Reviews for Craft House in Dana Point, CA

Great place for a group. We had dinner for my wife with 12 people, after a few people ducked out it went down to 9. They were... very accommodating. The server was super cool and helpful, helping everyone figure out the best drinks and keeping everyonemoving along. I had the meatloaf and it was legit with the bacon inside. Other had the burger, scallops, Fish, fried chicken andeveryone was so full and happy with their food. They gave Jaime a free Chocolate Mouse, since she can't have gluten, and she wastalking about it for days. Read more

We went here with friends from out of state on Sunday, June 12. The staff is motivated, friendly, and efficient. They listen. ... The wine list is quite limited, which is one reason for the 4 stars instead of 5. The food is excellent and delivered at theproper temperature; but if you eat outside, which is a covered patio adjacent to Pacific Coast Highway, the food temp will dropwith the wind coming from the nearby ocean. This is expected, of course, but suggests you may wish to sit inside. Trafficnoise is also a big negative for outside dining. I had the sea scallops with risotto. The risotto was gummy. My wife had theHalibut, and it was delicious (we share). One guest had the pork chop, which he quite enjoyed and shared a bit with his wife. That pork chop was 16 oz with bone in and looked like it could feed a platoon! Our other guest had Duck Breast, which sheloved, and which I will try on our next visit - sitting inside. The bar served a fine Old Fashion in a smoked glass. My wifeenjoyed it, and she opined that it was certainly an "honest" pour. I say try it for the food and excellent service; but sitinside and expect a limited wine list. Read more

The salt and pepper shrimp and the birria egg rolls were great! Service was friendly and we had a very nice evening. I took a... star off because the entire “patio” area that was constructed in the parking lot during COVID is on a VERY noticeable slant.It’s odd that they would construct something that seems very permanent and not level it. Also, it’s fully enclosed so theacoustics are pretty harsh and it was loud enough that conversation was difficult. Read more

This is a nouveau Americana restaurant where the items on the menu sound familiar but the restaurant adds it's special touch to... make it anew. In some cases, this restaurant maybe trying too hard or too much. Did not like the fried chicken dish. I foundit's crust salty then a sauce was placed over it compromising it's crispiness. If you are undecided, the must tries are the snappeas and shrimp dishes. Ample choices for vegetarians. They have a small but tasteful selection of wine and beers. This is NOT amicrobrewery. The name "Craft" seems to imply a microbrewery. Service was friendly and helpful. It is a bit expensive, withentrees ranging between $25 to $30 each at this writing. Parking is limited, with about 10 spaces. Read more

My wife and I dined here two nights in a row, just so we could try different drinks and dishes, since the first night was so... enjoyable. The second night did not disappoint. The cocktail selection is pretty extensive, and I really enjoyed the fourdifferent ones that I tried. It's not that often that you find Fernet Branca on the menu at all, and deftly used at that. Besure to get the birria egg rolls appetizer, even if you have to skip an entrée. They are that good. On the first night, I hadthe poke salad, which was very good, but the kimchi pasta on the second night was exceptional. My wife loved the Santa Anachicken caesar. We live 1-1/2 hours away, but will very likely drive up just for dinner again. Read more

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 Ihad the burrata salad both tasted very good; we topped it off with butter cakes to go since we were full and they wereoutstanding. The menu had many dishes we were interested in So definitely coming back to try them. Read more

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 weregood and the menu had a nice arrangement of things to get. We got fried squash blossoms, the fried chicken, and the wagyuburger. All of them were great. It was a fun night. Read more

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 outsidealthough indoor dining was available. They're dog friendly so it was fun to see all the adorable pooches. The service wasgreat. Our server was attentive and our drinks were refilled frequently. The parts of my experience that were underwhelmingwere the presentation of the food and the portion size. Specifically, I had the beet salad and was thinking I should haveordered something else. We also ordered fries to share but it looked more like a side of fries that would come with a mealrather than a shareable with several pieces burned at the end. But, the flavors of the meals were delicious so I don't want totake away from that. If you plan to go on a weekend, I do recommend making reservations as the restaurant did fill up quickly. Read more