Irvine City News
  • Home
  • SPECIAL REPORT
  • PUBLISHER'S NOTE
  • FEATURE
  • BUSINESS
  • CITY
    • AROUND TOWN
  • COMMUNITY
  • OPINION
  • LIFE
    • EDUCATION
    • SPORTS
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • RECREATION
    • DINING
    • TOP 10
  • About
    • PICK UP A PRINT COPY
    • COMMENT POLICY
    • Contact
    • ADVERTISE

Irvine's Best Restaurants

12/28/2017

0 Comments

 

Best of Irvine Restaurants 

By Irvine City News staff
It’s one of the questions that we’re asked most: What are the best restaurants in Irvine? Our answer is that... it depends.  

A cop-out, we know. But not everyone wants cutting-edge cuisine. Some want the comfort of familiar food, others eclectic global dishes. Many seek family-friendly options or best spots when on a budget.  

Irvine City News staff writers will provide our list in a future issue, but for now we’ve culled through critic’s picks and online popularity contests from several sources for a selection of local restaurants named “best” by critics or the crowd. 
 
Nextdoor favorites 
Popular online social network Nextdoor.com recently launched its Neighborhood Favorites, “an annual awards program that allows neighbors to recommend and recognize the most-loved businesses in and around their neighborhood.”  

Here are winners from the Irvine area announced in November 2017. 
 
PIZZA PLACE 
Northwood Pizza 
4900 Irvine Blvd. 

First Class Pizza 
6420 Irvine Blvd. 

Square One Pizza 
5789 Alton Pkwy. 
 
BURGERS 
In-N-Out Burger 
4115 Campus Dr. 

Habit Restaurants 
14474 Culver Dr. 

The Counter 
6416 Irvine Blvd. 
 
MEXICAN 
Taco Rosa 
13792 Jamboree Rd. 

Super Mex 
14370 Culver Dr. 

Javier’s Restaurant  
536 Spectrum Center Dr. 
 
BREAKFAST & BRUNCH 
Stacks Pancake House 
14421 Culver Dr. 

Mimi’s Cafe 
4030 Barranca Pkwy. Irvine 
 
ITALIAN 
North Italia 
2957 Michelson Dr. 

CUCINA enoteca Irvine 
532 Spectrum Center Dr.

Square One Pizza 
5789 Alton Pkwy. 
 
BAKERY 
French’s Bakery 
14443 Culver Dr. 

85C Bakery Cafe - Irvine 
2700 Alton Pkwy. 

Champagne French Bakery 
4628 Barranca Pkwy. 
 
CHINESE 
P.F. Chang’s 
514 Spectrum Center Dr. 

Sam Woo Restaurant 
15333 Culver Dr. 

Capital Seafood Restaurant - Irvine Alton 
2700 Alton Pkwy. 
 
AMERICAN 
Urban Plates 
13380 Jamboree Rd. 

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar 
13290 Jamboree Rd. 

California Fish Grill Inc 
3988 Barranca Pkwy. 
 
ICE CREAM SHOP 
Stricklands Ice Cream 
4523 Campus Dr. 

Yogurtland 
13260 Jamboree Rd. 

Creamistry 
3972 Barranca Pkwy. 
 
BAR/PUB 
Bj’s Restaurant 
13130 Jamboree Rd. 

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar 
13290 Jamboree Rd. 

TAPS Fish House & Brewery 
13390 Jamboree Rd. 
 
STEAK HOUSE 
Ruth’s Chris Steak House 
2961 Michelson Dr. 

Houston’s Restaurant 
2991 Michelson Dr. 
 
BARBECUE 
Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill 
57 Fortune Dr. 

Lucille’s Smokehouse Barbeque 
23760 El Toro Rd. 

Famous Dave’s BBQ 
13122 Jamboree Rd. 
 
OC Register Bests  
In September, the results of OC Register’s Best of Orange County 2017 reader vote named Square One Pizza Café in Irvine for having OC’s best pizza, best happy hour and being the best family friendly restaurant. Other local restaurants that did well in the Best of OC voting include: 

Best Sunday Brunch
#1 Taps Fish House & Brewery
 
13390 Jamboree Rd.  

Best Burger
#2 The Cut Handcrafted Burgers
 
3831 Alton Pkwy.  

Best Steakhouse
#3 Ruth’s Chris Steak House
 
2961 Michelson Dr. 

The Register’s award-winning restaurant critic Brad Johnson includes North Italia and Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana on his list of best pizza in the county. 

Brad Johnson’s authoritative list of the 75 best places to eat in OC included these Irvine restaurants: 
19. Ootoro Sushi  
 2222 Michelson Dr.  

23. Bistango 
19100 Von Karman Ave. 

44. North Italia 
2957 Michelson Dr. 
 
OC Weekly Best of OC  
Critics and food writers for the alternative weekly included several Irvine restaurants among their 2017 favorites. 
 
BEST DESSERT 
Zov’s 
“It’s OC dining royalty, of course, but way underrated for its desserts, especially at its Irvine location.” 
3915 Portola Pkwy. 
 
BEST CHINESE  RESTAURANT 
Best Foods 
“The sweetbread soup is the best offal dish in Orange County: earthy and milky and delicious.” 
2626 Dupont Dr. 
 
BEST MARGARITA 
Taco Rosa 
“Whether sipping with a gourmet Mexi meal or imbibing during happy hour, Taco Rosa’s slew of margaritas are perfect for whatever the occasion.”  
13792 Jamboree Rd. 
 
BEST KOREAN BARBECUE 

Kang Ho-dong Baekjeong  
“Meats are top-notch, and those grills with the built-in side troughs are a work of genius.” 
14160 Culver Dr. 
 
BEST VEGAN RESTAURANT 
Butterleaf at TRADE Food Hall 
“Vegetarian and vegan cuisine should taste as good as any other, and Butterleaf’s mission is to prove it.”  
2222 Michelson Dr. 
 
BEST FARMERS MARKET 
Irvine Farmers Market 
“With one of the most comprehensive and varied collections of food retailers in SoCal, it’s easy to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday in the Mariners Church parking lot.” 
5001 Newport Coast Dr. ​
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016

Irvine City News

Mailing Address
5319 University Dr.
Suite 440
Irvine, CA 92612

Contacts

Jacob Levy, Editor and Publisher / editor@irvinecitynews.com
Advertising / ads@irvinecitynews.com  /  949.296.8338
Terms of Use
© COPYRIGHT 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • SPECIAL REPORT
  • PUBLISHER'S NOTE
  • FEATURE
  • BUSINESS
  • CITY
    • AROUND TOWN
  • COMMUNITY
  • OPINION
  • LIFE
    • EDUCATION
    • SPORTS
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • RECREATION
    • DINING
    • TOP 10
  • About
    • PICK UP A PRINT COPY
    • COMMENT POLICY
    • Contact
    • ADVERTISE