Open-air eating

Marisa O’Neil, Dave Brooks and Cynthia Frazier

Though the Orange Coast has the kind of year-round climate that

Midwesterners and Northeasterners pine for during a good sleet storm,

summertime brings out its best.

And what better way to sit back, relax and enjoy the perpetually

sunny summer skies than with a meal, a drink and maybe even some

music? Plenty of local restaurants and bars take advantage of the

scenery or have carved out some precious real estate for outdoor

patios that allow customers to bask under sunny Southern California

skies.

Those who want it all -- the sun, fabulous views and cool ocean

breezes -- head for Newport Beach.

The Newport Pier Grill and Sushi Bar is perched above the waves at

the end of Newport Pier. An outdoor patio on its second floor affords

views all along the coast, and with live music on the weekends, it

feels like a mini-vacation, manager Linda Park says.

“It’s laid back and fun; you feel like you’re on a cruise ship,”

says Parks. “All you see is water because you’re high up. And you

have a view of Catalina Island and both piers [Balboa and Huntington

Beach].”

Farther down the coast, the family-friendly Ruby’s Diner on Balboa

Pier offers burgers, fries and shakes in a 1940s-style atmosphere.

Ruby’s also has outdoor seating on its patio.

The Blue Beet, a hot night spot with live music and steak dinners,

has its own rooftop patio just blocks from Newport Pier.

The upscale 21 Oceanfront also just opened a rooftop patio with

360-degree views for private parties, says director of events Nicole

Hay. It also has a second patio near its extensive wine cellar.

People who can’t afford a waterfront home or luxury yacht on

Newport Harbor can still enjoy the views from Newport Landing and

Woody’s Wharf. Each has an outdoor patio and a champagne brunch.

Other harbor-front restaurants with patios include Bluewater

Grill, the Cannery, and Lido Marina Village’s Camelot, which serves

breakfast daily. The Back Bay Cafe at the Newport Dunes Resort lets

diners watch kayakers paddle along the bay.

They may not have ocean views, but other Newport Beach restaurants

let customers work on those tans. Avila’s El Ranchito, the Newport

Beach Brewing Company and Alta Coffee on the peninsula and Gulfstream

and the Bungalow in Corona del Mar all have outdoor patios.

It may be landlocked, but Cosa Mesa also has places to soak in the

sun.

Many restaurants at South Coast Plaza, such as Z’Tejas, Maggiano’s

and Claim Jumper have small outdoor patios. Across the street at

Metro Pointe, Finbar’s Italian Kitchen and the Chinese restaurant Sam

Woo offer patios, and, on some weekend evenings, live music on a

nearby stage lets diners tap their toes.

The Lab Anti-Mall on Bristol Street houses the eclectic Gypsy Den,

which has a small, outdoor-dining area.

Habana, also at the Lab, gives diners and drinkers a Caribbean

feel with its “Nueva Latina” menu and creative cocktails that go

beyond the traditional sangria and freshly-muddled mojitos, general

manager Jerry Aschoff says. One of their most popular drinks is the

Buena Vista, a rum-based martini with fresh mint and lime.

Their patio is meant to invoke a backyard in Cuba, with overhead

lanterns and generous shrubbery overhanging the tables, he says.

Music lovers can listen to live tunes al fresco on Wednesdays at 7

p.m. from July 13 to August 17 at Fashion Island. Listeners can bring

picnic dinners to the free concerts, which in the past have featured

artists, such as 1980s staples Jodi Whatley and A Flock of Seagulls.

But one of the best parts of living near the coast is catching the

last glimmer as the sun sets over the Pacific.

Come sunset, the pier-tip restaurants and 21 Oceanfront give

customers a front-row seat.

And for those who enjoy a more casual atmosphere, never fear.

Watering holes Mutt Lynch’s and the Beach Ball both have wide front

windows to let you toast to the day’s last light.

HUNTINGTON’S GOT ITS SHARE OF SUMMER STYLE

Whether it’s sipping a mango margarita at a sidewalk cafe or

gobbling down fish tacos as the sun dips into the ocean, downtown

Huntington Beach’s cadre of outdoor dining options seems to have

something for everyone’s tastes and price range.

