This is an upscale trendy Mexican food restaurant. It gets super busy on the weekends. Make reservations if want to be able to get a table, even for the bar area.

Update: 6/10/2025 Talked to the Supervisor over the phone. She handled the situation very professional and all I had to do was return to the Javier’s Irvine location for my partial tip refund. Update: 6/3/2025: After leaving a review on Facebook, I received a comment on my post to respond with my info on Javier’s instant messenger. I posted the photo of that exchange. Now, I finally talk to an employee on the phone, the employee is telling me, that she has to get my refund from the waitress. Update: I’ve emailed and sent direct messages on social media without any response from Javier’s Irvine. This review is for a heads up on the 20% forced gratuity. So you know in advance. Update: I just noticed the forced 20% gratuity added to the bill. Server didn’t not tell me about that charge. The bill was $258, so I gave the server $300, thinking I was only giving a $42 tip, when actually I gave an $82 tip. I’m very concerned about this forced tactic without the server letting me know. Great food, great ambience, waitresses and waiters are very friendly and efficient. Very nice, high class restaurant. The whole meal was great, everyone at my table liked the food and had a great time!

Husband made a mistake by thinking he made a reservation at their Newport Beach location. He didn't realize it until we arrived. He called the Irvine Spectrum location to explain the situation & they were very accommodating, keeping our reservation open to allow us the time to travel from Newport to Irvine. There was a line when we arrived, but because they kept our reservation open, we were sat almost right away. Five stars given for this reason. Otherwise, my food was good but not spectacular. However, my husband did enjoy his pork chop & said it good. He's a "foodie," so that means it was probably pretty good! Our waiter was simply okay. He did his job; nothing like the great reviews I read about & hoped to receive.

Unbelievably beautifully played and delicious upscale Mexican restaurant When you walk in it like walking onto the deck of a beautiful old sailing ship with rope rigging covering the ceiling. Feels like a combination of an exclusive gentlemen’s club mixed with a sailing ship and museum. I love the ambience. Metal sculptures are everywhere and the layout is mots of booths and privacy. But the food. It is bright, beautifully and fanciful. But the favor is spectacular. I ordered the Enchiladas De Cangrejo Wow! It was stuffed full of Dungeness crab. I couldn’t finish it. My wife had the Filete Antiguo. The Filet Mignon was so tender and perfectly grilled. We also have the Ceviche De Cameron. The shrimp was large, plump, and so fresh. To let you know how good it was, my wife dosnt eat any seafood period. But our son pushed her to try it and she loved it so much she ordered another one for herself. And don’t forget their signature Fried Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. So decadent. My son Cody conduct take client here and he says it never fails to impress. And don’t forget their expansive bar. Full of special brand tequilas.

The atmosphere here is off the charts! It's a gorgeous space with lots of unique decor. Great covered outdoor space for dining that has heaters over every table. The space is very comfortable. The staff is also top notch with a high level of service and we're very friendly. Great spot for a high level business lunch. The food was very good, but honestly I expected more from the level they're trying to play at. Don't get me wrong, everything people ordered was good, and we had NO complaints. However, it wasn't as flavorful as I expected from the high level of presentation.

Brian Nguyen

Greeted at the door, seated quickly, ambiance is pleasant, and food came out quick. Got a soup and salad lunch duo for $9.99. Really can’t lose. CPK ftw

Katelyn Anderson

OC is very hit and miss when it comes to solo dining, but Karen treated me great! I felt very welcomed, food was great. I'll definitely be back.

DJ

We had a work dinner here with a party of around 20 and the server did an amazing job! Food was excellent and they had plant based on options for those of us with dietary restrictions. I was very skeptical of having the dinner here but they did not disappoint. I am very picky about my food and beer and I left very satisfied. Great job!

Jeff Blackburn

The food was good and priced fair for the portions. The selections on the menu was not as big as I thought it would be but there were still a lot to pick from. We had great service. The real deal was the take home and bake pizza for a very nice price.

+1

M B

This place is just a short walk from my house, which is awesome! I can sit at the bar, order some food and a drink, and sometimes read a book or watch a game. The atmosphere is perfect for all of that. The food is delicious, and you can't go wrong if you're craving pizza, salads, or even pasta. But I have to say, my favorite dish isn't on the menu anymore. I hope they bring it back soon. It was the Korean spicy spaghetti, and it was amazing.

