entrees. Large pub atmosphere. They do a good job bringing out everyone's food at the same time for groups. Service was friendly, not overly present.

The food here is ok but the service was great. Got on the island and had a quick bite here. As you can tell we are everything before we even took photo bc we were so hungry. Heheh

+6

Have been to Catalina several times, glad we finally stopped in here. Service was good, and the food was too. Nice touches like house made bbq sauce, and putting Ortega chilies in the prime rib dip. Will be back to try more of the menu!

Stopped in for a drink and appetizers, the drinks were good, the Calamari was meh. Service was great, and we sat at a high top table on the patio so the view was perfect for people watching and you can see the ocean

Stopped in for an appetitzer to kill some time before it was time to take the Catalina Express back home. The food was okay, and service also fine. When we walked by at night, it was very crowded. During our visit, during lunch time, there was only one other customer.

Right on the beach front, perfect for sipping a drink while supervising the kids playing in the sand. Service is good but the cocktails - not so much. There’s barely a trace of alcohol in them - the place feels like not very good value for money.

It was our first visit to Catalina Island and we were told to give El Galleon a try. Good food with a view of the boardwalk . Thank you Angelica for making our visit a great one.

Nice restaurant , we got here after happy hour which is only between 12-3, so we ordered from the regular menu. Since I saw they have onion soup that was a must to order. It was very hot which was fine , however the taste was little different than what I was used to , and by that I mean it was a little more sour and salty. The second on my order was calamari. Even if they are considered starters, the portion was big. They were not the regular round calamari , they were bigger , good but again a little more salty as well as the tartar sauce. The server did not rush us which was nice and the order came pretty quick which was awesome …we were so hungry. I can’t say it was a great experience but it was good for a one time on the island. By the way , the Ice tea ( alcohol one) was so good , so worth trying it.

Really good dinner spot. Has a solid Prime rib, highly recommend getting that. Good seafood and fresh grilled fish. Clam Chowder was also really good. Best dinner in Avalon available.

The food was good and the service was great. My food got cold quick but it was because the ceiling fans were on so be sire to eat quick or you’ll eat cold! My favorite thing was the restaurant’s decoration.

Mark W

It was our first visit to Catalina Island and we were told to give El Galleon a try. Good food with a view of the boardwalk . Thank you Angelica for making our visit a great one.

Luis R

The food was good and the service was great. My food got cold quick but it was because the ceiling fans were on so be sire to eat quick or you’ll eat cold! My favorite thing was the restaurant’s decoration.

Diana Anghelus

Nice restaurant , we got here after happy hour which is only between 12-3, so we ordered from the regular menu. Since I saw they have onion soup that was a must to order. It was very hot which was fine , however the taste was little different than what I was used to , and by that I mean it was a little more sour and salty. The second on my order was calamari. Even if they are considered starters, the portion was big. They were not the regular round calamari , they were bigger , good but again a little more salty as well as the tartar sauce. The server did not rush us which was nice and the order came pretty quick which was awesome …we were so hungry. I can’t say it was a great experience but it was good for a one time on the island. By the way , the Ice tea ( alcohol one) was so good , so worth trying it.

Jesse Clymer

Really good dinner spot. Has a solid Prime rib, highly recommend getting that. Good seafood and fresh grilled fish. Clam Chowder was also really good. Best dinner in Avalon available.

Honey Badger (Schmitz)

Menu with variety including soup, salad, burgers, sandwiches, and entrees. Large pub atmosphere. They do a good job bringing out everyone's food at the same time for groups. Service was friendly, not overly present.

Nick B

The food here is ok but the service was great. Got on the island and had a quick bite here. As you can tell we are everything before we even took photo bc we were so hungry. Heheh

We visited at El Galleon for dinner on Saturday order the swordfish with baked potato and mac & cheese, as well as the Irish nachos, which are made out of a potato like skins Cali Hefeweizen beer and a blue Hawaiian cocktail, meal was good service was fast. We always try and go there and have a nice dinner with them every time we go to Avalon. Atmosphere was OK. It looks like an older restaurant but they met the standards. Service was good Nothing out of the world, but the gentleman was effective and efficient . That’s why we come back there every time we visit Avalon.

