Craft House

Been here a few times and they are always spot on. This was my first time for dinner and once again it was amazing. We started with a couple of cocktails, margarita and an Old fashion. Both spot on. The food was as good as they all sounded. Brisket appetizer was honestly my favorite, but the meatloaf did not disappoint. We tried a couple of deserts, the butter cake, honestly not as good as Nicks, but it was pretty dang good and the chocolate moose was my favorite.

We wanted a new place to celebrate my husband's 75th birthday and wanted to be close to home so we came here. We were hesitant because a friend came when the Craft House first opened and said to us "don't bother." Well DO bother! Our meal was fantastic. We started with the clam chowder which was full of flavor, then the mac n cheese also great and my husband had the burger and I had the burrata salad both tasted very good; we topped it off with butter cakes to go since we were full and they were outstanding. The menu had many dishes we were interested in So definitely coming back to try them.

This place has a nice casual yet classy atmosphere. We sat outside but every table had its own heater. It was very comfortable. The waiting staff was super on top of it. She checked in often and was super friendly. The drinks and food were good and the menu had a nice arrangement of things to get. We got fried squash blossoms, the fried chicken, and the wagyu burger. All of them were great. It was a fun night.

Cassidy Kinnett

Had brunch here and was happily stuffed all day! The chicken Cesar salad was delicious and the house mimosas were only $5. We had the guava and they were delish! The dipping sauce for the tots was tasty and the tots themselves were perfectly fried. Our waitress was great! My dog was comfortable on the patio. Would recommend and revisit!

Nvard M

This was the second time we came here, and honestly, it was even better this time. The food was so delicious, and the drinks were crafted perfectly. It has definitely become a place we will come back to time and time again. We went back again, and of course, it did not disappoint the Shishito peppers were amazing we ordered them twice, and the clams were perfect. Just a tip get extra bread to dip in the clam sauce, and you won't regret it.

Thaddeus King

Craft House in Dana Point is absolutely amazing. The atmosphere and staff is awesome. My complements to the chief Keene Vasquez for the most amazing food I have ever tasted. My family loves it and will definitely be coming back.

Maureen Garrett

I have been to Craft House for their happy hour, which is delicious and reasonably priced. But I never considered it for brunch until I came to the REDO antique market today. It will be my new go to spot! Started with the most delicious bloody NAUDI. Blue cheese, stuffed olives, and bacon, and just the right amount of spice! Convinced my friend that we should share the chicken and waffles and each ordered an egg on the side literally have died and gone to heaven! Crispy juicy chicken, bourbon butter on the waffles. We asked to have the syrup heated, which was the right call! Poured on top of everything and the flavor profile was delicious! We really wanted to try the pistachio coffee cake, but were too full. I’ll be back for sure! Alex, our server was present, responsive and funny! Very fair prices and no up charge on the egg!

Cheryl Nasser

If you are a whiskey aficionado you will love this place. Not only do they have popular and rare whiskeys the bartenders are very knowledgeable about their craft and super friendly. Nate and Frank were both very accommodating. We got some complimentary tastes of whiskey we were curious about. We only had one appetizer and it was amazingly tasty with crispy rice, fresh ahi and flavorful sauces. Their menu looks delicious with grilled meatloaf and fried chicken. This is our new go to bar!

Paul Richards

Attended an 11-person brunch for a bachelor party here, and the food was phenomenal. Best chicken and waffles I’ve had in a long time. Lot of high quality food for the perfect price. Staff was attentive and friendly, mimosas were an amazing $5, and the vibes were immaculate. Can’t wait to come back!

Insight Services

One of favorite places. We enjoyed a wonderful anniversary dinner. The food is delicious and well prepared. The chefs have elevated classic dishes, but never pretentious. The bar is well stocked with an impressive array of spirits and wine. The wait staff is the best. It's a place where locals frequent while also catering to folks wanting to enjoy a special event.

T CHAN

We went there for dinner on a Wednesday night after a beach day with the kids. We didn’t have to wait long to be seated. Parking is very limited—there’s a small lot, or you can park uphill near the restaurant or next building by the nail salon. The food was great overall. I ordered the Wagyu beef with chimichurri. The flavor was excellent, though the beef was slightly overcooked—I had asked for medium rare. The kids ordered burgers with fries. They mentioned the burgers tasted a bit like fish, possibly because of the grass-fed beef. The service was friendly and attentive, which made for a pleasant dining experience.