Kyle Tucker

We walked in with low expectations on the customer service front. But boy, was I pleasantly surprised! The moment we stepped through the door, it was like we were VIPs. And then, enter Miranda, our waitress extraordinaire! She was a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. From the get-go, she showered us with attention and recommendations that were so good, I wanted to frame them and hang them on my wall. Seriously, if there was a Nobel Prize for pizza suggestions, Miranda would be the undisputed champion. Not only did she have impeccable taste in pizzas, but her customer service skills were off the charts. She treated us like royalty, and I swear, I heard angels singing every time she refilled our drinks. I've been to my fair share of restaurants, but Miranda's treatment was next-level. Move over, red carpet, because she rolled out the dough (pun intended) for us. The pizzas were absolutely scrumptious. I couldn't decide whether to devour them or frame them as edible masterpieces. It's rare to find a place where the food matches the outstanding service, but California Pizza Kitchen nailed it. I've never left a restaurant feeling so satisfied, both in my belly and in my heart. I'm already planning my next visit because, in the immortal words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, "I'll be back!!

+3

Catherine A L

At first I was impatient about waiting for a table. But after seeing how short staffed they were and how hard everyone was trying, I changed my tune. Each person took a great deal of pride in their work and each person was very personable. The food was good. It’s very difficult to find good people now. I might take a few people off the “to-go” area to help the host/hostesses, they are giving people food, making sure each party is set up, that’s what it appears. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised and we will keep going.

Putri Tidur

Snacking while you got bored for a while from healthy food... lol. The pizza that we picked, Crispy Thin Crust Sicilian (spicy marinara, italian sausage, spicy Capicola ham, salami, Mozzarella, shaved Parmesan, fresh Basil & oregano), for appetizer we choose Avocado club egg rolls (hand-wrapped crispy wonton rolls filled with avocado, chicken, tomato, Monterey Jack & Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon. Served with housemade ranchito sauce and herb ranch) and Dakota Smashed Pea + Barley (with barley, carrots, onions, savory herbs and scallions). . The waitress only one and she’s really good at taking care all the customers and so thoughtful! Two thumbs!

+6

Great energy and lots of seating...enjoyed the view of the fireplace. Table chips were inconsisitent...some undercooked...little too much salt for my liking. But salsa was fresh and a nice way to mask the saltiness. Shrimp and crab enchiladas were outstanding! Plenty of flavor, loved the filling, and the sauce was delicious...but for over $30 it would have been nice to include a small salad or a side of rice.

Hi Everyone (who sees this review & Javier’s Management) : We visited this restaurant today at lunch to celebrate a birthday event. Overall, the experience was amazing and we enjoyed thoroughly. Ambiences were really nice and great exp. to be there. Food was fantastic! We ordered following items : (1) Guacamole (2) Quesadilla (3) Empanadas De Camaron (4)Pollo Chipotle (5) Churros (6) Flan (7) 2 Drinks (Tamarindo Margarita) Overall food was very tasty but Guacamole, Quesadilla and Pollo Chipotle need a special call out — deserts were amazing too. Food and Atmosphere I have rated 5. Reason I have rated 4 in “Service” — team really need to work in this area! They need to be bit more friendly and serves customers with smile and real good behavior. Overall, I might call them “rude” as well in some occasions to be honest. Overall, our experience was very nice!

Dawnne Kutz

Our food was good but we didn't care for our server. In 2 hours she only came to our table 3 times and took quite a bit to bring requested straw and sugar to go with my iced tea. She kept giving us the side eye because we took so long but we were careful about making sure we weren't taking her table for too long. It appeared that we were actually the only table of hers. I was able to catch her for 1 iced tea refill and my friend was never offered a refill on her water. We did not feel welcomed to be there.

Elias Bayati

I have been here multiple times now I can confirm this is your local neighborhood CPK and I love it. Great pizza and appetizers fast service and lowkey.

+1

Ron Deo

The overall experience eating here was good. The Thai pizza was particularly enjoyable; personally, I appreciated the addition of peanut sauce, akin to the divisive but beloved pineapple pizza. However, the banh mi power bowl, while satisfyingly filling, missed the mark in capturing the essence of a true banh mi. With only three ingredients overlapping with the classic banh mi and lacking pickled vegetables, renaming it an 'Asian-inspired salad' might be more fitting. On a sweeter note, the key lime pie was absolutely delicious.

