Chart House - Dana Point, CA (2025)
Click here for the YouTube Video of this whole Messy affair
The sea is the first thing you notice about Chart House. The sea stretches out vast and intimidating in front of you as you descend toward the entrance and then descend again down a spiral staircase. The three important things that are needed for a successful restaurant are indeed met in spades with this place. Those three things are of course:
A) The location as it is nestled on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Have you ever wanted to sample certain sea food delicacies but cannot, for the life of you, remember where they came from? If this is you, then you will be pleased to know that you cannot escape the reminder here. As we all sampled the lobster bisque, I was able to recall that lobster does indeed live in the ocean. Had I forgotten such a bit of trivia, the gigantic body of water to my right would have given me a hint.
2) The location that invites a lovely view of the sunset. The red, orange, pink, uh… yellow hues will be plastered in the sky above you as the G2-V star we all orbit around descends in a almost melting fashion in the distance. In a sea scape worthy of Bob Ross himself, you will be gifted the view to make a memory that perhaps only three or four of the Chart House cocktails can take from you.
D) The location mixing subtle breezes and sounds from the ocean. The sum of all five senses will be challenged here perhaps if one is absolutely a fan of the cuisine. Men, are you looking to impress that special someone in your life? If you have some event planned where you need a setting nestled with the artistic palette, then may I suggest this location. If you are waiting to ask that important question and are looking for a favorable outcome, I would say try here. If you cannot seal the deal here, then perhaps it was never meant to be. While you’re at it, you can order a fifth cocktail just to make sure the memories are hazy.
On a crisp, technically spring, evening the crew and I set our sails toward the charthouse hoping to savor a of their menu items. On a side note, be aware if you will, that this is not a Mom and Pop type restaurant if you are looking to support local business. I say this not to denigrate the establishment but to let you know that if you are want to look at their location on the interwebs, be aware that they do have a Newport location as well. That is a Newport Cincinnati location in Kentucky. I still don’t follow the geography or syntax of that location. Yet don’t make the same mistake I did wherein your only alternative is to admit a mistake or make a very long commute for dinner.
Here are our impressions of the establishment.
Vibe for parents:
The local is lovely as has already been established. The charthouse website touts the location to great effect saying that one can see for 50 miles from the patio. This of course will vary depending on the weather and whether or not one has consumed too many of the locale’s cocktails. There are also suggested promises of seeing grey whale migration in the aforementioned ocean during the summer months. Before you ask and despite all the rebounding numbers of the grey whale and the supposed great number of the animals DIRECTLY in front of the eatery, grey whale is not yet on the menu. Check back often though for updates.
The patio is complete with numerous tables and associated heaters. There is also a great chance that if you time things correctly you will also be privy to the numerous local patrons taking advantage of the weather, the view, and the happy hour menu. We were lucky enough to be seated next to five close friends whom had explored the happy hour menu extensively and had lost whatever reservations they had about not complaining about anything that passed through their minds. Of course, we were not as lucky as their server who used such an occasion to grow her vast reserves of patience. Personally, I would have touched the drunk chums food after the 20th complaint in 5 minutes but perhaps that is why I am not a server… or not one anymore.
I cannot speak for the website touting the merry making that occurs during the 4th of July as March (when I visted) isn’t July, to my knowledge. Though I can only imagine seeing exploding fireworks in the sky while I finish my old fashioned would be welcome, or at least not objected.
Vibe for kids:
The restaurant does offer few conveniences for the child(ren) in your group. However, in their defense, the charthouse never presents itself as kid friend. There is no singing animatronic rat or incredibly gruff looking gorilla playing keyboard. However, there is still nothing perhaps less outlandish, if one can imagine, like a kids menu or coloring page or activity sheet for the children.
Still there is the aforementioned outdoor space. In addition to the patio, there is a lovely green space where the kids can run and dig. We saw a very conflicted father chasing after his one-year-old. While he was no doubt making memories that are beyond value, he did glance longingly at his table upon which sat his then cold food. The presumable mother of the toddler was enjoying her food immensely. Still… memories… priceless.
The take home point though is that if the kids are young enough to not have found the magic of smart phones and YouTube videos and still want to interact with the real world… they can. The green space was real grass so little danger of a little one losing balance and falling toward injury can be mitigated. Also if you or a fellow adult also taking advantage of the cocktail menu you will be assured to know that if YOU fall the same safe green grass will welcome you too.
