Royal Hen

Joshua Wartenberg

All around wonderful experience, from the food to the decor. Comfortable and relaxing with some of the best bread I've had in a long time. The owner is kind and a pleasure, I really loved this spot.

SASS Sophia Avera Salon & Spa Jax Beach

Nothing is better as a traveler than walking into a bar full of locals who welcome you with open arms. TY for the incredible food and ideal place to wind down from our long day of conference center life.

Jess

Can we just talk about how great this place is? We had great food and wonderful service! We will be back again!

Lynn Maui

Love the bar. Love the steak tacos with no cheese. Love the sourdough!

Delightful find! Good food. Good atmosphere. Lovely service. Ate at the bar... and it's a small detail I know, but there are handy hooks for your bag... if they care about that creature comfort, imagine how great everything else is!

The Royal Hen is one of my favorite restaurants! Cynthia is always so welcoming and fun to be around! Her servers are wonderful, especially Micky! The food is outstanding - I love the recipes Cynthia brought back with her from Europe - especially the bread and chicken pot pie. The ambience is always amazing- I love how Cynthia always decorates so beautifully for the seasons and holidays. I am a local and I LOVE the Royal Hen Restaurant!!

5/5 really just hit it out of the park all the way. Hosts/owners were so kind and welcoming. Servers were great. Attentive but also gave you space (a tricky balance). Beer was ice cold on a warm night. Food was so good! Tacos and fish and chips. I wish I had a bigger stomach so I could’ve eaten more! We were outside. It was lovely. Good people watching too.

Wow. This place was busy on a Tuesday evening. So happy for them because Balboa Island can be a bit sleepy in the winter. Food, service and vibe were spot on.

Stopped into Royal Hen while traveling for work and I ate at the bar. It was close to closing and the owner graciously turned the stove back on for my order of mussels. The person next to me at the bar said that I’d want to drink the curry sauce they were served in… and they were not wrong! Great food, cozy atmosphere, and attentive service all around.

Absolutely an amazing time and experience! Had a beautiful welcome from the owner and some additional company. Very wholesome and comforting spot, felt like being at home. Food was excellent and service was fast, I had the short rib fettuccine for my entree and a few bottles of rose!!

The workers at The Royal Hen welcomed my family and me with open arms after we had to evacuate due to the Palisades Wildfires in Los Angeles. We came seeking a cozy meal and were treated like royalty—we couldn’t be more grateful. The food was impeccable, and the servers were attentive and incredibly kind. It was truly an unforgettable experience, and we couldn’t have asked for anything better! It is restaurants like this that redefine community and gives hope in such a dark time!

We were visiting from Seattle and staying on Balboa Island, hoping for cozy neighborhood vibes. Royal Hen did not disappoint! We rolled in on a Saturday evening, saw a cute candle-lit table outside and asked if there was space for us. The owner (I believe) welcomed us like friends/locals and did not hesitate to say there is definitely space. We sat outside, was helped by a wonderful gentleman who also had a cool, casual, comfortable approach to things. Food was delicious. Vibes were immaculate. 10/10!

We went in for New Year’s Eve and had an amazing time at Royal Hen. The owner and servers were incredibly welcoming—it truly felt like walking into a family party. We tried the steak and the short rib fettuccine, and both were excellent. We’ll definitely be back to try more dishes!

Shakiba Vafai

We went in for New Year’s Eve and had an amazing time at Royal Hen. The owner and servers were incredibly welcoming—it truly felt like walking into a family party. We tried the steak and the short rib fettuccine, and both were excellent. We’ll definitely be back to try more dishes!

Teresa Cadwallader

Wow. This place was busy on a Tuesday evening. So happy for them because Balboa Island can be a bit sleepy in the winter. Food, service and vibe were spot on.

3000 Kittens

We were visiting from Seattle and staying on Balboa Island, hoping for cozy neighborhood vibes. Royal Hen did not disappoint! We rolled in on a Saturday evening, saw a cute candle-lit table outside and asked if there was space for us. The owner (I believe) welcomed us like friends/locals and did not hesitate to say there is definitely space. We sat outside, was helped by a wonderful gentleman who also had a cool, casual, comfortable approach to things. Food was delicious. Vibes were immaculate. 10/10!

John Petersen

5/5 really just hit it out of the park all the way. Hosts/owners were so kind and welcoming. Servers were great. Attentive but also gave you space (a tricky balance). Beer was ice cold on a warm night. Food was so good! Tacos and fish and chips. I wish I had a bigger stomach so I could’ve eaten more! We were outside. It was lovely. Good people watching too.

Ava Nazar

Absolutely an amazing time and experience! Had a beautiful welcome from the owner and some additional company. Very wholesome and comforting spot, felt like being at home. Food was excellent and service was fast, I had the short rib fettuccine for my entree and a few bottles of rose!!