3 weeks after being told "this behavior is unacceptable" .... the happy hour is still the same. Do not order off the happy hour menu, its a scam and the servers do not warn you at all. I like the location and atmosphere. I dislike dishonesty or misleading advertising 👎

My wife and I saw the Surf & Turf sign, and we were feeling a little adventurous. The amount of food in the surf & turf is significant, a lobster tail and either a 14 or 12 oz steak (I think those are the right weights). We got the 14 oz steak and split the dish between the two of us, and it was plenty of food to satisfy us both, especially with the two sides thrown in. For sides, we got the scalloped potatoes and brussels sprouts. Both were fantastic. The lobster was good, and the steak was okay. Neither were exceptional though the steak was cooked perfectly medium-rare. I would add some more salt and pepper to the steak as it is cooked, and maybe cook up some garlic chips to add. If you really want to ratchet it up, include a little wasabi. The only thing a good steak should need is a little extra salt to taste and wasabi. The only steak sauce available was A-1. No shade to A-1, but that is a dish-saver-sauce, not an accompaniment to a truly good piece of meat. For service, our server came out and gave us updates on how long it would take for the meal to be ready without any prompting. We saw her doing that for other tables as well, so the service was really quite good. The price is fairly steep, but you must keep in mind that this is an island where the majority of food stuffs must be shipped in, so prices will be higher than normal.

Ok, so my nephew wanted to eat here and we stopped there for lunch. The menu was somewhat limited. But I guess that is too be expected as it is an Island and they have to have everything shipped in. We got seated right away by the hostess. The waitress immediately came over to ask us what we wanted to order. We told her we weren't ready to order. About 2 minutes later at the longest she asked if we were ready to order. We ordered our drinks and said we would be ready to order when she brought back our drinks. We then ordered. We proceeded to wait and wait. I noticed everybody that day down after us had already gotten their food and were eating. At about the 45 min. mark she comes to the table and tells us that the order wasn't put in so now we have to wait another 30 min. She gave us free refills and brought us some fries. Finally the orders came out but some of them were not complete as I am sure they put a rush on them. All in all I am pretty sure it was the waitress' fault as she forgot to put in the order because she was in such a rush. Don't know if we will ever go back after spending nearly two hours there. We Didn't leave because it was my nephew's birthday and he wanted to eat there.

Within an hour of arriving to the Island, we decided to try the happy hour here. We ordered the onion rings and zucchini, a beer and a mixed drink. Female server ask if we were ordering from the Happy Hour menu. We said, Yes. When the bill came we had been charged for 2 separate appetizers $16. As seen on the happy hour menu, the order shows as a half onion rings and half order of zucchini for $8. Here's a picture of both menus, you make the call. Felt a little on the bamboozled side, kinda like a bad fishing trip. LoL. We will not be returning.

Today i surprised my wife by taking a day trip to Catalina Island. The boat was bumpy n was overcast, but once we arrived the sun came out it was beautiful. Keep in mind this was my first time here. A lot of the restaurants were packed so we kept walking until we found this place. It was packed so we decided to give it a try . Our server was very friendly n we were greeted as soon as we walked in. We order their spicy Buffalo wings which in my opinion were the best part of our food. We also ordered a bowl of clam chowder which was cold. So we asked to be warmed up. To be honest the clam chowder was plain no wow factor, but it's perfect to keep u warm bc it was really cold at the Island. We also got the pulled bison $ pork sandwich. That was a little sweet for me, but that's just me all in all . The food was good but could be better in my opinion. The restaurant has a great decor tho. We will definitely come back n give it a second chance. We paid 53 dollars for 2 cokes , bowl of clam chowder, Buffalo wings, and bison sandwich. Which is affordable being we had beach view.

Looked like the only happening place on the st. during a Friday night. The staff was friendly enough at first but then I noticed smirking while approaching our table. Note; if you want a water they will bring you bottled water. Our server said it was due to the water in Catalina not being safe yet our hotel staff said it was fine? The food was typical of a TGI Friday's or Dennys. Without even asking or assuming they had served me coleslaw without the fries. I had asked if it were feasible to make my chicken sandwich a Buffalo (just add Buffalo sauce on top???) chicken sandwich, which even seemed to be an issue? When I finally caught our servers attention to let him know I actually wanted fries with my sandwich (as a majority of Americans would), he did NOT apologize and said okay, went to the kitchen as I literally heard them laughing. Soooo hilarious? Brought me my fries and walked away. The restaurant was getting busy towards the end of our meal and I was enjoying my sandwich until I almost choked on a small chicken tendon. So between this factor and unprofessional behaviors by Mexican staff, I feel a 3 is being generous.

Ramon C.

Within an hour of arriving to the Island, we decided to try the happy hour here. We ordered the onion rings and zucchini, a beer and a mixed drink. Female server ask if we were ordering from the Happy Hour menu. We said, Yes. When the bill came we had been charged for 2 separate appetizers $16. As seen on the happy hour menu, the order shows as a half onion rings and half order of zucchini for $8. Here's a picture of both menus, you make the call. Felt a little on the bamboozled side, kinda like a bad fishing trip. LoL. We will not be returning.

Arthur Sosa Jr.