If the kids ARE old enough to be addicted to screens and you are all to happy to indulge them, despite the condescending looks of 20 somethings WITHOUT children judging you as you give the kid a phone/tablet/screen so you can swallow your bite without having to yell, then you can. The restaurant offers its own WIFI network… more on that later.
Food/Menu for Parents: We found the menu to be well curated with a focus on red meat and seafood. The latter I presume is because it’s about 500 yards from something that one would typically associate with seafood. The steaks because there are no more bitter enemies in the animal kingdom than a lobster and a cow.
At the time of our visit we were privy to a promotion touting the virtue of the 20’s… I assume the 1920’s though to be fair I didn’t ask and most menus nowadays are geared to the 2020’s… particularly 2025 I find. For the low low cost of $20 one can enjoy a select food item and a select adult beverage. The crew got a Speakeasy cheese board which did look a lot bigger in the picture and a Prohibition (oyster) Rockefeller. In the interest of full discloser the Rockefeller was not really prohibited in anyway and the oysters were brought to the table sans fuss.
Now to real business, the adult beverage we selected were the Vote for Vodka, which might have been a better choice than the ones offered last national election in November, and the Mad Ave. The Vote for Vodka was a Vodka (titos) Martini. A choice of blue cheese stuffed olives, regular olives, and cocktail onions was offered to top the martini. We threw caution to the wind and went for all three using the tried and true method of “asking” for them.
The Mad Ave was a glass filled with a large cube of ice and the Woodford Reserve whiskey. I made a point of asking the barman about how to make the drink if I desired to make one at home. The bartender stared at me blankly and said “what?” when pressed. It turns out the Mad Ave is not a complicated cocktail and indeed only has two ingredients. The whiskey was delightful with a smooth finish and hints of spice and a flutter nay faintest soupçon of toffee. The martini was dry with hints of vodka and olive. I mean… it WAS a martini no Mountain Dew Baja Blast or anything, or at least none that I noticed.
For the dinner we collectively ordered:
Speakeasy Cheese Board
Prohibition Rockefeller
Lobster Bisque
Crab cake
Caesar Salad
Miso Sake Glazed Black Cod
Savory Shrimp Pasta
Lobster and Shrimp Carbonara
Mini Hot Chocolate Lava Cake
Hot Chocolate Lava Cake
Speakeasy Cheese Board: Fun little… cheese board that consisted of the board, cheese, fresh fruit, dried fruit, tapenade, tomato pico, and breadsticks. Some of these items were more edible than others. The cheese presented was a gouda, Boursin, and brie. Overall the board was a welcome entry into the meal and is a great option for little ones with the Roaring 20’s promotion. The kids have a few options to pick at when you are first seated.
Prohibition Rockefeller – This is a lovely little appetizer. The deep-fried oysters were perfectly browned and had a nice crunch. The protein was nestled in a spinach and cheese mixture. Seasoning was perfect with a salt that brought forth the brine of the oyster.
Lobster Bisque – The bisque has two major flavors namely Lobster and Excesses/Cream. The taste of the lobster hits first, then the sweet aftertaste of the crustacean. A hint of paprika comes after, with the cream following to soothe any taste buds upset by the slight heat that presents just before the butter rounds out the bite or slurp.
Savory Shrimp Pasta – Garlic and butter were the main notes which isn’t a bad thing here. The shrimp were cooked properly meaning still delicate and flavorful. Note that the complete dish presented shrimp complete with shrimp tails. Some people like to eat the whole shrimp without the tail yet don’t cut the tails off. This would leave one’s hands to finish the chore. This is typically not an issue. Keep a napkin handy as there is a fair chance you will be reaching in at some point to get the tails off ideally BEFORE you swallow the shrimp. Also if you are ordering this for any kids, they will enjoy the pasta we surmised but also keep that napkin handy as there is every chance you will be reaching in to separate the shells… or trying to explain everything to the social services worker outside the ER.
Caesar Salad – Served in a parmesan cheese bowl… meaning a bowl made of fried/melted cheese and not a bowl that was filled with cheese. The parmesan bowl, which is technically edible in the same way the paper stick that a lollypop comes on is edible. They share much of their taste profile. The Caesar dressing, which makes a salad a Caesar salad, is garlic-based instead of anchovy-based. This, in my opinion, makes it separate and lesser than an actual Caesar salad. Despite this, the lettuce was crunchy enough and the dressing was applied freely enough to still make it an enjoyable meal.