+3

Tim Chan

Food is good and the service is meh. Our only issue was that the service was quite slow. I’m assuming they were short staffed because the place wasn’t full but we still had to wait a while for a table. Not once did we get any refills of our drinks. The waiter was very friendly but he was rarely around.

+3

Hesam Abedini

Great costumer service and very nice staff members! Our server was very kind and friendly. The space is clean and nice plus plenty of seating options. The food was good but it is not the best! I highly recommend checking out their small plates! Their cucumber drink is really good, too. We also got one take and bake pizza per entree order and it is definitely worth it.

+5

The servers were extremely rude, bumping into me on purpose, walking like they were zombies! The food is good but not for the price, it's way over priced, especially when you have a bad experience in the restaurant, I'm not cheap, but I want a peaceful atmosphere for the price. I wouldn't go here ever again. Go to El Coyote in LA peeps, you'll love it, and you might see some celebrities.

J myung

CPK has been one of my favorite restaurants for years. Maybe it was this particular location, but it missed the mark on our last visit. 1. Where we sat, the floor was so dirty. Food under the table and it was just so unpleasant. 2. My cup, bread dishes, all had food scraps. I didn't even ask for new ones cause it looked under staffed. 3. Kids meat sauce spaghetti literally didn't have any meat in it. I requested my salad without dressing but it came tossed with dressing.

Pretty underwhelming. The food was ordinary—nothing memorable or unique for the price point. Portions were fine but flavors felt flat, and the dishes didn’t justify the premium. The space is nice and the service was decent, but overall it’s more about the scene than the food. For what it costs, I expected much better.

NMC

My parents and I came here tonight [1/28/23] very excited at first but then were disappointed. A waitress (Ana) when we got there to seat us tried to give me a crayon and coloring set when you can tell my age I’m 16 years old, tall for age and you can obviously tell by looking at me. I look older then I should which I am always told by strangers. She even made eye contact with my before trying to give me them. I honestly feel offended. After we were seated, a different waitress (Madeline) took our drink and food order. We finished our appetizers before we had our drinks (A different staff gave us some chips with this really good spinach dip.) The drinks were simple too…Water, Coke cola, and the mango tea without sweetener. We waited and waited and waited but she didn’t give us our drinks for about 20 minutes. Our waitress kept forgetting to give my dad his drink refill and she never gave us our bread. Another staff member did. We also asked for napkins but again she never gave us some another staff member had to give us some. Eventually she did give my dad his refill as he had asked her once again. My dad liked his pizza and my mom liked her shrimp scampi zucchini dish she said it was bland but she still liked it. I ordered the California Club pizza and it wasn’t good. I was so disappointed. It was very dry both of my parents tried it and agreed. There was a overwhelming amount of lettuce. The bacon and my crust was burnt. I get that sometimes pizza gets burnt but way more charred then it should have been. That’s how burnt it was.

Save yourself money and go somewhere better. I went here on a Sunday night. My friend and I were sat immediately at a table right next to the entrance facing the bar, the table is bisected by a corner. We didn't want to have our backs to all the people walking, so we were sitting against the corner with the wall in between us. The other reviews are right about the music being loud, between the wall and the music, nothing could be heard unless we shouted. It was pretty awful. To make it worse, we didn't get spoken to by a waiter or staff for 15 minutes. Tables that were sat after us were waited first. To top it off, the water cups were plastic. For a place with single plates of food costing $40, I would at least expect glass cups. Save your money and go somewhere else. The Spectrum has much better options.

Karen M

Our waitress was rude and shoved our food at us plus she made us pass our dishes to each other rather than bringing them to us. She also made us shout out orders across a table of 6 instead of walking around or even standing in the middle. Definitely won't be going back

Sim Mone (Momo)