Joshua Forstot

Where to begin. Everything coming out of Chef Blakes Kitchen is creative, rich in flavor and memorable. The scallops are my go-to. The Verde Fries are beyond good (if you can make it for social hour). Only problem is that you will want more. Potato tacos and the ahi are always solid and if you are looking for a great salad, the Wedge is not your traditional wedge and we love it that (add a protein). And yeah…the mac and cheese. Done. Last but not least, the boys at the bar are amazing. From crafting perfect cocktails, helping you explore new flavors and pushing your palette…they make you feel like family. It’s by far our favorite place here in Dana Point. Even if you are full. Order that Butter Cake. You’ll thank me later.

Mike Brenhaug

Great little local bar with a good happy hour even on the weekends. They make great cocktails. I tried the Smoke On The Water. Personally, I didn't care for it because it's made with Mezcal but I wanted to try it. We didn't have food here, but it looks delicious and will be back for lunch or dinner. They have a huge patio area that can be booked for events. We rode our bikes here, so parking wasn't an issue for us. If you plan to drive there, parking looks very difficult. Tiny parking lot so you'll need to find street parking.

J. Brocc

Been here a few times and they are always spot on. This was my first time for dinner and once again it was amazing. We started with a couple of cocktails, margarita and an Old fashion. Both spot on. The food was as good as they all sounded. Brisket appetizer was honestly my favorite, but the meatloaf did not disappoint. We tried a couple of deserts, the butter cake, honestly not as good as Nicks, but it was pretty dang good and the chocolate moose was my favorite.

Holly Beimer

We wanted a new place to celebrate my husband's 75th birthday and wanted to be close to home so we came here. We were hesitant because a friend came when the Craft House first opened and said to us "don't bother." Well DO bother! Our meal was fantastic. We started with the clam chowder which was full of flavor, then the mac n cheese also great and my husband had the burger and I had the burrata salad both tasted very good; we topped it off with butter cakes to go since we were full and they were outstanding. The menu had many dishes we were interested in So definitely coming back to try them.

John Kahwaty

This place has a nice casual yet classy atmosphere. We sat outside but every table had its own heater. It was very comfortable. The waiting staff was super on top of it. She checked in often and was super friendly. The drinks and food were good and the menu had a nice arrangement of things to get. We got fried squash blossoms, the fried chicken, and the wagyu burger. All of them were great. It was a fun night.

Worst experience ever. They’re trying to be Coastal Kitchen, but they’re simply not! Just as my dinner arrived, the “Floor manager” (meaningless title), Courtney, asked me to move from my table to the worst little table on the patio to accommodate other guests because they had dogs and couldn’t sit inside (why is this my problem?). So do I have this right? I arrive early, am seated and am later asked to move to a terrible table so that people with loud and poorly behaved dogs can have adequate seating!? Terribly insulting and indicative of what an awful restaurant this is. This was my third and last try at Craft House. There are many wonderful restaurants in the Lantern district with inventive menus and lovely service. Don’t waste your money on this disrespectful hovel. Cold food, ugly dark decor. Simply not worth the money. Go to Cracker Barrel instead.

Fun, lively spot with a cool open bar area. Great happy hour specials and staff—Jeff, Frank, and Stephanie always provide great friendly service. One of my favorite places to go after a day on the beach.

Stopped by Craft House in Dana Point on a Saturday afternoon and grabbed a seat on the patio with my family. Their happy hour was amazing. Great selection of drinks and shareable bites at really solid prices. Staff was super welcoming, friendly, and on top of everything without hovering. Loved the location, loved the value, and honestly the whole experience felt easy and enjoyable. If you’re in Dana Point and want a laid-back spot with good food, good drinks, and great service, Craft House is a win. I’ll definitely be back!

We hosted our rehearsal dinner and welcome party here the night before our wedding and couldn’t have been happier. We reserved the private dining room in the back for a seated dinner with family and our wedding party, then welcomed a little over 100 guests for small bites and drinks. The night was a blast. The staff took wonderful care of everyone, the food was outstanding, and guests kept raving about the great vibe at Craft House. Blake and team were easy to work with and incredibly accommodating. Highly recommend Craft House!

donald price

Worst experience ever. They’re trying to be Coastal Kitchen, but they’re simply not! Just as my dinner arrived, the “Floor manager” (meaningless title), Courtney, asked me to move from my table to the worst little table on the patio to accommodate other guests because they had dogs and couldn’t sit inside (why is this my problem?). So do I have this right? I arrive early, am seated and am later asked to move to a terrible table so that people with loud and poorly behaved dogs can have adequate seating!? Terribly insulting and indicative of what an awful restaurant this is. This was my third and last try at Craft House. There are many wonderful restaurants in the Lantern district with inventive menus and lovely service. Don’t waste your money on this disrespectful hovel. Cold food, ugly dark decor. Simply not worth the money. Go to Cracker Barrel instead.

