The Loft — Restaurant in Laguna Beach

Situated in an area just South of all the action but close enough to give you the opportunity to catch a show or do some shopping The Montage Resort in Laguna Beach boasts luscious grounds overlooking the Pacific Ocean. As you walk in the lobby is simple yet elegant enough to frame the view straight ahead.

As you pass through the lobby into the next room you are immediately embraced by the warmth yet sophistication of the large open area. A pianist plays familiar tunes on a beautiful piano situated amongst luxurious furnishings. Two leather sofas sit in front of the large fireplace that is flanked by built in bookshelves. Opposite side of the room is the bar that offers signature cocktails such as the Hotel Nationale martini pictured here. A must try if your craving a refreshing and smooth concoction. Out of the two restaurants we chose The Loft which was just one floor up. Beautifully laid out with two large balcony sitting options and lovely indoor sitting. Our table gave us an unobstructed panoramic view of the Ocean straight ahead. A must have appetizer is the Hamachi and Ahi. Paired with caviar in a delicate sauce it satisfies the most sophisticated taste buds. For the main meal we chose The Salmon and Sea Bass dinners paired with mashed potatoes and a large baked potato. We asked to enhance the mashed potato with Truffle Oil and Parmesan cheese and it was delicious. Unfortunately we failed to take a picture of the menu but we did notice that the menu changes seasonally. After dinner we enjoyed an after dinner Port and Grand Marnier on the leather sofas situated in front of the fireplace. The Grahams 10 year old Tawny Port was smooth, delicate, and satisfying. Following the after dinner drinks we had an opportunity to walk the luscious grounds. The view was amazing. Spotlights focused on the incoming waves made for a perfect evening walk. With plenty of tucked away sitting areas that gave you the opportunity to sit relax and take in Mother Natures gifts an evening stroll is a must. Definitely a place to visit but be prepared to be enamored with the views. This is not a quick dinner and...

3 1/2 stars really. 5 star location and view, 3 stars for the bare bones lunch menu, something like 10 items to choose from, about 5 appetizers and 5 sandwiches. A $28 burger confirms you are paying for the view and the Laguna experience. It’s a magnificent place. We had the fried calamari because there wasn’t much else on the appetizer side that seemed worthwhile. I split a burger with my girlfriend not to save money but because the other right side of menu offerings like the club sandwich seemed to lack any creativity. And at that price you shouldn’t feel so limited.

Afterwards we went upstairs to the main lobby bar. Beautiful sunset and vibe. Great place to hang out as the evening set in with a piano player setting the mood. People are both dressed up and coastal casual.

Service was 4ish stars. The server in the lobby bar didn’t bring water on first request and had to be asked again after she brought our drinks. Other resorts I’ve visited in OC show a little more attention. Perfectly friendly but maybe just more casual. I did enjoy the pace though - not hurried. You could hang all afternoon as we did with a 3 pm lunch reservation staying til 8:00 pm. Almost like staying at the resort itself. You really forget that the world is going on out in the rest of OC.

I am local and took my girlfriend for Valentine’s Day. Very nice. It’s a bit like visiting Disneyland. You don’t go for the food, you go for...

Delectable food and fantastic service! The loft is part of the Montage hotel that’s tucked under the floor right below the lobby. This was my first time dining at the Loft and I am impressed with their food.

The service is impeccable and the server that served us was very pleasant and attentive. We were very well taken cared by him.

With the waiter’s recommendations, we got ourselves a few of the restaurant’s popular dishes which included poke bowl and hummus with bread as appetizers and five main course consisted of a steak with sweet potato fries, two salmons, a pasta with chicken and a fried chicken burger.

I had a salmon dish and this was the best salmon I have ever had as the meat was so tender and the skin was crispy. The purée that accompanied the salmon was so tasty. I wiped the plate clean. My wife also raved about the steak she had. She loved the flavor and how they grilled meat. The fried burger supposed to be their customer’s favorite and my friend who ordered it became a fan of this burger.

The dessert was also amazing. We ordered the house especially ice cream to share. We were so impressed with the presentation of the dessert and didn’t want to eat it to avoid ruining the arrangement on the ice cream.

Overall the food were very good but they do come at a very steep price tag. Be prepared to dole out some money for the meal.

The restaurant provides validation for...