Harvest — Restaurant in Laguna Beach

We went to Harvest for a family lunch to celebrate my brother’s birthday, following a recommendation from a friend who spoke highly of the place. The atmosphere was pleasant, and I would give it a solid 4 out of 5 for ambiance. However, that’s where the positives end.

Let’s talk about the food, which was the real disappointment of the day. I ordered several dishes, hoping for a memorable culinary experience, but instead, I was met with subpar quality across the board.

• 8oz Dry Aged Burger: The biggest letdown of the meal. The beef was far from fresh; it had a bad taste that made it nearly inedible. The patty was dry, and the flavor was off, as if the meat had been sitting for far too long. This was supposed to be the highlight of the lunch, but I couldn’t even finish it. • Shrimp: I also tried the shrimp, and it was absolutely awful. The shrimp tasted bad and had a horrible smell that made it impossible to eat. It’s rare for me to send food back, but in this case, I had no choice. • Garlic Roasted Bone Marrow and Duck Wings: These starters, which we were looking forward to, were equally disappointing. The bone marrow lacked any depth of flavor, and the duck wings were underwhelming, with the sweet chili glaze doing little to save the dish.

Given the experience we had, I would rate the food quality as a 1 out of 5. The poor quality of the ingredients and the lack of freshness were shocking for a restaurant with such a promising menu.

In conclusion, I would not recommend Harvest to anyone until they significantly improve their food quality. It’s unfortunate that what was meant to be a special family occasion was marred by such a bad dining experience. This is not a place I’ll be returning to, and I urge others to reconsider their choice if they’re looking for a place with good food. There are many better options out there that won’t leave you with a bad taste in your mouth—literally and...

Terrible experience today at the Harvest Restaurant. My daughter and I were seated at the bar for early dinner around 5 pm. FYI, restaurant is only open in the bar area between 3 and 5:30 pm. Food service was very slow which we didn't mind at first. We ordered a Harvest burger, Avocado and Crab Toast, Oysters on Half Shell. Oysters were very inconsistent in quality (two had hardly any "meat", barely visible), Crab Toast had no taste, crab or otherwise (it was mostly mayonnaise/cream sauce), and drink service was slow. What killed the experience for us was when they opened all the windows at the restaurant and we were getting swarmed by bees. We complained to the bartender who didn't react at first when he saw me shooing the bees away with my napkin. He proceeded to talk to an older guy who he said was the owner, who refused to close the windows. This "owner" was too busy entertaining a large table of drunk guys who seemed to have just came in after a round of golf. We were moved to a small table away from the bar (bee problem was solved), where we received zero service from the rest of the wait staff. I proceeded back to the bar to settle the check. Our original bartender was nowhere to be found, and a second bartender was apologetic about the bee incident, but nothing was done to remove the drink (iced coffee) from the bill after I was told "drinks are taken care of for our inconvenience". I won't be coming back here.

• 8/15 Update after communication with the Ranch staff *

I was contacted by Sean L and RJ at The Ranch Hotel since my review (Reservations Manager & Director of Food & Beverage). Both were very professional following up with my concerns. RJ is refunding me the cost of the meal, and his response and commitment to customer satisfaction has been outstanding. Thanks goes out to RJ and his team for their...

The experience my family and I had yesterday was completely unacceptable. We will never return, and I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

We arrived and waited about five minutes before anyone came to valet our car. When we entered, the hostess didn’t greet us with a hello or any warmth. We made this reservation for my mother’s birthday, and when we mentioned that, she barely murmured a “happy birthday.”

The service we received from our server was especially disappointing. He was rude and clearly rushing us, even though we had a full hour before the kitchen closed. He repeatedly reminded us about the time, which made us feel pressured. He noticed the birthday card and gift on the table but said nothing. He also forgot to place our drink order, so the drinks arrived after our appetizers.

When my sister sent her sandwich back because it was cold and soggy, he didn’t apologize or offer an alternative—just walked away. We had to flag him down again just to get a new menu. At that point, we still had around 20 minutes to place another order, yet he stood by the table impatiently. When my sister asked for another minute, he rudely responded that he couldn’t wait. Then he threw a napkin on the table and walked off.

Throughout the meal, he never once checked in—not even after my sister received her new dish. When he eventually brought a small birthday ice cream with a candle for my mom, he said, “I don’t know whose birthday it is, but here you go,” before setting it down. It was not only disgustingly dismissive but insulting. At no point did he attempt to interact with us or show any sense of hospitality.

For a place that prides itself on service and hospitality, this experience was far from it. We were treated with disrespect on a day that was supposed to be special, and we left feeling disappointed...