Kimberly F

Delightful find! Good food. Good atmosphere. Lovely service. Ate at the bar... and it's a small detail I know, but there are handy hooks for your bag... if they care about that creature comfort, imagine how great everything else is!

Evan Johnson

Stopped into Royal Hen while traveling for work and I ate at the bar. It was close to closing and the owner graciously turned the stove back on for my order of mussels. The person next to me at the bar said that I’d want to drink the curry sauce they were served in… and they were not wrong! Great food, cozy atmosphere, and attentive service all around.

Madison Mitchell

The workers at The Royal Hen welcomed my family and me with open arms after we had to evacuate due to the Palisades Wildfires in Los Angeles. We came seeking a cozy meal and were treated like royalty—we couldn’t be more grateful. The food was impeccable, and the servers were attentive and incredibly kind. It was truly an unforgettable experience, and we couldn’t have asked for anything better! It is restaurants like this that redefine community and gives hope in such a dark time!

Laurie Sloan

The Royal Hen is one of my favorite restaurants! Cynthia is always so welcoming and fun to be around! Her servers are wonderful, especially Micky! The food is outstanding - I love the recipes Cynthia brought back with her from Europe - especially the bread and chicken pot pie. The ambience is always amazing- I love how Cynthia always decorates so beautifully for the seasons and holidays. I am a local and I LOVE the Royal Hen Restaurant!!

This is such a cute and cozy restaurant on Balboa Island, great to stop in and grab a bite to eat after a walk around the island. The Stuffed Zucchini Flowers, RH Mac & Cheese and the Short Rib Fettuccine were the favorites of the evening by far. We could have just ordered doubles of these dishes and been in bliss. The shrimp and scallop curry risotto and chicken pot pie, for my taste were a bit bland; however, the rest of my dinner party did not agree and for them, the chicken pot pie was up there with the three favorites of the evening.

Andreola Werner-Velleryd

This is such a cute and cozy restaurant on Balboa Island, great to stop in and grab a bite to eat after a walk around the island. The Stuffed Zucchini Flowers, RH Mac & Cheese and the Short Rib Fettuccine were the favorites of the evening by far. We could have just ordered doubles of these dishes and been in bliss. The shrimp and scallop curry risotto and chicken pot pie, for my taste were a bit bland; however, the rest of my dinner party did not agree and for them, the chicken pot pie was up there with the three favorites of the evening.

The staff and people who run this place seem awesome and very welcoming. My steak tacos were just okay, candidly, the fries were just okay, and my wife's burger was just okay. There's just wine and beer, no cocktails. I hate to say this since we've heard SO MANY good things about this place, but we likely won't be back as there are just so many good places in Newport

Taylor Trusty

The staff and people who run this place seem awesome and very welcoming. My steak tacos were just okay, candidly, the fries were just okay, and my wife's burger was just okay. There's just wine and beer, no cocktails. I hate to say this since we've heard SO MANY good things about this place, but we likely won't be back as there are just so many good places in Newport

I hope that you were just extremely busy because it's a holiday weekend and this is not how you usually serve your customers. We waited quite a while for our orders to be taken. The waiter took our food and drink order but we had to ask a different waiter to get us our drinks. Our drinks arrived after our food. I have been wanting to try this restaurant for quite some time now and I was disappointed with the service. The food, however, was good. The fish and chips were so crispy and delicious.

Claire Hogan

I hope that you were just extremely busy because it's a holiday weekend and this is not how you usually serve your customers. We waited quite a while for our orders to be taken. The waiter took our food and drink order but we had to ask a different waiter to get us our drinks. Our drinks arrived after our food. I have been wanting to try this restaurant for quite some time now and I was disappointed with the service. The food, however, was good. The fish and chips were so crispy and delicious.

I am not sure why is it called “royal hen” they do not have any chicken on their menu except pot pie. 😀 We felt very rushed through our dinner. Host didn’t put in out steak order and we sat there for about 30 mins. Then told them to cancel the steak. We are going to leave. We were told they forgot to put it in. The person who was rushing us and took order never apologized but gave us $10 discount. We felt the food was very salty and barely had a taste. Most of the food was cold except pot pie. And no we don’t have COVID.

Ghani Zahid

I am not sure why is it called “royal hen” they do not have any chicken on their menu except pot pie. 😀 We felt very rushed through our dinner. Host didn’t put in out steak order and we sat there for about 30 mins. Then told them to cancel the steak. We are going to leave. We were told they forgot to put it in. The person who was rushing us and took order never apologized but gave us $10 discount. We felt the food was very salty and barely had a taste. Most of the food was cold except pot pie. And no we don’t have COVID.