Doheny Cafe — Restaurant in Dana Point

Doheny Cafe is hands down one of my favorite places to eat in Dana Point. I appreciate that they prioritize high-quality ingredients, cooking with organic foods and avoiding seed oils—something that sets them apart from most other restaurants. Every single meal I’ve had here has been absolutely delicious, but my go-to favorite is the steak and eggs.

I feel what really makes this place special is the incredible service and care from the owner, Chef Danielle. She is exactly what an owner should be—passionate, welcoming, and dedicated to making sure every customer has a great experience. Whenever she’s there, you can feel the warmth and attention to detail that makes this restaurant special.

I also love their sister restaurant, Maison, which has the same commitment to amazing food and high-quality ingredients. Maison has a more vibrant, energetic atmosphere, while Doheny offers a laid-back, relaxed vibe, making both spots unique and worth visiting. I also love that both restaurants are so accommodating with meal customizations, allowing you to have options based on your preferences and specific dietary needs.

I’ve been hyping this place up to all my friends— and I definitely plan to keep coming back as a regular. If you’re looking for great food made with superior ingredients, you’ll...

I’ve never encountered such horrible service. Waiter was very rude, judgmental, and not professional at all. To start off we sat down and my wife took my kids to the bathroom and as they walked away the waiter (Erin) walked up and only asked my brother In Law and I what we would want to drink. When we asked her for additional drinks she rolled her eyes and walked away while we were ordering wasn’t sure if she even heard us. All the other tables got their food before we even got toast and we sat down before everyone. She seemed very Judgmental like if she was honestly racist, I’ve never felt so uncomfortable ever in my life. When we finally received the food the food was cold, and we did not receive one plate and took an additional 20 minutes to receive. We ordered my daughter scrambled eggs when she took a bite she spit them out. So I was curious to see what was wrong I tried them and the eggs were so rotten the little bit I tried turned my stomach. Honestly I’m looking at other reviews and wish we would have received service everyone else received. Just to take from this, take the drive and go to Dennys, IHOP, or somewhere nice. I would rather choose McDonald’s over this. Don't go here. Take your...

Decided to stop by on our way to the Mission and was really looking forward to trying this spot based on the reviews. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the service.

As a previous server, I know firsthand that you create an experience for guests by being kind, warm, and welcoming…that is literally part of the job. The waitress with the back tattoo and glasses seemed annoyed in helping us, and our server (young blond male) was extremely dry. No greeting, no warmth, he just walked up to the table and stared. It felt uncomfortable and uninviting.

Maybe it’s a generational hospitality thing, who knows, but this is a reminder that you never know what someone is walking in with or dropping in for. Today was my mom’s birthday and I felt terrible starting off the day for her in an unwelcoming place. A smile and basic kindness cost nothing.

Also, FYI to rude servers: if you don’t want to take a table, ask a coworker to swap with you. It isn’t fair for a guest to deal with that attitude or treatment.

Food was mediocre. Do...