Oceanfront restaurants in Laguna Beach

Where the ocean-view rooms are

The four places on this page run along the coast from Cliff Drive to the Woods Cove stretch of South Coast Highway. Las Brisas is on Cliff Drive in North Laguna. The Cliff Restaurant is on South Coast Highway in The Village. The Rooftop Lounge is farther south in the HIP District, and Mozambique is past Bluebird Canyon Drive, in Woods Cove. The cards give each place’s address and what it serves. Hours are left off because they change.

On the bluff

In Laguna Beach a view often means a seat above the surf. The Cliff Restaurant’s site describes 180-degree whitewater views from a patio built on several levels.

Las Brisas stands above Main Beach. Its own site describes a panoramic view of the coastline from its dining rooms and outdoor patio, and its listing on Laguna Beach Happy Hour notes that the patio overlooks Main Beach on one side and the coastline running north on the other. The restaurant’s own site lists breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch menus.

Upper floors and rooftops

Not every view needs a cliff. Mozambique, on South Coast Highway, has a rooftop veranda that its site calls open-air dining with panoramic ocean views, and its Laguna Beach Happy Hour listing adds an upper-level patio looking south. The Rooftop Lounge is a bar on the top floor of La Casa del Camino, a hotel, and its site describes a panoramic view of the Pacific.

Which meal to plan around

The venues cover different parts of the day. Las Brisas and Mozambique both list weekend brunch on their own sites. Las Brisas and The Cliff Restaurant also post breakfast menus, so either works for a morning table as well as dinner. The Rooftop Lounge’s site describes cocktails and food on its top-floor deck. If the meal matters more than the view, the breakfast and brunch page lists places that serve earlier in the day.

Booking and parking

Mozambique’s site lists online reservations and says walk-ins are welcome when there is room. Las Brisas takes reservations through its site. For the others, check the venue’s own site or call. Read the parking guide and the getting around guide before you drive down.

Free views nearby

If you want the water without a table, Main Beach is the public beach in The Village, and the sunset spots page lists public places to watch the light go. For more places to eat in these areas, see restaurants in the Village, restaurants in the HIP District and seafood restaurants.