Ok, so my nephew wanted to eat here and we stopped there for lunch. The menu was somewhat limited. But I guess that is too be expected as it is an Island and they have to have everything shipped in. We got seated right away by the hostess. The waitress immediately came over to ask us what we wanted to order. We told her we weren't ready to order. About 2 minutes later at the longest she asked if we were ready to order. We ordered our drinks and said we would be ready to order when she brought back our drinks. We then ordered. We proceeded to wait and wait. I noticed everybody that day down after us had already gotten their food and were eating. At about the 45 min. mark she comes to the table and tells us that the order wasn't put in so now we have to wait another 30 min. She gave us free refills and brought us some fries. Finally the orders came out but some of them were not complete as I am sure they put a rush on them. All in all I am pretty sure it was the waitress' fault as she forgot to put in the order because she was in such a rush. Don't know if we will ever go back after spending nearly two hours there. We Didn't leave because it was my nephew's birthday and he wanted to eat there.

geo79 amg

Today i surprised my wife by taking a day trip to Catalina Island. The boat was bumpy n was overcast, but once we arrived the sun came out it was beautiful. Keep in mind this was my first time here. A lot of the restaurants were packed so we kept walking until we found this place. It was packed so we decided to give it a try . Our server was very friendly n we were greeted as soon as we walked in. We order their spicy Buffalo wings which in my opinion were the best part of our food. We also ordered a bowl of clam chowder which was cold. So we asked to be warmed up. To be honest the clam chowder was plain no wow factor, but it's perfect to keep u warm bc it was really cold at the Island. We also got the pulled bison $ pork sandwich. That was a little sweet for me, but that's just me all in all . The food was good but could be better in my opinion. The restaurant has a great decor tho. We will definitely come back n give it a second chance. We paid 53 dollars for 2 cokes , bowl of clam chowder, Buffalo wings, and bison sandwich. Which is affordable being we had beach view.

PaulSebastian

Looked like the only happening place on the st. during a Friday night. The staff was friendly enough at first but then I noticed smirking while approaching our table. Note; if you want a water they will bring you bottled water. Our server said it was due to the water in Catalina not being safe yet our hotel staff said it was fine? The food was typical of a TGI Friday's or Dennys. Without even asking or assuming they had served me coleslaw without the fries. I had asked if it were feasible to make my chicken sandwich a Buffalo (just add Buffalo sauce on top???) chicken sandwich, which even seemed to be an issue? When I finally caught our servers attention to let him know I actually wanted fries with my sandwich (as a majority of Americans would), he did NOT apologize and said okay, went to the kitchen as I literally heard them laughing. Soooo hilarious? Brought me my fries and walked away. The restaurant was getting busy towards the end of our meal and I was enjoying my sandwich until I almost choked on a small chicken tendon. So between this factor and unprofessional behaviors by Mexican staff, I feel a 3 is being generous.

Food was recommended by a local. But we didn’t even go in. You are met by multiple blaring TVs. Not a cool cozy place to eat.

The worst octopus I have ever eaten in a restaurant. It was rubbery and bland. Very disappointing. It took my wife 2 minutes to chew through a single piece.

John Silva

The worst octopus I have ever eaten in a restaurant. It was rubbery and bland. Very disappointing. It took my wife 2 minutes to chew through a single piece.

We made a reservation. Picks up in pace around 12:00pm. But we got started on the wrong foot. Happy Hour food Menu was not honored at a table. (Restrictions not displayed on the website - we were told upon asking for the menu after sitting down) (if I missed it somewhere as of August 7th 2025, please let me know) Server said she could bring us happy hour priced beverages. Luckily this was honored. Thank You. Everything fried was great. Cod, scallops, shrimp, zucchini, onions. Busboys were in top of it. Clearing plates as we went along. Thanks guys. Fetucinni was a medium sized portion but definitely needs about a 1/4th portion more. To make it worth the 28 dollars it’s going to cost. Burgers looked worth it. Salads were good. This might seem like a weird review. But this mostly goes for the webmaster that is misleading future customers. Please update your website.

Had swordfish for dinner 0July 29th. Got food poisoning. Stayed in the hotel room all the next day. What a vacation...

Made a reservation via Open Table. When we showed up (on time), they said the kitchen had already closed. It was 6:45pm. Claimed they didn’t use Open Table and I shouldn’t have been able to book that way. Showed them the reservation and they didn’t care. I suspect it was just slow so, they wanted to close early. Really poor service. Update: Saw your response and it was inadequate and misleading. What you should have done is stay open and honor the reservation. You made a DECISION to provide poor service to a customer to save money. You should, at least, own the decision. It wasn't an accident.

Horrible food. If you’d like to just get drunk and party, I guess this may be a good place for you. I got the New York steak with “garlic mash potatoes”. The potato’s tasted like something out of an instant mashed potato box (no garlic?), super gross, the steak was chewy, asparagus slimy…waiter didn’t get the order right, forgot the shrimp we ordered and coleslaw…The coleslaw was just cabbage and mayonnaise. Super expensive meal, subpar food and service. Finding that most restaurants on the island are “meh” and way over-priced.