THE MANAGER AT THIS LOCATION, TOM HARBAUGH, REFERRED TO MY ASIAN AMERICAN HUSBAND AS YELLOW. I tried to go to an early dinner here with my husband, his parents, and my nephew. We placed our drink, appetizer and food orders at about 5:45 pm. By 6:30 p.m. nothing had arrived. We looked around the restaurant and realized other parties around us, even ones that had arrived much later, had their drinks and appetizers. At this point my husband, in an extremely polite manner, asked to speak to the manager. At first Tom refused to speak to him. He just stood in front of the bread in the kitchen and fumbled with it for about five minutes, hoping my husband would leave. When he realized that he wouldn’t, he rudely asked my husband what he wanted. My husband said that we had placed our entire order 45 minutes ago and that we had not received anything, not even our drinks. Tom rudely responded that he did not take the order so he had nothing to do with it. He went a step further and aggressively said that if we did not have our food or drinks it was too bad. My husband returned to the table and we contemplated what to do. After 50 minutes my husband was able to convince our waitress, not Tom, to at least get our drinks. We waited another 15 minutes to see if our food would ever come. While we were waiting another table was seated right next to us. As they were still ordering their food, their drink order was brought to them – as they were ordering. Ours had taken about 55 minutes to come. At this point my husband had already tried to talk to the manager, so I thought maybe it would help if I tried. I told Tom that it had been almost an hour and our appetizers still had not yet arrived. He said “YOUR YELLOW HUSBAND ALREADY CAME OVER HERE. I don’t care if he complains or not. You are not getting your food.” When I told him that this was totally unacceptable he then made the comment “You need to know your place as well. Go sit down.” Tom Harbaugh's behavior was appalling. Under no circumstances should you ever go this CPK. It was the worst dining experience I have ever had. And if you ever encounter this manager and are verbally abused by him, please report him as I will be doing.

Penny Lane

What a disappointing experience, deviating from usual at this restaurant. To sum it up, our server, Kaitlyn, was rude at best. It did not seem like her pleasure to serve us. I ordered the chicken club sandwich, and multiple times in the past I was allowed to substitute the side salad with crispy potatoes. Kaitlyn said right away that they aren't able to do that. I told her this, and she denied it once again before I asked her to ask the manager. She told us that normally they don't do this but "since they've done it before for you we'll do it this time for you." I asked why different managers/waiters have different opinions on this and she said that "maybe the GM isn't okay with it," making the assumption that when they did it in the past they didn't have to run it by the GM. This was relatively soon after we were seated, and yet the order was placed well after that. Kaitlyn was constantly tending to other tables, running up their checks, talking to coworkers, and put our order in at least 10 minutes after we gave it to her. The food indeed took forever to come, proving this. While we waited for our food though, we ordered a lemonade and some bread for the table. After the initial lemonade and waters, it took 3 requests for a refill and the bread and she still didn't bring any of it. We got up to tell someone, and since there were almost no other servers around I ended up finding the manager speaking with none other than our own server, still avoiding us and our requests. We told the manager with her present what had happened, and he apologized and said she would bring it right away. So after a couple minutes of her still stalling, she comes over, practically throws the plate of bread almost spilling the oil, slams the lemonade on the table, and lets the straw roll off her platter, spilling water on the table and floor. Of course she said nothing and walked away. After a few more requests for refills/more bread and the usual slow turnaround and rudeness, the food finally came. And like the rest of the experience, nothing was normal. The sandwich was flat out cold. While club sandwiches can be served cold in some occasions, the previous times it was always warm. The pizza we ordered, the mushroom pepperoni sausage, was burnt on top. When I picked up a slice though, it was very droopy and soggy. The underside was totally undercooked. At that point we had waited forever, so we just ate it the way it was. Kaitlyn made no effort to check in on us to see if the food was alright, and only came over when we asked for a refill, and then finally at the end to give us the check. Unlike the previous times where we got a physical check, this time it was all digital on a cellphone-like device. Upon paying, we were prompted to complete a survey, which we completed. While completing the process, which took a bit longer than we expected since we weren't used to doing it digitally, she kept hovering around our table looking at the screen, waiting to see what we would tip her and to finally finish paying. Unfortunately from the start this was an unusually terrible experience, and the manager didn't seem to care about any of it.

Faranak Ra

If you want to order online make sure you are an IT engineer, if you’re not and you don’t know how to work with their complicated order system you might just receive a crust with almost nothing on top as pizza! It was a waste of money!

Lynnann - Sid’s Mum

They didn’t have two of three soups listed on menu. They didn’t have Parmesan cheese for Caesar salad. Who does the inventory here?! Food was mediocre at best. The most earnest thing? Listening to waitresses profusely apologize in hopes their tips aren’t penalized for poor management! Bathroom wasn’t clean.