Fred’s Mexican Cafe, above the HSS Surf Shop at Pacific Coast

Highway and Main Street, is always a safe bet for taking a hungry

relative or a few college buddies in search of a beer.

Fred’s offers the traditional Mexican fare, as well as a few

originals like the deep-fried chingaderas, Southwest egg rolls oozing

with cheese, beans, salsa and sour cream. The restaurant’s outdoor

dining patio overlooking all of Main Street and the Pier Plaza is a

great place to sip on a huge margarita and watch a surfing

competition or summer concert.

If you want to turn the party up a notch, head up the street to

Sharkeez, the newest outdoor bar on the 200 block of Main Street also

shared by Longboards, No Ka Oi, Kilarney’s and the locals’ breakfast

favorite Sugar Shack. The sidewalk dining area at each of these stops

is great for people watching, but Sharkeez seems to be the rage

downtown, judged by swarms of 20-something singles who have

Sharkeez’s intricate happy-hour system memorized as if it was the

periodic table of night life.

For a truly local experience, head down to Jersey Joe’s Italian

Eatery at 424 Olive St. and enjoy some of the best East Coast Italian

food in Surf City. Jersey Joe’s is a great place to debate local

issues over a summer merlot and plate of rigatoni, but its best asset

is owner Joe Carchio, a longtime City Council candidate and political

conversationalist who seems to know everyone who passes by his door.

Just down the street at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa, Pete

Mallory’s Sunset Grill is a slightly upscale alternative to the

bustling downtown eateries. Sit outside on the Hyatt Regency’s

terrace and sip one of Pete Mallory’s dozens of different margaritas,

or return on Saturday nights for one of Pete’s Polynesian luaus with

a buffet and traditional island dancing.

Of course you can’t talk about outdoor dining in Huntington

without mentioning Chimayo, restaurant extraordinaire David Wilhelm’s

fine-dining experience located just a sand’s throw from the beach at

Pacific Coast Highway and Main. Chimayo is the ultimate in summertime

eating. Whether it’s enjoying an ahi roll next to the outdoor fire

pit, or eating a swordfish steak with fresh papaya, Chimayo is a

class act that is hard to follow.

LAGUNA MEANS

SUMMER-FRIENDLY DINING

Throughout Laguna, the choices for a meal while enjoying a cool

beach breeze are legion.

At the Beach House on Sleepy Hollow Lane every table offers a

breathtaking view of the Pacific. It features a Sunday brunch and

specializes in seafood.

Tourists flock to Las Brisas and for good reason. This landmark

bluff-top restaurant with its blue awnings offers Mexican Riviera

fare, with seafood a specialty.

C’est La Vie on S. Coast Highway is Laguna’s only

California-French restaurant. It has an outdoor patio with ocean

views overlooking Main Beach. Don’t forget to check out the on-site

bakery.

Claes at Hotel Laguna showcases an outdoor patio off Main Beach

with a 180-degree view of the Pacific. Here you can try steaks and

seafood and sample the notable wine list. Put it near the top of your

list for romantic sunset dinners.

There are great cocktails and a popular Sunday brunch at Coyote

Grill on Coast Highway. It’s a spot especially popular with locals.

Another local spot is Hennessey’s Tavern on Ocean Avenue. It is

dog-friendly and laid-back and a great spot for burgers and brunches.

The fun continues on Ocean Avenue with the Ocean Brewing Co. It is

a great place to meet people and enjoy handcrafted beers, a martini

bar and contemporary Italian cuisine.

San Shi Go on S. Coast Highway has ocean views and one of the

largest sushi bars in Orange County.

Splashes Restaurant and Bar at the Surf & Sand Hotel boasts a

spectacular terraced site overlooking the surf. It serves

contemporary California cuisine and is known as a great date place.

The White House is Laguna’s oldest restaurant, dating from 1918.

It’s also the city’s only restaurant and nightclub and has patio

dining from where you can watch the summer action on Coast Highway.

Finally, Woody’s at the Beach is a funky neighborhood place

serving California cuisine, with outdoor seating a few steps from the

beach. There is also fireside and outside patio dining.