Miso Sake Glazed Black Cod – The dish was delightful using the miso to add fullness of the bite or umami with an otherwise delicate fish. There were salty hints to be sure but were well balanced with the glaze applied to the fish.
Lobster and Shrimp Carbonara – The pasta was very creamy, with a swell pancetta flavor. There was a generous amount of lobster, so you were able to have some with almost every bite. The shrimp were large and well cooked. The tails made eating the dish a bit messy, but overall it was delicious.
Hot Chocolate Lava Cake (mini or otherwise) – First, there seemed to be no difference between the mini and the regular cake. I didn’t have my protractor with me but the ol’ eye test showed them to be the same to me. The mini was delivered via the combo meal (though they refused to call it that) that is “Chart Your Course”. Said combo offered a starter, entrée and desert (the mini lava cake). Thus if you enjoy the items in the combo I would recommend it as it seems to include a full-size dessert. The dessert was incredible. Full disclosure again, I have rarely had ANY desserts where I regretted the taste. I cannot say the same for my regret of an enlarged waist or blood sugar levels. The cake was served with a Heath Bar topping sided with delectable vanilla ice cream. I would absolutely recommend it. Be sure to order it at the beginning of the meal as it does take time to prepare.
The restaurant was kind enough to print the calorie count of their dishes right underneath the description. So those of you that might be feeling too jubilant from the view and food and drink, can be evened out with the crushing reality of your gastronomic choices.
Drink for parents: Again, to sum up the cocktails, there was a Mad Ave (Whiskey with a big cube of ice… the ice was in the geometrical shape of an cube) and the Vote for Vodka martini.
Wine:
2018 Réserve de L'Ermitage Sancerre – Paired with Lobster and Shrimp Carbonara
2023 Rodney Strong ‘Charlotte’s Home’ Sauvignon Blanc – Paired with Miso Sake Glazed Black Cod
2018 Réserve de L'Ermitage Sancerre (14% Alcohol): Had a nice crisp acidity with citrus hints. The wine cut through the cream of the pasta sauce. The wine had an accompanying finish without being too intrusive to take over the meal. Overall, the wine was excellent and is recommended for this dish.
2023 Rodney Strong ‘Charlotte’s Home’ Sauvignon Blanc (13.5% Alcohol) – The wine revealed notes of “inexpensive” with an underlying hint of crisp acid and ripe citrus. The wine complemented the delicacy of the Cod fish dish. The sauce and the fish have subtle flavors that a stouter wine would dominate. This wine was able to bring hints of fresh fish with notes of the sea. The wine was a good price point and I would recommend it as a chaser for the higher-proof cocktails.
Drink for kids: The restaurant has the usual fair of soft drinks. We had Coca-Cola. I hesitate to review this here as it is beyond the scope of our review. Mocktails abound here as well, however. We ordered 2 of the “Palmer” mocktails. The palmer name (evidently some golfer) denoting the underlying type of drink being here, lemonade and iced tea.
Palmer (Peach and Cherry) – Overall this drink was rated highly. However, the drink did not seem to be mixed well. The first sip was akin to cough syrup which had fallen to the bottom of the drink. Time spent stirring was needed to properly mix the syrup with the tea. The peach version was well mixed and didn’t suffer from this affliction. It is possible that the failings of the cherry variety are due to the cherry puree. The peach was tasty and refreshing. We would definitely recommend this drink.
Neurodivergent review: The interior lighting isn’t overwhelming. There is enough carpet to dampen noise despite concrete walls. The outside speakers are far away to not be overwhelming. As such, conversation doesn’t have to be loud or to be heard. We did notice a high-pitched noise coming from one of the heaters. That was a bit annoying but it was a small issue.
Summary: Overall the chart house was a highly enjoyable experience. The food was lovely and I don’t know if it was stated before, but the view was awesome. Go for an evening or if you can make it to happy hour then I would recommend that too. I would suggest planning on using a Lyft or Uber in that latter case. Also, if you have any friends who don’t drink even though you insult them, they can drive you as well. The porch is where it is at so make sure that you are there when the weather cooperates. Since this is southern California that is more or less all the time.
Wine-Aux Parent Parting Tip (WAPPT): Consider bringing a teen above or at the legal driving age along so that they can drive you back. It can be a “teachable moment” especially if you throw up in the parking lot.