Michael Prickett

Stopped by Craft House in Dana Point on a Saturday afternoon and grabbed a seat on the patio with my family. Their happy hour was amazing. Great selection of drinks and shareable bites at really solid prices. Staff was super welcoming, friendly, and on top of everything without hovering. Loved the location, loved the value, and honestly the whole experience felt easy and enjoyable. If you’re in Dana Point and want a laid-back spot with good food, good drinks, and great service, Craft House is a win. I’ll definitely be back!

Olivia Patterson

We hosted our rehearsal dinner and welcome party here the night before our wedding and couldn’t have been happier. We reserved the private dining room in the back for a seated dinner with family and our wedding party, then welcomed a little over 100 guests for small bites and drinks. The night was a blast. The staff took wonderful care of everyone, the food was outstanding, and guests kept raving about the great vibe at Craft House. Blake and team were easy to work with and incredibly accommodating. Highly recommend Craft House!

I had dinner here on a Friday night. It was my first time at this restaurant and chose it because it was close to the beach we were at and I followed them on Instagram. It's a great looking restaurant with a large outdoor dining space. I sat outside although indoor dining was available. They're dog friendly so it was fun to see all the adorable pooches. The service was great. Our server was attentive and our drinks were refilled frequently. The parts of my experience that were underwhelming were the presentation of the food and the portion size. Specifically, I had the beet salad and was thinking I should have ordered something else. We also ordered fries to share but it looked more like a side of fries that would come with a meal rather than a shareable with several pieces burned at the end. But, the flavors of the meals were delicious so I don't want to take away from that. If you plan to go on a weekend, I do recommend making reservations as the restaurant did fill up quickly.

Got the Mac and cheese appetizer to share ($16), and it was phenomenal! Loved the orecchiette pasta, and the cheese was so gooey and yummy. 5/5 stars all the way for the Mac and cheese! For my entree, I got the pan roasted scallops ($38), which were pretty yummy. It was tender. The scallops were on the smaller side and a little on the salty side. The risotto was solid - a little on the sour side. I tried my boyfriend’s salt n peppa shrimp ($16) and the halibut ($38). The shrimp was average in my opinion. The halibut was the worst thing we ordered. It was small, dry, and overcooked.

Anne

I had dinner here on a Friday night. It was my first time at this restaurant and chose it because it was close to the beach we were at and I followed them on Instagram. It's a great looking restaurant with a large outdoor dining space. I sat outside although indoor dining was available. They're dog friendly so it was fun to see all the adorable pooches. The service was great. Our server was attentive and our drinks were refilled frequently. The parts of my experience that were underwhelming were the presentation of the food and the portion size. Specifically, I had the beet salad and was thinking I should have ordered something else. We also ordered fries to share but it looked more like a side of fries that would come with a meal rather than a shareable with several pieces burned at the end. But, the flavors of the meals were delicious so I don't want to take away from that. If you plan to go on a weekend, I do recommend making reservations as the restaurant did fill up quickly.

Jen

Got the Mac and cheese appetizer to share ($16), and it was phenomenal! Loved the orecchiette pasta, and the cheese was so gooey and yummy. 5/5 stars all the way for the Mac and cheese! For my entree, I got the pan roasted scallops ($38), which were pretty yummy. It was tender. The scallops were on the smaller side and a little on the salty side. The risotto was solid - a little on the sour side. I tried my boyfriend’s salt n peppa shrimp ($16) and the halibut ($38). The shrimp was average in my opinion. The halibut was the worst thing we ordered. It was small, dry, and overcooked.

Vernon Villasenor

Still finding their way. Cool vibe, waitstaff inexperienced, food ok, the store portion is odd. Wish they had a bigger bar. Cocktails were on point though. Solid!

I went here to celebrate my husband birthday on Valentine's day. The wagu burger did not live up the hype on all the report and doesn't deserve the the of OC best burger. There's wagu patty and pull pork in the burger which made it too meaty. It had a bad meat to veggies ratio to the burger. And the fries is worst than in and out. I ordered beef stroganoff and it was way too salty to eat. The beef was dry and the noodles were clumped. The only good thing about this place was the dessert and the service. I will never return.

Joanna Graham

I went here to celebrate my husband birthday on Valentine's day. The wagu burger did not live up the hype on all the report and doesn't deserve the the of OC best burger. There's wagu patty and pull pork in the burger which made it too meaty. It had a bad meat to veggies ratio to the burger. And the fries is worst than in and out. I ordered beef stroganoff and it was way too salty to eat. The beef was dry and the noodles were clumped. The only good thing about this place was the dessert and the service. I will never return.